Oct 2, 2005 - Goa, India

Today the 2nd of October is the anniversary of Gandhi's birth (or death...); on both occasions the sale of alcohol is banned since he was against the drink. I figured it was a good opportunity to catch up on the journal rather than lying on the beach which is what we've been doing for the last few days. They actually have broadband here in Goa. With regard to the beach; this is exactly what I needed. The cities are so busy and hectic and while I enjoy the action, it sure is nice to relax and soak up some sun. I would say its also nice to...

Sep 26, 2005 - Colva Beach, Goa

Monday, 26th we were up really early and dropped off at Udaipur Airport at 7:30am for our domestic flight via Mumbai to Goa. The security checks for this internal flight was quite something. Not sure why but all very thorough. Our bags were checked before we checked in and then we went through to the departure gate and were checked physically and our hand luggage electronically - then as we went out to board the plane were physically checked again. The plane was a small twin propelled one ... but we reached Mumbai safely. Where we were...

Sep 25, 2005 - Goa

Had an early start (7am train) and 12 hours to Goa. Staying at Ajuna Beach. Sept 26th Stocked up on supplies. Its bloody hot. Sunbathed the rest of the afternoon and read. Needless to say, the Goa sun is severe and I got rather burnt. Sept 27th Hired 2 mopeds today. I rode on the back of Heather's - bad move. She couldn't turn it around and crashed it into a gate. My leg was impaled on the latch and instead of breaking, she set it forward with speed - it kinda hurt! I was too busy pissing myself laughing whilst all the locas stopped with...

Sep 8, 2005 - GU1 or GU2?

Happily we arrived in goa just in time for the start of the final Ashes test and settled into a comfortable hotel in colva with swimming pool and cable tv. Colva's by no means the most charming beach in goa but it's nice enough. It seems to be a bit of a haven for retired British ex-pats who wile away the hot afternoons over a few beers in the local bars. This was good as it meant I had some kindred spirits and therefore did not have to bore Kathryn every minute of every day with the latest developments in the cricket. So the cricket was...

Jun 26, 2005 - Adrian: Beach front here we come............

Goa. A place of beauty, a place where brit's still have kept the place a holiday attraction, a place with beautiful beach fronts and where hotels back onto. Thats what we were told anyway big mis-interpritation....... The only thing that was true. the british were here..... up until India gained independance. Once i eventually get some photos up you can see but on the up side we do have a decent hotel if you can handle the power going out every 10 minutes because of the monsoon....... makes watching a movie very painful.

Jun 8, 2005 - Villa-de-Malcolm.

I found Malcolm's place in a complicated but not very interesting episode with two Laxmis, and three Laxmi-seeking strangers who coincided at the same place and time and assumed everyone knew someone else. This part of Calangute is nice and quiet. A house up the road has 'Fialho' on the gatepost like the one I'm in. Occasionally I see people who have a hint of Malcolm's face in their's. They're not quite as good looking obviously. At the end of Calangute the beach runs into Candolim and then the flash resorts of Fort Aguada, like the row...

May 13, 2005 - You call that literature?

Beware, henceforth I may be embarking on a spiritual journey ... You are all no doubt aware of airport bookstores, their shelves disappointingly stocked with the titles of four authors; John Grisham, Wilbur Smith, Dan Brown, and that other one who prolifically churns out self-development tomes. As a backpacker, you can be starved of a decent read when away from a major city. Forced to choose quickly amongst the dog-eared and yellowing titles that never appeal, you end up looking listfully out of the train window, when, two hours into your...

Apr 25, 2005 - Palolem, Goa

14/4/05 Hi all!! Just to let you know having a brill (if quiet!) time in Goa.... the Internet connection here is really crap - I can't even reply to any e-mails (although I can read them, so do keep on sending them!) I'm not updating this at the mo coz it's just toooooo frustrating, and I haven't really done anything, but be assured the tan is coming along nicely, the sun is hot, the sky is blue, the sea is warm, and I'm eating loads of curries!! no, I'm not sick of them yet!!! See y'all soon Pip xxx

Apr 11, 2005 - Goan Delights!

Goan Greetings! I've been here a week now, recovering from the lurgies which had so far eluded me on my travels. Personally I think that it was due to the sight of the dozens of squatting men performing their naked morning ablutions into the stream alongside the train I rode from Mumbai to Goa. That, together with women washing their clothes in the same water as kids cleaned their teeth was enough to make one sick! The smell was nothing like I've ever experienced and the complete disrespect/ignorance for the environment was so shocking. It...

Mar 24, 2005 - Gotta Goa

Well, here we are safely in the small state of Goa, on the western middle coast of the country. Until fairly recently, Goa was a Portuguese colony, and it is easy to figure out why the kept it so long. Goa boasts endless sandy beaches, rolling hills, shady groves of trees, and deep valleys perfect for farming rice and corn. Before we get into a deep description of what its like here, I'll tell all of you about the trip down the coast. I think that one of the busiest trains in India is the 'Konkan Kanya Express' (Good ol' #0111) Boarding...

Mar 20, 2005 - Goa

We went to a posh restaurant in Mumbai last nite, thought we'd go all out for a change. Had a lovely meal, think it cost us bout E8 between us. We got the train to Goa today wer in a place called Madagon, we didnt arrive till bout half six so it was dark enough. We'll have a look round tommorrow but wer gonna head down south another few miles in search of nice beaches to chill out for a few days, after the craziness of the cities! We saw loads of palm trees out the train window the closer we got to here, so hopefully its a sign of whats to...

Mar 13, 2005 - Goan crazy

I'm back. I've finally mosied (is that the correct way to write it?) my way down to Goa -- staying at Palolem, a beach far to its south. It is super crazy paradise here -- palm trees and soft sandy beaches -- and after thinking about it for um, 3 seconds, I will have to stay for a while. This internet place is right on the sand, actually and I'm in my bikini writing this. What else could anyone want? I met up with 3 Canadians who I now share a bamboo hut on stilts with. It is right on the beach and the little operation is enough to bring...