New Year @ Hampi with HATS Club.
Hampi is a haven for relaxing, exploring and meeting new people, all-in-one, a travelers paradise. My Trip to Hampi was very different from what I expected but it was a blast. It had everything from breathtaking views to a bonfire, from tiring rock climbs to chilling cafes, from sunrise to sunset.
See my complete trip at — https://travelshelf.in/trip/view/5a50bfeb0ee702061234095a
It was new years at the end of the week, month and year. I wanted to travel somewhere far. I was planning for Rann of Kutch but I had a rule to never travel to a famous tourist destination on a holiday. So, dropped the thought of visiting a desert full of people. So, I searched for traveling with a group. With groups, the fun is not limited to the quality of the destination but amplified by the awesomeness of your travel companions.
I learned about a new year trip to Hampi by HATS Club. Hampi has been on my list for a year now. I have planned my trip completely as an archaeologist and accomplice of The Indiana Jones. Planned to travel and explore every ruin of the city as well as experiencing the hippie side of Hampi.
But as said before it was a long weekend I was not inclined towards exploring overcrowded ruins. The trip to Hampi as planned and implemented by the club was amazing. It made all the difference with the experience of the complete trip. Hampi is a place to self explore, put your time to understand, cherish and enjoy Hampi at its best.
We reached Hampi at late night/early morning by 3:00 AM. We started our climb to the Matanga Hills for the sunrise. It was tiring and fun, waiting for the sunrise with all the fellow travelers. Finally, the sunrise was completely worth it.
Soon after a lot of photos and time lapse, we started towards our campsite across the river. We were camping at the perfect location at chinna’s camping site with an awesome and warm restaurant at Bobby One Love. After a tiring night travel and morning trek. It was a delight lying on the hanging hammock at the cafe. I was too tired to ask some to click a photo. But it was amazing and relaxing.
After a short nap and setting up the camp. We went to cool down in this heat by taking a mandatory dip in the Tungabhadra River. After the dip, it was self exploration till dinner and camp fire. Myself with 5 others went out to explore the Hippie Island and meet the people. It was a blast, we met a singer, a rock climber, a fire dancer, and many more interesting people. The market in Hampi also has some beautiful and intriguing instruments to check out.
Hampi is a musical place. We met so many musicians among which two where going to perform on the Sunset Point in an hour. So, we went to sunset point, it was a bit more challenging climb than Matanga Hill but still basic. The sunset point made the complete trip worth it. The melancholic and live music and some of my favorite songs in Hindi, Bengali and English. The complete ambiance was so serene and happy, it seems I was breathing positive energy from the surrounding air.
Returning back, we had a blast at the new years eve party. There was music, mood and bonfire. I missed cards but all in all, it was a brilliant day. Next day was a day to chill. Wake up, have breakfast, just soak in the new year with being lazy at your best. :)
But being a restless explorer, we again were intrigued & excited to explore more of the Hippie Island which was largely because of learning about a cliff diving area near by. We explored Sanapur Lake and Anjaneya Hill, but could not cliff dive or ride the koraikal due to some drunk idiot who jumped and nearly drowned. Now, the issue was controlled by police for further safety issues.
Though it was fun exploring the roads of Hampi. After returning to the campsite, we had a very much needed & delicious lunch. After a short rest ,we packed up the camp and our bags, to start our journey back. We explored the Sri Virupaksha Temple and ruins near by. We did not have any more energy or time to explore all the ruins. This was an awesome and fulfilling trip. Like any other awesome place Hampi left me wanting more of it.
Check out the complete trip -https://travelshelf.in/trip/view/5a50bfeb0ee702061234095a
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