Hampi
By now you would’ve gathered that the bus journey was dreadfully uncomfortable. I spent the entire night fighting the urge to pee and also frightful force of gravity, time and time again a bump on the road left me hanging indiana jones like on the edge of my bunk which I figured was a better fate than being spooned by my new peruvian friend!! Eventually we landed in Hampi which as you can see from the photos or at least get some idea from them, is a really amazing place. The first thing that strikes you is the landscape, everywhere there are these giant sandstone bolders, twas as if there was a massive shower of them thousands of years ago. We got the now customary indian reception of a fleet of autorickshaws each touting a guesthouse somewhere in Hampi. Luckily enough Marika, a dutch girl we got talking to on the bus had done some research on accomodation in the town. She said that the other side of the river there were some places that were more chilled out and of a decent quality which would do for me. So off I went traipsing after them buckling under the savage heat I just prayed that the place was close. After about an hour we managed to find a place that had 3 single beds. The place was excellent. Hammocks & a bar – what more could you want? I immediately made for my bed though as I was seriously wrecked. Took it easy that night, went for a little walk later on in the evening but nothing major – had a few beers and went to bed!!
We decided to take in the sights the following day but to be honest you could spend weeks here and not see it all. We took a guided tour through the main temples in the middle of the town, there were monkeys, cows, goats, hens, pigs and even an elephant in this place. It was great entertainment. The place was full of weekend day trippers, I lost count the number of times young boys came up and shaked my hand, asked my name ‘That is a strong name sir’ before buggering off as quick as they came. They all used the same line so rather than actually thinking that Phil Gill is a strong name I think its just a default response they get thought at school when encountering men with incredibly white skin!!
From here we walked up Hampi Bazaare where all the local business people came to sell their wares, it was a thriving market but unlike mumbai and goa they were not nearly as insistent on flogging you stuff so that made it alot more enjoyable. On up past the bazarre there is the largest hill in hampi which of course had a temple on top of it. It was crying out to be climbed so that was our modest target for the day before going to find something to eat. The walk up there was spectacular, you should get some idea from the photos what it was like. For the following hour I wrecked heads humming the indiana jones theme tune – thats what it was like for me
We went for food back in the bazaare – it was quite funny, the place we went into was pure local, but they also had just one proper pan to cook food so we got our food one person at a time, I got mine first but poor adoni had to wait till last, he was wilting big time before they got round to him. We then headed for the last boat back to the other side of the river, missing it meant a 40 km taxi ride to get around so it was imperitive that we got there on time. On the way we were accosted by this tiny little girl who immediately attached herself to marika and myself. She was just completely adorable and waited with us until our boat arrived. Its a little crazy the way that children can roam freely without fear. She sat there though and played away, it really does bring it back home that we are no different from each other at least at that age – she reacted in the exact same way that my nieces would when I goof around with them. Its these little encounters that I am enjoying so much so far on this trip.
That night was another mix of some delicious food and a few bottles of beer. after the bar closed we sent one of the local boys off to get some bottles of rum. with these in tow we headed on down to the riverside for a couple of hourse, talking away under the full moon and stars. From there the moonshine on the temples across the river really looked otherworldly. The only downside was that I has put out to harvest for the mosquitos, the annoying little bastards eat me up. They cannot seem to get enough of the prime cavan beef
There were alot of israeli young people staying in hampi – Its a thing that after they have finished their mandatory service with the army that they take some time off to travel and blow off a bit of steam. To be honest they took over the place way too much and treated some of the locals especially the guys who worked in the place where we were staying with what amounted up to just pure distain – it really left a bad taste in your mouth but I guess it also had the effect of galvanising the group I found myself in. Some of them did however tell us about ‘the lake’, which was a good place to visit and relax in, So that was our mission the next day to find the lake!!
I woke up about midday the next morning with a massive urge to get some motion going in the bowel area, got up out of bed and into the ensuite – for some reason I took a quick look at the bowl, I dunno if its something I always do, maybe it is and because I never see something memorable I forget that I do it – this time as I am sure you can guess there was something there. A little mouse threading the water furiosly, he must have been completely knackered. I reckon he was in there all night. I quickly went outside to get one of the attendants to do a job on him as I didn’t have the heart to flush the poor little bugger away, needless to say the attendant had less sentimental issues, flush flush flush and mickey was on his way to a better place.
Soon after we headed off to find the lake, we passed some wonderously balanced boulders, there were plenty of monkeys aswell playing in the trees as we passed. Eventually we spotted what was a wall in the distant, it clicked now. The lake was a resevoir and a beautiful one at that. We picked a spot where we got hassled first by indians, then by goats and finally by a bunch of the aforementioned israeli party crowd with their head melting techno music. We treked a little up the coast where we could swim, sit around and chat away. Some of the views left us speechless. Of all the places I have been in india and all the places I will see I am sure that hampi will rank high when it comes to sheer visual stimulation. If anyone who reads this has the chance to go there, go already!!!
With enough sun for me and enough of my daz whiter than white skin for my travel buddies we packed up and headed back to the resort. The next day was a well deserved lazy day, I just sat around in my hammock reading my noam chomsky book – ordered food and just about managed to summon enough energy to climb some boulders to get a good view of the sunset. Its a real ritual in hampi to find a place, temples are usually the best and most spectacular and magical so we headed to one of those. It was full of israeli kids, two off them were how should I put it, chemically enhanced. They had a pair of Bongo drums and were beating away on it with the rythym of a drunken uncle at a wedding – I really put so much energy into wishing a monthy pythonesque spontaneous human combustion fate for these two numpties but somehow it didn’t work – we had to put up with the incessant noise trying to block it out while the deepest red sun I have ever laid my eyes on plunged itself into the horizon. For minutes after it disappeared we were left speechless by it – just minutes though, you know I cannot keep myself quiet for that long
The following day was my last day. I decided to go and meet my friend from home in Bangalore. He is working there and had the use of a plush appartment with hot water and laundry – two weeks into the trip I figured it was time for a bit of luxury. So off I went away from my new friends for what I assumed was the last time. I was lucky to come across a wedding type ceremony in Hampi village before I departed for my nighttime bus to bangalore. To be honest I couldn’t even begin to describe the scene, it seemed chaotic at first with drums and dancing, people continuously circling around a happy/bemused couple throwing all sorts of confetti on them. I have some pictures which I will post up soon!!
But that was hampi for me – I loved the place and will come back again some day.
Later,
Phil
Tags: Hampi, India, India, Karnakata
Phil Gill
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