It's a long way to Hampi....avoid the trains at all costs!!!!

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24th February 2009

Our train to Hampi (Hospet) leaves from Vasco de Gama at 7:20am so we leave for the hour taxi ride at 5:30am. We’d had a pretty sleepless night; I’d been awake since 3:00am. We eventually arrive at the train station via a moment of insanity from our driver who first took us to the airport!!

After some confusion at the platform as to actually where we board the train for our eight hour journey in the normal sleeper carriage with no air conditioning, the train arrived dead on time. We were all a little apprehensive as to what to expect as neither Don, Pili or I had ever experienced the infamous Indian rail service.

Our compartment held a tight nine people. The three tier beds folded down from the walls. They were covered in a cracked vinyl which I knew would become unbearable when the heat rose. During the journey, the carriage was a constant barrage of beggers, hawkers, cripples, mutants and elephant jugglers. It was like the famous scene from Star Wars in the bar full of Aliens! Small children in rags were on hands and knees cleaning the floor and asking for a few rupees. The very dregs of humanity seem to be aboard the train. We even had a couple of eunuchs singing and demanding money or the threat of some evil curse to be placed upon us. If it wasn’t so sad it would have been funny.

By midday the temperature was at least a hundred degrees and was almost unbearable. All the windows were open but that only added to the heat with the hot air from outside rushing in. The ceiling fans were next to useless. We all drifted into a kind of tauper with the heat and the swaying on the train and the background clickity clack of the wheels riding the tracks. This was torture but I’m kinda glad to say we did it.

We eventually arrived a little ahead of schedule at 3:00pm, I picked up my boots and shook them. A large cockroach hit the floor and scampered off under the beds. I can’t wait for the return journey!!!!!

After negotiating with a Tutt Tutt driver we headed off for the 30 minute drive to Hampi. Along the way we passed some dire scenes. People literally living in the gutters and picking through garbage looking for the next meal. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this poverty; it’s so pointless and unnecessary. When we arrive in Hampi our driver searches a couple of guest houses to find rooms for us. It seems very busy but eventually we find rooms at ‘The Ramos Hostel’. The room is pretty basic, a dodgy double bed, shower room and toilet and that’s about it. We are charged 600Rs a night which is more than our lovely apartment in CSM. Don pays 400Rs for his single room.

We dump our bags and then ask Prasad our driver where’s the nearest purveyor of cold beers. He tells us Hampi is a holy sight so no alcohol is served!!!!!!!! Eight hours on a meat wagon of a train in 10 C degree heat and filth and I can’t get a beer. If I had a gun I would have startrf shooting. He tells us he can take us to the only bar for miles at a hotel he knows. I grin back at him and board his three wheel death trap without a word. Looking at Don I can tell he’s thinking the same as I.

The hotel seems very pleasant when we arrive, its government ran so its no surprise they’ve cornered the market on the availability of cold beers in the area. Pili has developed a headache which comes as no surprise. Because of the filthy condition on the train she decided no to drink any water so that she wouldn’t need the toilets. Not a good move in 100 degree heat, she was badly dehydrated. She drank a bottle of water and then I suggested we head back to the resturaunt above our rooms a get some more liquids and some food in her.

On the way back Pili decided she was feeling better and wanted to see the sunset from one of the temples, we all agreed as long as she felt up to it. Prasad took us to Malyaventha Raguntha Temple. It’s perched on top of a hill top and over looks the rocky planes, scattered with ruined temples, paddy fields and rock formations that look like they’ve been constructed for the tourist eyes, of course they haven’t they are just another wonder of nature. We explored the impressive ruins and laugh at the antics of the Macack monkey population that seem to guard the ruins. We then climb the highest rock formation and watch a beautiful sunset. We had already forgotten about our nightmare journey.

We order pizza when we get back, Pili couldn’t stomach any of it so we boxed it up and headed back to the rooms for an early night. Pili had just climbed into bed and under the mosquito net when she started to heave. She ran to the bathroom door, kicking it open as she projectile vomited against the opposite wall. It was a scene from the ‘Exorcist’, poor Pili she spent the next ten minute emptying herself in a loud and disturbing manner. She then slept like a baby.

25th February 2009

At 7:00am we’d purchased chi tea from a street seller and watched the sun rise over the Thungabadra river valley. The river was full of Indians bathing and washing their clothes and laying them on rocks to dry in the morning sun. Some of the rocks had ancient carvings from the Vijayanagar Dynasty. Broken statues of some long forgotten idol lay partly submerged in the river.

As we were having our second chi tea and biscuits purchased from a young talkative boy, Cathalijne a Dutch artist that shared our train compartment came and joined us. Pili had a long conversation on the train with her. She told her she was now living in California where her father is. She seemed very pleasant so we asked her if she wanted to join us for the day as she was on her own, she seemed delighted with our offer.

At 8:00am Lakshmi the Virupaksha temple Elephant appeared at the top of the steps and made his way down to the river for his morning bath. This was what India is all about. I encouraged Don & Cathalijne to go down and help bathe the gorgeous beast. We all eventually helped with the bathing, and I took loads of photos of our friends for permanent souvenirs. After the bathing we followed the Elephant back to the temple where we each gave him a 1Rs coin which he took out of our hands with his trunk and then touched our heads with his trunk for a blessing. Of course this is just a tourist trick but it was a very nice experience and a bargain at 1Rs.

After a hearty breakfast, Pili was starving we cut a deal with Prasad for a days driving to the main temples sights and also to a new government reserve set up for the endangered Sloth Bear.

The five of us squeezed into the three wheeled Tutt Tutt, Prasad told us he could get fifteen Indians in there, I think he was pulling our legs, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it was true. Don and Pili were even allowed to drive for a while, as if the ride wasn’t nerve racking enough. Pili even tried to sell a few rides to some of the locals at the petrol station; she failed and just received some very strange looks, we were killing ourselves laughing, she’s definitely not right in the head.

During the morning we visited the Vgranarasimha Statue (the monkey god), the two sisters stones, a underground temple that was partially flooded and full of bats called Lotus Mahal, the very impressive Elephant Stables, The Vittal Temple and finally the water tank at the Vittal Bazzar where Pili and Cathalijne soaked their feet in the cool water. Perched on a rock next to the shrine in the middle of the water tank was a Long Necked Turtle which I got a nice photo of. The architecture was very impressive but it was a shame that there wasn’t any info boards telling of the history of this long gone civilization. We all just wandered around in complete awe.

We were now very hot and completely Templed out. We asked Prasad to take us back to the beer hotel from yesterday and we had a couple of cold ones and some spicy popodoms.

Fully revived we headed of to Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary. On the way we stopped by a river to meet some of the kids who came running up to us as soon as they saw us. They kept asking for school pens so I gave them all my pens that I had in my camera bag, this nearly started a riot.

As we approached the Sloth Bear sanctuary I was a little apprehensive as to what we would encounter. When we arrived we climbed up some steps and along a winding path to an observation tower. There about 500ft away were three Sloth Bears and a young cub going about their bear business oblivious to us being there. The warden told us today was the first time the cub had been outside its den since its birth, WOW what a privilege. We stayed in the blistering heat watching these amazing and rare creatures for the next two hours. We also saw another two adults emerge making six bears in total. Two of them eventually came down to the watering hole below us and rolled around wrestling in front of us. We also saw some Mongoose, Jungle Pig and Peacocks. What a magical place and completely off the tourist maps, I hope it stays that way. We were also treated to an amazing sunset on the way home. What a great day we had.

When we arrived back in Hampi we decided to cross the river on the ferry to join Cathalijne for a meal at the resturaunt next to where she was staying. We could also purchase beer on the other side of the river and I think Don would have joined me in swimming across just the get a cold one.

It meant we had to cut a deal with the boat boy to bring us back later as the ferry service stopped at 7:00pm, Cathalijne offer to throw in 100Rs for the boy to sweeten the deal for us, which we found very generous of her.

Buy the time we’d eaten our burguers, downed a couple of beers while listening to the frogs chorus from the nearby marsh we were barely awake. We said our goodbye and promised to keep in touch, which of course we will. Cathalijne has even invited us to California any time we please; now there’s an idea!

Down by the river awaiting our coracle ride we observed the marshes alive with dancing fire flies, very magical and the first time I’d seen them. A great end to a perfect day.

26th February 2009

We were up at 4:45am to catch the 6:30am train. We saw the sun rise at the station while we had Masala tea and cookies which we shared with a local dog. The journey home was less eventful but none the less tedious. Thankfully there were no hawkers and beggars and we had the compartment for ourselves. I managed to ignore the oppressive heat and slept a good part of the journey. Pili read and played cards with Don. We got off the train at Margao instead of the next stop at Vasco de Gama, we figured it would be quicker in a taxi back to Candolin from there and we were right. We were so pleased to get home, we all showered and then went out to one of Don’s favourite resturaunt and had a delicious cottage pie. Bloated and exhausted we staggered home to our beds and slept the sleep of the dead.

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