It has been a couple of days now since we reluctantly left Goa where we had a fantastic time. I think we were both sad to leave the place, i think though that what we will miss most is the people. We stayed in Starco's where as well as amazing people there is everything you could need in the shape of booze, food and shelter (as it says on the sign). We were both tempted to stay longer (even looked at flights to calcutta from goa) but there are too many other places to see and people to meet, i am sure we will be back though, as soon as we can!.
We spent most of our time not doing or seeing very much but that is part of the reason that i enjoyed it so much. It was nice to be able to unpack a little and not worry about where to stay or having to go to the train station and stand around in queues (if you can call them that). We had a scooter for our first couple of weeks that allowed us to see a bit more and to be even more lazy, it was definately worth it. We took it up to Arambol, which is somewhere that i think i would like to spend a bit more time. And down to the tourist capitals of Calangute and Candolim where the streets are filled with package tourists and English restaurants selling roast dinners, pie and chips and full English breakfasts and the beaches are all sun loungers and people baking themselves to a nice shade of lobster red!.
One of places that i really enjoyed going to was Ingo's night market in Arpora. Its stalls are a little more varied unique than that of the more famous Anjuna flea market and there is an amazing variety of food stalls where you can get everything from sushi to pie and chips, bratwurst to momos, crepes and tofu. There is also live music from all sorts and sitting there with a beer is a good way to spend a night and relax. There is also entertainment in the form of the announcer guy (can't remember his name) he is very good at his job though and helps the whole night flow. I also met up with a girl, Jo who i know from when i was in India on my Gap year (5 years ago) which was totally unexpected, as the cliche goes it really is a small world.
Anjuna flea market was also good fun and you could easily spend a day walking around it all especially if you had money to spend. It is so big that i am not sure that we covered it all in the 2 visits that we made there. But then again i am not sure that we really missed that much as a lot of the stalls sell the same things over and over and over again. There are the usual sarees, mahrani skirts, bags, tibetan silver, colourful mirrored light shades, Goan trance cd's and 'travellers' clothing you see everywhere just in vast quantities. If you look hard then there are some that are a little more unique many run by some of the western residents. Even if you are not really shopping it is still a colourful place to look around and there are a lot of colourful people too. As it is right by the beach and there are lots of little bars and food places scattered around it is good for when the inevitable (in my case any way and definately in Sam's which is instantaneous) shopping fatigue kicks in.
We went to both the markets by ourselves and with my mum and sister who joined us for christmas. I think that we(I) definately did a little more shopping when we were with my mum and sister. Sam has proved himself to be a valuble assistant when shopping in India with his ability to bargain. I think that this talent is grately assisted due to the fact that he is not interested in what he is buying, so stall holders know that he will walk away no problem without a cheap(er) price. This was especially good when my family were here i think they got some good deals.
It was really good to have my Mum and sister come over for christmas. They were very lucky to get to us in time with a lot of flight delays from the UK due to fog. The week they stayed was really good. We spent christmas day at there hotel in calangute, with a toast of imported irn bru accompanied with the opening of presents in the morning and playing games like at home. It was a really good day it was a shame about the food at the hotel which was not very nice. Other days were mainly spent just hanging around the beach in Anjuna and a little in Calangute. We were not the only ones who were glad of my mums arrival. We made friends with a british guy who owns a restaurant called Glen Eagles in Anjuna and to whom my mum was able to bring some supplies of paxo and yorkshire pudding mix in time for christmas. I will also miss that place and the fantastic food in particular the steak pies mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm (nice for a bit of a change). I know they had a good trip, i am especially glad my sister liked Goa, i was never sure that she would like india so Goa is a start! They are back in the cold now hopefully it is not too bad. It was so nice to see them both and sad to see them leave (lots of love).
I am sure i have missed loads out but i can't think of anything at this moment i think i will have to update later because although we have not been gone even a week it feels like ages ago.
To be continued (sometime, hopefully soon)..................
All i can really remember now that it have not mentionned previously is New Year. Before we set off on our travels i think that the expectations for a new year celebration in Goa was fairly high. There was talk of parties going on for days etc. we knew it was not what it once was but still hopes were running high. In the end all started well and drinks were flowing. The first casualty was one of the guys we met from London- too sick to make it, shocking!! Then one of the guys who worked at starcos who was always out decided not to go out! By about 5pm i was sick too, really sick could not even stand to drink anything. So it was a bit of a let down i spent most of the evening lying in bed or throwing up, i did make it out for the bells and the fireworks. Fireworks consisted of firecrakers but not ordinary ones. All the swedish ex-pats and those in goa on more of a short term stay around starcos put some money in to but these every year. The noise is incredible you can feel it through the air pushing you away. They are let off next to the bust road too and even after the initial ones have gone off passing cars and bikes ran over some that had not gone off only for them to start again much to the shock of the drivers. Sam went out to the main party at a place called hill top, this was the place we had been told most about with 3 day long parties. I am sure he has written some stuff in his journal so i will leave this here.
