GOA Big or Go Home!

This weekend, I traveled to the notorious Goa. We had a long holiday weekend, so a total of twelve HCU international students made the trip to this hippy, party beach. While we were all at nearby beaches in North Goa, Suzanne and I planned for just the two of us. After the jam-packed trip to Jaipur and Agra, we decided this one would be more laid back and spontaneous. Boy, did we get what we asked for! 

Goa is gorgeous

Due to some careless planning, Suzanne and I accidently booked different overnight buses from Hyderabad to Goa. So, we took the 14 hour ride separately (though still with other students, don't worry). After the loooong journey we were happily reunited and began to walk up the main road in Anjuna beach looking for a place to stay. We had made a reservation at a guest house that had a really good price, but Suzanne checked it out when waiting for me to arrive and determined it unsanitary and unsafe. Luckily, it is off season in Goa right now, so there were plenty of available rooms elsewhere at more than reasonable prices. We ended up at Anjuna Palms Guest House, in a really dingy room that costs us each 2.60 USD a night-- BAM. I can't ever get over how cheap traveling is in India! At this point, saving rupees has mostly become a game to see just how cheap we can get an incredible meal/hotel/shirt/experience. As you can imagine from the price, we were roughing it in this room... definitely the adventure we were looking for! And luckily, we had anticipated sketchy accommodations and had packed our own bed sheets.. thank the lord! But besides the rusty creaky bed, cockroach ridden walls, and shared smelly bathroom, the hotel was alright-- well located, with interesting company and a very sweet and helpful couple as our hosts. We were proud to feel like a true young travelers with one backpack, no plans, and a few rupees in our pocket. (But Suzanne and I agreed that it was a good thing we were only staying in this room for two nights.)

Its probably for the best that you can't see any details on the beds

Day one in Goa was amazing. We walked around and got a drink at a beachside bar and looked out at the amazing combinations of mountains, palm trees, boulders, sunshine and the Arabian sea. We met a group of three Israelis traveling after the army, which was lots of fun. We don't really get to meet other foreigners when in Hyderabad, and tourists in India always seem to be interesting people with great stories. Anjuna is a tiny beach town, so Suzanne and I bumped into the same group later that afternoon by a different shore. We were sitting and feeling a little confused by the Indian men playing cricket in soaking wet tighty wighties while the women stood around fully clothed.. I mean scarfs and all. Luckily, the Israelis knew of a spot that was a little more private and had a higher proportion of foreigners, so we headed there. At this beach, we could lay out in our bathing suits, swim in the ocean, drink a little, and play frisbee-- hello vacation. It felt so great for my shoulders to see the sun for the first time in months and to throw around a ball with a fellow water polo player. What an afternoon! 

We have been here for three months and we are still sometimes
struck by the feeling "Oh my gosh, we're in India!"

Photo cred to Suz

After a few hours, we walked back to our hotel, cleaned up, and headed out to dinner. We had fish curry, a Goan specialty unavailable in landlocked Hyderabad. We also tried Fenny, a drink unique to Goa, made from fermented cashew nuts. The weekend was full of great food that we have been craving for the last few months. Avocados are grown in Goa but are unheard of in Hyderabad, so throughout the weekend, Suzanne and I basically ordered whatever dish had avocado listed as an ingredient.  Because Goa is a popular spot for Israeli tourists, I was able to order tahini and Israeli salad, and schnitzel, shwarma, and falafel were all over the menus! I even saw hebrew on a store front, which was really incredible. In Hyderabad Indians don't know Hebrew from Swahili! The Star of David is used decoratively like any five point start, and the swastika is a common Hindu symbol for luck and the cycle of life. Strangely enough, swastikas decorate doors, signs, vehicles and even the tiles in my kitchen. Just one of the million ways that Hyderabad and Goa are very very different places. 

So many foods I have been craving... Israeli salad, guacamole,
tuna, cheese, tahini, fresh bread, and a pesto omelet. Nom. 

On day two of our adventures, we decided that we wanted to meet up with a group of friends staying at a beach called Baga, a 20 minute drive to the South. Feeling impulsive (and suffering from blisters due to walking so much in wet sandals), Suzanne and I made a bold move-- we rented a moped. It was risky and CIEE would not have approved, but it was definitely what we wanted and needed to do. I can proudly say that it was one of the craziest and most exhilarating things I have done in my life. I don't regret it for a second! One of our friends showed us the basics on how to drive, and we spent a lot of the morning cruising on the open streets of Anjuna until we got a hang of things. Then, we headed out to Baga! But first, we stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant. The little place was a delicious find right next to Baga River, and I had my first taste of beef since July! The streets of Baga were more congested than those in Anjuna, so the second leg of the drive was a little stressful, but we arrived feeling very accomplished and happy to see our classmates. The afternoon was spent beaching it with them, before we headed back to Anjuna to beat the sunset. 

Captured Zoe capturing Karen, Val, and Jess in the air.

Its real. 

Don't black mail me with this evidence of rebelious behavior.

Photo cred to Suz

That night, we tried to hit up Goa's infamous bar/rave scene, but it was a little bit of a let down. Despite the off season emptiness, we had some tasty drinks, met some more interesting people, and even had a night time swim in the Arabian Sea. One of my favorite parts of Goa is the phenomenon of "chai mammas" who are basically women (and sometimes men) that set up stands along the beach at night. They sell cigarettes, candy bars, and THE MOST DELICIOUS OMELETS. We stopped on our way back to our guest house and got one egg omelette with Indian spices, onions, tomatoes, and cheese in a giant English muffin. Our homestay is strictly vegetarian and there are not even eggs allowed in the house, so this sandwich was about everything my taste buds have ever asked for. I had that feeling a lot this weekend...

These are the stands spread across the dark beach..
see the crates of eggs on the tables?

Photo cred to Suz

On day three, we woke up determined to make the most of our few hours left with the dear yellow scooter. We cruised through some Goan neighborhoods before finding a delicious brunch spot. Then, we did some gift shopping, and made our way back to the water for a few more hours soaking up the sun. Saturday was Yom Kippur, which I obviously did not commemorate in the traditional fashion. I did, however, do tashlik with roasted chick peas in the Arabian Sea, which was pretty cool. Suzanne and I had our final meal by the water, and then went back to our hotel to shower, pack up, check out, and hit the road. 

Photo cred to Suz

In the cab ride to the bus stop, I explain to Suzanne how good it feels to get through a weekend of travel and realize just how smoothly it all went. I took a big sigh-- and then suddenly realized we were at the wrong bus stop!! PANIC! Our cab driver was not very nice, so we were on our own. We ran around trying to call the bus company and asking people to help us figure out where we needed to be. Some random travel agent wrote the name of a different bus stop in Goa that he thought we might be looking for, so we took his word for it and set out in another cab. We raced there, running seriously low on time and rupees.  If this wasn't the right spot, we would be stranded.  I was on the phone with our program coordinator seeing if she could look up any information for us, while Suz sat in panic trying to think of worst case scenarios and possible solutions. But somehow, we found our bus at the very last minute. When we sat down in our seats, the tears just started flowing. But I laughed and took some deep breaths, just so grateful to be safely headed home and getting some oxygen after an hour of straight stressing. We bought some cookies to share, and 14 hours later, we arrived in Hyderabad at 10am this morning!

Goa is very different, but its still India.. so yea, a cow almost
 trampled me while I laid peacefully tanning on my towel.