The vehicle creaked to a halt and the bus driver shouted something indiscernible.
I scrambled for my glasses, which I had tossed somewhere in the small sleeper bed. You’d think it would be easy to find things in a space the size of a tiny cafeteria table, but somehow all my things were in disarray after 12 hours on the road.
I swept my hand across the window and slid open the curtains, curious to see if we were at a real bathroom stop or if we’d have to squat on the road again.
And then I saw this.
This was no mere bathroom break. I had finally arrived in Hampi!
Once the capital of the Vijayanagar Hindu empire, some say this kingdom was greater than Rome. Back in the 14th century, the markets were stocked with diamonds and gems, traders carried loads of silks and spices, and the palaces were covered in gold.
Nowadays, Hampi is a little more modest. The temples are crumbling, the bazaar is sleepy, the palaces are overgrown with weeds.
Still, Hampi is one of the most remarkable places I’ve ever seen. The landscape is strewn with soft-edged boulders, the farmlands are shockingly green, the desolate temples are stocked with quiet magic.
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