Hampi (10 nights) - Blog 1

I had been very excited about getting to Hampi, because I had met many travelers who had told me I MUST go. I was not dissapointed. I thought it was a fantastic place, I really enjoyed it, and I stayed as long as I could. In fact, I stayed so long and did so much that I couldnt possibly describe it all, as much as I would like to.

I will at least try and give you an idea of what the place is like. The landscape is extraordinary. It looks like something from a film set. All around you are boulders perched upon hilltops as though they just fell out of the sky. Sometimes one boulder sits precariously above another so that it appears as though a little push would send it rolling away. The lower regions are filled with lush green palm trees and banana plantations and I have already mentioned the river.

The whole Hampi area is a World Herritage Site on account of the hundreds of ancient temples that can be spotted practically everywhere you look. I spent my first two days exploring the major sites. I began at the tall central temple near the Hampi Bazzaar and then walked to the other end of the village via a long covered walkway. The sun was beating down and it would have been around 32C, though not humid. I took a rocky path over a hill and down into what seemed like a forgotten valley. I could see nobody and yet right in the middle to the valley sat a huge temple called the Achutaraya. I smiled in amazement as I tip-toed around and through and only as I was leaving did I meet another soul. Ieft via a long and wide corridor with more covered walkways either side of me, the Sule Bazzaar. Flaking in the hear I returned to the town.

The following day I crossed the river from the island where I was staying very early around 8.30am with the aim of seeing lots before the sun baked me. I walked along the riverside path, which gave fantastic views. I was heading for one of the famous temples, but stopped at a bend it the river where I found a hive of activity. There was a buzz of colour by the water where ladies were washing clothes, but further round the bend were men in plain white performing some sort of ritual in the water. I sat and watched, but must admit I remained ignorant to it's purpose. I made it to the temple and took a few snaps, including many of the rather impressive stone charriot whose wheels once turned.

I then set out on a mission to walk to the other main temple site, via the Achutaraya temple that I visited the previous day. I found the little path and then almost immediately stood on a thorn that went right through my flip-flop and took a surprisingly long time to get out! I set off walking again, but this delay and my earlier pause at the river bend meant that I was traveling in the heat of the day again! It felt like I was crossing the Sahara desert and that these temples dotted about were probably just mirages, though in reality it was only 2.5km. The site that I had reached was vast, covering several sqkm. I began at an enclosed area with a few attractive buildings including the stunning dome capped elephant stables. Making my way to the other end of the site I stopped at a very fine temple with four stunning pillars of carved dark rock. There were other people around, but the whole area was practically empty.

Having had enough of the heat and tiring of all the walking I tried to arrange an auto back to the centre. I was dissapointed at the prices and was beginning to despair when I was graciously invited to share a ride with a middle-aged German guy and a young Canadian. They stopped at a couple of other temples on the return journey and then we had lunch together.

I chose to be lazy for the next couple of days before meeting an American girl and English guy and planning a motorbike tour of the temples with them. Unfortunately, she fell ill and we had to postpone. I chose to wander down to the bend in the river I stopped at a couple of days ago, planned my route down to Kerala, and even put together a 2 week itinerary for when my friend Angela would join me. Everything came together nicely, though I did lose my bananas to a cheeky monkey who snook up on me!

On my gentle wander back to town I stopped for a fruit juice in a little riverside restaurant and met Anders and Nilo, a Swedish couple who were going in search of a temple with a secret underground chamber reached only by a pool!!! With nothing else to do, I could hardly refuse the chance to find it and so I set out again with them.

We never did find it, but we did have a great adventure, including taking a trip along the river in one of the funny little circular bamboo boats, which rise only a few inches from the water, discovering a mysterious cave temple, ignoring the 'beware of crocodiles' sign and having a swim!