Palolem - Goa


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Asia » India » Goa » Palolem
December 28th 2009
Published: December 28th 2009
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at the station at the station at the station

Ready to go... Pune to Goa on the Goa Express!
I am sitting here on the beach at a makeshift table and chairs infront of ‘Janesha’s’. I’ve had a lovely chat with James whose daughter Janesha is how the resaturant got it’s name, and who also owns 20 pigs who I’ve just watched fighting over the restaurants left overs.. I had to take a break when I realised I was being eaten alive by the endless bugs /ants surrounding the pigs! But it is true that nothing in India gets wasted.. or at least it doesn’t seem too. And with a population of over a billion they have people to constantly clean up after everyone else which is why everyone throws there litter on the road… on the train journey to Goa the lovely Indian man in our cabin was adament that I should throw all my rubbish out the window.. I was horrified but he told me that I had to as there was no bins on the trains and someone cleans the tracks every day. I didn’t feel comfortable doing it but I did indeed throw my rubbish out the window.. I was feeling the peer pressure!!

The train ride to Goa was actuallylovely - which was surprising
the beach the beach the beach

I took this at about 7am.. at no other point is the beach so quiet and deserted!
because we had to take the cheapest ticket because it was all the was available so we were in the proper cheap seats!! However Charlie and I ended up teaching 2 indian men in their forties how to play old maid (Muhani didn’t quite get the hang of it and so we often ended up with the queen of diamonds or hearts as the old maid because he’d paired up the black queen!! ) but the 14 hours seemed to fly by and we even got a few hours sleep!

Charlie and I have had 2 lovely, peaceful days at Palolem and whilst it was not what we expected (endless bars and restaurants the whole way down the short beach) it is beautiful with its coconut lined beach, soft white sand and warm Arabian sea. We’ve even been entertained watching the countless stray dogs chasing the many cows which roam the beach looking for food.

As with all of India you do get harrassed by begging children looking forlornly at you and by endless people trying to sell you things you neither need nor want (I have got very good at showing my heartless side and simply ignoring
getting coconutsgetting coconutsgetting coconuts

This man literally shimmied up the tree with machete in hand and started hacking down the coconuts!!
the begging) but always up for a challenge I did decide to get involved with the beach sellers on the first day here..and I got well and truly fleeced by a lovely lady called Sunita! Let me explain; As I strolled along the quiet beach shortly after we had arrived Sunita came up to me and started to chat - not trying to sell me stuff but just chatting. Well she seemed lovely and before I knew it I’d promised her that I would look at her jewellery later in the day (I also ended up promising Gupti that I would get a pedicure on the beach (!) and look at her jewellery but have manged to put this one off so far!) … well Sunita did indeed come and find me later on and that is where it all went wrong! I like to think that I am a haggling pro (ever since Vietnam and Nepal where I got some lovely bargains!) however.. I was not ready for Sunita.. she charmed me and caught me off guard and as a result of this I ended up spending 1000rupees on a a bracelet, a necklace, and an ankle chain -
beach entertainmentbeach entertainmentbeach entertainment

This Indian family set up a tightrope and charged people to see his daughter (i assume?) walk across it with a few pots (?) on her head!
that’s it!!..THREE things.. not big things, not shiny, glittery things.. 3 small things… 1000 rupees!. Now if there was any doubt as to wether I was being ‘had’ it was soon dispelled when she finaly threw in 2 free pens… I mean for the seller to feel bad enough to throw in TWO free gifts is a sure indication that I was indeed being fleeced! .. and yes the jewellery is very nice .. and yes I have made sure that I wear the bracelet and anklet every day to make sure I’m getting my monies worth! But I can’t help feeling that Sunita is able to take a few days off after her sucessful transaction!! For those who don’t know 1000 rupees is about £12.. this may not seem a ridiculous amount but when you think that for Charlie and I to sleep in our large beach hut with ensuite bathroom (that is a generous description but neverthe less! ) we are paying R900.. R1000 for 3 pieces of jewellery is a bit much!! Oh well.. I am trying to tell myself that I am helping the local economy and my crap haggling is how people like Sunita survive
fishingfishingfishing

THese guys just brought in their nets on the beach and started pulling the fish out.. lots of star fish, hermit crabs and other 'bits and bob's were left discarded on the beach.. i of course went running round trying to get them back in the sea so they didn't die!!
out here!!

So. Palolem has been lovely. Tomorrow we are hoping to hire mopeds and drive to a few other local beach’s and do some exploring - I am slightly nervous about this having experienced the Indian driving fro the back of a tuk tuk, however it is much quieter round here and lots of people seem to do it (and surely nothing can be worse than the moped situation in Vietnam where I found myself driving in the worst terrential rain I’ve experienced on the equivilent of a motorised hairdryer with the smallest headlight , no coat and in the pitch dark… and those roads weren’t so much roads but dirt tracks with holes that would be better described as craters!... ) so I feel that I am willing to give the indian moped scene a go.. in for a penny in for a pound!!

I have no doubt that there will be a story to tell by the end of the day, so hopefully I will have full use of all my apendages in order to retell it to you in detail soon!



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Me & Charlie at the beach!!Me & Charlie at the beach!!
Me & Charlie at the beach!!

A stroll down the beach!
Palolem beach.. & me! Palolem beach.. & me!
Palolem beach.. & me!

In the background you can see the beautiful beach.. lined with bars, stalls and restaurants.. and lots of people/dogs/cows!


28th December 2009

nice blog
Just wanted to say I enjoyed your blog, and met my fair share of sunita along the way, jointly I got my fair share of bargains that I felt bad about, so I guess it all balances up some how
31st December 2009

Thanks Stacey... glad you're enjoying the blog.. i get a real kick out of thinking that strangers can/do read it!! hope you're having fun where ever you are. \k
13th January 2010

Someone is really smitten by the dog, cows and pigs. Hope you enjoyed your stay @ goa.

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