Tranquil Tarkarli

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Hi Everyone :-)

Hope everything is good at home...
We are currently in Panaji (Goa) but we will ignore that and do a Goa blog in a weeks time as we want to tell you about the lovely beaches we have been to over the past week.

Before we forget...Happy Birthday to Russ - Hope you guys had a great day (are you in Rome?) Sorry we tried to call but had difficulties finding a phone (all closed on a sunday in Panaji)...

After Mumbai we got a 2AC train to Ratnagiri... the trainline known as the Konkan railway was brill and we had a bed each to sleep in which was even better-this was needed after a sleepless (and smelly night) in mumbai (the smell was coming up from the drain in our room and not from Dean :-) We then got a rickshaw to Ganpatipule. The journey was lovely, great scenery and lots of open space which was needed. We arrived at the MTDC Resort ready for the excellent sunset. We also had a lovely chalet waiting for us and it overlooked a lagoon and the surrounding countryside. The onsite restaurant was very funny-they had an extensive menu but when you asked for something they said, in their best English, 'not available'! The guy tried his best but language was a bit of a barrier and we ended up with a malvani curry most nights-not complaining though because it was very tasty and the amazing beach view through the palms from the table more then made up for it.

The beach was like sitting in a holiday brochere full of very expensive places to stay... except that there were no places to stay and we had the beach pretty much to ourselves every day. There was miles of white sand, goos waves and the best weather you could ask for-it was a bit windy but that just made the sun more bearable. As a result of this we both ended up a little bit pink on the second night. We stayed a relaxing 3 nights here, we think that it will change quite a lot because they are building chalets like there is no tomorrow. For the time being though, it is paradise :-)

From here we got a 6am rattly local bus down to Kasal, this cost us a mear pound each for a 5 hour bus journey-bargain. Again great views throughout the journey. We intended to get another local bus but decided to get a rickshaw as the guy was really nice and we wanted to see more on our journey (rickshaw = a bit slower on the bumpy roads). From Kasal we went through Malvan to Tarkarli- the best place yet.

We were going to stay at the other MTDC Resort here but luckily it was full :-) we ended up donw the road and stayed with Deepesh and his family. He had 2 new little cottages about 100 metres from the very very gorgeous beach! Photos :-)... see amusing photo of the 'restaurant', this is where we had the best home cooked fish and veg thalis 50p can buy! Anybody looking to stay with him can massage us and we will give you him number, we very much recommend staying here. The beach was dotted with old style fishing boats desserted on the dunes, the water was bath temperature and crystal clear... and using the boats as a base we had a great place alternating between baking ourselves in the sun and listening to the waves in the shade. See pics :-) (shell hunting was fun in the evening as we strolled through the shallows). Deepesh's 'room' as he called it was very very clean and the place as a whole left a really big impression on us... we were genuinly upset to leave and wished we had stayed longer now. We stayed for 4 nights though-the last night was best as we sat down with Deepesh as he explained about the local area-would love to come back here. He evenm gave us friendship bracelets which was very sweet.

We had a nother rattle rattle bus journey to Panaji in Goa-staying here 2 nights... in a rather funny portugese place (curfew on 10 :-) will tell you more in the next blog.

Hope everyone is well at home-missing you all very very much and wish you could be here experiencing India.

All our love adnd take care
Sar and Dean xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx :-)

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Comments

[lynds]

wow!
Hiya, pics look amazing! they have definitely inspired me to visit India! glas you're enjoying it take care lynds xx

[Gitte Bostrup]

Tarkali
Hi, I don't know how I found your blog but I am going to Ganpatipule MTDC resort tmrw and would after that like to go to Tarkarli - My phone no is 097 1771 7440 (indien no) Is it possible to have Deepesh to contact or for you to contact me with his no. I hope that you still enjoy India atleast in your minds ;-)