3 days in Hampi.

Where to stay?

Unbeknownst to us we arrived in Hampi in time for the Navarti festival season, which is an Indian holiday and therefore saw us join the thousands of tourists (both domestic and backpackers) who had chosen to descend upon the ancient town for the weekend. Almost every hotel  and guesthouse on the bazaar side of the river was full. We'd planned to cross the river and stay on the other side where alcohol is legal, but high tides stopped the boats for crossing. 

We met Will, a lone traveller from Virginia, at the bus station in Paniji and ended up sharing a room at Mayurums homestay for 1,200rps per night. Pricey, but the lowest we could wangle considering the holidays. Ravi, the owner, was more than obliging and the room was actually great, with a large bed, hot shower and good wifi. 

Netra guesthouse, on the edge of the bazaar, has cheap rooms and an awesome rooftop restaurant so that's defintaly worth a look.

On the other side of the river, the laughing Buddha is a hotspot that offers riverside bungalows for those willing to pay a little more.

If you're budgeting, head to sunny's guesthouse or further down the road to Shantis bungalows.

Exploring Hampi.

Day one we explored the town on foot and soaked up the infectious festival atmosphere. Ruins decorate your every line of sight in Hampi, there is no escaping them. Standing tall in the centre of it all is the Virupaksha temple with its intricate carvings and high walls. Cover yourself up if you visit, and expect to pay 20rps entry. Keep an eye out for Lakshmi, the temple elephant, who'll give you a happy slap on the head if you give her a few paper rupees (she wouldn't except coins, clever thing.) Monkeys are everywhere, adding to the 'raiders of the lost ark' feel about the place, and the place is full of people.

On foot you can explore the rock faces that border the town, littered with huge boulders and weathered temple ruins. Scale the stairs to theivandrum temple at the end of the road leading out of Hampi, it's worth it for the view. 

Day two we hired bicycles for 100rps each per day. Scooters are about 200-250rps, however we quite fancied the exercise. The roads are easy to navigate and by going it alone, without a tour guide, you're free to roam and take in as much or as little temple as you like. 

The underground shrine is definitely worth a look, but things do get a little touristy at the main site and you should expect to pay 250rps to enter the elephant stables. My advice? Go it alone, the landscape is unlike anywhere in the world and the surrounding villages are fascinating.

On our second night, the town lit 10,000 candles outside the Virupaksha temple, to mark the start of the Navarati celebrations. 

Family's dressed up in their finest clothes, with the women decorating themselves in highly embellished saris with bells round their ankles and flowers in their hair, and the men wearing crisp new Sherwani. We were honoured to be asked to get involved, and it was amazing standing amongst the candles and watching the procession, led by Lakshmi. 

Day three, the river crossing re-opened. The boat costs between 30-50rps (depending on the boatman...), and takes a matter of minutes. The other side is a little more chilled than the bazaar, alcohol is legal there and Bhang is readily available. We hired cycles again (50rps for the day) and went in search of the nearby lake. It's beautiful, and although the ride nearly killed us (over 5km, uphill, in the midday sun) it was worth the sweatfest.

Ignore the signs warning about crocodiles, they were put up to stop people swimming after a number of incidents in the dam. 

The water's safe and deep, too, making it perfect for cliff jumping. 

Star attraction...

Just be aware that you may quickly become the star attraction as word spreads around the nearby villages that westerners are jumping. There were about 20 pubescent males stood on the cliffs taking pictures by the time we took the plunge. 

We didn't get a chance to visit, but the monkey temple was highly recommended to us as a great place to view sunset on the other side of the river. 

Where to eat?

Netra guesthouse on the bazaar side is a backpackers hub, and serves great food at a reasonable price. The salads we're stand-out, with the 'funky monkey veggie salad' being my recommendation and a steal at 180rps. Breakfast is also good here, and the lazy bar layout makes it a great place to wile away the hours. You can get booze here too, despite the ban, just ask for the 'special' drinks. 

Netra restaurant 

Ravi rose will also get you beers, however you'll pay 250rps per can which is really quite expensive. Bhang lassis can also be bought at this rooftop, lazy restaurant. The food was tasty, with Thalis on offer and great stuffed partharas.

On the other side of the river, laughing Buddha is the place to be. Service is very slow, but drinks are readily available, the menu is vast, and the view is great. 

Chilling at the Laughing Buddha

And the rest...

We got massages at the Lotus salon, adjacent to Gantapi restaurant. A full hour, full body Ayurvedic, cost 600rps per person and was literally the best thing ever after a 12hour sleeper bus. 

Yoga classes are on offer at Gopi's guesthouse for 150rps each. 

I loved hampi and could have stayed for days. 3 is enough to see the place, but people linger here and it's clear to see why. You can just keep exploring.

L&A x 

Camel safari in Jaisalmer.

If you're not careful you'll find yourself falling in love with Jaisalmer, and end up staying far longer than you planned. Rising from the surrounding desert like a sandcastle, Jaisalmer Fort sits at the centre of the city and it's quite simply, beautiful.

Chai with a view.

The surrounding streets are decorated with havelis, and everywhere you look there are stunning views of the desert stretching as far as the eye can see. It's quieter here; calmer, more laid back. Drink it in, because it's kind of addictive.

Do:

- Stay in the fort.

This is the only living fort in the country so seize the opportunity to stay inside. We stayed at Desert boys guesthouse (1,400rps with free pick-up) and were l so glad we did. A maze of stairways leading to terraces and rooms, the views were spectacular. 

Sunrise on the terrace at Desert Boys 

The restaurant is good too, and it also serves beer. Chai was offered left right and centre and although the wifi was weak, I'd recommend paying a little more for the experience. 

- Ride a camel.

Everyone will offer you a camel safari in Jaisalmer: your tuc tuc driver, the hotel porter, the fruit vendor on the roadside. Shop around, and make sure you know what you want to get out of the tour. There's touristy options which are cheaper, or you can pay a little more for a more authentic 'off the beaten track' experience.

Me and my ride.

We did a whole days riding which in hingsight was a little long. However, cooking lunch over a fire under a tree in the middle of a desert was a pretty cool experience. Our desert guide, Kelu, let Alice and I get involved in making fresh pakora, vegetable curry and chapatis. 

Camping under the stars was definitely an experience too. It was just me and Al on our tour, and we psyched eachother out a bit when the sun went down and the dung beetles started to circle. I've never seen a starry sky like it. We fell asleep watching shooting stars, under the clearest Milky Way. Amazing. 

Having a laugh on the sand dunes

Camels are funny old creatures; so docile and calm. They can drink 50litres of water at a time, which will last them a whole week. At night they sleep for just ten minutes so the guide tied their legs to stop them straying too far. This video is hilarious: 

Driving the jeep back from the dunes was a highlight, as was visiting the isolated villages that live deep in the desert. 

Off-roadin' 

- Beers with a view.

There's rooftop bars everywhere, so make sure you take the time drink in the view with a cold beverage or 4. We had momos at Shiva restaurant, looked out at the fort from Midtown's terrace and made ourselves comfortable at desert boys. Beers are between 150-200rps after tax. 

- Bhang lassis.

The lassi shop by the fort entrance is known for its Bhang lassis and cookies. You can adjust the strength accordingly... Then just enjoy the ride. 

Back to Delhi we go.

L&A xx

Jaipur: elephants, gin, bunk beds and swimming pools.

Our Lonely Planet guide to India has been renamed The Bible. We take it in turns to lug it around and so far it's yet to really let us down (that is if you take it's  flamboyant reviews with a pinch of salt.) So, when it told us there were hotels in Jaipur that allowed non-guests to pay to use their swimming pool, we knew exactly what we wanted to do as soon as we'd alighted the 12hour overnight train from Varanasi.

Narain Niwas Palace Hotel

We visited Narain Niwas Palace Hotel twice during our stay and pretended for a couple of hours we were staying in a luxury hotel, not living out of a backpack and sharing a dorm room with 7 other girls. We felt like we were breaking the rules, stripping down to our bikinis after days of 'dressing modestly', but it felt a lot like heaven, sipping beers and enjoying the afternoon Indian sun. (250rps per person).

That night we watched the sunset from Nahargarh Fort, which offered an unprecedented panoramic view of the expanse of city below. Get there before 5.30pm to pay your 50rps entry, then scale one of the turrets on the east side for the best seats on the house.

View from the fort 

Dinner was an LP special, at the canteen style restaurant at Hotel Arya Niwas in Chitra Cafw. Lesson learnt here: don't judge the restaurant by it's display plates of food that look like they've been there for weeks. We shared a thali for 120rps and tried the fresh orange juice which is actually made of sweet limes that taste like orange (?). It turns out this place is full of expat locals and we ended up eating dinner with Jo, a jewellery buyer from Kent and Alice, a student working in Delhi who studied at Eastbourne College (small world). 

The Amber Fort was one of Jaipur's highlights, and we spent a good few hours exploring. It's stunning, perching high on a mountainside overlooking a large lake below and surrounded by hills. A turreted wall snakes the area, and looks impressive from each and every angle. The glass palace is also one of the highlights. (200rps) 

An Indian Alan Partridge then hijacked our tuc tuc home and offered to take us for a backstreet tour, free of charge. First stop: Elephant House. A herd of elephants ferry tourists up to amber fort for 3 hours every morning and afternoon. We didn't want to pay the 950rps asking price so sacrificed a meet and greet with the elephants... Or so we thought. The elephant house is where the elephants are kept whilst they're not at the fort. We had a mini photoshoot free of charge, which was pretty cool. 

Alice, me and Madonna

After that, we headed to city palace. My advice? Don't bother. It was 400rps p/p and there was very little going on inside. It's a lovely building, but it doesn't stand out from the rest. We actually got our palms read whilst inside because it was so easy to be distracted by what was actually on offer. (Turns out I am impatient, ambitious and lucky. The chap suggested I wear lots of yellow and, if I get the chance, take a happiness course. 3 kids and 2 relationships are also in my future... apparently.)

That's my 'I can smell bullshit' face

It's worth heading to Ganesh Restaurant atop shop number ten in Nehru Bazaar. Despite the foreigners menu which they whipped out as soon as they saw us walking over the impressive roof terrace, the open kitchen was really impressive and it offers a comfortable bridge from restaurant to street food.

That night a group of us from Zostel made plans to seek out beers in Jaipur. Drinks stop serving at 11pm here, so start early or make friends with a local who can give you details of the underground scene. We ended up, after a couple hours of researching, deliberating and walking, in the basement bar of Copper Chimney on MI Road. Seven £1 g&t's later... 

We nursed our mild hangovers at Lassiwala on MI Road. This place has been imitated 10 times over so make sure you go to the original (it's black with gold writing), where the 20 or 40rps sweet milk drinks are served in clay pots kerbside. Lassi's are great for settling stomachs, too, if Delhi belly has kicked in. 

After that, 15p coffee and 8p roast at the Indian Coffee House on MI road. I loved it here because it was full of locals and it had a real old gentlemens club feel to it. You can imagine all the men sipping coffee and playing darata. 

We set aside a couple of hours after that to just stroll the bustling, winding streets of the Pink (Old) City. Each street varies, with the ones geared at tourists proving a little overwhelming, but the locals roads offering real insight into way of life. Jaipur is famed for its 7 handicraft: textile, Silver jewellery, blue pottery, leather, screen painting, enamel work and carpets, and around 60% of it's population work in the industry. Wholesalers work for the likes of monsoon, Tiffany's and Alice Temperley. In other words it's shoppers heaven. 

A quick take out thali back at zostel before we headed for our late night train, and our time in Jaipur was done. It's been a crazy busy few days.

L&A. Xx 

Varanasi: the highlights.

The river. 

The holy town of Varanasi lines the River Ganga; rising high above it's banks. Steps down to holy river are lined with people bathing, praying and blessing most of the day. These steps are broken into sections called Ghats, and there are about 25 in total bordering the cities riverside. 

The burning ghats are the most fascinating, and the best way to take a look at them as a tourist are by boat. 

The fires burn 24hours, and over 300 people are cremated in them everyday. From the boat you can see the next family lining up to burn and worship their dead. A line of colourfully decorated stretchers lie on the stairs awaiting their turn to be plunged into the river before their funeral fire is built, using the best wood the family can afford, and the 5 selected family members light their loved ones fire and say goodbye. 

There are no tears allowed at the burning ghats. This is a holy place and it is an honour to be sent off in this way. For many Hindus, it is in Varanasi that they will achieve moksha, the end of their life of reincarnation and the ultimate liberation. 

There is a spectacular ceremony at 6.30pm every night at a Ghat in the centre of town. Hundreds of boats take to the river, containing thousands of tourists and pilgrims alike, to listening to the chanting and watch the colourful celebration of the dead.

A morning boattrip is also a pretty spectacular experience. At 5am Varanasi becomes remarkably quiet, and it's the best time to take to the water to watch the sunrise and witness the city wake up before your very eyes. Groups of family members in mourning continue their 15 days of early morning river blessings ahead of their dead's cremation. Locals wash in the river, people wash clothes, children play. 

A riverside view gives you an amazing insight into the highly traditional values that this city has built into its foundation. It is a real honour to be welcomed and given the chance to witness and understand. 

(Between 100-150rps per person per hour. We did an hours ride in the morning and evening. Be careful of Mosquitos, and respectful when taking photos.) 

The streets.

You're offered tours wherever you go. Everyone appears to be a tour guide, and everyones uncle seems to own 'the best silk shop in Varanasi'.

We didn't do a tour, and although we did spent most of our time in one quarter of the city, we found it to be the best way to soak everything in.

You walk past all the temples, hear the chanting, see the families gathering together in preparation for their send off; the women adorned in beautiful colours and the men with white across their foreheads. Everyday, almost 300 bodies are paraded through these streets prior to their final goodbye on the banks of the river. We saw a pregnant lady being carried on her stretcher which was as hard-hitting as we could really take. 

What's crazy is how de-sensitised the rest of the city is to these parades. For them this is the norm, and the holiness of their home city is seeped in every inch of the place. 

It's easy to get around because popular place names and hotels are painted in bright colours all over the walls.

Rooftop beers:

There are loads of rooftop bars in the city, some far better than others. Here's our lowdown:

Hotel Alka

We stayed here, and although I wouldn't recommend the hotel, the restaurant was fantastic. Killer views, cheap food cooked fresh and to order and beers for 125rps. The pakoras are lovely, and you can get a great veg thali for 160rps which fed us both.

Puja

Loney Planet liked this place. We didn't so much. The views at Alka were better and despite advertising live classical music at 8pm, when we arrived at 7 there was no other diner in sight. We left. 

Dolphin restaurant

Superb view, but you pay for it. 

Brown bread bakery

There's two of these so be careful. You want the old one if anyone asks. My advice? Follow the smell of freshly baked pastries and watch out for the logo.

It's about 6 floors up, but it's clear to see why lonely planet loves this place. 

We shared a still-hot cinnamon roll and a slice of lemon cake with 2 ice-cold beers and a great view on their surprisingly peaceful terrace.

A bread basket is offered regardless of what you order, and the brown soda bread is great. 

A little pricey, but a backpackers hotspot for a reason. 

Must dos:

The Yoga Training Centre puts on three two hour drop-in sessions a day at 8am, 10am and 4pm. We were the only two in our class and it was great. Amit and Sunil  are both very knowledgeable (Amit, the most flexible man I've ever met), and the two of them took great pleasure in contorting the two sweaty messes that we were. 400rps each is a bit of a bargain too. 

Make sure you also find time to pop to the 79 year old Blue Lassi (it's widely signposted). We tried our first Indian lassi there and it was amazing. Served in these cute little clay pots and just 70rps a piece, they were the perfect breakfast.

We left our mark too, by signing the walls along with the other backpackers.

Watch our for animal poo. It's everywhere. So are cows, you have to walk around them like their traffic cones. 

Bring ear plugs. I've never heard noise like it at 3am. 

Tackling the roads of New Delhi.

Here's a brief insight into the chaotic roads of New Delhi, shot from both a tuc-tuc and a rickshaw:

Alice and I both don't think this does it justice, but it gives you a rough idea. The sound of car horns is relentless out here, and provides the soundtrack to the crazy sights of the city. There are so many people, so many tuc-tucs and a ridiculous amount of knock-off  ray-ban sunglasses for sale. 

Enjoy.

L&A 

I think we're all set....