We took sleeper train to Margao and then waited for a train
to Canacona. Getting on the train was the scariest thing I’ve done in a while,
everyone pushing, standing on each other etc, and with my pack I was at their
mercy. I was shoved and pummeled and it wasn’t fun. Nick secured a seat and
then a man with a baton was shouting through the window to everyone to get out
as it was reserved seating (which we hadn’t paid for). All the locals legged it
but we didn’t know where to go. A local man told me not to be frightened and
looked at our tickets and explained things a bit. More shoving took place and
next thing I felt a lady stroking my arm gently as she could see I was finding
it all a bit stressful. We then sat with her and her husband (they’re English
but she’s of Indian descent) and had a nice time with them for the 45 minutes
the train took. We paid the conductor the demanded bakeesh (bribe/fine) and he
allowed us to stay were we were. We’d paid 10 rupees each for the ticket and
the bakeesh was 50! But we were beyond caring.
We got an autorickshaw to a beach hut place at Palolem
prepared to spend too much for the first night then shop around. It was a
pleasant place with little piggies wandering around and all hosted by the
family (they wander past, you ask for a coffee, they bring it, it’s charged to
your room etc). So it was easy and when we shopped around the next day we found
we’d got a pretty good deal (450 rupees per night with attached bathroom –
that’s about 7 quid, but it’s very basic). After three nights there though I
became frustrated with the noise the other guest were making at all hours and I
wasn’t sleeping well enough because of it.
So we went to the effort of moving (in the extreme heat) but
last night wasn’t so good either – animals this time. So Nick reckons he’s
going to order the chicken tonight at the attached restaurant, 6 of them so
hopefully that will get rid of some of the noise!
Overall Palolem is beautiful, hot and the sea is warm. There
are bar/restaurants all along and it’s not as remote as we’d like. Things are
developing fast here so it’s no surprise it’s reasonably packed now. We’re not
sure how long we’ll stay, we’re doing very little, just trying to sleep and
keep cool. We can wander 10 metres to the bar restaurant overlooking the beach
so that’s nice. For the first time this trip I feel like what I’m doing isn’t
more effort than going to work each day.
It’s also good here to chat to people about travel plans and get tips. There
are lots of Nepalese people working here. And LOTS of Israeli tourists which
I’ll make no further comment about.
