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Published: January 28th 2010
Arriving in Anjuna had already been a little eventful and with cuts, hangover and hunger kicking-in, it was time to find ourselves a new home. Anjuna is far north and a rather backpacker destination so this was a little harder than we anticipated. Walking along the beach in midday heat with a huge packpack is exhausting, especially when you have no idea where the beach huts are as your book of shit is the most unhelpful guide a girl could have. At this point, Gail was feeling pretty rough and sent Nikki off to hunt down beds. Luckily after turning down the huts with no locks and an open window, she found a little gem called Radha Guest House run by Ganesh-camp and cute fellow. Little did we know that our time in the pretty hut was about to be extended to eleven days…
The next day we ventured to the famous Wednesday Anjuna Flea market which is absolutely HUGE! We thought that we had heard enough of the “come look at my shop” bellow but this was just bloody ridiculous. We’re finding that being polite is rather difficult. As follows:
“Madam, come look my shop!”
“No, thank you.”
“Very
good price for you.”
“It’s ok, thanks.”
“Everything 100 rupees. I do you very good price.”
“I don’t need a sari.”
“Madam, you are very white. You look like chicken”
“Fuck off.”
Repeat until you would rather rip your arm off and hit her with it.
The market sells pretty much everything you could think off. A particular highlight was watching Nikki haggle for a gorgeous dress. She’s not taken well to haggling and gets really embarrassed; Gail is just an arsey bitch who lets them shout prices down the street at her then agrees when it’s cheap enough - tactics! We also bought some girlie tops and started to realize that our wardrobes were not really appropriate for the climate. Ended up with seven items for a tenner.
It was at this point that things started to go wrong. We’re still not sure whether it was the girl’s shorts which she’s rolled up into her own arse (see photo) made Gail feel sick or whether Moses’ food (Colva man) was to blame… Anyway, Gail had to go back to the room for a sleep. During this time, Nikki decided to top up her tan and head down
Fashion?
Is this appropriate?to the beach. The place is known for being quite a rave joint, it was back in the day apparently, and so is quite commercial. The beach is lined with bars, shops, restaurants, sun-beds everywhere and hawkers every two-minutes. Poor Nikki suffered the wrath of The Hawkers. As a girl on the beach on her own, they singled her out like pray and attacked. Her then white skin (chicken) is also a green light for naïve British girl. She was surrounded by about six women who managed to persuade/bully her into having what can only be described as the worst henna tattoo in India and two bracelets ‘made from real leather, miss’ at a cost of 500rupees!! This is almost our whole daily food budget. Gail had only been in bed ten-minutes!! Note: don’t send Nikki out alone. The best bit was she didn’t actually have any money to pay at the time and so the woman tracked her down to our room demanding payment!
It is about this time that Gail acquired the nickname Alby as in albatross (The Ancient Mariner poem-bird hangs around like bad omen). Things went from bad to worse. The fever had kicked in,
spice
Market tummy cramps, vomit, sickness and ‘the other stuff’. This got progressively worse but according to the Health and Travel book from our friend, it was meant to clear up (the diarrhea pages are very well thumbed). Luckily, the book managed to escape Gail’s projectile vomiting, unlike the sleeping bags which now stink!
Five days later after the antibiotics from the drug store didn’t work and Nikki was also now suffering with the same thing, we eventually found a doctor who diagnosed us both with bacillary dysentery. This journey out with the local shop-keeper proved to be a bit of an eye-opener. We paid him 400 to take us; doctor 1600. Then watched as the doctor paid him for bringing us and then driver pays his friend for lending the car. Everything in India revolves around money and people will do anything to try and gain extra money from us -as we discover later. After 24 hours and new drugs, we were feeling much better and recovered well over the next few days. Gail can honestly say she’s never been that ill in her life. Nikki was a great nurse but lacking medical background and any ‘mum experience’ panicked
The Dress!
See, Dad. I did wear one! under the pressure.
Back to good stuff. We hired a moped and ventured to Baga Beach which is where all the tourist holidays operate to. Not an inch of sand was to be seen under the blanket of sun beds and umbrellas. This was hawker capital but Nikki managed to restrain herself…just. It’s important to point out that in order to cheer Nikki up; we purchased The Book of Dreams - Lonely Planet 2009 -so we knew where we were bloody going!
Over the next couple of days we ventured, back on the buses for 9 rupees, to Panaji (Goa capita) and Old Goa. Panaji was a short visit which proved to have…not much there. Some pretty buildings and completely unappreciated by us. Now we’ve seen Bangalore we realize that is was actually tidy, pretty, clean and organized apart from the Municipal Gardens resembling a building site after walking ages to bloody see them! Luckily, Old Goa saved the day. This used to be the capital and is well-preserved. Some gorgeous churches. We’ve even seen the biggest church bell in Asia!
Forgetting all that, Nikki’s highlight of the day was going to the smallest, crappest Wax World
in existence. This was hilarious and the pictures don’t really highlight how crap it was. Check out the one with the drug addict plunging a needle in his arm. Just what you want to see. This jovial mood was quickly ruined by nasty shop-man who ordered us to “respect me!” when we refused to pay his inflated tourist price for an ice-cream. Whilst Gail was busy arguing with him, Nikki was busy eating hers. So, with no compromise we ended up giving them back to him and walking off! All this over 16pence, but again it’s someone trying to take money off us. Frustrating. Nikki enjoyed the ice-cream flavor though so not all bad.
In total, we stayed in Anjuna for eleven days - a pretty long time in backpacker time. We left feeling healthy and ready for a big adventure. We quite liked Anjuna although still both prefer the quieter beaches like Patnem - must be getting old! Whist waiting for our bus to Hampi, we were accosted by an American guy who was travelling by himself and clearly not spoken to anybody in a while. Loved his own patronizing voice that much that Nikki sat picking her
own feet whilst Gail feigned interest. Nikki’s ears did pick us when the arse asked us : “Have you discovered the bananas yet?” Idiot.
Off to Hampi….
Lots of love,
Healthy Gail and Nikki
P.S Congratulations to Clare and Tosh for getting engaged! xxx
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Janny B
non-member comment
OMG
You have definitely got to write a novel when you return!! Marvellous stuff-couldn't put it down! Hope you are both better now-sounds v.bad!! Anyway-enough about you! The snow has gone at last but it is really COLD. Just finished my writing course and have discovered a lot about what I am not able to do!! Going for a hot chocolate with Ros and Gilly P later so it's not all work! Lots of love Janny B