Konark – Bhubaneshwar – 64 km
From Konark, a short and pleasant ride led to chaotic Bhubaneswar,
home to the famous Udaygiri and Khandagiri Caves, where I vowed
never to get a windowless room again. Windowless, however,
appeared the least of our problems, as no rooms seemed available.
Many budget hotels didn’t cater to foreigners. Following a long
search, a spacious but overpriced establishment was eventually
located. Happy dance!
The lack of rooms was due to Bhubaneshwar’s history and its old
religious centre, which came complete with a ceremonial tank. Of the
many stone temples built here over a thousand years ago, only 50
remain. Add an ancient cave complex and accommodation was bound
to be in high demand.