Hampi Write Up
After months of deliberation, the time for exploration has finally arrived for five young adventurers. Weary from weeks of effort spent preparing for examinations, the five gutsy travellers were eager to break free from their shackles and unleash that youthful energy. Incredible India beckons!
Bouldering at Hampi (a Unesco World Heritage Site) was nothing short of amazing. The awe-inspiring feeling the place invokes is best explained by trekking 587 steps to the temple constructed on the top of highest hill there - Hanuman Temple. Hampi, when viewed from that height, is mind-boggling. Just imagine a full 360 degrees of boulder-strewn fields, for as far as the eye can see – truly a boulderer’s paradise. How the boulders come to be arranged in such a precocious manner across the undulating landscape defies geographical explanation. Give up your reason and succumb to your senses. Climbers have been known to make several return trips, and each time Hampi reveals yet more of her wonders. Two week of bouldering almost every other day, but we barely covered 1% of the area. This gives an inkling of its cosmic size; so vast is the locale that you feel humbled just standing amongst the boulders. Let the feeling of wonder tingle down your spine. When rays from the early morning sun envelope the land and bake the boulders in a golden-brown hue, Mother Nature reveals gigantic nuggets of gold to the observant climber. Thankfully, such treasures can only be experienced but not exploited. For the willing trekker, opportunities for first ascents are waiting just down the next corner.
The travelling climbers descended onto Hampi during the dry season in December. During the day, temperatures soar with the hot afternoon sun beating down relentlessly. But cool winds provide much welcomed relief. The best times for bouldering are in the morning and evening. Nevertheless, it is still possible to boulder the entire day if one sticks to the shaded bouldering spots.
When in Indian, do as the Indians do. Try eating with your right hand only. Try the local dishes like Masala Dosa, Idly Vada, Fried Ghee and Vegetable Manchurian. Try hoping onto an overnight sleeper train ride. But faint hearted travellers beware. The 4h budget flight and 8h off-road bus ride to Hampi was almost too much to stomach. Also, unsuspecting travellers will fall prey to the business middleman – omnipresent in all aspects of the tourist economy. A few nasty experiences will no doubt prove useful to a hardening of resolve against such touts.
The texture of the rock (granite) at Hampi is also grainy and rough. In short, do inject a dose of hard climbing before setting off, for hard skin (and finger tape) is one’s first line of defence against the rock that bites back. Baby soft skin is shredded here; only hard skin will live to climb another day.
The next section is for ladies only: Shopping! At the Hampi Bazaar, there is a myriad of stores ranging from tailors who can embellish clothes with frills and ribbons to artisans hawking pieces of intricately sewn embroidery or Indian art painted on silk with a fine brush. Such displays of opulence seduced the imagination of one of my female companions and enthralled her. She was often seen engaging in verbal jousts with tradesman eager to hawk their ware. Hone your bargaining skills before engaging in a battle of wills with the shopkeepers. Often you’ll find that the best buys are bought when you don’t want the item in the first place!
As it is with every country and every culture, adopt a beginner’s mind when travelling. Go there with no expectations and revel in the sights and sounds of India. Embrace the societal nuances of the locals and immerse yourself in their unique way of life. Travellers game for adventure, as well as a bouldering area with unmatched potential, will find that India has much to offer.
In the same way the Disney cartoon movie, Aladdin, has mesmerized children around the world to the beauty of India, Hampi has enchanted the five travellers. This brings to a mind an adage used in the movie to describe Aladdin: a diamond in the rough. Indeed, no better parallel can be drawn between the two. I can give no higher praise.
Beta for getting to Hampi
Before getting there
Take your usual vaccinations (Hep A, Hep B, Flu, Tetanus, H1N1)
Watch the Jackie Chan movie: The Myth (filmed in Hampi)
S$1 = 31-33RP
India time is 2.5h behind Singapore time.
Visa to India (get at Mustafa Air Travel at SPA Building): S$59 and 1 passport sized photo
Best time to visit: Nov – Feb. 15 degrees at night, 30 plus degrees in day
Dry season, no rain at all for the 2 weeks we were there, can climb all day
Airplane (Budget) return tix: S$440
In Bangalore
Taxi from Bangalore International Airport to Bangalore City: 1000RP
24hours lodging at KSRTC Bus Station (Yatri Lodge) for 2 ppl: 550RP
Overnight bus from Bangalore to Hampi (8h ride): 300RP
In Hampi
Boat to cross Hampi River: 15RP
Accommodation in Hampi (Goan Corner – place where most of the climbers stay): 200-450RP per night for a 2 person room
Meals: 150RP for a sumptuous meal, 15RP for 1L mineral water
Automatic motorbike to get around the area: 100RP for the bike and 70RP for 1L of petrol
Taxi from Hampi to Hospet: 500RP
2nd class overnight sleeper train (no need aircon because the weather is already so cold) from Hospet to Bangalore: 250-400RP
Some pictures I particularly liked from the trip:
