Arriving in Jodphur

Back on the road, we had a three-hour drive left to reach Jodphur. This passed without incident, and we arrived at my hotel in the old city by 5.15pm. Apart from the very steep steps that I had to lug my case up, I was pleasantly surprised by my accommodation. My room is huge, and I actually have somewhere to sit and work. By the time I had explored the rest of the hotel and the rooftop restaurant and terrace, I had decided to extend my stay from three nights to six. I've cancelled my planned trip to Jaisalmer. I'll leave that for another time. Unbelievably, while I was up on the roof, I spotted the couple from Liverpool who I keep bumping in to! They were about to have dinner in another rooftop restaurant. We had a bizarre shouted conversation for a few minutes 😂.

I didn't need anything else to eat, but I did fancy a coffee so, after dropping my bags, I ventured out. I walked through the busy market area and soon found myself at Toorji Ka Jhalra, an ancient stepwell. It is a stunning example of old architectural and engineering skills. It was built by Maharani Tanwar Ji, also known as Toorji Ji, the wife of Maharaja Abhay Singh Ji, the ruler of Jodhpur, in 1740. It was part of the water harvesting system of the city and a source of water for the local people. Toorji Ka Jhalra also served as a social and cultural hub where women gathered to fetch water and chat with each other. Nowadays, it is a favourite spot for pre-wedding photo shoots.

I went to the nearby Stepwell Cafe for coffee and a couple of homemade cookies. It was very nice, but pricey compared to Udaipur.Read more