Jaipur, Thursday

1355 At station. Couldn't find reservation office, neither booking office would serve me, I might infer they do immediate tickets only. Nearly got to front of queue at foreign tourist/handicapped persons/freedom fighters/senior citizens/journalist/MPs and MLAs window then realised I hadn't filled in the silly form with my journey details so had to leave queue. It is now not moving and there is a shift change 1400-1415. There is a woman sat off to one side with a sprog who may or may not be in the queue so I am having to stand behind her and risk people pushing in. Oh no, she's finally fucked off. Guy at window now is saying 'this is second time I've queued up'. Some chap just came to stand in parallel with me instead of in the queue.

1712 At Shaan-E hotel rooftop bar (though it's indoors or something like that, on MI Road near Copper Chimney. Knackered, walked from station to Indology Museum then back here. Was going to go into expensive-ish restaurant between Copper Chimney and Niro's spotted this morning but it was closed when past it 10 mins ago so came here for much needed drink, also saw this place this morning. Wanted food all day but felt compelled to go 'do stuff' instead of wasting time eating. Had fruit in room for 'breakfast'. Walked back through Central Park.

They have given me some popadoms (no condiments) as hopefully free snack with beer. First time I have seen any in India. Very welcome though. I asked, beer is 130 for large bottle (Kingfisher), though they obviously work on a tab system.

1738 Perhaps foolish but will have a second. This is actually the first proper bar I've been in since that sole nervous beer at My Bar in Delhi. I could have imagined coming here one evening, but given I'm leaving tomorrow that's not happening. If I end up revisiting here briefly on my route back to Delhi I might come here, though I probably won't be back in Jaipur this trip anyway.

This is strongish beer but it's still beer and the bottles are only slightly more than pints. Even three would not be insane, though I may not push it to a third, even on a semi-empty stomach (and I did have two bananas, an apple and an orange at miday).

1820 You know me too well, dear reader. I am having a third, it may be tempting to stay later but we will see. I wish I had been able to eat earlier, also that I didn't need to book a hotel for Jodphur, anyway, vamos a ver. No major harm.

1842 They do food here. Vegetarian. Not entirely sure what I'm getting but fuck it. I do like a beer and I do like a bar. Will see what the food is like and maybe have a beer or two more then home. I can walk it from here, may even splurge on transport. I don't need to be up til 10-11ish and I can fairly easily book a hotel via internet when I get home. Feeling pleasantly mellow - doubtless the beer, so what, nothing wrong with enjoying a drink, I clearly don't need it every day - and what the hell.

At ticket counter earlier spoke to that couple - mainly the bloke - who I mentioned were in front of me on my second time queuing. They are from Guildford, get senior citizen discount on their rail travel, on a four month trip. They were in Nepal earlier, I think. He used to travel all over Latin America for work, I confessed my infatuation with the continent and (later) for Chile (and especially Santiago), he agreed with me Chile was very European, said the locals were flattered if you said that. I do need to get some flights booked for after Christmas pronto. Conversation a bit awkward as we were at the ticket window while the shift change happened but still quite cool. Kudos to them for doing a trip like that, they didn't look 20 yr old but both seemed spry and probably in their early 60s, I hope to emulate them. In this drunk/mellow mood the idea of being in Santiago is very appealing. He said, IIRC, Latin America was something special, not like here. (He didn't make it sound as dismissive of this whole continent as that sounds.) A man after my own heart.

1927 Well that was very good, whatever it was, and pleasantly spicy verging on hot. I had to eat it with a teaspoon and probably committed a dozen faux pas but it's dark here so no one saw so who cares. Battery at 34%, I really need to carry a spare in my trouser pocket and not just leave them in my jacket pocket. Another beer, may or may not be last.

1932 Got bill instead of beer. 576, made it 650. Have paid and asked for another beer. See what hapens. 650 not super generous but OK, and since I expect to be tipping on another beer not going crazy. This is very affordable though, the food was substantial and decent and the beers were 3x130 of that 576.

1935 Got beer, they're obviously in give-me-the-bill mode as guy told me was 705 now. Gave him another 150. Still cheap and I think a reasonable tip and although I probably could get a fifth if I wanted, it probably isn't smart or that desirable and I think leaving after leisurely consumption of this fourth is smart. Been reading on phone, incidentally, hence battery depredation. Need to be sparing as want 20%ish left in case - I could *probably* navigate back to hotel without GPS, but wouldn't like to if can be avoided - I can't get tuktuk/rickshaw back or feel compelled to decline due to rapacious drivers. Given it cost me 75+tip from station I think 100 back from here would be reasonable and possibly generous, but if the sharks see I have had a few beers they may try to bite. I think the thing is to use the alcoholic confidence to barter and feel safe in the knowledge I can walk (in two senses of the word) if that falls through.

2010 OK, not feeling so fun any more. Battery won't permit lingering, which would probably help. Maybe I'm getting old or maturing or maybe it's a bad time to have taken food or maybe it's the uncertainty over getting back or the need to book hotel for tomorrow. Anyway, going to leave this fourth bottle largely untouched, no point forcing it though is a shame, and depart.

2043 Back at hotel via Reliance Fresh. Tipped guy at checkout 50 in what was probably a doubly rude gesture but what can you do. Anyway, my usual pistaccio Cornetto (no Magnums at Reliance Fresh, alas) then book hotel. At least the fact I left that beer, while it rankles, encourages my idea that while I enjoy a drink - hell, I enjoy a drunk, in the right circumstances - I have some kind of sense about it.

In hindsight wish I'd at least tipped the guy 100 but fuck it, too late now.

I walked back, by the way. It's not as if I was really drunk or anything, didn't even try to get transport. Maybe I'm getting used to it or maybe it's eased off but the odd tuktuk driver asking for business no longer fazes me, I felt OK walking back. Even the traffic seems slightly more tractable than it used to.

(later) Got hotel booked in Jodhput.