Day 2

Day 2: Run Day!
5:30am I'm already at the venue for the 6:30 run..  Awesome chilly weather.. And super awesome tempo and mood of this place!!
(uff!!  the bangalore crowd rocks dude!!)

Taking the event organised bus service from the city center to the run venue and back was a kickers gutter call I took...  Made life and pocket soo much easier!!

A lazy breakfast in the hotel, some pampering for my sore feet,  a decent nap.. After I got a ticket confirmation.. I packed myself off again!
Checkout. Dumping the bags in the hotel luggage room..  I set out to Garuda Mall.  Red lipstick(s), parlour job happened before I did my first Cheers at the Permit Room.

After this i headed to the Kengeri station (half way to Mysore!!) for my overnight journey to Hospet by Hampi Express.  Delighted with the top birth..  I've wollened myself and am ready to doze off.. Sweet dreams in the cradle like train!

Gratitude.

Day 4

Day 4: Truly a touristy day! Hampi being a UNESCO heritage site has loads to see..  All of it built in 1600BC and ruined in the centuries to come. Walking though about 6km of ruins..  I feel a sense of respect of the civilisation then.
While most of the places I visited,  I depended on their information board and some. Internet feed I had downloaded,  but at the Vithalla temple I hired a young guide (respect the lad for his live of the subject) to accompany me. And tell me all the history,  stories,  point out the fascinating architecture etc. I was transported back to 1600BC imagining that life!

After a long day there,  I returned to my island only to be determined to limb 600steep steps to reach the Monkey temple,  the birthplace of Hanumanji. Totally worth the effort.. Breathtaking view of Hampi,  the hills,  the river. 
A little more of galvanizing around in my hired bike Taxi, the driver being a local called Sayeed who filled me in on local musings.

The day ended at the shack with some good food. Tonight I had fellow travelers who had rented rooms in my hotel..  And I listened to their tales and drifted off...

Day 5

Day 5: Struggling with network connectivity let alone WiFi I have no end of day booking.. But I checked out and crossed the river with my Haversack.
Excited about some of the things Hampi stands for- the vipaskaha temple and the corrical boat ride. Both of which were mind blowing experiences.
The guide I got the the temple was nothing like the one yesterday.  Today's guy did it for a living (sans passion).  It showed. A super turn off.
All the local people I've interacted with here make me wonder their motivation/compulsion..  I ask about each of them.. Learn more,  respect more,  loathe more,  know more.  Try and not judge any of them- Sameer my Rick guy,  Sayed my bike guy,  Raj the boat guy and all the nameless boys I've interacted with.  Wish them well.

The funny part of today was the indefinite wait for some bears to showup bear sanctuary WHATEVER!!

And the day did end with desperation to get myself a comfortable living conditions (read walls, fan, Ac,  TV,  restaurant).  I did. Not only that paid through my nose for a decent body massage to sooth the aches :)

Another day Full of Gratitude.

Day 3

Day 3: Luckily I managed to get off at Hospet junction..  The train station to come to Hampi.
It so happened..  That I set a 7am alarm to. Get off at the scheduled 7:20 station.. But thanks to my eyemask and the cradling train birth.. I overslept.  Opened my eyes at 7:16..jumped off the top birth.. Put on my shoes and haversack and got off on the right station.
LEARNING/ pondering : should I have told my stranger neighbor co-passenger where I. Wanted to get off and wake me up just in case!!
So, the friendly auto guy Sameer spotted me as I got off the train.. Helpful conversations,  tips and a promise to meet tomm for a sight seeing day!

My eyes popped out with what I saw around me..  Ancient civilisation.. Big boulders, South Indian (obviously dah ah! ) temples,  a picturesque river,  an elephant (injured and bleeding when I got a closer look) lying down in the water,  small motor ferries plying people to the much anticipated ' hippie' 'not holy', 'other side'

Picked a decent thatch Hut shack overlooking the Tungabadra river and the beautiful Virupaksha temple.. With a hammock,  beautiful breeze and the temple chanting I'm the air.. This is it (then)
Strolled around the sparsely populated island..  Sat by rice paddy fields,  sat on the big smooth ancient boulder rocks..  Soaking in lush shades of green.. Almost like camera filter like colours!!

Spent the whole day doing absolutely nothing.  Aimless.  Impulse.  Listening to the sound of the plants in the wind.  Listening to the birds in the bushes. 
Absolutely nothing.

Watched a film Tracks which Amit had shared over 2 months ago on my phone..  A fantastic not geo film on how a girl walks across Australian dessert.. 

Post sunset..  Uneasiness set in..  Disturbed electricity..  Insects..  Lucy the dog who would eat half or whatever I have ordered at the restaurant!.. Lizards in the room.

That's it.  I think I'll end my love affair with the island and it's solitude.