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Published: January 7th 2010
So it all began on 28th December when we both arrived at Manchester Airport and our parents met for the first time, albeit teary, red-eyed and not overly jovial; however, it was a lovely farewell following weeks and months of stress!
It took 29 hours, one car, three planes, one taxi and lots of sitting before we finally arrived in South Goa, Patnem. There’s something fabulous about arriving after all that sweaty traveling to walk into your room (Home as it is aptly named) and find it to be a cute, perfect image of everything you imagined. Relief! Instantly, as British as we are, we headed to the bar on the beach for a well-earned bottle of Goa’s finest: Kingfisher.
In all honesty, we spent the first four days living, eating, ‘tanning’ in a 50 meter radius - lazy. The beach is small, quiet yet lined with little bars. It attracts more adults/family but the restaurants serve up some lovely Italian, Greek food - eh?! Yep, finding Indian food is a little more difficult than one would think, in Goa.
After the initial slumming it on the beach, we decided to get a little bit braver and rented
Home
EXPENSIVE!! but cute.a moped in order to go in search of the ‘unspoiled southern beaches of Goa’ that we’ve heard so much about. It cost ten-pounds to hire a bike for two days with a full tank of petrol-bargain. A huge exercise/debate followed deciding who would get to brave the driving first-Gail won/stupid! Off we went heading to Agonda, Caba De Rama, Gailibaga and Tou-something. Pretty amazing to see how tourists have bloody ruined the beaches, especially Palolem which the guide book claims is ‘idyllic’ and we state is disgusting. Nikki think ‘disgusting’ is a little strong but she also thinks I resemble Michael Jackson on a beach so she isn’t to be trusted! So, moped was fun yet I burnt my hands and had to invent some sort of device. It involves cutting up socks and apparently made me look like something off Topgun. Attractive? We hate the cows which roam all over the road and dogs which seem to be multiplying before our very eyes.
We’ve now left the luxury of Home, which in hindsight was rather expensive (2500rupees-33quid a night) and headed to Agonda beach hut which is 600r/8quid. Obviously with such an attractive price the owner throws
Patnam
deserted, gorgeos beach. in a cockroach, ants in the bathroom and, just for Nikki, fleas on the bed. Nikki already has about 30 mosquito bites to my one and has now added to her collection 10 flea bites. In fact, she’s sat scratching right now. Saying this, our balcony looks out onto the sea and provided us with a gorgeous sunset last night so life isn’t too bad.
Agonda is a longer beach and seems a little quieter than Patnem. We’re turning into lazy, dull people who have now turned down four parties in favour of reading books, sleeping and playing Gail’s favourite game: chess. There’s little do and the laws state that all music has to end by 10.30; however, having a lovely time relaxing deciding what to do next. This is a bigger problem than you may think as we have brought the guide book of doom. After buying Lonely Planet we decided it was too big and brought Eyewitness. This is our biggest mistake to date. Nikki looks with envy at everybody else who is more wise than us. Yes, it is the guidebook of doom.
Our plan at the moment is to stay in Agonda for a couple
Gail
with sock invention on burnt hands. more nights then catch a bus up to Panaji (Goa’s capital) and explore Old Goa and the beaches up there before heading slightly off the tourist trail into Hampi via train.
We hope you all had a good New Year’s Eve. We spent ours on the beach watching fireworks and scraped home at 3.30am after meeting some posh London execs who do adverts and producing stuff with Cheryl Cole and Beckham! They were too posh for us. Very different to clubbing and vomiting.
The question you’re all wondering about: have they lost any weight….? Well, Nikki is looking like a golden goddess already with tan lines, bites and thinness; Gail is pink with white patches and slightly thinner. Please note: Gail will always be pink with white patches. Nikki is struggling to get-to-grips with this even referring to her one day as “Looking like a ghost.” Food is costing us about eleven pounds a day but we have managed to now cut down to four pounds-ish a day for us both. Cheap.
As I’m sure you’ll understand, this email has been the most active thing we have done for a while and we now need to take
sunset
Patnem our place on the beach to recover. Apologies for forgetting the camera but we’ll post some pictures up next time, and on Facebook.
Lots of love,
Gail and Nikki x x x
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Emma Riley
non-member comment
Jealous!!!
Hi, glad to know you both got there safely. I am currently back at work for the first 'proper' day after lots of snow and a couple of snow days so a beach and sunshine seems almost an impossible thought. Anyway enjoy it and make sure you do add those pictures. x