Girls just want to have fun

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Yeah! Another overnight train! This time no diarrhea, so all was good in my world. I even got some sleep despite the thunderous snorer in the opposite berth.

Imogen and I arrived in Bangalore in the morning, dazed and confused. We really hadn't done our research, because if we had, we would have known accomodation books up far in advance in Bangalore. Our first hour was in the train station, on the phone. We finally decided to just get in a ricksaw, and go to a hotel that wasn't picking up the phone. Suspect logic I know, but we were dirty and tired. We get to the main hotel drag and can't even find the place. So new plan: have breakfast at swanky hotel, dirty backpacker clothes and all, and take turns calling and walking around to find a place.

Eventually we secure a hotel, by the city bus stand, for the most I've paid yet in India. By the time we checked in, there was no more hot water for showers. 😞 But it was spacious and a place to sleep. Most of Bangalore was spent eating and shopping. Goan food is very different from the rest of India (very fish based and with Portuguese influence). Hampi caterers to "continental" (foreign) tastes. So Bangalore was the first time I could get proper South Indian food. We went to a canteen and had some idly (spongy rice patties) and vadas (doughnut shaped things) and dipped them in a light red and coconut curry. Mmmm.... While shopping for necklaces on the street, we managed to get some Bengali sweets and Badam milk.

There is a blockbuster hit movie in India called Om Shanti Om. The title song is huge, the stars are huge, everything about this movie is insanely popular. So for $3 I went to a very nice movie theater, got some cheese popcorn (could have gotten chillie, caramel, or sweet mixed with various vegetables) and watched the movie, all 3 hours with an interval break for bathroom. It was awesome. Even though I don't speak a word of Hindi, I could follow the movie no problem (catch phrases in English) and pretty much wanted to dance in the aisles.

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