Bangalore

Dec 19th -  Dec 22nd

I take the public bus to Bangalore which takes 4 hours and costs below 2 EUR. When I arrive I immediately get annoyed by Rikscha and Taxi drivers. I make a really good decision by finally trying Uber for the first time after I first installed the App in Trivandrum. It's awesome! The driver arrives really fast, it's way cheaper even than Rikscha, very comfortable and convenient because you can pay with the app by credit card. I love it so much I will use it 4 more times in Bangalore although the traffic is a problem.

Bangalore is the 3rd largest in India and apparently a technology hub. They are way behind to get the traffic controlled though. There are two metro lines (like a +) but not yet connected in the middle which limits the benefit a lot. The first metro station I check out almost has no information boards at all and also no automatic ticket machines. I want to buy a day ticket for metro and bus which I found online, but no one knows what I am talking about. Later I find out it was discontinued some years ago but they still mention it online (check this link).

The organisation in this city is a mess. Yes, at that time I am already a little bit annoyed by this city. It gets worse when I try my luck on foot later and walk through some market area. It is incredible busy by people on foot but there are still scooters, cars and even trucks honking their way through. A scene unimaginable in western countries because it's super dangerous or at least feels like it is.

Still long lines at the banks

But...after I get more used to this and deal with it there are also nice and interesting things to do.

I visit one of the biggest temples I have seen so far. Before you enter you have the choice to make a little detour up 108 steps and on each step you repeat the mantra Hare Krishna. We also sang this in the Yoga Ashram so I get pulled back into this time a little. The mantra also sounds quickly spoken through speakers which you're suppose to sync with so it does not take forever since you can't overtake :). It takes around 10 minutes.

Evening entertainment includes watching the movie Rogue One in one of the many cinemas here and going to a Couchsurfing meeting.

Instead of visiting the zoo I check out the botanical garden which as the zoos before is an oasis of nature and especially silence :)

On my last day I have lunch with Jamie, the girl I met in the shop in Mysuru.

Later I take a night bus to my next destination where I will spent Christmas and New Year's. On the sleeper bus I meet two girls from Israel again who also stayed in the Ashram. It's a small world.

Again sorry for this big break and then only this kind of boring post comes.

Please also check the link on the side for more pictures.