Paint, opium and a wedding

Jodhpur is a bustling city on the main tourist trail. We have found a great place to stay here, full of cool backpackers and right in the heart of the city. It is called the 'blue city' due to the indigo tinge of the whitewashed houses around the fort.

We took a tour to see the Bishnoi villagers - a strange mix of hindu and muslim people who live in complete harmony with their environment and establish a symbiotic relationship with nature. At one point 363 of the Bishnoi laid down their lives (Supreme saka) to protest against attempts of local King's men to cut green Khejadli (Prosopis cinraria) trees. Sam got attacked with paint by revellers at the Holi festival and we had a great day meeting the local people. We were offered opium by our guide - the Bishnoi drink it socially. The mix it with sugar and it is quite tasty apparently.

The next day we visited the imposing fort - a massive 15th century A.D. monster. Set on the top of a rocky hill, soaring 125 metres above the plains, it is as impressive inside as it looks from afar.

The big news in town today is that Liz Hurley is getting married at Jodhpur Palace. A guy told us yesterday that she had been seen smoking opium, which you can understand when faced with a four day Indian wedding celebration. The media have gone mad here.