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Day 110: Jodphur’s fort was the most magnificent of those we had seen in India; one local sign proudly reminded us that it had recently been named Asia’s best fort. (It’s always difficult to judge these things.)

One thing was for sure; the audio tour of the fort and palace was truly wonderful, narrated roundly and proudly by an elderly Indian who reminded me of a subcontinental James Earl Jones. From the top of the ramparts, we gazed down at the blueness and listened as this sonorous voice unapologetically narrated the rich history of the palace.

It was a colourful visit, the first night of a local festival which brought hundreds of dressed-up locals through the fort and down to a temple to crack coconuts, empty the milk over repersentations of their gods and in this way paying their respects.