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Published: October 27th 2007
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Vadodara - Benaulim - Palolem - Gokarna
We were not upset to be leaving Vadodara on the 1.30pm train to Goa but were equally not excited by the 18 to 21 hours (depending on who you spoke to) journey. The afternoon went quite quickly as an Indian guy named 'Chuck' (not his real name but an adopted American name after spending time there) helped us learn a smattering of Hindu and I finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (a must read for all HP fans and a great ending I thought!).
Sleeper accommodation on the train comprises a pull down bed to fit the average size Indian - not Claire! A few interrupted hours sleep and we were awoken to the now all too familiar chant of 'chai, chai' by the tea men. Arriving at Margao at 10.30am we hailed the nearest rickshaw and headed to Benaulim Beach, Goa just a few kms away.
We spent three nights and days here enjoying the vast sandy beach, freshly caught fish for dinner and cheap beer finally getting a chance to relax after a hard month 'on the road'. However, to mar this picture slightly we also endured
three days of hawkers and perverts!
Hawkers is the name given to those people on the beach who try and sell you sarongs, henna. jewellery, etc. They initially start up a conversation, 'how are you', etc and then produce their bag of 'cheap rubbish' as they sometimes call it. Our standard reply to 'how are you' became, 'we don't want to buy anything thank you' - which worked on most occasions.
Then there were the even more annoying men who would openly walk right next to your beach towel and take a good ogle at Claire. These are grown up men in their 20s, 30s, 40s and probably beyond not just boys! The accessability of the mobile camera phone to most Indians has given this pastime heightened appeal as they 'slyly' sneak a picture while pretending to be photographing their friend.
I was always having to be on my guard and fended as many off with my evil glare as I could! I also had to judge the best time when to take a swim as the moment I entered the water these 'men' would prey on a lone woman. Often I had to cut short my
refreshing dip but by now Claire was becoming quite capable of looking after herself.
From Benaulim we moved on to Palolem, Goa (about an hour and a half bus ride) which was a more built up resort than Benaulim having its advantages and disadvantages. The beaches were just as beautiful but more crowded but this meant the hawkers didn't stay around too long as lots more 'pickings'.
There was a rather large and very, very white lady on the beach who was wearing a tiny thong with her equally large boyfriend! It seemed to cause more alarm to westerners than the local population. It seems thinner women are preferred to be ogled at. Just felt it needed a mention.
Anyway, we stayed a total of three nights and then took a 2 hour train ride to Gokarna (which is not within Goa but the neighbouring state of Karnataka) and met a couple from Northampton on the way - what a small world! Before entering Gokarna we had to stop at the police station and complete a form by candlelight (electricity supply not so great) declaring all our valuable possessions, next of kin, number of bags, weight of
bags and various other useful bits of information for robbers! All above board apparently though.
There were several beautiful beaches just short walks from our hotel but the beach itself at Gokarna was not so idyllic. It was completely littered which is such a dissapointment (but not a real shock given the attitude to litter by the average Indian). There was a funny moment on Gokarna beach when two guys asked for our photo. We were getting tired of this filmstar treatment by now so refused. After a second contemplating what they had actually said I asked them again. They wanted us to take a photo of them! We felt a little silly and took their photo.
We stayed here longer than any other place so far partly because we found one beach which was almost deserted and and more relaxing than anywhere else we have been but also to do with the fact that we both were ill with dodgy bellies. However, even when we thought we had found our perfect beach in India the cows (cows on the beach outnumbered people) decided to have their say. Well, it was one cow in particular really who was
grunting and charging at the rest with us sitting in the middle. We moved a couple of times but they seemed to follow us. We gave up in the end then we got our dodgy bellies - nevermind, we got one good day!
While at Gokarna, the hotel showed the Rugby World Cup Final - I say the hotel, it was actually a rugby mad couple staying here that paid to have cable installed especially for the occasion! They put posters up and invited all and sundry to attend. There was only a small attendance (maybe the 12.30am ko a factor) which comprised people from Wales, Scotland, Australia and a couple from England (other than us).
Even better, the next day I got to watch the West Ham v Sunderland game live (a more respectable 8.30pm ko) which they won 3-1.
We left Gokarna by bus at 7.30pm to catch our train connection at 1.41am. It was only a 1 hour bus ride (but was the last bus) so we had an unenviable 5 hour wait at the station if the train was on time! It wasn't, it was over 2 hours late, it was a 14
hour train journey to Cochin and we didn't have air conditioning this time. It was also the first time for both of us we have slept on the waiting room floor at a train station!
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Boon
non-member comment
I got told off for that!
I appreciate the fact that you wanted to watch the rugby and the football, even though you are away and probably should be exploring you surroundings or whatever you do when you travel! But I remember when being in Great Yarmouth (you know it's 'great') I was banned from watching the Olympics because "We're away on holiday". Just glad there's someone out there who feels like me. Moan over!