Well...I haven't been very good so far at updating everyone on my where-abouts via this journal, but I have, however been keeping a little journal, so I'm thinking typing a few extracts up from that might be the best plan, so here goes...
Mumbai: We've started our trip! And so far so good, the plane journey was pretty surreal, after waving goodbye to the family and feeling a bit teary and emotional, but also incredibly EXCITED... Amber, an old friend of Natasha Prayag's was on the same plane to Mumbai, a crazy coincidence.. luckily the cab which we had ordered as part of the Hotel New Bengal deal arrived so we gave Amber and her boyfrined a lift to the fort area of Mumbai. We then had to haggle and barter, and all that comes with that, to pay the cab driver for us and for them- pretty confusing but we stood our ground. We alo got upgraded to a nicer room for free because our room "wasn't available"- and it's perfect.. really cute, two little beds and a bathroom. Claire's just had the first shower, which involves puring a jug of water over yourself and trying not to soak the entire floor... We didn't have muich sleep on the plane, so our first day went in a bit of a blur. We arrived in the midday heat of the bustling day, caught a cab to Colaba, did a bit of shopping, ate a nice vegetable curry, sipped on some ice cold beer and had a cigerette inside, bliss!
(This takes a while and I can only type for another 10 minutes, so got to rushrushrushh through the boring details!)
Train to Goa: I wonder where we are? Heading towards the Western Ghatts I think, you can just spot the mountains in the background. It feels like we're still in the suburbs of Mumbai- lots of appartments, some quite plush, others looking derelict...mother and baby sitting next to us, touching and happy-making.. it's gettign more beautiful, proper hill country, overwhelming! Palm trees, crispy and orange terrain, fields of lush grass scattered with telephone pylons. A few lakes, little paths in the mountains, kids waving at the train, fewer people. Bright colurs being worn, less business men. Shacks and washing hanging outside. Shiny motorbikes... Claire says she feels like a piece of art to be looked at here, nice way of putting it!... Paddy fields and white stalks, water buffolo, wall made out of reeds. Tiny "organised" spots, like small piles of sticks that have been collected. Pink flowers. Yawny sleepy eyes, petrol station, hospital...
We're in Arambol now and have been here a few nights, staying in a bamboo hut, 2 minutes walk from the sea. It's a small beachy village in North Goa, dominated by old time hippies and peace and love mannn... We've met some great people, and basically kicked back and enjoyed the sun and the food and the beer. Swimming in the sea and a lake, watching the sun set, I can see why people get into sun-worshipping, it's inspiring, it realy is! We're like a little community in our "Galaxy Huts", all just ate some fresh fish caught this morning by some local fishermen. Met some great English DJ's earlier, pretty much stayed with them all day, listening to tunes from home and danicing and chatting.
Tommorrow we're moving on South, to a place called Baga, Amaya's there so we'll all meet up...
Lots and lots of love to everyone xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
BOM SHANKA!
