"Jodhpur: excellent place to explore for a day!" Top 5 Page for this destination State of Rajasthan Things to Do Tip by Bonobo2005

In Jodphur (pop. 0,8 mio) is a lot to explore, local people are strikingly friendly and the rickshaws must be the most beautiful in the world!

I arrived by nighttrain from Jaisalmer at 5am; still dark. My connecting train to Calcutta was scheduled at 4pm, so I had a whole day in the desert city of Jodhpur.

I wandered through the streets, the market, that slowly started to come alive, had some tea, smoked a cigarette with a group of Muslim men, had a chat with a rickshaw driver, and read the first morning paper in the first tea house that opened.

Around 9am I went to the helpful Tourist Reception Centre where they helped me to find other people to share a guide and car for a sightseeing trip.

With 2 domestic tourists I visited the magnificent early 20th century pink sandstone Umaid Bhawan Palace, that now houses a museum and a 5* hotel. Unfortunately there are a lot of restrictions for the visitor.

We continued to the Mandore Gardens, a very pleasant park full of 18th century tombs, memorials and cenotaphs of the Jodhpur rulers.

But the absolute highlight was the Meherangarh Fort Palace, a formidable 15th century fort with interesting displays and impressive architecture. It is located on top of a hill from where you overlook the blue painted houses and the Walls of Jodhpur.

Aroud 4pm; back at the trainstation, but no train to Calcutta yet. It wouldn't leave before 1AM next morning.

Time enough to enjoy a gorgeous dish and see the latest Bollywood-hit in the cinema, where people were shouting and applauding while another hero defeated the bad guy and won the heart of the beautiful girl...

At the trainstation, I discovered a special tourist waiting lounge. It was not easy to reach it, passing the waiting people lying on the floor amidst their enormous loads of luggage, but finally I enjoyed the shower, toilet, magazine stand and…the best of all… a perfect soft sofa on which I soon fell asleep…until the attendant woke me up to say my train had arrived…