Shivaratri/ Gokarna

When i went back to Gokarna, it was barely recognizable. The streets where full with people. There were long waiting queues at the temples and beggars came from far away, because pilgrims are obliged to give alms. Most of them gave the beggars rice.







On the 24. of february, Shiva's birthday, was the highlight of the festival. A huge wagon made by wood, was pulled through the mainstreet only powered by men. Other poeple throw bananas and money towards the wagon.



























bestselling artikel were plasticcellphones and toy guns. Nearly every child had those toys in their small hands.

Meanwhile the situation within the beggars got more aggressive. Living above the smelling sewers and exhausted, they nearly fight for each pilgrim and their small reviers.

Hampi

i got a little sick just watching the baby dandling like that

the ferryboat

Hampi, 200 km east from Gokarna, is a small village and famous for its ruins of the capital of the biggest hinduist state, which was destroyed in the 16th century. For some of the temples, you have to pay 10 US each , andthere you have the same problem like at other places: Some are seen in 5 minutes. What Hampi makes really famous is the bizarre stonelandscape, with green oases in between and the gourgeous river. The atomosphere is fantastic!

After three days i went back to Gokarna, knowing that Shivaratri was starting there.

Gokarna

It was good to visit Gokarna. Goa is really a nice place to stay, but I also would call it Club Med for budgettourists and very often it has nothing to do with India at all.

Gokarna is very different in that case. Very indian, a holy city. Directly at the sea, full with life and a very nice guesthouse, under coconut trees. A good place to stay some days and enjoying indian life.

This eagle, was sick and lived at a small restaurant at the beach. Usually it stayed at the roof, but sometime it went down, looking for food

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and once the eagle really surprised me, when it jumped at my back. I didn't feel very comfortable, feeling the sharp claws in my neck. (both pictures overhead were made by Martin. THX!)

There is also a famous beach nearby called "paradise beach" only reachable by feet. But there is nothing like paradise anymore. Tourists made a "shit beach" out of it. Too many people were staying there.. no clean water available, no toilets, lots of waste.. a shame



But on the way, there were really very nice small beaches left und if you looked carfully you could see dolphins playing with each other.

There is also a famous fullmoonparty near Gokarna and I went there once, but it was really not my place either. Hardcore rave music, wired poeple...


Next stop: Hampi

Goa

I drove south to Goa and stopped in Arambol. After 4200 km with Enny it was time for a longer break, and that place was perfect for that.

The beach beside the main become my favorit. Not many people and a small natural sweetwater pool. It was perfect.

I also found a good restaurant. Almost everyday I ate fish thali. Still the best fishdish I ever had in my life.

I got a clean cheap room near the beach and and two old women arround 70 from germany who couldn't speak any word English, were my neighbours. I became their translater for that time. They were very forgetful and one of the ladys only wore the upper second theeth, which didn't fit perfectly.. a wired picture. I liked them.

The beach beside the main become my favorit. Not many people and a small natural sweetwater pool. It was perfect. I also found a good restaurant. Almost everyday I ate fish thali. Still the best fishdish I ever ate in my life.

Ennys Battery was gone after some days of rest. This is fatal because the ignition plug doesn't get the energy directly from the dynamo, but from the battery. If the battery is gone totally you can't start the moterbike. Fortunatelly it was easy to get a new battery.


I made one daytrip to Ajuna. Every wednesday is a huge fleemarket there. With old and young hippies, ravers, tibetans, kashmiris and japanes who were offering suhsi. Some indians were walking through the market and speaking to the tourists: " Excuse me! Your ear is dirty. May I clean it up?" In the evening they started the beach party. 2 huge loudspeaker towers, directed to the sea, the sand beneath your feet pumping from the bass, holy dancing cows and indite Indians who are unrolling bastmats for free... but you have to buy stuff from them.
... all in all, a wired place, funny for a half day, but annoying if you stay longer


It was end of janurary, it was getting hotter ervery day and the numner of tourists decreased. It become so hot, that it was impossible anymore to lie in the sun.

It was very diffcult to leave Arambol. It's one of those places, where time passes by and by und you become lazier every day.

But then the day come where i bestired myself successfully. Next stop was Gokarna.