Hospit and Hampi and Hinduism

We're in Hospit today...near the famous Hampi....kilometers and kilometers of large boulders and dry land with temples of an old Hindu "kingdom" from the 13-15th century. Pretty cool. Also cool because Isaac (a friend of mine from Pune) met us at the station with his brother and Frauke, a girl from Holland who Isaac had met on the bus ride. So we all toured Hampi together.

The first day we headed on early...local bus and then rented bicycles and cycled between temple and bath house and elephant sheds, etc. It must have reached 40°C that day! Oooh water is so good cold! We had 12 masala dosai for lunch....mmm (well 6 people come on!)

Then we cycled onwards to another few awesome structures...including a temple that had many small pillars that could be hit and played musically! Passed out in the dark crevices of these temples awhile...then sat at the almost clean-like river for a good while recovering.

Then we cycled back as the sun set...climbing up to above an active temple to watch the sun set with the monkeys....temple music, gorgeous landscape, good friends and a setting sun...absolute heaven! Some people up there drinking beer...but us...um we ate carrots! hehe. Good times.

3$ paradise if you don't fall through the floor!

Well, today we just came back from the beaches of Goa....Palolem beach to be exact. Definitely what most of you would consider paradice....a large bay with palm trees and lots of sand...not too many people and touts and stray dogs and warm sunny days. There was unlimited places to eat for only a buck or two, great fresh juices and dals and oooh so much more.

And so hot...both the air and the sun. Very nice. Aurora and I walked/waded to an island and attempted to see dolphins but ended up seeing a family of monkeys jumping through the trees instead. Ah.

And yes, we stayed in a cocohut...a small stilted place with some very steep stairs and a piece of plywood as the floor...or two actually because we could see the sand below through the crack! Eeeh. A double bed for 3 people in this sticky heat. And don't toss and turn too much...or maybe you will really fall through! But, come on...for $3 for 3 people with a 2 step walk to the beach and a restaurant with good food next door...where could you go wrong! Maybe we were in paradice living backpacker style but it was fabulous..

Leaving Sangam was a bit of a mess...I wasn't ready and I'm still not...my stuff doesn't fit in my suitcase and there were just too many goodbyes and too much to do...so my to-do list when I return to pick up my luggage in May is a little long. But, now I am having a great time, and have time to read and clear my head...something that I haven't done in a while. Yay! And I feel like India is my home in a way so its strange ways are not as stressful as they may have once been. Wonderful. Anyway...off in land to Hampi, Karnataka tomorrow.