Read Reid's Blog

I went traveling alone this weekend, which was both stressful and enjoyable. Stressful because I was taking an overnight train for the first time, I had no clue when I would arrive, and I was paranoid about getting taken advantage of because I was traveling alone. Overall, I think I did alright – besides not getting too much sleep on the train because I didn’t want to miss my stop (both there and back), I thoroughly enjoyed wandering around Hampi and getting a chance to relax, read a book and a half, and do some deep reflection. Haha, I know what you’re thinking, but I think this is the first time in a long while we’re I’ve had nothing to do but sit somewhere and think. I stayed at the Shanthi Guesthouse, and they limit the amount of power they use in the evenings, so from 7-10pm it was pitch black in my room; what else do I do besides think? It almost drove me a bit crazy, actually, which leads me to conclude that I’m not very good at long thinking episodes – the things I actually planned to think about were answered within 10 minutes. Maybe that’s just who I am.

Anyway, I had a good time walking around the ruins of the city. You can see all my pictures on Picasa, but check out a few favorite pics below:

It was really tiring (and hot) climbing up, but the view was worth it. I stayed here for a long time, admiring the view:

From Hampi

Hampi Bazaar with the Virupaksha Temple in the background:

From Hampi

Stone Chariot inside Vittala Temple:

From Hampi

If you’re thinking about a quick weekend trip in India (and it’s close enough), I definitely recommend checking out Hampi. It’s really affordable too – probably the most expensive price is the train ticket here, but then going to see the temples, one night in a shack, and food for two days cost me ~ $30 USD. Win!