Goa and Om Beach

Monday 20th December

Late breakfast, then said goodbye to the guys I have been hanging out with. Local bus to Mapusa, then another to Panjim, arrived at lunchtime. Started walking into town and a guy on a bike offered a good price for a room in his guest house. Its more like a home and possibly the cleanest place I have stayed in in India (though thats not saying much). Feel asleep in the arvo, then went for a long walk along the side of the river, had Bhel Phul, then back into town for some dinner. Checked out the band in the square; they were an Indian Christian Rock band playing power ballad versions of Christmas Carols, so I didnt hang around.

Tuesday 21st December

I seem to have been struck down by lazitis, slept in far too late. Went to catch a local bus to Old Goa. The bus station is a horrible mish mash and hard to get into or escape from. Anyway, the bus took about 20 minutes and dropped me off right by the main sights. Looked around the Se Cathedral which was ok, then to the red-stone Basilica of Bom Jesus where lies St Francis Xavier, (Goa's patron saint). Finally to the Church of St Francis of Assisi with some old faded paintings depicting his life.

Bus back to Panjim. Sorted out bus ticket from Gokarna to Hampi for the New Year, expensive! Went to the Church of our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, a huge white church in the town centre. The inside was lovely but some grumpy dude wouldn't let me take a picture.

Being an ex-Portuguese colonial state with a catholic influence, Goa is gearing up for Christmas. Today I heard English christmas hits coming from some houses and some of the shop windows have Christmas images sprayed on them.

Had Bhel Phul by the river again, then more wandering, dinner and home. 

Wednesday 22nd December

So, five days earlier than planned, I headed to Om Beach, leaving Goa state for Karnataka. I got on the local shuttle bus from Panjim to Margao at around 10am, and then almost immediately onto a bus all the way to Ankola, with a half hour wait at Karwar. At Ankola got another bus 20kms to Gokarna, arriving about 3:30pm. So it took a bit longer than expected. Had Bhel Puri for lunch and bought a big bottle of whiskey for 260rupees ($6) and got a tuk-tuk to Om Beach. The reason for coming to Om Beach is to meet up with Herman and Carolina, my Chilean friends from the Africa trip. It was great to see them again, they have been here for 4 weeks, just relaxing. It will take me a bit longer to acclimatize to doing nothing. We put on the Hindi music CD that I bought in Bundi and it still sounds good.

Thursday 23rd December

There were no spare beach huts last night so I slept on the Chilean's floor. And at 9am grabbed an available hut. Its 150 rupees a night ($3) and has power so I can charge phone and laptop. Have to use communal bathroom outside which is ok. Apparently my hut was only recently put up. The huts are in a garden space away from the beach as opposed to being in a line facing the beach in other similar places. It is really nice here, hopefully I can get used to doing nothing. 

Spent most of the day reading in my hut, and chatting to the Chileans. The sun is very intense and there is no shade on the beach so didnt go down there until 4pm. Swam and played frisbee. You have to keep an eye on your stuff cos the cows come along and will try to eat anything; plastic bags, towels, anything is on the menu and they dribble everywhere. Its quite funny to watch when its someone else's stuff!  By huge coincidence, we bumped into Tim, a guy who we had met in Africa, who had been doing the same route but on a motorbike. Small world.


Friday 24th December

Another day of doing nothing. It seems to be mainly Israelis here, not sure they celebrate Christmas. Most people seem to be in one state or another, a few strange goings-on. Chileans celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve so we went out and ate more food than usual to mark the occasion. I had chicken tikka, chips and salad. And then veggie momo's which are like Japanese gyoza, or chinese dumplings. Finished off the whiskey from last night and made a start on the vodka.

Christmas Day 2010

Breakfast of homemade avocado, onion and tomato in a chipati, and coffee,  courtesy of the Chileans, they are good like that. Put some christmas songs on but its all pretty low key here. Last night we tried to get into the small dance party in the next cafe along but the grumpy Inidan guy wouldnt let us in. The party broke up soon after anyway.