8th India trip: Hampi

" The fascinating ruins of Vijayangar, near the village of Hampi, are set in strange and sublime boulder-strewn landscape that resonates with a magical air. It is the capital of one of the largest Hindu empires in Indian history...."

Before I visit this place, I had heard a lot from people how beautiful of this place. Especially "Mango tree". Once I though there are a lot of mango tree in Hampi, then I found out actually is a restaurant called "Mango Tree" because it is under a huge mango tree I had ever seen.

This trip I went with three other AIESEC interns, which is my best buddies in India as well - Kirsti, Carmen and Gary. We went to Hampi by train - SECOND CLASS SLEEPER. It took us 10 hours to Hampi.

India travel tip: Going trip by train is the most comfortable and cheapest way to travel in India. However, you have to book two weeks in advance because Indian is a lot of people!!! :p

Saturday morning we arrived and found a budget hotel - Archana guest house - is a good value hotel, cheap (INR100 p.p/USD2.5), clean and big. I was just a little bit unlucky because the bed bugs like me so much. Hence, I had to wake up and take shower at 1am to get out from the iciness.

The best way to travel in Hampi is bike or bicycle. We decide to use bicycle because less polluted - save our world :)

There are a lot of temple in Hampi. Seriously I really could not remember all of them. We went to queen bath, water tank, Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables, Hampi Bazaar... All of them is amazing building! It remind me when I was secondary school, we studied a lot about the four oldest human history - one of them is India. I really appreciate that I could be there.

Lotus Mahal

a beautiful lake.. bargain very hard with the rickshaw driver before

with some indian students

Gary & Me + Coconut

fun with the bike

some tanks and fountain of palace

on the way climbing up the "rock"

One of the highlight in Hampi ruins is VITTALA TEMPLE - it is one of the world heritage.

"Work likely started on the temple during the resign of Krishnadevaraya (1509-29) and, despite the fact that it was never finished or consecrated, the temple's incredible sculptural work is the pinnacle of Vijayanagar art. The outer 'musical' pillars reverberate when tapped... There's an ornate stone chariot in the temple courtyard containing an image of Garuda. It's wheels were once capable of turning..."

this is called BOAT

the view on the way to vittala temple

can you see two animal in one picture - holy cow & elephant

The most excited is we went down to the underground which is complicated dark and we could not see anything. However it has a big stone in the middle, the king will walk around this stone five times when he was praying.

EATING always the main part of my trip. It won't be a good trip without some memorable food, such as I miss the slum food in bombay, seafood in Kochin, beef fried rice in Chennai, big fish in Mamallapuram... Hampi is Mango tree special Thali (a indian mixed rice which you can add unlimited) and Mango Lassi (Indian yogurt drink). This food and drink are my favourite in India. You can find the best in Mango Tree restaurant.

Thali!!!
view from Mango Tree

Swing under the giant mango tree - find the childhood

This trip remind me my childhood in Malaysia. Bicycle, banana tree, rice field... Carmen, Gary and Kirsti were excited about these, however, I was excited because the memory...

Only the time you away from home, then you will realize how good to at home. I miss my family - mum, dad and sis, my friends, and my country which I always familiar with. However, it won't stop me to see around the world. It is because it will be the best way for me to appreciate what I had.