Offering 5 day pacakge to Goa!

Ha one month n am still not done peppering this space with posts of my vacation. Hopefully this is the last of the series...so bear with me as I unveil a 5 day package of Goa for you!!


Did I mention that this was a road trip...so incase u taking other means of transport u amy waana tweak the iternary a bit.....N if u not so very lazy bums like us u can pack a little more...But incase u on a holiday with a perfect combo of been-there-done-that n relaxation then this is the best ever package ...He he me shameless that way!!


We started from home on early hours of 5th of december (n for a change early was early enuf....We were on the road before 6 in the morning...yeah yeah yeah) and via tumkur road - sagar - Jog Falls(n when we did a quick drop in there was hardly any water) we reached Gokarana by evening...I just love these temple towns that double up as tourist spaces.....They hv a distinct life n air about them...A mix of our average devootees n the hippie tourists brings out a splendid spectrum of life! We halted there for night n after a quick decko of Om beach, temple and the bazaar(Another thing I love abt Indian Temple town) where we had a personalized dholak made (Another post in it soon) started for Goa almost at 12 in the afternoon.


We hit our hotel at around evening n after the initial excitement burst n a elongated bath ceremony(:-p) at our outdoor shower, started out to Anjuna beach for dinner. That is all was day1 for us.


Day2 - What better way to start your vacation than a dose of water sports. Reach base by eveing n again head out to Anjuna for dinner

Day3 - Explore old goa, have a dinner of Goan sausages at Panjim.

Day4: A Wednesday. Check out the flea market at Anjuna. Post that head to explore the forts in Goa and end the day with a relaxed dinner at Arambol beach


Day5: Just chillax by one of the beach sides. Spend the afternoon in hotel pool and shop for all kinda knick knacks in the evening


N tht in nutshell is what my trip was....Lots of joy, beer, food, sun n sand!!!!

Dedicating this post to our loyal companion.......our Alto who made all this happen :)

Ps: A good site to look up is this for all 'hatke' locations

Goa: Untouched

Waana Sample a piece of Goa untouchedv by all touristy things?? Waana sample the good old Goan village style? How abt visiting a few archeologically protected Hindu temples??

Then  head striaght to Divar Islands. N how do you get onto Divar Island?? Hop onto a ferry from Old Goa...N the Ferry here is more than a touristy thing...it is the only means of transport for the islanders......n so it ferries not just u n me n loads of fsih but also ur bike, cycle car or lets say a lorry! N once there you are magicallly taken transported to another world....far away from all the maddening tourist crowd! N what a place it is...filled with old Portugese home(most of them deserted) and life moving in its own idylic pace....Life in its purest form! Make sure u visit the old church there...n the caretaker there will let u explore the entire place all the way upto the clock tower...n all u hv for company upthere are the Bats!!

Dont miss the vehicles on the ferry

The church at Divar Island

An Old Portugese - Goan Home

Khelo Khoodo - Goa Isshtyle!

A trip to Goa with no water sports - unimaginable!!! It was a dose of these watrer sports that was the biggest lure for the hubbs of mine........ N the nightmare for me!! Me n all the topsy turvy rides just dont go together!! But being the Indian wife silently accompnied my hubbs :-D

The only thing tht i was ready to bet on was a Paragliding n man was I glad I did that!!! Oosh you go up in the air above the waters with feet dangling n u are almost flying up there.................... but but if its gotta 'us' in the story then there gonna be a twist!! The hubbs of mine had generously tippred the boatman to take us all the way and then dip us to right into the water!! N all this without realizing that moi is in my trademark specs..yeah yeah the intelligent me decided to go in with specs...hello how do you expect me to enjoy the view minus specs!!! N then as you must have guessed to the debris of Goan Beach is added my poor colorful specs!! Which mean the rest of the trip was minus my specs...OMG!! On a brighter side, the lazy me was forced to hon my lens n tht meant bette rpics with my goggles :-D...Isnth there a silver lining after all!!

Ofcourse there are other rides...Jet skiing, Banana rides n all which my hubbs was hopping on n off like a kiddo...n your truly has better sense than to try all of these!!

Imagine jumping up above the waves in a scooter...Yeah right!!!

N now for some interesting Observations:

1. Only Indian tourist seem to be trying their hands at these water sports(for obvious reasons??)
2. The facilities at Baga Beach seem not-very-indian complete with booze n food served in deck beds, sun-bathing tourists etc while Calangute has hardly any of these facilities......its more like your other indian beach with shore side peppered with peannut sellers n oglers and ! But the rates at Calangute are way cheaper than Baga!!

Quill(a) time in Goa!!!

Title coutesy mu hubs!! N its meant to  translate to Forts(Qilla ~~ Fort in Hindi) in Goa

Goa N forts!! Now Now if u hv this sardonic expression on ur face imaging that its one of the many run down forts that every city in India...lemme give u this piece of info that may just catch your interest!! Remember the scene below from Dil Chatha he??Yeah yeah am talking of the same fort here.....The chapora fort. Ok now to be fair the fort owes its fame to the movie....the scene from there if not breathtaking is still beautiful!

To the left is the scene from DCH N to thew right is my hubbs...proof tht we been there n done that :-D

But something tht is more wort the time will be a visit to Fort Tiracol! Accessible again by jumping into a ferry....but but may I suggest a more laid back n a beautiful way to approach this place! Ditch the ferry n hire a boat across the river and if you are lucky you'll get a boatman who'll entertain with a fishing expedition n some interesting snippets - and grabbing by Russian Mafia in Goa!!!! N u'll believe it once u see the number of sign boards in goa in Russian; And ofcourse a dose of gyann about how Indian women should break free of inhibitions n fears......N when it comes from a seasoned fisherman it hits you hard :). N after the delightful ride acroos you reach the Tiracol fort which is now converted into a super uber luxury hotel! But itsnt this place that impresses you as much as the sunset view from the barren lands alongside this hotel........n topping on cake its deserted n you enjoy the most romantic sunset :-p.

Sunset from Tiracol

The crimson Sky

Yet another Traveller on this Lonely Planet

Eat, Drink N Make Merry - The Goan Style!

Now now this space seems to be being flooded with posts on Goa....But writing one big travelogue and getting with it is just not me....so please bear with me and read on....
This post is dedicated to one topic that very often graces this space - Food and hotel reviews!! Yeah yeah my fav of all :)
Goan food and what pops up in mind is endless booze n sea food....... here are a a few hangouts that I found in the short 5 days I was there...

Start ur day with a dip in the almost deserted Anjuna Beach(the beaches almost look deserted early in the morn)! After a strenuous workout in the beach (translates to sitting on the beach and baby-watching the tintin of my hubbs) stomach grumbles for a hearty breakfast?? Then head straight to Martha's breakfast. N what a spread they hv ...a full 172 items on menu(n they are open only for breakfast)......complete with waffles, crepes, bacons.......

N after this filling breakfast head straight to Baga Beach...... Catch up on the different water sports there.....Para Gliding, jet Skiing, Banana Boat ride or hop on for a dolphin ride(the best time to view dolphins is early in the morning).......N after all this ur hearty breakfast is washed off n ur stomach is roaring for hearty meals again?? Head straight to the famous Bistros right on the beach side.... Get a deck bed with a umbrella above, lay back relax, sip on beer, order in Prawn Vindallo from Bistros even as you get a tattoo done! The one on left is moi's n the other is the hubb's...yeah yeah they are temp tatoos...so no worries there!

After all this head back to your base camp(Anjuna beach in our case)and go straight upto Avalon Sunset -Supposedly the word 'Avalon' means 'Heavenly' and this is the place to catch a gr8 sunset view on the Anjuna beach (Now now I was never there for the sunset)! But this place earns all its brownie points for its quaint decor...... nothing elaborate but imagine this............. A neatly (actually not so very neat) spread out ground level seating .....Translates to a very thin mattress with bolsters on both sides! N now as you lie down puffing out on hookah with your head resting on the bolster wht do you get to see but a wonderful view of the sea!! A treat to my city-tired eyes......

Have more time in your hands?? Go north upto Arambol Beach........ N u c the entire beach stretch filled with candle lit tables...Ho yeah imagine luxury of having a candle light dinner, by the beach side with sand between your legs and the sound of waves hitting the shore...Bliss hey!!! Sip on fenny, munch on Goan sausages or Prawn masala, have Rice with Prawn curry........

N if the shack you choose is government shack then the nearer your are to the beach......hmmm looks like our govt is getting smart too!

Check out the innumerable sea side shacks littering the beach…. Good food at throw away prices n to get a slice of the Goa of the bygone hippie days head curlies…a shack by the Anjuna beach!

Also do check the Goan sweets - Bibica(in the pic) is my fav! Head to Mr. Bakers in Panjim for a slice of it. N do stock upon Goan stuffed sausages from Aggasim village....

N ofcourse in a tourist swamped places like Goa you have a lot of hotels offering you international cusines...do check them out!

While in Goa - Eat, Drink N make Merry!

Best things in life come in small packages....

....n its so very true about Goa! Now now am not raving abt the beaches or the night life.....But its abt the freedom to be! Wondering wht freedom we are referring to??


Well this may sound funny..... its the freedom to dress in the skimpiest of dresses n not have men ogle at you :-D. Didn’t I tell u its gonna be funny...But trust me it gives you a big liberal feeling...imagine lying down on a beach(mind u not a private beach) dressed in skimpiest of clothes n boozing away ala ur hubbs.....almost impossible to imagine it happening in India hey! U almost feel like a free bird again n tht heady feeling is hard to describe........

Indeed good things in life comes in small packages: Skimpiest clothes in the skimpiest state of India!