Ok, that makes it sound like I hate Goa. full stop. Thats a big call, bc its quite a big place, and we didn't see much of it at all. I would definitely love to come back, and go to another beach of my choosing. I think the problem was that our compromise didn't really satisfy me.... :)
Ha, the first downer was that after the A/c train ride there, I developed a massive flu. :( I must be the only person to come to the tropics and get cold ;). That definitely curtailed any plans I had to live it up at the beach...
While I had heard amazing things from travllers about beaches in the south, and had my heart set on them, Aaron really wanted to see forts, which were closer to the beaches up north. Excited to have his input to the planning, I agreed to let him choose the beach. We went to Anjuna in the end, a very touristy stretch in the north.
Full of tourists, what was a small fishing village has been swamped in the Tsumani of western muck, and literally consists of only hotels, stalls selling tourist souveneirs and western restaurants. It was definitely a change from the India we had been travelling in so far. The beaches here are not white, but a black volcanic snady colour, without a tree or a skerric of shade to be scavenged. The only way to sit in a patch of shade is to hire a beach chair owned by the beachside restaurants and shops. The second charge for sitting is the literally constant harrassment of waves of persistant beach vendors to whom the word "no" does not exist.
On the upside, we met a lovely Aussie guy called Brock who was travelling on his own, and teamed up with him for all of our time in Goa. I also really like getting up early and going for walks on the beach by myself before any other westerners were awake. It was like India had reclaimed her land - the sea had washed away the rubbish, no beach chairs were yet set up, and all the town cows come down to chew the fat/cud with eachother. :) Its funny, although they are not owned by anyone, they still gather and parade up and down the beach in a herd - social beasts. In a way its almost an apt metaphor for the foreigners here, who come to India to experience another culture, and then desire to congregrate just with other foreigners and eat Western food here in Anjuna.
Funnily enough, the bad vibe I had about the beach was confirmed on the last day there. I got bitten by one of the beach dogs that roam wild in packs! Yes, the developing world wants me to get rabies! :) He ran up from behind and grabbed my thigh, but luckily no well enough to cut through my pants. He then went for my foot as I shook him off and yelled, managing to only give me a small cut. Still it was enough for the Indians to freak out, and in hospital afterwards i was offered every drug under the sun :)
Also on the last day, poor Steph and Aaron got severely violent gastro from (ahem) both ends, and I was up well into the wee hours looking after them both...
A not so pleasant end to a holiday at a not so pleasant beach. :)
