This year Valentine's made me super angry. Of course, it would make any single person angry because most of our friends would be on getaways with their S.O. Especially when you are 24, the chances of people around you being committed, engaged, or married is way too high. Well, so I decided to go on a trip by myself to Hampi - the historically haunted town!
It was a 2N/3D trip (exclusive of overnight travels). Being in Chennai has its own advantages and disadvantages. One of the latter being that there was no direct train to Hampi, and I didn't want to take a bus, so I took two trains.
Travel:
To:
Chennai-->Gooty: Kacheguda Express
Gooty-->Hospet: Haripriya Express
Hospet-->Hampi 12kms (bus)
From:
Hampi-->Hospet 12 kms(bus)
Hospet --> Bellary 63 kms (bus)
Bellary --> Gooty 83 kms (bus)
Gooty --> Chennai: Kacheguda Express
The whole travel (To and Fro) costed me around 1000 INR (Second class trains and non AC govt buses)
Stay:
I took accommodation after reaching there in a home stay (Archana Homestay). It has some mixed reviews, but my stay there was pleasant. It was a non-A/C home stay with basic amenities. It cost me Rs. 1250 for two nights (twin sharing).
Food:
Every home stay has their own rooftop restaurants, and I experimented in various eat outs. From the roadside appam to the continental cuisine, everything is available. Most of Hampi is a dry and vegetarian area. But, if you know it well, you can get what you want. Food costed me around 700-800 for 3 Days.
Entrance Fees:
The entrance fees to most of the places were just 10 or 20 bucks for Indians.
Cycle:
The best way to travel around Hampi is to hire a bicycle. It would cost you Rs. 150 for two days.
What to visit:
The best of the archaeological sites are in the Virapaksha Tower area of Hampi, i.e. towards the Hospet side of Tungabadra river. Some of the places you need to visit are:
Virapaksha Temple
Vittala Temple
Krishna Temple
Hemankuta Group Of Monuments
Rock Climbing at various spots
Tungabadra River
Queen's Bath
Pushkarani
Underground Shiva Temple
Buy a Hampi map and hire a cycle, and in 2 days you can cover everything. The city is awake only till 6:30 PM. After that one can sit back and relax in the room or in rooftop restaurants.
Note: Hampi has no ATM. Stack up cash.
Things to carry:
Comfortable slippers or shoes
Cotton clothing
Camera
Torch
Sunscreen
Electral or any re-hydrating mix.
Shed your inhibitions and travel solo to Hampi, and you will end up never regretting it.
