25-02-18 India - Bengaluru

 
On the 18th of September I set off for my 6 month trip to southeast Asia. The departure is quite unspectacular. I just grab my backpack, which I packed the night before, and close the door as I am leaving my apartment. The walk to the train station almost feels like any other, yet this time I won't be returning for a while. I trained myself years ago not to build up expectations when I travel, and I've stayed true to that since then. 

A least picture taken at the airport before I depart on the first leg of my flight, Hamburg to Munich. From there I catch a plane to Dubai, where I am landing in the middle of the night. I feel tired and would like to sleep some. I have a few hours. The airport is beautiful, I walk around between beautiful stores and restaurants, which are mostly closed. I finally find an area with adjacent seats on which you can lie down on. There are a few others with the same idea, they look like they are Arabs. 

After of few hours of dozing I catch my next flight to Bangalore, where I arrive in the afternoon. 

I take a taxi to my hostel, and am impressed at the nice street. I ask the taxi driver to take me by a phone store and attempt to buy sim card. This is not that easy. They require a local address, some kind of tax number and a local phone number. I have none of those. I abort and continue on to the hostel. 

I check into the local.Uptown hostel. My room is upstairs to the back, feels strange to walk there. Everything is very basic. But the guy at the front desk is super nice and helpful. He provides me with the info needed for a sim card, I return to the store and am set with an Indian cell number. 

The guy at the front desk provides me with all kinds of recommendations on what to do and what to eat. Momos are similar to dumplings and taste great. 

This amazing looking palace is actually used as an administration building. The entry is on the back side, but they don't let me in. 

Getting a coffee at a little shop somewhere not too far from the hostel. No tourists here, I love it. 

This was another recommendation from the guy at the front desk. I went to eat "Dosas", which they eat all over the place and any time of the day over here. Sometimes with a filling, sometimes not. You can see the number of plates the water is carrying, plenty are consumed here. 
Interesting differences: All the waiters walk barefoot. They are to the point, but friendly. There is a sink right in the eating area of the restaurant. Since you eat a lot with your hands here, this is quite useful to wash your hands before and after eating. 

I sit with 3 older Indian men at the table. None of them speak English. I smile, they smile back. We understand each other without being able to communicate by language. They show me how to eat the Dosas, and I marvel to myself about the humanity you encounter almost everywhere in the world. 

The markets are crazy. There are people everywhere. 

The market is divided into different sections - vegetables, flowers, meat, clothes, spices, and so on. The logistics how they make this all happen are remarkable. 

The bus station (one of several I assume) is tremendous. I did not take any local busses in Bangalore though - I have a different preferred mode of transport (see below)

Never figured out the point of this, but the tractor sure was nicely decorated. 

I met four American while visiting this palace. They came here just for a wedding, and are staying only for three or four days. Quite a trip for such a long stay. 

Lunch at a restaurant. Even though it was good, I prefer the little food stands on the street. 

My preferred mode of transport. There is an app called Grab, which is similar to Uber. With them you can also call "Moto-Taxis". They take you all the way through town for like a dollar. Absolutely love it. Using the app saves you the haggling with the drivers. You can, of course, also book Tuc-Tucks and cars.