when we went into karkala we headed to the internet cafe to do a few things before we ate. we are addicted to the internet. we have to book tickets, contact hosts, and figure things out, but it also causes a lot of homesickness. after we finished up we went to sagar vegetarian paradise for the last time. i think we ordered possibly all the food, or all the food that was worth ordering and the ones we didn't know. after we noticed we still had about an hour and a half to burn, i decided to jump into the barber shop next door.
the barber shop was small but comfortable. when we went inside and dropped all our bags on the floor we became the key interest for the next 45 minutes. zoë patiently sat chatting it up with a few guys waiting while i got my hair cut. the guy cut my hair quickly, and it scared me, only a little. he would fly through my hair with a comb and scissors taking off big chunks at a time. zoë was advocating for my hair to only be trimmed and not to be short. a few men waiting actually translated zoë for the barber but i think he already understood zoë.
then i got a shave, i'm glad to say my first shave in a barber shop was in india. the barber was already heavily entertained by zoë taking pictures, and everyone in the shop started giving their opinion on how to cut western hair. then he took out a wicked old straight razor and began shaving my patchy beard. he actually shaved my face twice, i got one cut but it was due to some acne. then he rubbed several oils into my entire face. the first one was definitely menthol of some kind, the second smelled like mellon, and the third i cannot describe. all of it cost 65 rupees, or about $1.40.
afterwards, we went over to the ice cream parlor, which we love, and managed to get some parfaits right before they closed. when we finished we had about 25 minutes before the bus was to come. we then hung out at the stop, and about 3 locals helped us get on the right bus.
i thought the bus ride was going to be from 9:45 to 6:45 but we actually got there a tad past 4. i actually sort of slept on the bus, it is hard to remember. the bus, which was a full-out coach, would bump, bottom out, sway, and rumble up and down these narrow zig-zagging roads. at one point it got really rough. i noticed we were weaving in and out of traffic going up a hill for a long time. i am pretty sure the bus was driving off the road onto the dirt next to it to pass something, then getting back on the road. basically it was bumpy for a good part of the ride.
when we arrived we sat around the bus station until it got light. mysore is not a good place to wander when it's dark. we waited until 6:45 and then got a rickshaw about 2.5 minutes to hotel dasaprakash, which was mentioned in lonely planet. we had no reservation. when we called the hotel they said they were full, and all we knew was it was close. the rickshaw driver was an asshole. he over-charged us, then said we needed to pay an additional 20 rupees for luggage. we argued with him for less then a minute, then i gave him the money just to get him to go away. next time will be different.
well, i would say the hotel is less than half full! they charged us 600 rupees, which is fantastic. they had plenty of room and seemed to be mildly enthused about our arrival. the room is great, clean, and simple. the bed is squishy, thank god! the bathroom is large enough to actually have space to move around when you take a shower. i mean a hot shower. i was a new man, again, the first time being after the haircut and shave. zoë seems to be in much better spirits too after a shower and nap.
we ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant, which is decent to say the least. i noticed what i thought to be two british girls probably 15 and 16 and their dad. it had been a while since i had seen westerners so i went over and chatted with them and asked them what to see in mysore. the father is actually spanish, went to school in england, and now lives in germany. the tiny town they live in, zoë actually visited during her year in germany.
we told them what we were about, and they said they were here for a wedding. they arrived this morning too, but the father had been here before. i couldn't quite get it out of him what he does or why he has been coming to india for 40 years, but i have good reason to believe he is part of the tibetan movement or is a political activist. i also told him about the rickshaw driver; he had good advice. now, it's not very buddhist, but, basically it is to become more aggressive, pay them the agreed amount, raise your voice a little, and they will leave. it's really the only way to get by. this country is amazing at getting your money. well, this trio is only here for a day, i wish i could spend more time with them!
after breakfast we were pretty excited to go look and see what was around. we went through an amazing market, it's about 5 rows a kilometer long. it's all fresh fruit, vegetables, spices, or flowers. one part is like a fruit tunnel. i did not have my camera, but i will get pictures later.
we left, and then met an even greater scammer than the rickshaw driver. he was weird, and he actually got us, but not our money, luckily. he wanted to show us the other market that was just incense and oil. he fabricated this gigantic story and we actually followed him almost all the way there. he is definitely paid by this incense oil market to bring tourists. he said he was islamic, he wanted no money, but just to show us the better market and be our friend. he kept pushing he didn't want money, he was only doing this as a good deed. we felt no harm so we followed him in a half-awake daze. he kept chatting, lying, and telling us he would just point it out from the next corner then leave us alone, which is the only reason we continued. he walked with us 75% of the way there. when he was sure he had us going to the market he left us alone. they have absolutely no shame. we did not go to this market.
later two other guys tried to pull the same thing. i told them no way, i don't want oils or incense. one got a little pushy, i got a little aggressive, it ended with him telling me to go smoke some marijuana and i left him outside the restaurant we went to for lunch. there are a ton of these guys in gandhi square (our area), so I am looking forward to venturing to other parts of the city. there is also a movie theatre across the road from the hotel, so i think zoë and i are due for some bollywood.
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