India Travel Tales

A day in the Delhi Metro

2012-02-16T16:47:00.006+05:30

I rush off to leave for the office, park the car at the Metro Parking; run off to get the parking slip, haggle on the time the guy writes on the slip. He always does so. At times writing 7.30 when it is close to 8 o’clock and then correcting it with a grin, when I point it out.

The CISF Jawan at the entrance does the routine checking lest I am carrying some explosive or material that I should not be taking along. But before I present my self for the checking, my bag has to go through the black X-ray machine. I collect it at the other end.

Huffing and puffing I reach the platform and wait for the train to come. It comes chugging, neat and clean, with beauty and grace. I hop on like everyone else does, making sure, when looking for a suitable seat that I don’t sit on the one reserved for ladies or senior citizens. No body likes to be asked to get up from a reserved seat and so everyone plays safe.

As the metro train makes its way from one station to another, people come and people go. The door opens and in comes a gush of cold wind and with it come people, their scents, smells, and most importantly their mobile phones. Every shape, type and make. Some use them to play games, others to listen to music, and some others to irritate others, with their cheap headphones, which blast music to their neighbours’ ears.

There is also a tribe of book worms you’ll find in Delhi Metro, who put their nose deep down in a book oblivious of the goings on around them. It seems a good ploy, if you want to avoid someone or sitting on a seat from which you may be asked to get up.

Young girls are noisy, talkative and blurt out whatever they feel. Ladies and men as compared, look somber and busy in their ever tangled life. The only ones who look happy are the young lads, who either are in college or just started working. They laugh, make fun of each other and move on. People like me look at them with envy. How can someone be so cool and carefree?

One station after another, I hear the announcements being made – “The next station is Karol Bagh. Doors will open to the left.” And so on. What will happen if the announcer misses a station? But I have never seen that happening. I see the landscape changing every now and then. Neatly arranged houses and open spaces in Dwarka give way to buildings jostling for space in Uttam Nagar. The big vermillion colour statue of Lord Hanuman and the Videocon building tells me I am close to Rajiv Chowk.

It is not uncommon to see people waiting in queues at Rajiv Chowk, the junction, from where one changes a train to Old Delhi or New Delhi Railway Station. It looks crowded no matter which day and what time of the day you travel. People are always going somewhere. It also presents a window of opportunity for getting a seat for passengers standing for a long time inside the train. As I can see a large number of people board and de-board at Rajiv Chowk. It looks as if a sea of people has just been released from a confinement.

For a city, which recently completed 100 years as the capital city of India, Delhi Metro is indeed a matter of pride. Not just because, it is there for you almost 18 hours a day every day but more so for being an efficient mode of transport, which is clean and runs on time most of the times.

A journey through the virtual world of social media

2010-02-20T13:29:00.002+05:30

It was a journey a of different sort. A journey of hardly 20 km from office but it transported me the world of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and a world of immense possibilities in the virtual world.

A group of 30 professionals was taken on a trip into the digital world by DigitalVidya. It is the Social Media Marketing Bootcamp I am talking about. There were veterans and then there were novices like me. It is the first time I get an insight how being active on Linkedin can do wonder to your business only that you should how to use the medium effectively.

Facebook seems like an ocean where it is difficult to measure its depth, there are immense possibilities. Twitter, I always wonder what this is all about but now I know for sure what this is all about. I being an introvert never used this but now I believe this can be used to express my self 'effectively'.

The life seems to have gone virtual and friends on facebook and follower on twitter matter more than your actual friends. But the life has become just like that. So don't worry, swim with the current :).

Tungnath Trip Photos

2009-06-26T17:36:00.010+05:30

Just back from my trip to Tungnath and believe me it was awesome. Loved the trek from Chopta to Tungnath. It is among the most scenic treks I have been to. Check more Tungnath Photos

Trek to Tungnath, Uttarakhand

2009-06-11T14:15:00.006+05:30

At times the universe do conspire in helping you what you want to achieve. I saw this thought from Paulo Coelho's popular book The Alchemist working. For a long time I was contemplating a trekking trip but was finding no headway. Just last week, things materialized and I am on my way to Tungnath this week.

Though tickets are not confirmed and the way I see the trend, it is rare if that will happen. But I am keeping my fingers crossed. Lord Shiva may come to my rescue. For those who do not know about Tungnath. Here is a brief introduction.

Tungnath is one of the Panch Kedars scattered in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand. Tungnath is a 6 km trek from Chopta. And my research on the place says, it is an easy three-hour trek. I have plans to go to the Chandrashila peak to see the stunning sunrise that many have mentioned. Chandrashila is further up the Tungnath shrine. It may take close to one hour or more to reach the peak. If this trek does not seep all my energy, I shall try to make it to Deoriatal.

Weather in the region is the only thing that's bothering me. Rains at this time of the year are not very uncommon. I just hope that it does not throw our plans out of gear. Lord Shiva I am coming!

Royal Enfield Himalyan Odyssey 2009

2009-03-31T14:05:00.004+05:30

If you are a proud owner of a Royal Enfield and love riding your machine on long haul trips - Himalayan Odyssey - is just for you. Himalayan Odyssey is a 15-day road trip that promises to be an experience to cherish for a long time. Moreover it would be an achievement as you ride on the tough and torturous landscape of the Himalayan region.

The rally will be flagged off on June 14 when riders from all over India leave Delhi for Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir via Chandigarh, Manali and Keylong and cover a distance of approximately 2,500 kilometers. Entry is on a first-come-first-served basis and the riders will have to pay Rs.18,500 each for participating in the event.

Register for Himalayan Odyssey here.

Great places to eat in Jaipur

2009-03-18T17:47:00.008+05:30

Move over Dal Bati Churma, there are other better things to tickle your taste buds in Rajasthan. It is not that I abhor Dal Bati but it is no favourite either. The reasons for this may range from bad first impression to distasteful urad dal. I liked churma though, sweet tooth – you know ;). Dal Baati to me is an over-hyped dish of Rajasthan, my apologies to the connoisseurs of this dish. For a traveller like me the local dish matters but not much, what matters most is where I can find the best – be a local dish or a regular preparation with some innovations.

Here is what to eat where guide to Jaipur.

Great places to eat in Jaipur

Lassiwala’s on MI Road at Panch Batti Chowk. It is a must have in Jaipur, the creamy lassi glass in a kulhad is simply awesome. The shop is running from the year 1944. Just tell me can you resist the glass of Lassi above? At least I could not!

Rawat Kachori, Station Road, Jaipur Railway Station. This is ultimate place for the Kachori lovers and it is not just Kachori that you’ll get here. The place is also renowned for ghevar topped with flaked almonds.

Ganesh Restaurant, Nehru Bazaar, Old City. This restaurant is popular both for its location and the kind of food it serves. It is a great place to enjoy the local cuisine.

Jai Shankar Pavitra Bhojnalaya, 12 Sindhi Camp Bus Stand, Station Rd. It is close to the main bus station and is pure vegetarian restaurant. Do check it out when you are near the Jaipur bus station.

Jaipur Inn, B17 Shiv Marg, Bani Park. This guesthouse has a rooftop restaurant with amazing views of Jaipur. The food is equally good. The veg buffet dinner is great. If you are not staying in the guesthouse, you need to book a table in advance.

There are other excellent places to eat in Jaipur like Choki Dhani, Niro’s on MI Road, Royal Treat, a multi-cuisine restaurant at Ramgarh Modh, LMB in the Old City and Kanji on Station Road for alu tikki, dahi bara…local food. At least more than 50 per cent of travellers visiting Jaipur know about these popular places to eat.

I would love to know if there is an exclusive find that you know about. Share if you can.

My Self Ashish & Stay for a Day concept in India

2009-02-28T09:23:00.003+05:30

You may be wondering who this Ashish is. And so did I, a few days back when I heard about him. And then when I went through some of his blog posts and learnt the concept behind his travels, I got interested.

Ashish is a traveller like you and me who is on a journey across India. He is not a typical traveller with a fixed itinerary and he isn’t staying in hotels. His itinerary is derived by members of a community site (OkTataByebye.com), who invite him and show him their city. He so far has been to Dharamsala, Dehradun and scores of other places. And I love going through his travels though some of his videos are hazy.

The concept is to stay in a member’s house on his/her invitation. The idea is new to India and may take some time to take off. But it was a success for Ramon Stoppelenburg – a Dutch, who travelled the world for over two years without money. Ramon quit his journalism study to travel the world. He was chased by the media. To quote Ramon, “Most of the times it was all part of a media circus and I knew I couldn't travel without it.” In India, the media still has to pick this interesting story up. You may read more about ‘My Self Ashish’ here. Those interested to know more on Ramon’s travels, visit letmestayforaday.com

Bikaner Camel Festival 2009

2009-02-05T10:30:00.002+05:30

I didn’t have the experience of attending single cattle fair and when I left for Bikaner to attend one, I was excited though it is difficult for people to see my excitement. It has always been a muted affair. I don’t get excited easily and even if I do, it is hard to show. It is the way I have been for as long as I could remember. And this is exactly how I found the Camel Festival Bikaner this year – a muted affair but delightful. Read more

Slumdog Millionaire & Slum Tourism

2009-01-23T15:45:00.006+05:30

Freida Pinto of Slumdog Millionaire

Have you seen 'Slumdog Millionaire'? Chances are you may not have. It's releasing in India today. But for sure success and publicity it has received mustn’t have gone unnoticed. Everybody is talking about the movie right from Amitabh Bachchan to people like you and me. And now it has its impact on tourism too, yeh 'slum tourism'.

According to a report westerners are giving the beaches of Goa a miss and heading for Mumbai to see the reality portrayed in the film. The report quotes Reality Tours, which is taking at least 50 people to Dharavi - Asia's biggest slum.

What an irony? It is like one man's pain is another's joy. Similar reports were doing the rounds after the attack on Mumbai and the name was given 'Terror Terrorism'. I believe it is a curiosity factor and people want to visit places that were witness to that horrific act of terrorism. And same looks the case with 'slum tourism'. It hardly matters what's shown in the cinema be it Dharamshala or Dharvi, people will obviously wants to see it in reality.

Bikaner & Baseball

2009-01-15T16:39:00.012+05:30

I was recently in Bikaner and what a lovely city it is. Clean wide roads, no chaos and every thing seemed well in order until I visited the old galies and the bada bazaar of Bikaner. It is like any other crowded market with a number of auto rickshaws (long ones) thrown in. The way these guys zig zag, god helps, if you are there on a bad day. But somehow they maneuver well :).

Once you are out of the crowded market and head to Karni Singh Stadium or to royal cenotaphs at Devi Kund, the roads are absolutely lovely. The other notable thing that I observed in Bikaner was base ball. I saw a bunch of guys playing baseball in Bikaner on a lazy Sunday Morning. It was something I had not expected. It was quite a discovery.

Here are some photos of Bikaner.

Rs. 10,000 for a plate of Samosa

2008-11-21T09:39:00.002+05:30

I came across an interesting piece of news this morning and thought it would be exciting to put it up here. A Dutch couple had to shell out Rs. 10,000 for a plate of Somasa. The shopkeeper claimed it had special herbs and the poor couple had to relent....see the complete story here

India Discovered Travel Writing Contest

2008-07-22T16:53:00.007+05:30

OkTataByebye.com is back with a contest and this time it is good news for Travel Writers. I went through a number of contest entries and believe me...each one is amazing. I loved the hair-raising tale of Nitinn's travels to Bhangarh. Check out his travelogue Beneath the realm of veiled shadows- The Bhangarh files. There are a couple of excellent travelogues that you can check out and comment/vote on.

So all those budding travel writers out there, it's time to test your skills as a writer and you may win Rs. 10,000 voucher every week! There is more to be won... cameras & holidays..

My journey to the Valley of Flowers

2007-10-16T16:30:00.001+05:30

I don’t consider myself a travel-freak nor does the term travel-bug fit me. But whenever a traveling opportunity knocks at my door, I gently open the door and slip out to explore. The un-explored, the new and the unusual await me, whenever I leave the cozy confines of my home. Be it a daily grind to my office braving more than a dozen traffic lights and passing through scores of flyovers or heading out to a completely new destination. There is always an element of surprise in store.

In August, when the nation was gearing up to celebrate the 60th year of Independence, travel enthusiasts like me were busy charting out travel plans to nearby places of tourist interest. Those who could not decide scoured the net in search of travel buddies and the online trips going out. I spotted one on Oktatabyebye.com and jumped on the bandwagon.

It was a first of its kind experience for me where I hardly knew any one. Most of us were a bunch of travel enthusiasts looking for an opportunity to travel with like-minded people. Before the trip started, we all had a thorough conversation online. Numbers were exchanged and the program was finalized. We were to hit the road on the 13th of August (Friday). But just before a few days of the start, we had a few back outs but by that time the trip had already gained momentum, we were excited.

Tickets were booked and hotel reservations done. The plan was to meet at the New Delhi Railway Station from where we had to take the Hardwar – Janstabadi at 15:30. We had members from Hyderabad, Jaipur and Delhi. Jaipur party was to meet us at Hardwar while Delhi & Hyderabad people would gang up at the railway station and proceed to Hardwar.

Meeting people from different walks of life is always not about presumptions. This was the first lesson that I learnt within an hour of meeting the trip members. Everyone turned out to be a different individual than what I had expected. But it was good fun. We boarded the train from New Delhi Railway Station in the late afternoon and after initial round of introduction, members started to know more about each other. I could see the bonding factor has started to work. There were four of us from Delhi (Polo, Anupama, Tanvi & yours truly) and three (Bhavin & Deeptha, and Amol) from Hyderabad. The Jaipur Party had hit road to Hardwar in the morning and were to meet us at the hotel.

Before the start of the trip, Amol from Hyderabad had promised us briyani, and Polo – the organizer had talked about Gajar ka Halwa. But both could not manage; however Polo did bring Gheawar- the sweet of the season, which we gorged upon on the train. And believe me it was delicious.

There was something strange about this train or this particular coach in which we were travelling. The seats here were facing one another. In my earlier train journeys I’ve never came across such type of seating arrangement. But then, what’s the fun of traveling if you don’t discover something new or unusual.

We safely disembarked at Hardwar and since our hotel was not too far from the railway station, we decided to walk down. There was another reason too – Kanwarias. This pious city in the months of July-Aug (Sawan) was marauded by the pilgrims called Kanwarias, the word comes from the word Kanwar – meaning a stick that has two vessels on both ends. Kanwar is used to carry gangajal (the holy water of the Ganga). The interesting part- the kanwar should not be put on the ground; it is carried on the shoulders throughout the journey, which is normally done on foot. There are so many stories about Kanwarias but that is sometime later.

So, we thought instead of taking a riksha or an auto, it was wise to walk. Hardwar donned an orange hue and there was a surge of orange and red everywhere – right from the railway station to our hotel. This surge had forced the Jaipur party to enter Hardwar via Dehradun. The journey that should’ve taken not more than six hours took Atul, Rahul & Parul approx 12 hours.
By the time we reached hotel, the Jaipur Party was already there to welcome us or to narrate the long saga of their journey. Here I would like to thank Polo, who emphasized on taking a train to Hardwar in our first meeting, when we’re finalizing the itinerary. It turned out to be a good decision.

Rahul was keen on taking a dip at the Ganges and so do the other members of Jaipur Party. Tanvi joined them. We decided to freshen up and discussed where to have our dinner. A decision to meet at the hotel restaurant at 9 was taken. The food was good and service prompt. Before we’re to hit the bed – ‘Polo announced 4 o’clock in the morning guys, we’ll start to Joshimath.’ After a long detour, Rahul and others would have looked to a few extra hours of sleep but it was not to be.

We hit the road early in the morning. It was raining. Wipers were frequently doing their job but the rain was incessant. It took us about an hour to cross Hardwar thanks to diversions and jams caused due to the large number of Kanwarias in the city. We crossed Rishikesh and here onwards the journey was good.

On the way we passed many known and unknown small towns and villages, the first such well-known place of interest was Devprayag – the confluence of the Alknanda and Bhagirathi; here onwards the river is known as the Ganga. The other towns on our way to Joshimath were Srinagar, Rudrapryag, Karnprayag, Gouchar and Piplikoti. We reached Joshimath around 6 in the evening. The sky was overcast and it started drizzling soon we entered the GMVN guesthouse.

We checked-in the family rooms and believe me they were surprisingly big and clean. You can book the rooms online or can go to their office in CP. Though the rooms were good, bathrooms were not in a very good condition. We had tea in the hall and some of us went to check the bazaar at Joshimath. I along with a friend decided to take the road to Auli, we could have walked barely a kilometer, when it started drizzling; we retraced our steps back to the guesthouse. We hit the bed after a sumptuous dinner – it was superb. ‘Polo announced 5 o’clock guys, we have to take first gate to Govind Ghat.’

Early in the morning with sleep still sitting on some bleary eyes, we stacked ourselves in the Qualis and hit narrow road to Badrinath. Our destination was Govindghat, some 20 kilometers away from Joshimath. After some photo session on the way, we’re reached Govindghat. The real journey was to start now - an uphill trek to Ghangaria, 13 kilometers away.

It was not easy. Polo’s description of the trek ‘a walk in the park’ turned out to be in hamstring, mules & their shit, aches in the thighs and some slip-ups for many. The rains on the way further added to misery. We’re happy to see plastic raincoats Rs. 20 per piece. The worst was Rahul – the standing philosopher. Others were no better. Despite of my working out continuously for the last 15 days, I could feel the heart coming to my mouth in the last two kilometers.

It was not only the strong will and determination that kept us all on the track but the occasional chant of “Wahe Guru”, encouraging words from the fellow travellers, who’re coming down; and fistfuls of Glucon D – the energy booster that was handed to us by good Samaritan Sikhs. Some how, we all managed to reach Ghangaria in one piece; forget the wear & tear on the way.

We gorged upon the pranthas and chai at the GMVN guesthouse at Ghangaria. It was cold and we huddled in the rajais (quilts) in the dormitory that we’d booked. Most of our clothes were wet and the shoes were worst. Fortunately, there was someone who could dry the clothes and shoes. It was Rs.100 for a pair of shoes and about Rs. 50 for a pair of jeans. I was not that rich.

Fortunately, Rahul had arranged for an agenti (coal fire in a pot). I saw an opportunity to dry my clothes. Others gave it to the guy of the guesthouse. I tried my level best to dry my shoes but succeeded not even partially. After dinner, when the guy came back with clothes and shoes after drying; my dear friend Amol has lost the beauty of one of his shoes – the guy unfortunately had burnt a small part of the shoe. The first casualty of the rains! As we huddled around the fire pot, ‘Polo announced 6 o’clock guys, we’ve to hit the road to the Valley of Flowers’. Please wait for more...

Oktatabyebye: Negative Voting Scrapped

2007-08-08T09:17:00.000+05:30

I had never thought that I’ve to write about the Oktatabyebye Freeze Frame Travel Photography Contest so soon. The organizers have scrapped the –ve voting, which incidentally I did not talk about in the last post.

No I didn’t miss it. The only reason that comes to mind that why I didn’t mention about –- ve voting was that I visualized an ideal scenario, where the good photos/videos are voted in (+ve vote) by members and poor/suspicious ones are voted out (-ve vote). But unfortunately it was not the way the contest behaved.

Here is what site coordinators had to say -
“It has come to our notice however, that many participants are misusing the power and franchise of the concept of -ve voting. In disrespect of fair-play, healthy competition and ethics, they are resorting to nasty and anonymous -ve voting of their nearest competition, themselves and through friends. It is not something we didn't anticipate here, but rather were confident that people would be upright enough to desist. Sadly we have been proven wrong.”

Sadly so they’ve to do it midway. But it was the right thing to do to keep the sanctity of the contest.

Oktatabyebye Travel Photography Contest

2007-08-05T09:54:00.000+05:30

There is something exciting going on for the Travel Enthusiasts on Oktatabyebye.com - a community of travelers. The site has recently launched a Travel Photography Contest, which is a kind of its own, for it’s not judged by professionals; they come only at the last stage. That’s what makes it interesting. It is more of members voted and ranked than judges. That is why everybody with some basic photographic skill has a better chance to win this contest.

That is what I thought when I heard about the contest. But now (just checked the site), with the kind of photos the contest is receiving, winning the contest could be a tough nut to crack. But, the trick remains the same, post some decent pictures in the allotted four categories and start canvassing for your photos. Yes you read it right CANVASSING.

It’s a publicly polled contest, where members will vote and rank the pictures and entries with maximum number of votes & rank will go to the finals and here is where Judges come to picture. But they will just rank the photos and ultimately Votes & Rank will be the deciding factor.So now you know, what to do. Drum up support for your photos. I’ll also try just to see where I stand. It’ll be a good learning. Even if you could not make it to the top, you’ll have Fuji Gift Vouchers worth Rs. 2500/- and will be a good contest old. I’m sure you’ll be an improved photographer post contest.

I missed videos. The Oktatabyebye Freeze Frame Travel Photography Contest also invites travel videos. Believe me, the competition in the videos is very thin. The site so far has received only a handful of videos as compared to photos. Surely videos stand a better chance. Push your luck there if you have a good travel video. Who knows, you’ll be richer by a handful of photo gadgets.

My Trip to Goa

2007-08-03T23:11:00.000+05:30

I have never been attracted by the sea, sand and surf. Perhaps that is why Goa never appealed to me. Every time I thought of a holiday, I loved to think about high- rise mountains, pine scented air, tranquility, and simplicity. Goa, I thought is modern trendy and crowded. Not for me I thought.

I always thought of walking in the clouds in Gangtok or exploring barren yet beautiful land of Leh. On the distant horizon, I wondered about Land of Thunder—Bhutan. Coming from a hilly area, I was fascinated by the magnanimity of snow clad mountain peaks, serpentine roads, dhabas, and mountain streams. I could easily associate with these things.

Sea was a distant thing for me. It held no special attraction. Yet, one fine afternoon in February I with a friend was aboard Spice Jet to Goa. The reason - Manali, Musoorie, Shimla, Nainital- same old story - I didn’t want to repeat and was really looking for a break from the obvious. Two and a half hours later I was walking on the hot tarmac at Dabolim Airport.

Outside the airport, there was usual scene. Many taxi drivers and tour representatives were standing holding placards to receive the guests. I found mine on a white sheet in bold Arial type and confirmed if the guy is from the same place (Sea Pearl) where I’ve done booking. On re-confirming, he asked me to wait and he vanished to get his taxi.

The scene outside the airport was not very different what one is accustomed to any other airport in the country. Taxi drivers and touts wanting a slice of your spending in Goa. They promise excellent tours and recommend attractive places to stay but don’t come up attractive prices.

Some Gyan for the first time traveller
If you are traveling to Goa for the first time, request your hotel to send a taxi. If you want to travel on your own, there is a pre-paid taxi booth just outside the airport. It has a huge board with name of the places and taxi fare written. Pretty simple. I think. However, I insist you ask your hotel to pick you up from the Airport, as many of the hotels are located a bit off the road. Most of them are near beaches, so it becomes bit difficult to access them on your own unless you have some idea about the location.

The journey to Candolim

10 minutes later, an Omni Van stopped in front and I was on the road to Candolim. Omni vans are the commonly used mode of transport in Goa. Once I crossed the bridge over the Mandovi, I exclaimed – um it’s really beautiful. The Mandovi was on the left and there were coconut trees lining the shores. The ships sailing on the river made a picture postcard view. As we sped to Candolim, Goa felt like a quaint village minus the touristy tag. Along the way, there was no trace of it being a hugely popular tourist destination. It was so calm and simple.

My opinion of it being crowded and touristy was just a misconception (perhaps February is not the touristy season). On the contrary, it was like connecting to village life. As the Sun prepared to leave for the day I found people stopping cycles and bikes just to catch a football match on the roadside football ground. It made a pretty sight, similar to one, I had experienced long back.

The view from the balcony

The first thing I did after checking in was to get the view outside. A palm tree barely hundred meters was leaning on the left; beyond that there were three ships on the Arabian Sea lined and the yellow light emanating and kissing the waters beneath. I leaned over the balcony and patted my self for taking the wise decision of coming to Goa and choosing a room with a view.

The beach

I hate getting up early on a holiday. Yes, unless I’m missing something really amazing. By the time I got up – It was 10 am. The beach was hardly five minutes away from Sea Pearl. I headed to check out the beach. Walking on the sand was a nice experience for me. The sea looked awesome. I decided to check out the sea. Went close to the shore, removed my heavy Rebok footwear and took a walk on the soft sand towards Calangute. After walking for a kilometer I took a walk back and headed to the beach shack.

If Dhabas are big draw on our highways in the north India, it’s beach shacks, which take the popularity pie in Goa. The best part is the ambience, everybody is relaxed and seems everyone has a whale of time. I took a seat looking out to the sea. In fact almost all shacks in Goa have sea-facing seats.

Pete’s Shack Candolim: Thought of eating something light but took quite some time to decide what to order. Finally settled for two Orange Juice and a toast with fellow butter and jam.

The Cost:
Two Juice: Rs. 90/-3

Bread Toast: Rs. 20/-

Total: Rs. 110/-

Quality: Juice was ok and the Toast was Ok too

Service: Was good

Calangute and water sports

Once the battery was charged I was ready to explore the nearby beaches. Took a walk towards Calangute. It was the last week of February and the Sun was blazing even at 11 in the morning. At a leisurely pace it took us about less than an hour to reach Calangute. The beach was crowded as compared to Candolim. One of the reasons is its being hub of many water sports. The moment we reached there, guys taking tourists on dolphin watch, banana ride, water scooter, Para sailing…etc approached us. Here is what they offered

The first vendor

Para Sailing cost – Rs. 1200/- (for two)

Second vendor – Rs. 1000/-

3rd vendor- Rs. 900/- We refused;

Another guy asked for Dolphin Watch, here is the bargain story...

The first one: Rs. 500 (for two)

2nd: Rs. 300

We settled for Rs. 300/-, he handed us life jackets and insisted that we should wear. We were reluctant (it was very hot) and told him will wear it only when we board the boat; No..no.. he said, seeing you wearing these life jackets they (tourists) will see that they should not have to wait.

We agreed. 15 minutes later, the guy came back and said sorry, he could not coax other tourists for the Dolphin watch. We had to relinquish the idea.

The Trick: If you want to spend your hard earned money wisely- bargain is mandatory. Never ever settle for the first price quoted to you. It is better to test the waters by checking the same stuff with other vendors.

When looking for water sports – here is what you can do

Don’t jump into the first offer made to you
Observe and decide what sport you plan to enjoy
Check the rates with different vendors
Not be the first one to take an offer where multiple people are required
Show your keenness when the boat is half full or when there are a few seats left
You may be offered better rates than people already on the boat

We checked the trinkets and other stuff at the market upstairs at Calangute and walked back to Candolim. On way back, went to Appi’s Shack (Candolim) to get a bottle of mineral water. There were no tourists in the shack – siesta time- I thought. Just checked their menu card and we were tempted to order vegetable curry rice.

Here is the cost

Vegetable Curry & Rice: Rs. 65/-

Two Bottle of Mineral water: 40/-

Total: 105/-

Quality: Poor

Service: Average

***

As I saw the sun go down the Arabian Sea from my balcony, I prepared my self for a long walk on the beach. There is nothing that can beat a walk on the beach in the evening or late evening for that matter. I head out to beach. Here are three essentials that you must carry when going for a walk in the evening or night.

Torch

Stick

Mobile Phone

Torch is very handy as the way to beach is hardly lit. The only light that was constant was the moon shining brightly. Stick is very useful as there are many stray dogs. It’s just a safety tool and I didn’t have to use it even once in my whole tour. Mobile is just to stay connected in case of emergencies.

Goa is amongst a few top states where crime rate is low.This time I walked towards the Sinquerim, a few kilometers ahead is the Ship Libra (I hope I remember the name correctly) is stranding there for almost two years now and prevents view of the other side. On our way back we decided to have dinner and this time tried Arabian Shack (in Candolim too).

Here is what we ordered and paid.
1. (1) Paneer Peshawari – Rs. 65/-

2. (4) Plain Roti- Rs. 40/-

3. (1) Mineral Water- Rs. 20/-

Total Cost: Rs. 125/-

Quality – Good

Service: Fine

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The Road to Old Goa

Agnelo’s Shack is just two minutes from Sea Pearl and we decided to have breakfast. Here is what we ordered and paid

(2) Milk Tea- Rs. 50/-

(1) Cheese Prantha- Rs. 30/-

(1) Onion Prantha – Rs. 20/-

(1) Alu Prantha – Rs. 25/-

Total Cost: Rs. 125/-

Service: Ok

It took the guy about half an hour to serve our order. Tea was good but I could not find CHEESE in Cheese Parantha and the owner/cook forgot to add salt in Alu Prantha. Saw they have a few bikes. Asked if they rent bikes, yes said Agnelo manning the counter. We settled for a Scooter for three days @ Rs. 150/- per day. Paid Advance Rs. 500/- checked the scooter and tried my hand before hitting the road. Once I got accustomed to this gearless machine- we hit the road to Old Goa.

What to look for when hiring a bike/scooter in Goa?

You must carry a Driving License

Check the vehicle thoroughly

Any wear & tear bring to the notice of the owner

Insist on a trial

Must see all the papers- insurance, pollution, ownership…etc

Ask for Helmet

On way to Goa, lost direction twice once just after leaving Candolim, instead of taking a left turn, we took a right and found ourselves at the gates of Taj Fort Aquada. Took a U turn and headed towards Panaji. As we were barely five kilometers from Panaji (also called Panjim), took a wrong turn and foolishly were headed towards Mumbai!

On not very sure of the way we were going, asked a passer by and he guided us to take U turn and head towards Panjim. After crossing the bridge over the Mandovi, took a left turn and then right, and finally we were on the road to Old Goa. Old Goa is located 9 km east of Panjim and is World Heritage Site. The heart of Old Goa has three buildings – the Se Cathedral, the Church of St. Francis and the Archaeological Museum. Here are the places that one can visit when in Old Goa.

Se Cathedral: Dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria now only one of the twin towers survives

Church of St. Francis of Assisi: Built in 1661 is three tired with an eight-sided tower on each side

Archaeological Museum: Collection depicts the history of Goa before and during Portuguese period

Basilica of Bom Jesus: Located opposite Se Cathedral Complex, it was built by the Jesuits and hosts the relics of Goa’s patron saint

Other important Old Goa landmarks include

The Professed House

Convent of St. Monica

Chapel of St. Catherine

Church of St. Cajetan

Church of St. Augustine

Arch of the Viceroys

Though I did not find time to see all, have just mentioned for information. If you are not aware of Goa’s history and its churches it is wise to look for a guide.

On way back, we decided to check Panjim. The only prominent landmark, which is hard to miss, is the Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. Took a stroll in the market and finally returned to Candolim.

Have read about D’ Mello’s Shack in varoious fourms (I did scour the net before coming to Goa) thought of checking it for dinner. The sea was calm and the moon was full, as we made our way to the shack it looked packed but we found a table for two and made ourselves comfortable. Looking at sea in the moon lit night is something I treasure till this time. It took them quite a while to serve our order but once it was on our table we relished it and things moved pretty fast then.

I forgot to write what we ordered and what the cost was but I found the Shack a bit costly compared to rest on the beach but for sure it was the best in terms of ambience and quality of food served.

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Anjuna Flea Market

Anjuna is up north from Candolim. I took my Scooty and started for Anjuna. Roads in Goa are narrow as compared to roads in the cities but the ride up to Anjuna was very pleasant with passing through small villages and quaint houses.

Anjuna was once an Arab trading post in 10th and 12th centuries. It is known for its hip parties and Wednesday flea market. By the time we reached Anjuna, the market was already buzzing with tourists and hawkers. There were all kinds of stuff right from shoes, clothes, spices, CDs/DVDs, and other paraphernalia. I found the rates exorbitant but some of the stuff was worth the prices mentioned.

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Other Beaches in North Goa

Baga: North of Aguada, Baga is crowded with shacks, fishing boats and sun loungers. But the beach is clean and offers a good live music.

Vagator: Coconut trees, red cliffs and waves lapping the shore make it stunning.

Chapora: Best to catch the sunset at Chapora Fort. Adil Shah built the fort, who was originally known as Shahpora or Chapora.Saligao: 2 km east of Calangute, it is home to Our Lady Mother of God – a lovely white church built in 1873.

As I packed to brave the Delhi’s heat in the summer ahead, I made a quiet promise to myself - to return to Goa.