As you
Were probably aware, Jason and I decide to head down to Goa. Mainly
because I didn't really fancy anymore town stuff and wanted a bit of beach
holiday. So we booked a train down from Mumbai. Had to arrive at the
station by 6 so we got there in plenty of time at 5am! Woaw, its a massive
station, with lots of people sleeping rough and travelers on the floor waiting
too. Lets just say the toilets were interesting! Our train arrived late at
7am, meant to leave at 6.55. A porter very kindly accosted our luggage and
insisted on helping us get to the right carriage.......... This was reassuring I
suppose, but once on the train he demanded 100 rupees, which in their terms is
rather a lot, we were pleasantly surprised by our Air Conditioned third
class train cabin, we had a kind of double bunk bed, where the bottom one converted into two seats by a window if we wanted. We were each given a clean blanket, sheet and
pillow. The cabin is really high and the train was humongous long. It
was great. We probably had better sleep there than in the hotel! Lots of
train staff were constantly going up and down the carriages saying, Chia, chia,
chia, coffee coffee coffee and numerous baskets of food, the whole way
there. I doooo mean the whole way there. We eventually left at
7.30am and arrived at our destination at 8.30pm in the evening. That was
one long trip. Then we had to get a taxi to Colva, south Goa. That wasn't
too bad and the taxi driver took us straight to a hotel that the Indians
use. 600 rupees a night - about 8 quid. This was much better than Mumbai.
Had a pool too and right on the beach!!
The food in Goa is fantastic and you can eat out for a couple
of quid each. ---- so we are out every meal and I haven't had to do any
cooking........woohoo.
Colva was great, we stayed there for three days and went to a
bar called boomerang every day Cheap as chips and free sunloungers. They
had a massive party on Saturday night where four Goan bands were playing western
songs in a television competition. Then I thoroughly enjoyed the clubbing
music afterwards, everyone was dancing on the beach and the music system was
very good, for those of you in the know, it coped with being outside
Obviously we have been accosted by beach seller after beach
seller and this has got very annoying and now I am very cruel and I don't even
look at them, just wave them on like a piece of trash......... harsh but
it’s the only way. Jason and I then decided to head down to Palolem, which appears
to be the next up and coming area in Goa, Instead of getting a taxi for
700 rupees, we decided to budget travel and take the buses, it was 7
rupees to get to Margoan each then the next bus was nineteen each, but there was
no where to sit and it was an hour long journey. We were rammed in like
cattle, it catered for 12 standing and there must have been 20 of us at least.
That was one hot trip. All the Indians are very helpful and someone I was
eventually able to sit next to told us to get off earlier than we intended in
order to get to Palolem. Then got a rickshaw to the beach and the guy took
us straight to a great set of coco huts on the beach. At this place
everyone stays in beach huts. They are on stilts off the ground and have a
locked door and a bed with mosquito net Very simple, but we were offered the one with an en-suite of all
things. A lovely little shower and toilet attached. But that
was 600 rupees and the other one with communal toilets and showers was
450 & It’s a bit like camping, but has a security guard at night and a bar
and restaurant with it. We are about 20 metres from a direct entry to the
beach. Its FAB. Go here on holiday if you can. The beach arks around in a curve. With restaurants all
along it in front of the beach huts. There are boat trips and
kayaks. We went out on a boat to watch the sun set this afternoon and the
temperature to day was 42 degrees! We have a mini thermometer with us. Needless
to say, Jason and I didn't stay in it for long and had factor 40 on. We are
about the whitest people here.
Had lobster this evening as a treat. It was great.
The fisherman who’s boat we went out in has offered us to go
fishing tomorrow morning for 600 rupees, 2hrs and we might see dolphins
too. Looking forward to that. Its not too busy here and I think we are planning on staying
for a few days longer. Maybe even
