Run Away With Me: Hampi

2012 was a fantastic year for us as far as seeing new places was concerned. In fact, each year is! We try to make it so. It ended on a high note when we joined the rest of the family and took off to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hampi.

Hampi has neither its own airport nor its own train station. The nearest airport is Hubli which is about 140 kilometres (kms.) away and the nearest station is Hospet, about 13 kms. away. I am guessing trains to be an overnight affair. Given a choice, I would take a train. However, booking tickets (www.irctc.co.in) is a nightmare and you have to have a plan in place months in advance. From Bangalore, we chose to drive the 350 kms. to Hampi. The driver was my BIL's and so we didn't have to worry about being driven around by a stranger. I guess if there are more than 2 drivers in the group, self-driving is a good option too.

We started early on a Friday morning. After a couple of stops for tea and photo-ops at the Tungabhadra reservoir, we reached Hampi at around 3.30 PM. We had booked rooms (which included breakfast) at the Royal Orchid in Hospet. I noticed a lot of good places along the way that would suit a budget trip as well. After a quick snack, we headed to Hampi. After about 15-20 minutes on the road, the landscape begins to suddenly change! Out of no where, you will begin to see boulders, a random pillar surrounded by greens, some small temple; all of them hinting at what lays ahead. I liked this part of our drive to and from Hampi the most!

That evening, we were able to get hold of this amazing guide, whose business card says he is fluent in English and French and that he is recommended on Lonely Planet! (G. Srinivas Achar can be contacted on 94488-37990. Make sure to prefix this with India's country code if you are calling from another country.) Having him with us for the next two days made our tour extremely knowledgeable and exciting. Across India, there are innumerable ancient tourist spots where it is best to get hold of a good guide who is registered with the central authority. They walk around with so much knowledge of the place, I like to call them the keepers of our history.

Before you start your day, make sure to have a good breakfast. You might be tempted to continue the tour without breaking for lunch. Carry water and some snacks that'll fill you through till an early dinner. It's best not to rely on buying something along the way. For a proper fill, you MUST eat at 'Under the Mango Tree'. Forget the negative reviews and just go there to sit under the shade of mango trees and stare at the river bed as you wait for your delicious but homely and simple food to arrive. This place is ideal for people who are in no hurry to get anywhere. Of our four meals, we ate here twice and thoroughly enjoyed it! Don't let the walk through the banana plantations fool you. There is food paradise waiting for you at the other end, especially if you have spent a hot day walking around Hampi. Make sure to be prepared to wait for a while, or make sure to reach there early. It offers authentic floor sitting as well as table sitting.

Like any other place of visit, Hampi has its own market where people were selling everything ranging from costly antique brass items to cheap cotton pants. There were also a couple of small eating places and cafes run by Israelis. I wasn't expecting this contemporary touch in the midst of ancient ruins. We covered a lot in two days but there was also a lot that we couldn't see. And I am definitely going back!