Goa Trance

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So, Goa.

We arrived in Goa at 5.30am - rather spectacularly, as we were assured the train hadn't arrived yet, so when we opened the door to see the platform, and the train moving away from it, we all promptly jumped out - of course many people fell straight over (westerners 4 : train 4). We found the one tuk-tuk around, and ended up sitting in a lifeguard platform watching the sun come up on the beach.

Having checked into a small 'co-co hut' (rustic, yet attached bathroom...) we proceeded to spend four days lying on the beach, wondering at the psycology that convinces people that just because they're on a beach they look good in a thong, getting massages, watching dolphins, listening to Bob Marley and Jack Johnson, reading a lot of Harry Potter (we now have books 1-4 between us), and *ahem* buying plane tickets to Thailand... (more on that later).

Auyervedic massages - are odd. Good, but odd - as they involve being virtually naked and smothered in random oils (Auyerveda is an Indian form of medicine - and yes, before you ask all the masseuses and masseurs have degrees in Auyervedic medicine, they're not randoms off the street...).

Dolphins - are so so cool! we went out early in a little boat to catch the sunrise - we're on the west coast, so the sun rises over the land, and you have to be out on the water to see it properly. Then we went looking for Dolphins - and found them (Bottle nosed dolphins)! Was amazing, I've never seen them in the wild - they're pretty large close up! They kept playing - riding the waves, and jumping right out, flipping over and landing with a huge splash on their backs.

Plane tickets to Thailand - well, I decided that much as I love India, I've been here over three months now, and I fancy a change of scenery - so I'm going to Bangkok on the 2nd Feb for 3 weeks, then flying back to Delhi in time for my flight home on the 28th. Not sure what I'm doing yet - I'm expecting advice to flood in from those who've spent time there!

After a few days of chilling we moved up to North Goa with its cyber trance freaks.... Amazing clubbing, in a bar surrounded by palm trees, and open to the sky. I'm just going to steal Sam's description of North Goa, as it seems to sum it up...

Here in this chemical capitol, the birthplace of trance, in our sarongs and rasta-hats, flopflops and dreadlocks, we flock to the beach. The DJ as our shepherd, we ride the crest of these musical waves. The driving force, borne on the beat, is one part impulse, one part religion. In this electric demi-urge, in our euphoric epiphany, we are reborn as dancers, swaying on the pounding tide of noise.

I look up through palm leaves and see the stars screaming down at me. I move, and Orion moves with me. Chained to the rhythm, we're locked together in this cosmic dance, spanning galaxies; transcending time; transcending space. This is light-speed. This is Goa trance.

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Photos

Family
I gave my sprite bottle to the little kid - immediately this became a great game "look mum, every time I bang this on the ground, stuff comes out!"

Tightrope walker on the beach
these little girls pop up everywhere - this is palolem beach