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Published: January 20th 2010
There is a lot of talk from travellers about Goa. We had heard both good and bad things ranging from cheap beer and big parties to overpriced accommodation and government restrictions on bar opening
hours. All of which we found to be true.
It was a short two hour train journey from gokarna on which I lost my hat. We were the last to get onto our carriage and subsequently stood by the open door. I took up the very Indian trait of hanging out of
the door as we chugged along but forgot I had my hat on. As I lifted my head slightly to catch the cooling breeze off it flew, just like that, much to the amusement of those that witnessed it.
We were headed for vagator, in the north of goa, which involved another three buses after our train. Travel is never easy here.
Finding two rooms in the Christmas/new year period was a tricky task as landlords would quote ridiculous prices, justifying it by saying "this is peak season". We persisted and found a great, affordable little homestay with no name just a friendly owner and a barking mad dog.
We had
left Om beach in order to be in Goa for the sunburn festival, a dance music event. Situated on Candolim beach, half an hour south of vagator, and with Roger Sanchez headlining, it proved to be quite a party in the hot december sun.
Candolim itself was like going to magaluf with the western bars and restaurants matching the demand from the tattooed English crowd. It did, however, have a supermarket that sold very cheap kingfisher and so we could pop in and out of the expensive festival to drink and marvel at how un-India it all was before going back to party.
By 10:30 the party was finished and so were we. Somehow though we still had enough energy to have a meal and sing with a live band to a rather bemused restaurant crowd. Ah Brits abroad hey!
The hangover matched the previous day's excesses but we were here for a good time, not a long time as Durks would say. We used the interlude before the next party on new year to go to the beach and explore vagator. There was a distinctly Russian feel to the town. Menu's were in Russian and even
the persistent beach sellers spoke English with a Eastern European twist. The big money in town was Rubles, highlighted by the amount of young women with older, often fatter, Russian men.
On the beach you get suckered into spending money even when you don't plan to. Sunglasses were bought, a useful acquisition however, as well as kingfishers on sun loungers. All of this is not needed but is big business. At least the sunset was free (if your not sitting on a lounger).
Respite from beach fueled consumerism was found in the capital, Panaji, where we had a successful but not entirely relaxing time. At the central post office we struggled with over the top parcel sending
regulations, including queuing for hours, filling out forms and sticking over 20 stamps on each package home but had success in collecting our Christmas gifts. It was great to open a little bit of christmas from the family and we had some interesting presents such as space food, a mini christmas tree and knickers. Thank you to everyone for the gifts.
Soon it was new years eve and we were back on the beach drinking kingfishers and old monk. After
seeing sunset we treated ourselves to the most Indian of dishes, sushi, before partying into the early hours at Hilltop, an open air club within walking distance of Vagator. It was a knees up as we counted ourselves into the new year due to a lack of any clock's. I don't remember much after that!
Our new years resolution was to have a Vindaloo, Goa is famous for its spicy food, and on the 2nd January we did. It wasn't as hot as I had imagined at first but the heat built and by the end we were all
sniffing and sweating.
The next few days were spent on the toilet paying the price for the spice. Well, our toileting wasn't too disimilar to usual really...often!
On our last day we tried to hire a moped but once again we had been moved aside by the money. Nobody was willing to rent a bike for only one day. People, they told us, rent for one week not one day. So instead we walked...to Chapora Fort, which sits on a hill with stunning views over the river and sea. A nice way to end our time in north
Goa.
The parties, cheap beer and hangovers kept us in town but apart from that there was little else worth staying for. Vagator had served it's purpose but we were pleased to be moving on to find the 'real India'
again.
The westerness of Goa was shocking. A restaurant owner asked me on our last night "what do you think of Goan people". I replied in the only way I could by saying "I don't know...I haven't met many". Tourism has got too big in the Goa we saw. We even struggled to find an Indian breakfast. Certain areas still retain some of the old traveller vibe but Goa is playing Russian roulette with the backpacker and it's the
money that holds the bullet.
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Josho
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Roulette
Brilliant last line - give up writing now and quit like Alan Sheaer - in his prime.