Blessed by an elephant.Blessed by an elephant.

We swapped the busy streets of Pune for the windy ones of Hampi, a small temple town in the southwest of India.

Getting to Hampi is quite a trip. An overnight bus takes you across the hills to Hospet where you must wait for a 1950s metal frame of a bus to take you across to the little town itself.

This bus ride was an adventure on its own. Think of our old Maltese buses, age the suspensions further and multiply the amount of potholes by 10. We were about 70-odd people crammed into the smallest bus of all.

Hampi was a trip back in time, with temples scattered as far as the eye can see. A small village sets the scene with a river dividing it in two. The temples are today surrounded by little houses to accom­modate the tourists, but a look to the right reminds the locals that they will soon be evicted, as a row of houses lay derelict.

Cheap, charming and with plenty of cheer, I still find myself daydreaming about those mystical temples and my lunch in the Mango Tree

The locals want a sniff of your wallet, but prices are very reasonable. Your basic en-suite room will cost €2 a night. Our two-wheeled stallion would flourish here in Hampi, as temples are best visited on a motorbike.

The main reasons for this is that a) you will feel like a superstar as kids wave you by, and b) there are no driving laws in Hampi, or there did not seem to be anyway.

Before setting off on our bike we were lured into a large pointy temple near our room. We received the oddest welcome we could have asked for.

A small elephant is ready to greet visitors, blessing you with a gesture as you enter. Well trained, she will not do so if you refuse to pay, and she did not hesitate to take the notes prepared in my hand. Dolled up with elaborate make-up, she stares at you through her long eyelashes. The warmth of her trunk tickles the head as she blesses you, and for a moment you feel at peace.

Stumbling by, I soon realised the harshness of the situation. Our little host was chained in place and the facade soon wore off. She then points you towards naughty monkeys who surround you, eyeing your bags for anything sweet. An organised platoon communicated with one another and, in a flash, a tourist’s hat and banana were gone.

These monkeys were playful, but the priests behind them were more serious as they blessed visitors once more in exchange for money.

The first temple left a sour taste in the mouth, so it was time to hop on my motorcycle and ride to the distant horizon. We stopped off at many deserted temples, and I have to say, none of these beauties let us down.

The thing that did let us down, however, was our motorcycle, as we ran it dry and had to push it all the way back to town.

After witnessing a stunning sunset over the hills and temples, the second day in Hampi was just as exciting, as we boarded a boat (a rusted metal shell boasting an ancient outboard) across the river.

This side of town was way more peaceful. Hippie huts lined the river bank, offering the best in psychedelic music from the 1960s. Each one boasted two views: one of the winding, flowing river and another of enormous rice fields. Lunch here was incredible, and a lasse cooled us down.

With no fuel left in our tank we decided to walk on the never-ending path to nowhere. The river guided us on our journey until a little hillside bar opened its arms to greet us. The Mango Tree was among the most beautiful shacks I have ever eaten at due to its geographical location, clinging to the hillside overlooking the river. Rumour has it that it has since shut down, much to everyone’s disappointment, but the mystery of the place lives on.

Hampi was a short but enjoyable experience. Many travellers choose to avoid this magical place as it is off the main routes, but it is worth the distance travelled. Cheap, charming and with plenty of cheer, I still find myself daydreaming about those mystical temples and my lunch in the Mango Tree.

Our motorbike might have let us down, and it was hard to bid farewell to my travelling guru Sagar Dave, who really showed me a great side of India. My next adventure was to go solo, the best way to travel, and head to the famous beaches of Goa to soak away any worries I ever had in the Indian Ocean...

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.