20/11/2013

Got the train with Saunak in the morning, an Indian guy, 24, who was in Mysore for a interview with the Indian Airforce. He was going to Bangalore to catch a train to Kolkotta, ouch!!! Said bye, then tried to ring Anoop but to no avail. Got a call back, answered it… only to find it was an automated voice recording of Sachin Tandulka trying to sell XY and Z hahaha. Tracked down an internet café to get in touch with either Anoop or CK. Anoop rang me up and gave me their address. It was far out of town, but got a tuk tuk for only 150, seemed about market price. I was to get dropped off at the Fashion Institute Technology College, this was just next door to where they lived, and was also where they studied before. The place was in HSR Layout, Sector 1. When I got there it was very affluent and it didn't feel like India at all, the roads were nice and wide and well tarmaced, and there were nice shops either side. The college was equally as nice, felt like being on an American campus. I had a wonder in to find Anoop and got chatting to some of the students, they were all very helpful. Everyone was definitely of a higher caste, and some of the birds were absolutely stunning. Everyone had that Shilpa Shetty look. Anoop finally rolled up in his nice car, and I hopped in and we pulled away. His digs was just round the corner, very secluded with no traffic or noise. Here I met CK, as well as some other dude they were living with, Pavan. CK immediately said he thought I had lost weight. Maybe I have? Got some noodles later on from a restaurant for lunch. On the night we went to Nanda's, a restuarent which had the rip off signage of Nando's. Got some nice food and a few beers, which the lads paid for. Talked about Indian politics, very interesting.

21/11/2013

Chilled in the morn, got lunch at a real swanky place (surely I wasn't in India was I!?). Later on me and Anoop frequently went to get a chai from the local shop, was only a few rupees, and was a good way to kill some time. Anoops a really intelligent guy and I enjoy his company, he knows so much about European and American history and you can have a real conversation with the bloke. The teas and coffees are much smaller here, but they pack a greater punch, almost like a shot. The shop was just up from the college so there loads young'uns hanging out etc. The place had a really good vibe to it. Later on me and Anoop went for some bevies at another swanky place, we met his friends there, a married couple. Before long we were ordering food. After my epiphanous moment with Lawrence in Mysore, and how you can live for nothing if you really wanted to, being in such an expensive place made me feel uncfortable. I would have being more than happy paying 40rs for some street/local food than hundred and hundreds for food in a nice setting. We got a massive meat platter, for which I discovered this was only starters!! Main was a fish with a nan bread style wrap which was actually made from rice. The bill came and I saw a figure of 4500rs!! That's a lot of money even for back home. The girl (forgot her name) paid for it, and having not paid for last nights meal I felt obliged to throw some money in. Only had big notes so threw in1000.

22/11/2013

Got some lunch with Pavan (I'd dubbed him Pav for short). Got two big somosas. Pavans a really sound guy, hes a real mousy lad with a tiny frame, but has a big moustache in true Indian fashion. He can be a bit direct at times, but never in a rude way, and is always offering me food of some sort. He often goes on about the 'balance' in the food, and is always lecturing me saying I need curd, to offset the spice. He's a website designer, and runs a site called Qalqi.com. Its always funny to hear on the world, and he's one of them guys where he's really knowledgeable in certain areas, but in others he doesn't have a clue. This was epitomised when he discovered, to his disbelief, that the UK was an island, and he couldn't point out where the US was on a map with absolute certainty. In a sense he's also very Indian, and doesn't quite comprehend that different cultures do things in different ways, and that westernised lifestyle is very very different!

Made some home food on the night, fish curry, and got some bevies in, fosters! Very nice. Afterwards Pav made me some flavoured rice; plain rice, some red pickle flavouring and a powdered spice called gun powder. Wolfed it down and didn't really feel any spice, but only after the few subsequent minutes after eating did it hit me. All of the spice was at the back of my throat and mannnnn did it hurt!!!! Honestly felt like my throat was on fire, was so hot and painful, and water did nothing. At hand was Pav with the curd, hahaha that guy loves curd!!!!

23/11/2013

Had a chilled day, decided to facetime this lass who is also in Asia, teaching kids in China. Shes often posting crazy stories on facebook so I thought it would be good for a catch up and share in the madness. Shes been there 3 months and by the sounds of it is getting really sick of it.

24/11/2013

Bought some train tickets only to find the train was full, and I was in the waiting list incase people dropped it. Honestly when it comes to moving around India nothing is easy and it's a real annoyance, figuring it out, how to get there, paying for it, journey times etc. All a headache. Cancelled the ticket and got a refund, bough some bus tickets instead, ofcourse you can only pay for it with an Indian bank account, so got Pav to pay then settled the fee.

Finally got my bag fixed as one of the straps broke, very happy. HSR layout is very quiet so the roads are great for learner drivers. Seen a learner driver turn two corners, and each time he tooted his horn, hahah just shows your how crazy the driving is here when even the instructors teach you to honk your horn constantly. It even says on the back of all the trucks and tuk tuks 'sound horn'.

Went to another swanky restaurant. Packed bag. Got a lift with all the lads to the bus stop, there wasn't any direct busses to the main bus stand, but I hoped on a one that went to town and was to change when I got nearer. Hanging on the step of the bus I thanked the lads greatfully for their hospital welcome, and shook their hands as the bus started to whisk away, knowing that I'd more than likely never see them again.

Got off the bus and asked a local if the bus I was just about to get onto when to the main bus stand, he said he'd ask, turns out it did and he paid for my fare when I got on. Little things like that go a long way, and really restores your faith in the Indian people. Before I was quoted 300rs to town, and now had only paid 17s. Its things like this which really cut down your cost of living, something which Lawrence talked about, and over the course of two years, really adds up.

Despite being 9 at night the traffic was manic, and I was really worried incase I wasn't going to make my 9:20 bus. Being in a bus we could bully people when the traffic had to squeeze in, but on the other hand lost ground with the tuk tuks and motorbikes who could weeve in and out of the traffic. Got there and the Indian dude, even showed me to the right platform. What a legend! Found my bus, wasn't even a semi-sleeper with reclining chairs, but just a normal bus with rigid seats. Hello 7 and half hours commute! We made our way to Hospet, the main hub outside Hampi across some of the most suspect roads known to man. It took pot holes to a whole new level. The bus driver flew of course, and the bus took a real battering. Theres was millions of haulage trucks on the road. These (I think) are called spice trucks, and are coloured with numerous decorations and colours, and look like a gypsy circus type vehicle. Arrived in Hospet and waited for another hour and jumped on a real sleeper bus with beds, to Hampi, which was 20 minds away. Met Tony, a guy in his late 50's, 60's from Malta. Real cool guy, long hair, beard, really tanned, looked like a pirate. I found some accommodation for 250rs a night, with wifi. Bargain!!!!