Christmas in Hampi

December 23r
A quick trip to the Doctor and a few dollars later I found out I had an eye infection due to forgetting to take out my contacts one night. Anyway after a few antibiotic drops all is well.
I decided to do a quick trip(12hrs by bus) here to Hampi for a few days for a change of pace.
The journey here was intense to say the least.The coaches are old and not very comfortable at all and the traffic on the roads through the night was so busy.thousands and I mean thousands of trucks on the road so many that we spent hrs stuck in traffic on straight roads.As there are no traffic rules here its anything goes so there may be 4 lanes of traffic moving ,or trying to, on a two lane road.Imagine if you can hundreds of trucks bumper to bumper and a couple of coaches in there too all trying to overtake each other.Some times there are standoffs when no one can move and they all turn off the engines and sit there.It's completely insane.
Hence I am not using my return ticket but have booked a train instead.That means I am here for Christmas day.
It's is a wonderful World heritage site. A town full of temples and palaces with a river running through it surrounded by huge boulders like I have never seen before.
It dates back to the 13th century and was the capital in the 15oo's and the largest empire in India.
I love it here.Its so peaceful.
I am staying in a lovely guest house that looks out over rice paddies which are being planted right now, and the river. I woke up this morning and looked out to see a line of beautiful women in Saris of all colours walking along the paddies surrounded by palm trees in the early morning light.
By noon they had planted two fields. Such hard work.
There is a small ferry that crosses the river that I take to get to my guest house.Its the quiet end of town and I have to take it each morning and evening so I think of all my Cortes friends when I ride the ferry.It only takes a few minutes and a few people and I have to be home on the last one at 6 pm. but its lovely.
I am happy to be away from Christmas.Here its just another day and that suites me.
I will be back in Goa by the 26th and stay until January 2nd then I will head south to Kerala.
I wish I could type because there is so much to say about this place but I am so slow so will save it for future conversations with you all.
I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and may the new year be peaceful for us all.
Namaste
Caz xx