Happy Hampi & Enjoy Hampi

26.01.2014 Enjoy Hampi…..

We left the motor bike for next day(still TVS, but this time more destroyed one…) and again we woke up for the sunrise. This time we decided to go a bit wild and without plan, so after few km from Hampi, we took a turn, park a bike in middle of nowhere and went to climb a bit. It took us some time for bouldering as it was wild, but close was a path for goats and sheppards, so we were using it sometimes. We got to one place, which was fitting for a sunrise. Should I say again how good it was to see sky full of red colours, the amazing rocks around and only us two there……

After we went back to Hampi to pack the our stuff, last shower, check out, leave bags, small shopping and last trip to see more temples. There are so many of them, that 2 days is not enough to see them, so we went only for bigger ones, or in our opinion interesting(base on photos from our funny map). At certain point we got to main temple of king, which he used to pray and which was in between his palace and main complex of temples. This one was definitely in best condition and most amazing. The precision of craftsman’s who have been working on this one was spectacular and the sculptures where in such a good condition that we spent probably a bit too much time there :D

After we went back to Hampi for last cheese-mushroom momo’s at Gobi Restaurant and then took a tuk-tuk from main gate(the first guys who have agreed for 100 RS for a ride to Hospet. Bus costs 75 RS so for 2 person way more convenient and faster to take tuk-tuk). We were a bit too early in Hospet, so quick check in at Paulo Travels which operates this private line to Goa and walk around Hospet. Well, there is not  much to say about Hospet, exactly nothing to see, plenty of dust on the road which starts to itch the throat after 10 minutes of walk and successfully blocks your noose as well. We made a quick look in few shops, Rafa bought inflate pillow and I got a new t-shirt for my self, as one of old ones is ready to be recycled. Then we got back to Paulo and bus arrived. Off course no name bus, sleeper, but different then one which I took from Mumbai. This one has as well some seater places and double beds were on both sides of vehicle. Which means directly a lack of space for two guys on one bed. For the night we needed to sleep one on side, another on back, but with road condition and suspension local upgrades it was almost impossible to fall a sleep(this doesn’t concern Rafa, as he can sleep everywhere at anytime, the problem was only for me). For me worst travel in India by now, even government super delux seater buses where better. At the entrance of bus was sticked a label that Government of Goa require 20 RS for entering GOA, signed by Paolo Travels. Offcourse all the people in front of us has paid 20 RS to driver, but I wasn’t about to do it. Firstly no information from office that we will have to pay, secondly I already entered Goa before and there was no such a fee, so I started to argue with driver and I blocked the que. Soon, the driver gave up and let us is and I don’t know if people after us has paid or not, but I don’t think so. As well, at the back side of the ticket was written that each passanger is obligated to pay 10 RS to bus crew for entertaining them to provide good service. HA HA !! They couldn’t get better ideas J

Finally we arrived to Palolem around 5 am, with some breaks on the way for pee or dinner(worst place ever, the menu was stick on the piece of cartoon and toilets where outside of building – old style ones with hole in the ground :D). Then we made 15 – 20 minutes walk to the beach, as it is really close to “center” and started to look for a place where Rebeca was staying. We started from the beginning of beach and Leela huts where on the other end……(obviously we needed to walk all the beach between parked boats and groups of homeless dogs), so we reached her hut around 6 am.

Nice welcoming from us, with early wake up at 6 am, short talk and we went to sleep in their hut(Rebeca was with friend Li-Lu). I got a nice spot on the floor, Rafa sneaked to the bed. After terrible night I was quite wake up and I didn’t expect to fall a sleep, but I did and I slept until 11 am(first time I woke up that late in India). Then breakfast on beach, swim in the sea and was already evening, so dinner, some Old Munk, talk with Indian guy who is working in Munich for 8 month each year and then he have fun in Goa for 4, talk with Indian guy who is working in Munich for 8 month each year and then he have fun in Goa for rest 4 months until almost 5 am). That’s how 27^th of Januray left. I must say that days here are running like crazy and it is difficult to realize that is almost February.

Happy Hampi - 25.01.2014

We got up moreless on time,  but we woke up without water supply and sunscream. The first one we got on the opened shop at 6 am, but not suncream. The night before we rented TVS Heavy Duty Super Deluxe which had the best times some years ago. I needed to predict how big hills are coming and gain some speed before, otherwise the passenger had to get off in the middle of mountain and walk until the peak :D

The morning was fresh, bit cold(we were driving only in t-shirts, shorts and without helmets), generally city was empty, but when we got out from city we could see some local „farmers” which were going to plantations(mainly bananas, coconuts, sugar cane, but we also saw one cotton. The plan was to get to Maljavantha hill/temple and see the sunrise. We got there without bigger problems, but we noticed 2 small Force Traveller buses with Russians already there(they were feeding monkeys, as there was nothing better to do for them……). Well, what to do, we climbed the closest rock in order to be separated from them and enjoy the talk and views a bit on the side.

The time before sunrise was great for taking some photos, as the red sky and light getting brighter placed beautiful show on rocks all around us(the rocks has variety of colours red, yellow, brown), so it was simply great to sit down on the rock and start the day like that. After all Russians left, we decided also to start the moving and at the bottom of temple was smaller one, in the cave. We were invited by hindu monk(I don’t know how to call them, sorry) to get in and see or pray, we couldn’t exactly understand what he was saying, as his English was not existing and our hindu is quite limited. After entering he started to say some pray, we got a dot on our forehead in front of god Hanuman(Monkey headed god), after this we got as well a top part of flower sinked in orange paint(the same as the dot on forehead). With this flower we were sent to “behind tree”, but we couldn’t find anything like that, and paint was already all over my hand. By the way, the first part costs us 100 RS for that spiritual experience. Finally we got to main temple with this one piece of flower and another munk took it from us and went to main part of temple, he started to sign, placed our flower in front of another sculpture of Hanuman, started a candle, came to us with this candle and we placed the smoke on our heads, then we got another mark on the forehead, this time it was red and it was a line going from the top of forehead, stopping just before the dot. Cost 50 RS, but blessing(we believe strongly it was blessing) should help us in future and rest of the trip J

Afterwards we took are powerfull scooter and started to drive around, a bit on the feeling, a bit following signs and off course it wasn’t the best idea, as Indian signs are guiding you exactly to dead ends, so we needed to come back few km. Thanks to that we could see most of locals collecting some sugar cane, finally back on the road we visited unfinished bridge to the other side of Hampi(supposte to be the cool one, not the temple like ours), I can imagine that it wasn’t finished yet because some people are having small motorboats to transfer people from one side to another and the closest bridge is about 30 km away :D.

After that we continued to most popular temple name Vittala Temple. We paid 250 RS for both and we got inside. It was a bit different then the previous ones as it had a wall around. The inside was nice, but I wouldn’t call it spectacular. We walked around, enjoy the views, but the inside was under reconstruction, so entrance. With the ticket we could go to more places, but as there are so many places to see around you are actually not able to use for all of them at the same day.

After we followed to see more at this complex of buildings and temples, we got a river, a glass of sugar cane juice from the guy with huge arms and hands(the machine to squize the juice was hand powered, so he was rather small but huge arms :D). At certain point of seightseeing we got to entrance to temple at the hill, a bit outside and more calm and after few minutes of talked we ended up lying down on both sides of entrance and soon after we felt a sleep. The nap around 11 am was great, we woked up after about 1,5 hour, but we needed this after missing some hours of sleeping from recent nights. Great nap in amazing place, one of the best naps ever I can say J

We finished seeing this place and went further with idea of lunch somewhere(and getting finally the suncream!!!), we got to village on the way to Hampi, but no places to eat which were interesting, so back to Hampi. We got lunch at Mango Tree(but they have moved to the center of Hampi, not as in guide outside of city behind some banana plantations), then some suncream and short trip to Lotus Temple, Elephant stables as for those places you need a ticket. Great architecture and super colours around 16:00 – 17:00. Then we run to TVS and went to see the sunset at the hill at the end of market in Hampi(Mala… something the name). It was a really high hill, so we made a challenge in order to run on it, offcourse on the half-way we were totally exhausted. At the top as always is India already some people waiting for sunset, so we need to move from there. There were some nice huge rocks a side, so we made some bouldering and got to the point where we were alone again. Few moments we had some doubts about going further(specially with our totally sweated feet, which were moving in the sandals)  but finally we did it and again it was worth it. No noise from people, just us sitting on the big stones, enjoying amazing surrounding landscapes and the sunset. I can say that it is worth it to live for those moments.

As always some talks a side and we were again one of last going down. Then we went for dinner, off course with shower before :P