I saw Mysore - Day 3

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So I am in India for work for just 2 weeks. This includes 2 weekends which I have to myself while the rest of the time (Monday-Friday) I am in the office between 3.30am - 12.00pm (which sounds early but really I am just working my usual local Australian timezone hours, so no body-clock adjustment required).

Fortunately they gave me an extra day this weekend (today, Monday) in order to settle in. I had settled in enough yesterday and I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to see as much as I can, I decided that today I will visit Mysore which was recommended to me by a colleague who grew up there. It's proximity was reasonably close to Bangalore so I figured would make the perfect day trip.

I asked the hotel how much it would cost for a driver to take me to Mysore. They quoted me 15rs/Km which would work out to be about 9,000 rs (or around $150 AUD) so I opted for a bus instead. I'd already looked up all of the details last night, I was to get a luxury Volvo air conditioned coach from Majestic terminal which would get me to Mysore a few hours later. All for just $7. Not bad, considering work are giving me $50 $AUD per day for food, travel & expenses!

I had breakfast at the hotel first, which would be one of my last considering they serve between 07:00-10:00 (and I would be at work by then). Same omelete as yesterday, as they didn't seem to serve anything else (though the selection of fruit did differ). Still equally delicious!

Made my way to Majestic, this is my first time on an auto-rickshaw so I find it absolutely thrilling and can't take my eyes off of the chaos that surrounds me. Once at Majestic I was able to find correct platform easily enough (just go to the quietest part!), located the bus and waited to depart.

Eventually found myself in Mysore. According to my Googling the night before, there should of been organised tours from a stand at the bus terminal, however I was too late and I'd already missed the last one for the day. My backup plan was to find the taxi stand as I'd read that they were the best way to get around, however I couldn't find it and I didn't have any more details on me.

Meanwhile I was consistently getting offers from auto-rickshaw drivers. I asked one what it would cost for a day tour, I was still new at bartering (aka. Didn't barter at all) and settled for something I knew was a really good price for him (but it didnt matter, as I said work were paying me $50 a day!) he said he will show me all of Mysore and pay at the end. I reluctantly agreed - I had a gut feeling that this wasn't the right move but off we went.

We didn't get far, we pulled up at a small workshop and the driver said he needed petrol and asked me for some rupees. I thought this would be my chance to go back on the deal, I decided to go with my gut feeling and got out of the rickshaw, I still don't know to this day why I had such a bad feeling about it, but I just got up and walked off and got another driver to take me back to the bus depot. (Meanwhile, the other guy was yelling out 'no problem, you can pay later!'😉

I'll admit I was extremely paranoid of anyone because I'd been reading so much online about scams in India, perhaps I was being a little unfair to the auto-rickshaw driver. Perhaps I should of just paid for some petrol for the poor guy who obviously really needed my business, while I was pondering this while walking around the bus terminal yet again, I stumbled across a taxi rank - with about 3 spare ambassador cars waiting for customers.

I spoke to the drivers, basically from left to right.. The first driver quoted 800 rupees, the next, 700 rupees. I looked over to the 3rd driver in line and naturally he quoted 600 rupees. I went with him.

My ambassador driver was absolutely fantastic. He didn't speak very much English but he did his very best pointing out to things along the way. He took me up Chamundi Hill (which I didn't realise at the time you can walk up!) and while on the way he stopped at a lookout where we had an elevated view of Mysore. While admiring the view a young boy walked up dressed as a monkey (pardon my ignorance, but that's how he introduced himself!) I have Googled and I am assuming he was dressed up as Lord Hanuman. Check out the photo and let me know what you think....

Anyway the boy was extremely polite, softly spoken and pointed out some of Mysores landmarks. He then posed for a photo and put his hand out for some rupees. I was more than happy to give him a tip.

The taxi driver took me up to the top of the sacred hill where I saw the Giant Mahisha Statue and the Ranganathaswamy temple. I went inside the temple, which would be my very first experience inside one. There were people praying and dancing. Incense lined every corner. It was very peaceful. Then we made our way back down the hill, on the way stopping at the Nandi (bull) statue. A holy man blessed me (for a small fee) which I think worked, because the day just got better and better.

Next the driver took me down to the Karanji Lake Nature Park which I loved, who would of ever thought there was something so quiet and peaceful within such a busy city? Outside there were the usual street vendors, cows, traffic jams and traffic police blowing their whistles, inside was this beautiful park with wildlife roaming freely and young couples & families enjoying picnics sitting on the green grass, overlooking the lake.

Entry was just 10 rupees + another 10 to take photos.

I spent at least an hour in the nature park while my ambassador driver continued to wait patiently outside. Next he took me Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (aka. Mysore Zoo) which is apparently the biggest in India. The zoo was absolutely huge, I spent 2 hours there. I felt so sorry for my driver who was so patient. The entry was only 25 rupees + 10 with camera. There were tigers, lions, elephants, hippos, deer, plenty of monkeys (in the wild?) and my favorite - the gorilla.

By now it was getting a bit late in the afternoon, I was taken to Mysore Palace, which I wasn't there for long despite a fairly long line-up outside. I am an idiot and didn't realise you could actually go inside - so I missed that part, but I was a bit pressed for time at this point, so checked out the markets next door.

At the market I made the silly mistake of looking interested in a little plastic auto-rickshaw toy car. I walked away thinking nothing more. I was immediately chased by a boy who held the auto-rickshaw up and offered a price. He was in such a rush he'd actually dropped it and broke it a little - but I bought it nonetheless. I'm glad I did, it's still at home and my daughter now loves playing with it.

Lastly, the driver took me to St Philomena's Church which is a rather impressive looking cathedral. (Inspired by the Cologne cathedral in Germany). I'm not as religious as the driver probably thought, but I had a look around.

The driver offered to take me to more places, but I figured my time must've well and truly been up. I was with him for at least 6 hours yet he kept his word and expected not a rupee more than the 600 rupees he originally quoted. I was so appreciative I gave him 800 instead which I would've been happy to pay originally. He took me back to the bus depot and we parted ways after a photo.

I was waiting around for another luxury bus to take me back to Bangalore, it was late afternoon by now and probably wouldn't be getting home in a hurry. A non-luxury bus pulled up and I decided to try that out. (It was only 75 rupees for a 3 hour trip, you'd pay double that at home for a 15 minute trip!) The non-luxury bus great. A student sat next to me and he asked plenty of questions and I did the same. He was very independent, he was giving himself a little holiday while he had 3 days away from school. He was on his way somewhere via Bangalore. Kids here must have to grow up so much faster than what we do in Australia.

While on the way back to Bangalore (and when the sun had well and truly gone down) we stopped at a random open field for everyone to get out and have a piss! Even the luxury bus passengers didn't get to stop for a piss! Everyone pretty much just went to a tree (which I did too after seeing the condition of the toilet). The bus driver had a smoke, and we were on our way again.

It was really good being in this bus actually, as I could have the window open and see India at night time up nice and close.

We eventually got back to Bangalore at around 10pm, hailed an auto back to the hotel (which costed 3 times more than on the way there). Set my alarm for 2.45am (for work) and enjoyed a nice refreshing JD and coke while watching Seinfeld on Indian TV.

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Photos

Majestic Bus Terminal
Bangalore

My fantastic taxi driver
and tour guide for the day

Comments

[Keep Smiling]

Gotta love it...
As you know, India is all this and more. Your little snapshot makes me want to return - now! Oh, and the mighty ape wearing his school-uniform shirt - yup, that's Lord Hanuman. Anything for a few rupees, eh?