I arrive in Hopset (The nearest train station to Hampi) after another delightful 10 1/2 hours on an Indian train. From here I get a Rickshaw the final 13km. As the rickshaw drove out of Hopset the landscape quickly began to change from the dusty plains that you become accustomed to all over India, to an almost surreal landscape of strange rock formations. Huge rounded boulders litter the area for mile after mile. Some stacked up on top of each other in gravity defying formations, like a disorganized irregular shaped Jenga game. This landscape is like nothing I have ever seen before.

As the rickshaw got closer to the center of Hampi the rock formations are added to by a huge scattering of of ancient ruins and monuments. Walls, temples, and intricate caves are set in amongst the giant boulders, a scene ruined only by the brutally erected metal security fences erected around some of the ruins and monuments.

I got dropped in the center of Hampi Bazzar, a wide dusty street dominated by a huge ancient temple towering above the village at one end of the bazzar. I walk down the street, dissmissing the usual attention from hoteliers, shop keepers and drum sellers, past the temple and down to the Ghats at the side of the river. From here I get a small bamboo boat, (The term boat used very loosely indeed, this thing is more like a large wicker fruit basket with a bit of bitumen applied to the bottom in a failed attempt to stop water getting in. I pay 10 rupees and sit astonished at how many people, luggage and motor bikes they can fit into one fruit basket. The boat man paddles us the 100m or so to the other side of the river and by the time we reach the other side everyone is ankle deep in water. This will be my main form of transport for the next few days.

At the other side, Know as the island (A quiet relaxed place) I set about finding some accommodation, and i wasnt to be disappointed. For 100 rupees a night (about £1.20) I get my self a great little thatched hut with double room, en suite bathroom and private terrace overlooking paddy fields. I quickly relax and settle in. It quickly becomes apparent that Hampi like Pushkar and many other places in India is firmly established on the Israeli travelers circuit, this ensures that there should be a pretty relaxed atmosphere about the place, but I am happy that the farm that my hut is on, isn't one favored by Israelis. They are further down the road, far enough away for me not to hear the trance music.

At sunset it also becomes apparent that the Island area that I am staying is a favored hang out for mosquito's. Sandwiched between a river and paddy fields its the perfect breeding ground, and my ankles seem to make good staple tucker for a few of them.

That evening I walk up to one of the neighboring complex of huts (Israeli) and order thali and Chai. At 10.00pm on the dot the power goes out. I learn that this is a daily occurrence and it will come back after exactly 15 minutes, strange!

On my second day in Hampi I wake up early have breakfast and set about visiting some of the sites. Hampi is a village set amongst the ruins of an ancient fallen empire ################################################################. The village itself occupies only a small part of what was once a huge place. Ruins are scattered amongst the bizarre Mars like landscape for miles around. Sight seeing here involves a lot of walking and in the heat of the day this can be very exhausting. I soon realize that in the three days I have allowed to stay here I am unlikely to see everything that Hampi has to offer.

After sightseeing all day finding the ruins and temples fascinating but second to the Bedrock landscape, I hop back in the fruit basket and head back to the Island and the smell of the Israeli chillum smoke in the air. I get back to the hut and get chatting to an interesting German guy staying in the neighboring hut. He has an impressive Santa-Claus beard with an even more impressive handle bar mustache. We talk as the sun sets and again i'm ferociously bitten by the mosquito's DOH!!!

Later I head for dinner in a relaxed restaurant with low tables, mattress seating on the floor, and some chilled but funky music playing. I order dinner and a beer (illegal in Hampi due to the towns holy status, but hey! This is India and anything is possible). Many people I had spoken to had recommended the restaurant saying that it was busy and had a great atmosphere, however tonight its dead and I'm the sole dinner, or so i thought! The next thing I know a group of 5 gorgeous Swedish girls have come in and sat at the table opposite. I thought about ways of making conversation and then flunked it with a mispronunciation of a town in Sweden that I had visited. I seemed to be the source of many jokes in their native tongue and I decided i would just admire from a distance.

The next two days I continue sight seeing and meet up with an English Guy, A French Guy, and a girl from New Zealand. On the final day we hire pushbikes together and head to the Haniman Temple, after climbing up over a 760 steps to the temple we sit on top of one of the highest rock formations in the area and watch sunset. That night we all head for dinner at a restaurant over the other side of the water. At 10.00 we head back to get a Fruit basket ride back to the island only to find we had missed the last one. We were standing around contemplating borrowing one and rowing ourselves over when all of a sudden a couple of local lads seem to have seen the opportunity to make a few rupees. They assure us that they are the official rowers but we aren't convinced, however we accept the ride (a whopping 50 rupee each) and get safely back to the island.

The following morning i reluctantly head back to Hopset to catch a train back to Goa. I could easily have spend a week or longer here, and would recommend a visit to anyone. Its like living in medieval times in a landscape resembling to that of Bedrock and the Flintstones, Truly bizarre!!