Going Goa Gone ...

---

Day 1

Arrived on Sunday afternoon, after a long long trip from London via Larnica. This isn’t the story of the trip to India I had planned when getting my visa but I got to kill two birds with one stone; a trip to India and to spend a week with the girlfriend. Sam, my girlfriend is crew for Monarch but this detail didn’t mean that I got dealt with any quicker at immigration. I like everybody else stood in the queue being pushed pulled, shoved around like cattle. I suppose it was the kind of organized chaos that I should have expected from India.

Eventually, got though and after having my visa looked at in intense scrutiny, my passport got stamped. Reclaimed my bag from the carousel and changed up some American dollars into Rupees, I met up with my girlfriend and the rest of the crew. We walked over to the bus to take us to the hotel; I gave my suitcase to the fellow putting them in the boot, to my surprise I saw my suitcase being strapped to the roof rack

The journey to the hotel was short; I reclaimed my suitcase from the roof rack, glad to see it was in one piece, we checked in and an Indian porter took our bags to the room; when we got there the first thing we did was to both take a shower to rid ourselves of the smell of aircraft. The plan was to meet with the rest of the crew for something to eat at around about 7pm. We made our way downstairs to meet with the rest of the crew in the hotel lobby where everybody was drinking in the hotel bar. After a way everybody left intermittently, me and Sam, her friend Rachel and her bf left a little later on and we ended having a table to ourselves; I flicked though the menu and decided on a Chicken Kaidai, it turned out to be very nice. After the meal everybody went to John Seagulls, a little local bar to drink the night away. Day 1 Curry 1

Day 2

Monday, we left early, well early - ish; about 1pm to go to a little town called Margao, which was the capital of the Salcete region of Goa. We got into a taxi outside the hotel and set out, our first little adventure. I had made it very clear to Sam that I would not laze around the pool; it’s not my thing. The main reason for going to Margao was the huge bizarre, where inside was a shop that sold beads and ribbons etc etc that Sam needed for her fashion designing. We walked along the road and saw a couple of ladies making daisy chains on the side of the street, Sam wanted to buy one but I just said it will die within minutes. We went into the bizarre, the first thing that hit was the heat inside and the smells; I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what the smells were but they smelt! Sam started to feel faint, so we went to sit outside and when she was filling better we went back inside. Eventually after walking past lots of stalls trying to find this shop, we did, Sam went in and did her thing and I wonder round and brought some spices; Turmeric, Curry Powder, Vanilla Pods, Paprika and a few more in huge bags for less the £3; bargain! We got back into the taxi and watched the Goan countryside pass us by as we made our way back to the hotel.

That night we met up with Rachel and her bf, Mark and asked them if they wanted to go to Culver night market, catered to tourist. They shared the cab with us as we headed over to Culver, we wonder around looking like cash cows to the locals, being stopped to buy this and that. In the end Sam brought some jewellery and I just brought some more spices. We wondered out of the market and crossed the big field that the market is set in over to Mickey's; which had come highly recommended. We all ordered, I had a Mutton Masala, which was delicious; by all accounts everybody’s meals were good. Good food and good service! We got into the taxi and headed back home. Day 2 Curry 2

Day 3

Tuesday, was our chill out day. I spent it in a hammock watching the waves crash onto the sea whilst Sam lay by the pool. We did that pretty much the whole day and in the evening we walked down to another restaurant. The drinks flowed and the waiter came over with the fresh fish and prawns; me and Sam were joined by a few of the crew. The fish that the guy brought over was massive; it fed three, two of the crew had the fish with me, whilst Sam had the tiger prawns. Whilst they were preparing and cooking the fish there was a power cut that lasted for 30 minutes; eventually the food came and I had my fish in a Masala sauce which was lovely. We went to John Seagulls but then ended in one of the crew rooms for a room party which was rudely interrupted by some of the hotel staff telling us to keep it down. The party continued and we sneaked off to bed fairly early and quite pissed! Day 3 Curry 3

---

Photos

Daisy Chains
Ladies sitting in the street in Margao

Fresh Fish
The waiter bring the catch of the day!