Mysore day 2

After yesterday's craziness at the palace, I decided I needed some peace and quiet.

I headed to the "Government House" - a former Raj era building - now used by the governmement for something or other. It was a beautiful building, albeit slightly showing its age, with high ceilings, and a massive grounds area - planted with all kinds of beautiful flowers, and worked on by a team of sweaty Indians in lungis.

One of the chaps there decided to give me a tour, which was great, although, he didn't speak much english... once he took me to the rooftop, I managed to convince him to go and wait downstairs for his tip, and enjoyed the fact that I was the only tourist in the whole place, had the rooftop (and a view of the city) to myself.

And thus - I sat down, and finally finished my postcards. Eventually, the call to prayer echoed out from a nearby mosque (it really is a beautiful thing, with the setting sun in the background, etc), and I decided to head down.

A change of plans -

I just don't think I can do an 8 hour bus ride, not yet.. and so I'm diverting myself. Tomorrow morning, i'll head east to Bangalore (3 hours), check the place out, see an english movie or two. The next day, I've booked a ticket 2nd class/AC on the night train to Hampi.

Admittedly, the night train is expensive - or at least, it is in that I travel the next best thing from 1st class @ 800 rupees. Ok, so I get room included in this, which is maybe 200 rupees.. However, the benefit of arriving in the city in the early morning, not having to pee out of the window of a bus (as per my last 10 hour bus trip in Laos), and being able to stretch my legs a bit when I need to more than makes up for this. In addition, I can't help but feel that spending the entire day on a bus is a complete waste of time. I'd much rather move while I'm sleeping (and thus kill two birds with one stone).

Plus, at the end of the day, 800 rupees is something like 18-19 bucks.