Hospet to Badami (written in Bijapur)

Sunday 2 april was the big day at left Hampi. The day before I tried
to get a bus to Bangalore but the bus were full. So I changed my
plans, instead of going south I go north for a few weeks. I'm looking
forward to go Dharamsala for a meditation course, Yoga and fluut
lessons, meet some friends and enjoy some fresh weather because the
last number of weeks were very hot between 35 and 40 degree, a change
of temp will be nice for some days.

So last sunday I left slowely very slowely and rather late in the
morning. It is all about being Shanti and that is very relaxing. I
took the riverboat and then walked to the busstand. The bus took me in
45 minutes to Hospet. The next bus to Badami would be 1 and a halve
hour so I had some time for a very good masala Dosa in the busstation
canteen. The bus to Badami is late, so at the end I took another bus
to Ilkal and changed bus there to Badami. I never know if they
understand me good enough so one day I will end up in the wrong place.
But that day I arrived at around 5 pm in Badami.

In Badami I stayed at the Shri Say Guesthouse Badami a clean and
cheap guesthouse. In that guesthouse I met some people from Shanti in
Hampi be they were off to Bangalore.

I had dinner at a little joint they served nice masala dosa and a ice
cream. I walked a little bit around, it is dusty town with lot of
people and traffic.

Monday 3 april Badami I woke early for a sightseeing day and walk. In
the morning I had Idley for breakfast. Idley is very nice south Indian
breakfast made of rice with cocunut chutney. Badami has some
beautifull temples and temples in caves and when I went of from the
mainstreet it has a nice feeling of village with small streets and
colourfull houses and many children: " What is your name, Do you have
pen etc." .

In Badami I did not see any tourist and the fac t that there are only
indian food on the menu is great. Finaly I'm of the tourist trail.
Most of the sights I saw in the morning for lunch I had puri. In the
afternoon I took a sardine tin (they call it a bus) to Pattadakal.
Pattadakal is 20 km from Badami it is a nice afternoon tour.
Pattadakal is world herritage site. In my little bus 4 coaches normal
I would say 10 people at the most but they are very creative they
managed to put 30 people in it. It was a interesting ride. For the
temples Pattadakal they charged 250 rps for indians is it only 10 rps.
So I didnot enter it but walked around it. From a distance it is still
looking very nice. I saw a tractor getting a puja by a Brahma and
many, many children.
I took a normal bus back (not the tin one).

For the evening I had another Masala dosa and went early to bed. The
day after 4 april I went to Bijapur. A most amazing place read it in
my next story.

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Happy travels,
Meinoud
http://www.rijnentravel.blogspot.com
India overland by bus and train