Once again I suppose it would be only right to start with an apology for the lack of information on my part, although with a few nudges here and there I have managed to get my act together. I hope you enjoy the read.
First I'll have to reach back into the depths of my memory to recall some details about the beautiful get-away to Palolem. We travelled by bikes and car on the weekend in a big group of 9 of us. It was on the weekend of the 22nd May and the weather was a perfect 32 degrees. Not too hot, the breeze was a welcoming break and something I've become very fond of since travelling in this ridiculous heat. Palolem is south of Goa, with a it's own little paradise beach lined with large coconut palms and golden sands it really is idyllic. Palolem is by no means quiet though as bars shacks and wooden huts stand proud from one end of the beach to the other, most with 24 hour opening times makes it a very lively place to be.
We arrived at Palolem out of season so things had quietened off quite considerably, which is definitely to my taste. The beaches had free sun beds and you weren't crammed next to a large Indian family when you fancied dipping in the sea for a swim! We spent a couple of days here just relaxing and it was wonderful. We stayed in these little wooden beach huts that were lovely, minus the mosquitoes and the falling coconuts that sounded like you were being bombed when they happened to fall without warning. The drinks were all buy one get one free and the food was well overpriced and a bit tasteless but nothing to get yourself upset about. It was just nice to hang out with everyone and stroll along the beach. I loved swimming in the sea there, it was so rough with big waves that crashed against you, smacking you in the face unexpectedly but when you go out far enough you just bobbed up and down with the waves, floating in the water and trying not to swallow too much sea water. I know I'm not making it sound amazing but it really was good fun.
The following weekend was Avi's birthday. A rented Royal Enfield, full fry up breakfast and a triple chocolate pure indulgence cake for desert was definitely enough to put a smile on the birthday boys face...it was enough to put a smile on everyone's face... We then headed out on the bikes for a bit of a road trip. Driving from beach to beach heading up North past Arambol, Manjim and to Kerim it was fantastic and we then treated Avi for a birthday meal on the seafront of Arambol beach and then headed back. I feel like we've done loads of exploring in Goa and it's wonderful and no way near as touristy as suggested, I do think that it helps that we are somewhat out of season though. The roads are great to drive on and our trusty scooter is still doing an excellent job considering it's antiquated state. Dan even got to drive the Royal Enfield, he went to the road and back a few times and was a master in seconds. He has more guts than me. It was good fun all round.
On the 4th June we went out to Old Goa and Panjim the day of buying my first Sari. We set out late morning with Lee and Michelle, jumped on the bikes and headed for Panjim. I always love the feeling of jumping back on the bike, It gets so hot here and nothing seems to cool you down, Indian people can't understand why we sweat so much but it comes on out of nowhere and suddenly your face is bright red and your skins got a glow to it made up of all the tiny sweat glands perspiring, I like to call it the "Great Sweats" it just happens even when you don't think your that hot...It's a mystery. The bike always does the trick though it always manages to cool you right down.
We arrived in Panjim and wandered around looking for this great market that we'd heard about. It was no where to be seen. We wandered up and down streets and meandered through the busy people sat on the sides of the paths selling fresh fruit, sugar cane juice and other various items. As it happened the block that we had just walked around was the market, just an inside market which I wasn't expecting. On entering the market there wasn't an inch of space available, the paths to walk through were narrow but surprisingly bright and many different stalls lined either side of the corridors made up of hundreds of shoes, cloth, clothing, sari shops, tailors, sweet stands and many more. We finally got to a much bigger space and it opened up into an area for fruit and veg. This was amazing, so many vibrant colours and delicious looking fruit. Ladies sat on top of their stalls that threw fruit down to their customers, all locally sourced produce right at your finger tips and at a reasonable price.
After the market we then headed down back along the seafront which was very well maintained and had a European feel to it, street lanterns lined the side walk and the glorious sunlight reflected easily off the white stone paths. It's Goa's capital city so is well looked after much better than anywhere else I have seen. We then moved on to Old Goa, a magnificent place that once was Goa's capital and now is a Worlds Heritage site, Old Goa was abandoned in the early 17th Century after outbreaks of Cholera and Malaria it now is a shadow of it's once former glory and is very hard to have ever imagined it as a capital city. It is a beautiful place with old monasteries and ruins of old churches. We looked around art galleries and climbed over and through mazes of ruins. Some of the buildings here have been renovated and are in impeccable condition. It was all round a really good day and of course I had purchased a Sari as Priya, Michelle, Sam and Myself were heading out for a posh meal for Priyas last week.
We got back to our apartment that we shared with Mark, Michelle, Avi, Sam and Priya. We're not all in the same apartments but all the apartments are next to each other so we're always in someonelses or there in ours. We showered and did our make up and hair and then it was time for Priya to work her magic! Have you ever looked at a Sari and thought that looks complicated? I haven't, I'll be honest, I thought you'd just wrap it around you and then chuck the remainder of the material over your shoulder...How wrong could I be? In short I think it starts with a double wrap around the waist whilst carefully tucking the material into the underskirt, then you have to measure the remainder of the material to ensure the correct length is given at the end, pleating the material about 10 times (neatly) tuck that into the front, take the rest of the material around and up across your front and over your shoulder and then pin it in about six places. Nightmare or what? I think all Indian women are absolute marvels to go through this everyday and on top of that to deal with the heat. Sari's are hot and heavy to wear and every step is a possible gamble on standing on the tip of the material and unravelling yourself in public!
Now I have rambled on for long enough about it below is a picture of Priya doing Michelle's Sari and us all looking rather regal in our finished outfits. We went out to a very posh restaurant which wasn't very expensive but we were treated like royalty, however we did get mixed reviews on the Sari's I don't think the women were very impressed. It was a great experience and one I will never forget.
As for the here and now, we have just been relaxing and saving pennies..oh and fighting with Indian Railways who it seems the only chance of getting a train tickets for long distance travelling is by booking it 2 months in advance. It's not easy to be that organised when so many things can change in such a short space of time. So our train now heads out of Goa next Friday 25th June and we embark on a 26 hour journey to Delhi! That is the fast train?!
Monsoon has now shot upon us and everything is wet, muddy and humid but much cooler than it was before. I quite like it, I love standing out of the balcony while the rain vigorously bounces off the rooftops making an almost deafening sound, there's something so soothing about it. Could it be missing England?! Hmmmmm....
There's also something about the rain that brings the cows out they, sit in the middle of the road in packs of 3 and 4 they wander through the market and push themselves out of the rain and into any dry spot they squeeze into. The market fills up with water and the water fills any dips up in the road with ease, the muddy water meanders it's way through the street and forms large pools everywhere. It's going to get worse, at the minute I am still enjoying the coolness that the monsoon has brought here but I'm sure it will soon wear thin and become tedious. Anyway for now that's it and the next time I write I will be in another country all together!....
