BEWITCHED BY HAMPI

Before arriving in India, Hampi had been on my bucket list for a while…but, I couldn’t tell you why. For some unknown reason, it was one of the few places I could name in India. Perhaps I’d heard wonderful whispers about Hampi without really taking them in. While I knew I wanted to visit this mysterious place, I didn’t have a clue what made it special. So, as Ben and I approached this tourist Mecca, I tucked into some research. Here are a few insights which caught my attention:

• Hampi, which means “champion”, is located within the infamous ruins of Vijayanagara, the former capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.
• The ruins are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Hampi formed one of the core areas of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1343 to 1565. It was chosen because of its strategic location, bounded by the torrential Tungabhadra River on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on its other three sides.
• Hampi continues to be a significant historical, architectural and religious site. It’s home to many notable Hindu temples, some of which are still active places of worship.
• The extant monuments of Vijayanagara (or Hampi) can be divided into Religious, Civil and Military buildings.
• While most of the monuments in Hampi are from the Vijayanagara period, a small proportion have been assigned to pre-Vijayanagara times. The first historical settlements in Hampi date back to 1CE!

While these insights were certainly fascinating, it wasn’t until Ben and I arrived in Hampi that we understood why it was a major pit stop on the traveller circuit. We were spellbound from the moment we laid eyes on the mars-like landscape. It was so different to anything we’d seen before – a sea of giant boulders perched precariously over miles of undulated terrain, their rusty hues offset by zesty green palm groves, banana plantations and paddy fields. A perfect azure sky, peppered with fluffy white Simpson’s clouds, enhanced the epic atmosphere. The forlorn ruins seemed scattered across Hampi’s dramatic scenery, their former beauty still glimmering through the harsh destruction of time.

Before long, Ben and I had lost ourselves to the ancient relics. With only a half day available to explore Hampi, we stuck to the area’s main attractions, including the Vittala Temple and its iconic stone chariot, market corridors and musical pillars. Wandering through the mammoth temple entrance, we were transported to a bygone era. It’s ornate walls oozed secrets from the past – the architecture was mesmerising.

As Ben and I wrapped up our time in Hampi and started our journey to Goa, we watched the legendary landscape fly past our car windows in distracted silence. It was amazing to see how millions of years of volcanic activity and erosion could result in a beautifully bewitching backdrop. If only we’d had time to linger a little longer.

KHAJURAHO’S (HIGHLY) EROTIC TEMPLES

It takes a lot to make me blush; but, Khajuraho’s erotically embellished temples certainly raised my eyebrows. Beyond the infamous kama sutra carvings, the sheer skill and craftsmanship on display were awesomely astonishing. I’d go as far as saying this World Heritage site houses the most beautiful temple art in the world. The diversity and level of detail would certainly give Angkor Wat a run for its money. Yet, it’s relatively “off the beaten track” and unknown outside of India.

Indeed, during the long drive from Varanasi to Goa, Ben and I decided to take a temple detour merely on a whim. Man, were we glad we did! At first glance, Khajuraho seemed like a small dusty town in the middle of nowhere. But, as soon as we stepped into the ancient grounds, we were surprised and delighted. What lay before us were the most immaculately manicured lawns we’d ever seen, with proudly preserved temples peppered around the place. It was like a mystical oasis.

Before long, a quirky elder was petitioning to be our guide. We’d heard local knowledge was worth its weight on gold, so we settled on a price and started the grand tour. Our trusty sidekick, Anante Khare, turned out to be incredibly well-versed in Indo-Aryan architecture. We soon discovered he’d been telling the temple’s tales since 1972! It was obvious he’d spent a lot of time around tourists – he took digital photos like a young pro. But, back to his stories…

Legend has it that Khajuraho was founded by Chandravarman, the son of the moon god Chandra, who descended on a beautiful maiden as she bathed in a stream. There were 85 temples in the compound originally, while only 25 remain today, revealing the burst of creative genius which took place from AD 950 to 1050. Khajuraho’s isolation helped preserve the temples from the desecration Muslim invaders inflicted on temples everywhere else; but, perhaps for the same reason, the area was slowly abandoned and many temples eventually fell into ruin.

Having said that, the ones that remain are spectacular. Around the outside of the temples are bands of exceedingly artistic stonework showing a storyboard of life from a millennium ago, including: deities, warriors, dancers, musicians, farmers, animals and mythological creatures. Throughout the compound, two elements appear repeatedly: women and sex.

The sensuous female figures have been carved with a half twist, making them swirl and dance playfully out from the flat stone. According to our guide, the “pure” women could be distinguished by their hands, which were placed tantalisingly over their breasts to reveal their unmet urges. The women who’d already enjoyed sexual pleasure were portrayed with a “dishevelled undercarriage” and open sari, as though they were still caught up in the afterglow and had forgotten themselves. Our guide could also decipher the age of the women by comparing their boobs to fruit. “Young girl have the breast like lemon, young woman have the breast like ripe mango.” They looked more like bolt-on melons to me!

Next we moved on to the liberally embellished kama sutra carvings, which have put Khajuraho on the map. Beyond the obvious religious and community purposes the temples served, they also provided an educational function – sex education to be more precise. Our straight-faced guide shared some lessons with us, as if he was describing how to cook samosa. Lesson #1: If you want to have sex with someone who’s not your wife without getting her pregnant, opt for oral sex or “butt fun”. Lesson #2: if your husband has a skin disease, prescribe him a high dose of sulphur in the form of sexual relations with a horse. I can’t recall being taught these things in sex-ed!

While the erotic carvings of Khajuraho are certainly eye-opening, the graphic content shouldn’t detract from the meticulous and masterful stonework. It’s also important to approach the temples with an open mind, as they are open to interpretation. As one of my Insta followers put it, “They are a delight for the eclectic traveller seeking truth about love as a form of worship”. That comment made me see things a whole lot differently.

TEMPLE TIPS

• Stay at the Radisson Hotel and scour Agoda for cheap deals. It’s a true sanctuary, located just around the corner from the temples and away from the chaotic tout ‘n’ tourist zone.
• Eat at the Mediterraneo Restaurant. It’s officially one of my favourite places to feast in India. Mouth-watering Italian meals in the middle of India, who’d of thought? The thin-crust pizzas are to die for and they’re cooked in a wood-fired oven. The whole menu is made with love and attention to detail. It’s a must-try.
• If you want to see Khajuraho in its moment of glory, visit during the week-long Festival of Dances (Feb/March), when the Western Group of temples becomes a stage of fun-filled action.
• Opt for a tour guide. For a decent price, they offer a library of information which can’t be beaten. Plus, it’s entertaining listening to their stories about the kama sutra carvings. You’ll find them milling around the main entrance gate.
• Head to the temples for mid-afternoon so you can capture them with a golden glow. Finish your tour by taking epic sunset pics.

SHOULD I STILL TRAVEL TO NEPAL?

A couple of months ago, there was seemingly no better place for adventure than Nepal. However, in light of the recent earthquakes, many travellers have placed this bucket list destination in the “too dangerous” bin.

Having felt the first major quake on route to Nepal, I certainly considered doing a U-turn and ditching my dreams of exploring the mighty Himalayas. The Nepal I saw on the news looked terrifying, chaotic and devastated. A number of nervous thoughts started running through my head. Does Nepal even want tourists at the moment? Would I be causing a strain on resources, which are desperately needed by the locals? Would there be more earthquakes? Would I become a missing face on the news back home and create hell for my loved ones?

I suddenly remembered what it was like living in Queensland (Australia) when Cyclone Yasi hit. Millions of people around the world were bombarded with images that made the entire Sunshine State look like a war zone. The message? Queensland was closed to holiday-goers indefinitely. Don’t bother visiting anytime soon.

The reality on the ground was very different. Don’t get me wrong; there were several towns which had been severely affected by the cyclone. What the international community didn’t see were the many beautiful destinations that were alive and well. The result? All of Queensland (and, even, Australia) suffered the effects of a hard hit tourism industry, one of the main arteries supporting the economy. It took years for tourists numbers to get back to normal.

Then I thought about Nepal. After a few in-depth discussions with my husband, Ben and I decided to push on with our plans, see the situation for ourselves and inject some tourism dollars into the country. So, we packed our Land Rover with extra resources (food, water, petrol, and a tent) and called ahead to make sure we were welcome. The operators we spoke to all said the same thing, “Please come, we need you!”. And so our Nepal adventure began. Here’s what we experienced during our 30-day Himalayan holiday – sights, highlights, hiccups and all.

KATHMANDU

As we drove into Kathmandu, there was no denying the capital had been hit hard by earthquakes. Mammoth buildings had crumbled like concertina paper houses…I started to think we’d made the wrong decision. But then we reached Thamel.

While surrounding suburbs showed signs of damage, Thamel seemed frozen in time – a happier time. This tourist Mecca and world-renowned hippie hub was buzzing with travellers, life, and old-world charm. Before Ben and I knew it, we’d lost ourselves to the laneways and restaurants for over a week – there certainly wasn’t a shortage of food and fun! We absolutely loved the place.

During our time in Thamel, the second major quake shook Kathmandu. Based on local advice, we’d opted for a modern hotel with an open courtyard and pre-planned our emergency exit route just to be safe. While the experience was a little nerve-racking, we felt comfortable enough to stick around and continue with our plans.

POKHARA & BEGNAS LAKE

Following the footsteps of many hiking enthusiasts before us, we travelled to Pokhara in preparation for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek. While the town’s infrastructure seemed relatively unscathed by earthquake damage, tourist numbers were definitely down.

The funky pockets of Lakeside and Oldtown, once heaving with international visitors, had become tranquil urban sanctuaries. On the plus side, Ben and I were able to enjoy massages and meals on a whim – no bookings required. Staying at the luxurious Begnas Lake Resort, we had the entire place to ourselves and more support staff than we knew what to do with. While it wasn’t what we expected, the experience worked out for the best. Ben and I found the peace and quiet we needed to truly unwind.

ANNAPURNA BASE CAMP TRACK

When my husband first suggested tackling the 9-day trek to Annapurna Base Camp, I was a bit nervous. I had visions of us being taken out by landslides and avalanches triggered by earthquake tremors. So, we chose to travel with a veteran guide from InterTours who knew the mountains like the back of his hand. He assured us the track would be safe as long as we followed his lead and took precautions along the way.

Throughout our journey, we witnesses very little damage to villages and the mountains. We were encouraged to walk quickly through landslide and avalanche prone areas (which were rare and had posed a potential threat for many years), just to be safe. Thanks to our savvy and supportive guide, Ben and I enjoyed the adventure-of-a-life-time on the Annapurna Track. It was one of the most physically challenging and visually epic things we’d ever experienced. If it’s on your Bucket List, keep it there!

CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK

Chitwan was our big surprise and delight moment of the trip. Not knowing much about the area, we didn’t expect close encounters with rhinos, river baths with elephants, walks through wildlife-rich jungles, and romantic sunrise canoe rides. But that’s exactly what we got, and then some! Chitwan National Park was incredible and there were no signs of physical damage to reserve post-quake. It was teeming with cool creatures, many I’d never seen out of captivity before. The safaris were stuff of dreams and I’ll never forget them – they need to be on your itinerary if you’re planning to visit Nepal.

 

So there you have it. Nepal is still a place you should visit in the near future, just be safe and savvy while travelling around this stunning part of the world. Source local intelligence, take precautions and be smart about things.

While remote villages with significant earthquake damage will take time to recover, the main tourists hubs have more than enough resources to support locals as well as visitors. Many of the major draw cards tempting travellers to Nepal are still open for business – operators are eager and able to offer wonderful travel experiences.

If you find yourself in the heart of the Himalayas anytime soon, share your experiences through blogs, social media and beyond. Help Nepal get its positive news stories out to rest the world. There are many of them just begging to be told.