I was excited about this trip because this was my first long trip after almost three years. And the first one with friends! It turned out to be quite a blast!
We got to Gos on Friday evening and checked in to the Casa Severina at Calangute, a five minute walk from the beach. We booked our rooms through Life is Outside. The hotel was excellent. Nice luxurious rooms with big baths with bath tubs and a great mini-bar. The swimming pool was also great. The best part of the hotel is it is only a few minutes from the beach.
As soon as we checked in at around five in the evening we went to the beach and played the fool in the water. We then got back and had showers and then decided to have dinner in the hotel itself. The food choice for vegetarians was limited but the quality was good. We then slept.
The next morning, we had a quick swim followed by breakfast (mainly European stuff) and then hit the beach. We did the water sports jig that day. The water scooter, the bumper ride, the banana ride and parasailing. I was glad I could do all this - something I couldn't have dreamt about at this time last year with my severe bone pain. I loved the water scooter and the parasailing. The parasailing looks more scary than it is. But the feeling of flying like a bird in the sky is unimaginable!
We had a late lunch at a beach shack - they take a long, long time to serve the average fare - serves the purpose however.
That night I headed over to the Vrundavan Hospital for dialysis. Details in another post.
The next morning, we headed over to the Doodhsagar Falls, a one and half hour drive from the main city. The road is excellent - most of the time you are on NH-4A. You reach a point where you have to switch to jeeps that are driven by the locals - probably part of some co-operative. We wondered aloud why we couldn't take our cars to the falls?
We soon knew why! The road to the falls from that point was - wait a minute - what road? There was no road! It was a path full of stones, small rivulets, steep inclines and completely rocky terrain. Any thoughts of taking our delicate city-bred sedan soon vanished!
A half hour roller-coaster ride later we were at the spot were the jeep would not go any further. We were instructed by our driver to return within an hour. "Fat chance", I said to myself.
Continued tomorrow...
We got to Gos on Friday evening and checked in to the Casa Severina at Calangute, a five minute walk from the beach. We booked our rooms through Life is Outside. The hotel was excellent. Nice luxurious rooms with big baths with bath tubs and a great mini-bar. The swimming pool was also great. The best part of the hotel is it is only a few minutes from the beach.
As soon as we checked in at around five in the evening we went to the beach and played the fool in the water. We then got back and had showers and then decided to have dinner in the hotel itself. The food choice for vegetarians was limited but the quality was good. We then slept.
The next morning, we had a quick swim followed by breakfast (mainly European stuff) and then hit the beach. We did the water sports jig that day. The water scooter, the bumper ride, the banana ride and parasailing. I was glad I could do all this - something I couldn't have dreamt about at this time last year with my severe bone pain. I loved the water scooter and the parasailing. The parasailing looks more scary than it is. But the feeling of flying like a bird in the sky is unimaginable!
We had a late lunch at a beach shack - they take a long, long time to serve the average fare - serves the purpose however.
That night I headed over to the Vrundavan Hospital for dialysis. Details in another post.
The next morning, we headed over to the Doodhsagar Falls, a one and half hour drive from the main city. The road is excellent - most of the time you are on NH-4A. You reach a point where you have to switch to jeeps that are driven by the locals - probably part of some co-operative. We wondered aloud why we couldn't take our cars to the falls?
We soon knew why! The road to the falls from that point was - wait a minute - what road? There was no road! It was a path full of stones, small rivulets, steep inclines and completely rocky terrain. Any thoughts of taking our delicate city-bred sedan soon vanished!
A half hour roller-coaster ride later we were at the spot were the jeep would not go any further. We were instructed by our driver to return within an hour. "Fat chance", I said to myself.
Continued tomorrow...
... http://www.kamaldshah.com/2011/01/goa-water-sports-at-beach.html