Hampi

Tremendous weekend!

Check out my online photo album at http://picasaweb.google.com/gregsmail

You can also link to Scott's album (hart5) from my page (as well as my other friends:)

Overnight train to Hospet - Not quite EuroRail, but it did the trick. We rode 2nd Sleeper class (with A/C, which proved unnecessary and chilly at night for this time of year). Attendant came by and took food orders for supper > poor Scott got a full cup of yogurt spilled on him and his stuff!

We arrived just after 5 AM, still pitch black. We hopped an auto-rickshaw about 10 km to Hampi. A surprising amount of people out and about. The oxen were on their way to work as well.

Hampi - Day One - Still night time, the town was difficult to navigate making it too early to search for accommodation, but it was just the right time to scamper up the boulders to catch the sunrise. The land revealed itself strewn with reddish boulders, making it look like Mars. There were temples built into the sides of hills at various heights.

We set our bags down and rented bicycles. We took a route that started on pavement; we quickly diverted to a dirt path with banana trees on either side. Along the way, we would stop at ruinous temples and dwellings and for an ascent to a hill top brokedown palace where we were able to see the entire land and plan our journey for the next day.

We made sunset at ruins laid upon a giant sheet rock.

Night life consisted of local musicians performing. Not quite the typical show, as a bull sneaked through the seams in the sheeted wall and started eating the banana leaves on the side on the stage. The organizer shoo-ed it away, but only after it ran across the stage.



Day Two - Up at sunrise to see the elephants bathing in the river, they must've had the day off, as every Hindu does on Sundays.

While the town was bathing, washing, and rejoicing in the river, we took a barge motorboat to cross and began our trek. 2 hours of over-landing grass, marsh, and boulders later, we appeared at the end of the rope. Luckily, a man in a large basket paddled over to the ford. Meandering back on foot to the village, we watched the sunset from the same spot.

We arrived early at the station as to not miss our train. It ended up being quite a scene, as it is most places that foreigners go. Curious and gregarious group, Indians are. I had out the iPod speakers and drew a crowd. After finding that my Hindustani selection was lacking and surfing some selections, we eventually settled on Prince.

Ian's Animal Corner - We saw dozens of monkeys, a cobra in a basket, water buffalo (as if they were cars), lizards, kingfisher birds, and a preying mantis!

For more information about animals, check out: http://ianwkaye.googlepages.com/



A monkey family runs by us during sunset. The Virupaksha Temple is in the background on the right.