We decide to take a daytrip to the 'not to be missed, beautiful' Elephanta' Island, 1 hours boat ride from Mumbai. After seeing the water on Mumbai bay we know it's not going to be paradise but take a pair of togs with us just in case. The boat is packed with old white pensioner tourists who are taking photos of nothing but the dirty ocean the whole journey.
The boat docks in the dirty toxic water and off we go to explore the island. There is a touristy little electric train that takes you 5 min walk up the jetty if you can’t be bothered walking, which is packed full of excited day tripper Indians. We walk the path of market stalls selling the same shit on different stalls and head up the flight of stone stairs to see the famous Elephanta’ caves. We pay the overpriced entrance fee and walk inside a cave where there are a few statues of Indian gods and that's it, it's all over. No exploring as the island is blocked off. The only things you can do are visit the cave or eat at the island restaurant.
We spot a lady selling our fav snack bbq chilli lemon corn and buy our breakfast. Delicious, tasty, bbq corn smeared with lime and chilli mmmmmm! The moment only lasts a few seconds as a flea bag monkey jumps down and steals my tasty treat.
Leave Mumbai on another nightmare 13 hour train journey and then finally arrive in Anjuna, Goa. The sand is golden, the sea is brown and the ocean floor is rocky. The beach is full of market stalls, bars, cafes and annoying Indians selling fruit, manicures, massages and shit jewellery. The bars pump out banging psych trance music from 10 am till 10 pm and there is no peace!
Leanne arrives we find some red wine and drink a bottle each before eating more curry and heading back to the hostel whilst Leanne tries to skinny dip without being swept away by the tide.
We leave Anjuna to head to the city of Goa, Panjim. We get a local bus for 10 cents, it takes an hour. We decide to stay for 2 days as there is a huge carnival which happens once a year in Goa. Get up early in the morning reserve some seats on the side of the road in the blistering heat and wait patiently for the carnival to begin. Hours after it’s meant to start all the floats are lined up but not moving. An announcement is shouted over the sound system, ‘Due to a bus full of school children falling into a river the carnival is cancelled. Please disperse quickly and quietly’.
There is nothing else left here to do so we pack and jump on another local bus to another of Goa’s beaches Palolem.
Palolem is a lot prettier and quieter than Anjuna and we find a cute little hut on the beach for a dollar each a night! The week is spent sunbathing,excercising,swimming and chilling out.We find a nice local bar that sells cheap red wine with a hot Indian Local to admire,Ali ,aged 27 looks like an Indian Ronaldo. I and the girls decide it’s my mission to ‘tash on’ Cairns 2 style with Ronaldo. We play pool, have a few drinks and head to the beach wih Ronaldo in tow. We meet a group of hilariously funny young British lads from Jersey who are cool. Drinks, music, travelling tales and jokes go on till the wee hours and we plan to meet the next night and go to the ‘silent disco’. There is no nightlife here, everywhere shuts at 10pm so a night out getting loose is what we need.
Meet the English dudes and ‘Ronaldo’ at their place and start on the long island ice teas. We have had one drink when one of the boys tells us about his ‘Indian Pharmacy supply’. Anything can be bought here in Goa apparently so we decide to sample a few local delicacies.
I try some Indian ‘ket’ which I have never tried before. My head feels fuzzy, I’m walking on the moon and my body is spongy. I love everyone and am happy as.
We head the disco but as it started at 5pm there is only an hour left so we head back to the boys huts to have our own party.
I have had one drink and feel merry and when the Indian acid pops out I can’t resist! The next 12 hours are spent laughing, dancing, joking, laughing, laughing and having a ball until the sun pops up at 7 am and it’s time to take a shower in the sea!
Ronaldo dissapears at some point during this madness....
It’s funny what you see this time of morning on the beach. There are yogis, joggers, a girl doing Irish dancing, fighting dogs and a guy that is pretending to be Rocky.
The day is spent feeling a bit sketchy, trying to sleep, am I hungry? Do I need a swim? Do I need a drink? I decide on a beer and a bit of western food (tuna wrap) and feel a million bucks!
We head to the movies and watch planet of the apes together whilst the typical English lads devour steak, chips, pepper sauce and beers in the cinema bar.
We are heading to Hampi tomorrow for a bit of inland country therapy, rivers, streams and mountains and then onto another beach where Leanne will spend her last 2 weeks with us!
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