Blogs from Goa, India, Asia

I took a taxi from Goa airport to Vagator beach. I managed (as I often do) to choose a taxi driver hell bent on trying to kill me, himself and everything else on the road. Drivers in India are in general very, very bad and by far the worst I have seen anywhere in the world. I sometimes wonder if anybody here is actually bothered about staying alive, perhaps though when you believe in reincarnation though one life isn’t really that significant. From what i have observed and heard the attitude on Indian roads seems to be: why slow down when you could speed up? Don’t avoid head on traffic, aim right for it! Why bother driving on the correct side of the road at all? Lights are for decorating you vehicle and not for practical ... read more

Hi everyone, The location on this blog is incorrect as it doesn't let me publish unless I put a location and It doesn't have Nepal as an option. Please disregard the location. hehehehe I have arrived in Kathmandu safely. I met a lovely Chinese boy on the plane to China who has just finished studying in Sydney and was on his way to meet a friend without visiting his mum and dad (only child and his pareents would be very angry at him if they found out SHHHHH). He let me watch some movies from his laptop which helped to pass the time, along with me reading my camera manual. I'm now a pro by the way at using my camera. (Bess this camera is awesome!) I then got on the Kathmandu flight in Southern China ... read more

We took the train south to Paniji, the capital of Goa, and spent the night there since we arrived late at night.<span><span> We didn’t have a hotel booked but luckily we made a friend on the train who was willing to drive us around to a couple of places until we found one.<span> Paniji is exactly the type of town Gabriel Garcia Marquez would write about - full of crumbling Portuguese mansions and thick palm groves.<span> In the morning after a lunch of fresh fish and white rice we took a local bus to the hippie beach town of Arambol.<span> As soon as we climbed off the bus we realized we were in a very different India.<span> Tanned bodies blitzed by on motorbikes and the scent of patchouli punctuated the air.<span> Cafes, bars, and stores selling ... read more

Goa, Goa, Gone.... The week after Christmas was great, bordering magnificence. We headed north to the lovely Mandrem, where we stayed at a hotel that was designed to look like a face, a weird face. However, Mandrem had a beautiful and quiet beach with fun surf, and beach shacks that conjured up food with a taste dangerously close to decadence. It was a pleasure to be somewhere chilled, where we could relax without risky motorbike journeys, hassle from hawkers, and catch a bad strain of man flu... We spent a few swill infested nights with a fun American couple, Brian and Lindsey.. took a day trip to brave the freezing pools at Dudhsagar water falls.. enjoyed the eclectic tones of that modern pop music at Sunburn Dance festival (with Bonnie and Lee).. and watched people light ... read more

I am writing this blog on a rattling 14hr train journey heading south to Kochin, Kerela. It's pandemonium around us, with plenty of staring and head wobbles, but we do have a small bunk with a curtain. So forgive me if I waffle on.......... ...I just saw a mouse! Hawkers, Gawkers, and Russian Roulette at Christmas. After only three days in sleepy Cavelossim, South Goa, we were on the move again. We would have stayed longer, but the accommodation was already booked. Still not never normal after food poisoning, we took a taxi to the boisterous, booming and brash town of Baga, North Goa... Luckily for nicetaximan, and friend, the two passengers in the back managed not to barf after every bump@?#!. We passed through small villages and settlements with huge bright white churches? ..Probably the ... read more