Mandore (Jodhpur)

As we are approaching Jodhpur, we turn off about 10kms short into a smaller place called Mandore and the bus keeps going and going into smaller streets until we appear to have gone the wrong way down a lane. Then we realise that we are stopped outside a 'guest house' and the bus goes rather quiet again. As we get off though, the gardens look nice enough, and we are guided to the centre of the site for a 'welcome drink', and it looks like we're going to have a pep talk that is similar to when we arrived at the hostel in Instanbul. Whilst we are sitting there waiting, some girls come round and place garlands around everyone's necks whilst the 'rooms' are sorted out. The rooms though are all individual and built of stone, exceptionally clean and very comfortable, so there is an instant buzz as people start entering their rooms and finding this welcome surprise. In the afternoon we walk to see some of the local monuments, there are a few monkeys around, but also lots and lots of noisy little chinchillas.
In the evening, we're allowed into the kitchen to 'assist' in the preparation of the food. In reality, all the preparation has already been done, but we are able to roll a chapati each and cut a few baby aubergines, tip some ingredients in the pan and stir onions & garlic, etc. It's great fun though and we have a good time before being told the food is 5 minutes away from being ready, ushered out and the real cooking obviously begins. When the food does arrive about 20 or 30 minutes later it's some of the best we've had and afterwards everyone retires to bloat on mats that have been placed around the centre of the complex for us to let our tea go down.
The following morning we take a local (mini)bus into town. At first only Chris and us get on for the ride into the city – it's 7 rupees a piece. We are soon joined by several others and after a few stops the bus must easily be brimming with 30 or more people. It's a long, hot and sweaty journey, and Chris is tapped on the arm when we are supposed to get off the bus and walk towards the blue city to have a look around. Helen does a couple of deals in some of the markets before we take a tuk tuk back to the hotel.
When we are back in Mandore, Helen takes advantage of the resort to nurse her cold and relaxes reading books whilst David wanders to the local railway station and stumbles across one of the longest trains he's ever seen – The Palace on Wheels – it's a luxury 7 day ride going all the way to Agra he discovers. Whilst at the station though, he eyes a nearby water tower, with the gates open to the complex – it looks like a good opportunity to get some photos and when he gets there, the gates are still open, so he asks the guys who are already inside with a truck if it's ok to climb the tower and take some pictures. They happily agree and so David starts the climb up the steps and his legs get wobblier the higher he gets. When he has taken a couple of pictures he starts a careful descent, initially down the ladder from the top and then the stairs, but as he is climbing down he notices that the guys in the truck have gone and the gates are padlocked shut. A thought of 'Oh, cr@p!' goes through his head but when he gets near to the bottom there is a guy at a door backing on to the complex waving him over. By the time David arrives at the door there is a welcoming committee of the whole family and so he is introduced to everyone, shakes numerous hands and is ushered through rooms, which then turn into two shops. On his way out, thanking everyone, he notices a sewing machine at work and tries to explain he has something that needs attending to and he'll be back in five minutes. When he returns with his day pack, he asks if they can re-attach the strap that has come away on it and a quick repair is done. The ladies will absolutely not accept any money for the repair despite protestations, so as David walks away, he thinks, puts a note in his hand and returns to the shop and insists that they get something for the children, although they don't appear too happy about this initially.
As we are leaving and saying goodbye to the staff, one of the guys asks David for his name, and when David ask his, he says Jeep, so David tries to repeat it and says Jeep back. But the guy just says Jeep, Jeep and also says something else, but David says he doesn't understand. The guy walks a few paces away and then turns around quickly, yet discreetly pointing towards David's shorts and say's Jeep, at which point the penny finally drops and David realises his flies are undone.