Hampi - A Walker's Dream

Last week, I embarked on my first unplanned trip in over 8 years. I hopped on a bus, packed lightly and arrived in Kamlapur at 5 AM without a room booked. So I walked away in the opposite direction of the request bombs being dropped on me by persistent auto-drivers. I wanted to search a cheap homestay but fear of few strays guarding a narrow lane, led me to Clarks Inn. I booked a room immediately and paid 1000 bucks for early check in. Following a room change due to faulty AC, I slept in till 1PM, before starting my explorations

I divided the trip in 3 parts:

1. Exploring Kamlapur - Lotus Mahal, Elephant Stables

2. Old Hampi - Virupaksha Temple

3. Riverside Walk - Vitthala Temple

I have long been a fan of walking across the cities I visit, seeing people just living their lives, in very different ways from me. Here too, I walked around 8-10 KMs a day. Sometimes, I went back to the same places I have been before - highlighting what I liked and sitting reading a book. I find this pleasant and therapeutic, especially when the weather supports like it did in Hampi. Its not possible to really know a place and its people unless we slow down and peer into their lives. This is possible only while walking.

In autos / cars, you zoom in and out of the sites and its just about crossing out a "thing" from your list by having few photos on the phone. While walking, you slow down and take rest to sip some water and gain a moment to appreciate the view and interact with locals. Hampi’s charm, coupled with long walks, reinforced my belief that the best way to truly experience a place is to walk through it.