Day 32, Hampi [Friday 4th January 2008]
Previous day: Day 31, Hampi [Thursday 3rd January 2008]
Next day: Day 33, Gokarna [Saturday 5th January 2008]
We get a little boat over the river and hire a scooter on the other side, plus a plastic bottle of petrol. We ride out through paddy fields and villages to a huge lake, then carry on for another 20kms, going through hundreds of acres of farmland, the workers bent over in the baking sun. We ride through groups of smiling, waving children that turn shy when we stop. They creep up to you, staring, mouths agape, and when you say "hello" or "namaste" they giggle and run off. The farmers in the fields wave and say hello.
In the afternoon we pack up and get the bus back to Hospet. Our host isn't too happy that we didn't book a bus ticket through him. "You cost me 200Rs!" he exclaims. Then catch an overnight bus to Gokarna. We take a chance on the sleeper section. It turns out to be reasonably comfy, although it's a little like being in a washing machine.
Next day: Day 33, Gokarna [Saturday 5th January 2008]
Previous day: Day 31, Hampi [Thursday 3rd January 2008]