Shanti Shanti

Post-Hampi Blues? It is possible.

I eventually managed to drag myself away from the magnificent Hampi, it was such a welcome retreat from the chaos of India. Perhaps life was a little too easy there. I had so many good experiences there, met so many amazing people and spent hours having some incredible conversations. By staying in one place for longer, you do less sightseeing and begin to experience that place in a whole different way to a passing tourist. Knowing that I had almost two weeks post-Hampi until I needed to be in Delhi to meet my Dad, I was really unsure about how to spend that time. Abi and I finally made the excellent decision to couch-surf in Bangalore. It was such a contrast to the peace and calm of Hampi, suddenly we were drinking Costa iced caramel coffees in a busy metropolitan city. I loved it. The weather was beautifully sunny and fresh, it felt like a European summer. The residential streets are quiet and lined by avenues of trees, creating a welcoming continental vibe. What an awesome city, incomparable to Mumbai or Delhi. Also, couch-surfing is my new favourite thing. I am so disappointed that I've only just discovered it. It is such a relaxed and easy way to see a city. Our couch-surfing host Arvind couldn't have been more welcoming.

It took a while to form a vague plan for the following 10 days, eventually deciding to visit Mudumalai National Park, Pondicherry and Mamallapuram. After yet another rickety government bus and a longer than expected journey, we arrived in Mysore on our way from Bangalore to Mudumalai. Sat next to a beautiful old lady in a sparkley green sari, at first seemingly unfriendly but a couple of head wobbles later and she was smiling and offering us various edibles that she had bought through the window of the bus. Fresh slices of cucumber and handfuls of monkey nuts which she spent ages sweetly shelling for us. Yet another example of the kindness Indians show to their guests. Which is perplexing because the rest of the time rickshaw drivers and shopkeepers are mostly trying to rip you off. It is a constant challenge, but mostly you learn to just trust a friendly face. Following another argumentative confrontational rickshaw ride with a lost driver, we pulled up to rather intimidating and uninviting hostel. In our dormitory Abi and I were mobbed by a gaggle of giggling 20-something students from Kerala, all desperate to stroke our hair and ask if we had boyfriends. We were eventually left to sleep after they had finished examining us. Early next morning we made it onto a bus destined for the National Park (after the inevitable 15 minutes of deciphering the confused and conflicting information about which bus and from which bus stand). On arrival, I was relatively underwhelmed after such a long journey from Bangalore. We were told that trekking in the part was illegal and that we could only visit the park on a hurried bus safari. Despite this, we checked into a spacious dorm room and had some spectacular home-cooked food for lunch. We did surprisingly manage to catch a glimpse of some wildlife from the tourist bus safari, which honked and hurtled its way around the park. We saw bison, wild hogs, deer and then most amazingly a herd of wild elephants and a little black sloth bear. Inspired by our sightings, we went on a foot trek early the following morning. Aside from lots of spotted deer, we also saw a huge solo elephant silently making its way through the park. Incredible experience.