IandMyBackpack

I was done backpacking for this season - freakin hot summers. But my sweetheart friends thought of a trip only in this season of all. As we were six and for obvious climatic reasons, we booked ZOOM Car from Bangalore. Started around 11 AM from Silk Board expecting the crazy Mysore road traffic on a Friday. On the way our Pitstop was the Tibetan Settlement - Bylakuppe . After China captured Tibet, Tibetians are staying in such settlements here and there. You can visit one Monastery to the left after Camp 1 which will give you ultimate peaceful experience, instead of visiting Golden Temple which has become super commercial and crowded. Peaceful Monastery left to Camp 1 Aditya trying his best at Golden Temple I : Why there are so many Tibetians gathered here and everyone seems to be praying. Tibetan Guy: Our Grandmother has come and they are all here to pray for their people and their country. The grandmother and Dalai lama will be heading to US to ask for help. W...

Finally I have my own Granny's Place to go anytime and stay.... Kasturi Ajji's Home Doddamane - Featured in famous series written by R.K. Narayana called Malgudi Days. Located in Agumbe - Cherrapunji of South    346 Km from Bangalore - 7 hours travel time How to go: Bangalore to Shimoga - Local Karnataka Bus - 264/- Private Non A/C sleeper - 350/- KSRTC - A/C Semi sleeper 484/- There are direct buses available to Agumbe. From Shimoga it takes Maximum 2.5 hours to Agumbe - 90/- Kasturi Ajji's place is 2 minutes walk-able from Agumbe Bus stand. The house is full of cots and beds. You can crash anywhere you like. The house even has Western Toilet facility with a huge bathing room having copper-brass water container to heat water on woodfire - super healthy and relaxing for the skin. You should call and make the booking in prior on weekends if you wish to have a room.  Kasturi Ajji's Number - +918181233075  Lan...

January just got over .. It's not too late... Decide one place in each direction of the country every quarter of the year - South, West, North or East. Book at least two weekends to travel neighbouring cities or states. You will definitely travel one weekend out of two. Now that you have booked your weekends/months, book train tickets prior to stay low on budget. Check all long weekends right now and book your tickets. Try to concentrate on festivals in different places. Do not think or plan too much and end up not going anywhere. Just pick up your bag and go to the bus stand.   Keep your budget as low as possible even if its crazily low. Trust me you will somehow find ways to survive. High budget makes you give up on options easily. You can even carry a tent/sleeping bag/hammock. You might be lucky to socialise and find someone's roof or garden to crash. Planning trip with friends from a long time? Ditch them and just leave even...

Majestic Bus station at 10 PM gave us two options - Towards Agumbe via Shimoga OR Hampi via Hospet. We chose: Hampi There is no direct bus to Hampi. You have to go to Hospet - 13 KM from Hampi. We did't find seat in local bus direct to Hospet so we had to divert towards Belari, 62 Km from Hospet. It was already 11:30PM so we took the normal deluxe bus. Majestic to Belari - 330/-  Belari to Hospet - 110/-  Hospet to Hampi - 13- We reached Hampi around 8 AM and got freshen up and took bath in the Bathing complex available everywhere in Hampi, quite clean for a backpacker. After breakfast we continued to explore Hampi. It is a lovely place mostly crowded with tourists and foreigners. It is almost like Goa having eateries, shacks with music and market having shops selling stones, cotton apparels, jewels, generally hippie stuff. They have small guest houses as well which can cost 500/- off season . Get a small map and make sure you covered everyth...