It's no secret that the main reason we came to India was to relax on the laid back beaches of Goa. There were plenty of beaches in South Africa as well, but since we were on the move most of the time, we didn't have so much time to truly and properly relax.
Goa is not a city, Goa is a state. It is divided into two parts, North and South Goa, each with different scenery and different reputations. While North Goa is known for its wild parties and drugs, South Goa is a place for tourists to come and take a deep breath. According to the Internet, who has become our trusted friend and main source of information, the "best" time of year to visit Goa is from late October-early November until March. We were a few weeks early in the hopes of beating out other tourists while still catching some sun.
First we needed to actually get there first. Ben was still hovering at 50% capacity, and we had to take two flights to get there, which would take up the entirety of the day.
The worst part about airplane travel, for us at least, is not the airtime itself, it is the endless waiting around in the airports. At least while in the air you are making some sort of progress. What has really been a lifesaver for us it that we have Priority Pass through Nadine's Chase Sapphire Reserved credit card, which grants us access to 1,000+ lounges all over the world. In almost every airport we been to, there is a place to rest, charge our electronics, enjoy free food and drinks, and sometimes shower if there is one available. Because we have access to these safe havens of sorts, we love going to the airport. We even arrive several hours early to have a meal or two and use the Wifi, which is always significantly better than most of the accommodations we have stayed in. Sofia, Tel Aviv, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Mumbai. Every single airport we have been in had a lounge, some better than others. But not Jaipur. We admit we are "lounge snobs" but we don't care. Once you experience the luxuries of it for the first time, it's impossible to go back. Unfortunately we did not have a choice in Jaipur. We were forced, FORCED, to buy expensive (by Indian standards) instant soup and some weird vegetable paste sandwich. Woe is me!
Maybe posting this will jinx our luck, but our flight from Jaipur to our layover in Hyderabad was on time, as was the flight from Hyderabad to Goa. On the timetable screen at the airport, about 40% of the flights were either delayed or cancelled altogether.
We traveled with Air Asia and had a 3 hour layover in Hyderabad, which was spent dining in the lounge and watching movies and working. The lounge was nothing special, but we didn't care...we were finally going to Goa!!
45 minutes we landed in what felt like a totally different country than the one we had seen in the North. Goa is a tropical coastal state in the southwest of India with 60 miles of beaches sitting on the Arabian Sea. It was a Portuguese territory for over 400 years until it was eventually annexed by India in the early 1960's. The everlasting influence is still strong to this day, with the vast majority of Goan houses built and designed in European manner, painted with bright colors, hidden behind gateposts and large gardens. Although more than half of the population is Hindu, a 25% of all Goans are Catholic as a result of the Portuguese' time in the area.
What sticks out the most in Goa is the forestland that seems to cover the entire region. Palm trees line the sides of the roads and beaches, and give privacy to the homes. As a result, one of Goa's speciality is the cultivation of coconuts. More on this later.
A ten minute taxi ride took us to our AirBNB in a small village next to the airport by the name of Bogmalo. We were greeted by a sweet young Indian guy around our age, whose name was either Austin or Auslyn. The place was called Auslyn Guest House, yet all the reviewers on AirBNB referred to him as Austin. To get to the bottom of the matter, we called him by both names, and he responded to both! By the time we left the following day, we still didn't know what his name really was. Because we arrived in the evening and were unsure where exactly we were going the next day, we thought it best to stay near the airport and figure things out in the morning. Much to our pleasant surprise, we found Bogmalo to be a lovely place. From the AirBNB to Bogmalo Beach was a five minute walk through the sleepy village, with very few tourist shops and restaurants. The beach itself was nearly empty. It was the first time in a week that we had some peace and quiet.
Calling it an early night, we went to a restaurant called Claudi's which was a stone's throw away from Auslyn/Austin's place. We had ourselves a feast consisting of chicken curry, vegi curry, a bowl of rice, two orders of garlic naan and two beers. It was the first time we had any sort of meat in India. Nadine abstained. Great food, delicious service, all for under $10.
Diarrhea free Nadine: Day 7!!
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