Blogs from Karnataka, India, Asia - page 150

(b) 2/12/02 (day77)(/b) Up at 05:00 hours- packed and left to train station- purchased our Rs 45 tickets!- unbelievably easy. Managed to buy drinks, bananas and bourbon creams and even found the train and a seat easily! (blimey is this really travel in india!) .Quite a few westerners on the train as it goes to goa. Two brits joined us - pleasant company. Four hours later we got off the train and rickshawed to gokarna. Had to stop at a tourist police station en route . They wanted to know everything from how much cash to what colour knickers I was wearing!! Apparently they had to open this station up due to the amount of incidents there were. He also told us that "taking ganga makes you go mental and hurt people" Yes if you have ... read more

(b) 29/11/02 (day 74) (/b) Up at bloody 06:30 to pack! Had brekkie, chatted to a few people and got the bus. The "leader" on the bus was a right bossy boots "sit down... sit there...." We got prime position near the front (french men and John from manchester were on the same bus) Took 1 hour to herd 17 other people on in ooty and off we set. Views stunning on the way down... quite a part was going on, on the back seat (singing and brandy) We were subjected to a hindi tape; full of the usual screeching... singing!! Broke down on one occasion which was fixed by newspaper!! and only narrowly missed a jeep, a dog and about 9 women- not bad for a driver who looked like he might fall asleep at ... read more

(b) 19/11/02 (day 64)(/b) Into bangalore at 06:30 at our "chosen hotel"- airlines at 07:00 (lonely planet have got alot to answer to!) Shown four shitty rooms- chose the least shitty one! Rs 680 for a shabby room, no shower (water fron a tap!) and a tv that only had 10 indian speaking channels!! To top it all they didn't serve breakfast until 09:00 (ho hum!) Went to bed for a while, thn wandered the streets looking for a cafe - eventually found one at midday . Had chicken burger and chips. Went in our first supermarket- which was a novelty! Bangalore is wall to wall shops and coffee bars! Went to email and found out that Bert and Jolien are heading to bangalore tonite- how fab Went to labagh gardens- really clean and peaceful. Have ... read more

2001………..6wks-2nd CYCLING TRIP-2,200kms IN SOUTHERN INDIA 24.10.01 Hampi Today was consumed by a laid-back, drowsy train ride; up, over, around, and literally through the Western Ghats. We left the lushness of Goa for the more rural state of Karnataka. The train got into Hospet around 5.30pm, which gave me just under an hour before sunset for the ride to Hampi, where I intend to stay for a couple of days. The dry, sparsely vegetated land is dotted with atmospheric granite rock outcrops. As the sunset lit the rocks and the widely dispersed remains of the 14thC-16thC Vijayanagar Empire, Nandi and I bounced along the dirt road and down a rise to the small town of Hampi Bazaar 25.10.01 Hampi Hampi! Hampi! Hampi! - Spectacular, awesome, stunning, magical, atmospheric, layback, immense, austere, beautiful, great food. Hampi is ... read more

The train was a pleasant overnighter into Bangalore where Dan the Canadian stayed to take advantage of the Kentucky Fried Chicken. We hopped on to the bus to Hassan, then another to Belur. Our first bus included a "touching" incident that didn't altogether surprise me but did force me to swing around and confront the asshole who put his hands on me. And it made Mike stand up and yell, "Touch her again and there'll be BIG TROUBLE! Go sit over there." What doesn't make sense is to try for a grope at the beginning of a 4-hour bus ride, instead of on the way out the door. Jerk. Hassan was too big, dirty and noisy so onto Belur it was... We found a little restaurant where all the tables were hidden in secretive little compartments ... read more