Jeremy's Cool Travel Blog: Don't Worry Be Hampi

Panaji, Goa

I flew into Panaji, Goa on the afternoon of Saturday, January 11. Panaji was intended to be a stopover before heading to Hampi, Karnataka since the trip from Mumbai to Hampi was too long. I also didn't mind spending a couple of days in Goa to see what all the fuss was about.

I was due to arrive in Panaji by mid-afternoon, but we didn't land until after dark because of issues at the Panaji airport. The first thing I noticed upon arriving at the airport was the number of tourists wearing these baggy MC Hammer-style or 'Aladdin' pants. "Where the hell am I?" I asked myself as I picked up my luggage. I hoped that I had not gotten myself into one big stoner hippy fest. Goa does have a reputation, after all.

It turns out that it wasn't that bad, but the contast between Mumbai and Panaji was extreme. Of course, I expected this to some extent, moving from a city of 18 million to a small laid-back coastal state that is famous for its beaches. What I didn't fully anticipate was the number of tourists and ridiculous hippy types that would be there. Even Panjim, which is not on the coast, was full of them. This isn't a bad thing (I am a tourist, after all), but I immediately missed feeling like the lone foreigner, as I often did in Mumbai.

Notwithstanding the tourists, after recently spending a month in beautiful Greece, the European charms of Panaji failed to impress me much. Frankly, for most of my two days there I was bored out of my head and couldn't wait to get to Hampi. To be fair though, I didn't give Goa much of a chance and maybe I should have done a bit more exploring. But I really wasn't in the mood to spend my days on a beach alone. I also knew that once I got to Hampi, I'd be surrounded by both beautiful scenery, ancient temples and world-class rock climbing. With this waiting for me I simply didn't want to waste any time in Goa.

Random note: a French guy I hung out with upon arriving in Panaji told me that on a previous trip, he got tired of people saying things like "Oh-la-la" or "Sacre bleu" when he mentioned that he was French. So he started telling people he was from a small fictitious country called Chlix or something which he described as being located "somewhere between Europe, Asia and Africa." I liked that.

I should also clarify that I have nothing against hippies. It just seems to me that many of the travellers here are trying too hard to get into some kind of Indian vibe, which maybe they think they can better achieve by donning Aladdin pants and similar accessories. It looks like they're trying to be something they're not. My Indian friends seemed equally puzzled by these people.

Hampi, Karnataka

On Monday night I caught the overnight sleeper bus from Panaji to Hampi (I was hoping to take the train the following morning, but it was sold out). Just finding the right bus at the bus depot is an adventure in itself. The lot for private sleeper buses is across from the main bus terminal, which requires crossing a busy four-lane road that is not lit by any kind of street lamps, so all you see are headlights. Once safely across the road, you find yourself in a large dirt lot that is also unlit and filled with large sleeper buses and people trying to find the right bus. Although your ticket indicates a specific bus number, neither the bus number, destination nor class (e.g. Hampi, non-AC) is listed on any of the coaches. So you're left with asking bus drivers (most of whom don't speak English) or other travellers if they know which bus is which. Luckily one company representative was walking around and happend to call out my name, so I ended up on the right bus.

The bus itself is equipped with two tiers of beds in place of seats, which reminded me how beds might be organized on a submarine. I was on an AC-class bus, which meant that I had four vents about two feet from my body constantly blowing AC on high. Within half an hour, everybody on the bus was cold, but there was no way to block the vents. Unfortunately all of my warm clothes were in my pack under the bus, so all I had to cover myself was my thin sleeping sheet. I ended up using the curtains as a makeshift blanket, drinking a couple of mini bottles of whisky, and taking a sleeping pill. Somehow between the swirving and jostling of the bus I managed to sleep a few hours, so that I actually didn't feel too bad when we arrived in Hampi just after 6:00 on Tuesday morning.

My destination in Hampi was a place called the Goan Corner, a network of huts spread over several acres and popular among climbers. It is located a bit away from the town centre, in a peaceful location surrounded by rice paddies, palm trees, and boulder fields. The place is run by a lovely woman named Sharmila and her competent staff who make you feel at home in no time. In addition to the huts (I secured the honeymoon suite with a private bathroom), there is both a large open-air terrace and covered area for dining and chilling. The food here is great too.

Since my arrival in Hampi, my days have mostly consisted of the following:

Waking up somewhere between 6:00 - 8:00 am (most of the climbing here takes place before 11:00 am and after 4:00 pm, between which it's too hot)

Enjoying a nice breakfast on the terrace with friends

Heading to the boulder fields and climbing until 11:00 am or so

Exchanging climbing stories over lunch and a beer on the terrace of the Goan Corner

Taking a nap OR renting a scooter and going for a swim at a nearby reservoir

Heading back to the boulder fields after 4:00 til dark

Enjoying dinner and drinks with friends at the GC

Sleep before 11:00

Repeat

Goan Corner

So far I've been lucky to meet many cool people here - people from all over the world (lots of Finns, Sweds, Israelis and Spaniards) - but mostly I've been hanging out with a great group of Indian climbers and a cool dude named Arthur from Utah. Together we've climbed a bunch and had lots of laughs.

Originally I had planned on staying here for a week, but it's now been about six days and I think I'll stay here a bit longer. Many people are staying here for one or two months, but I'm thinking maybe 10 days or so. I am having a great time here and the climbing is great, but the days have the tendency to melt together. There are many things waiting for me in other parts of the country, so I need to start thinking about next steps. But until then, I will continue to enjoy myself here among the boulders.

Some photos: