Arpora and Agonda, Goa (by Niki)

We had a really great last day in Udaipur especially because of an excellent cooking class we attended! This was one thing I really wanted to do in India and I wish I could do it again a million times over! Not only was it really fun, but Shuma was a great teacher and I am really excited to try cooking authentic Indian food. The best part is she gave us some homemade garam masala (the secret to good curries) and chai masala with her own recipes!

She taught us a lot about all the dishes we had been eating and enjoying but without any knowledge of what they were all about. We even learned how to make homemade Indian cheese (paneer) and chapatis! Josh and I are both loving Indian food so much, I am really going to miss it but it would be better for the waistline to leave Indian which has things like garlic cheese naan at the ready everywhere you go! Our favorite dishes have been any kind of kofta, which are typically dumplings of some sort in a curry type sauce, butter chicken, and aloo ghobi which is a rich curry with mixed vegetables like cauliflower. They also have a drink called lassi which is essentially a blend of fruit and yogurt which we have almost every morning and the chai tea- there is nothing better than the richness of Indian chai and I am so glad we have some to take home with us!

After the class we were officially ready to leave Udaipur and we were so excited for Goa. Our hotel had been rather odd in certain aspects from the get go but on the last evening (around midnight) as we laid in bed two men started pounding in the door. At first I thought there must be some sort of mistake but it just continued so eventually Josh opened the door to find two slurring drunk hotel employees insisting we take a Coke since we had ordered it earlier and they forgot to bring it. The fact that we had ordered a Diet Coke aside, that was hours ago and we were completely baffled and frankly fed up with the hotel. Since the last couples of weeks of traveling had been tiring in India (that weird incident was not exactly an isolated experience), we were looking forward to Goa almost as a prize for completing some sort of marathon. Our plane left bright and early and we were lucky to arrive in Goa at 2 pm so had a lot of our day left to enjoy.

The heat was the first thing I noticed along with humidity at such a level you feel the weight of a warm hug squishing you at all times and I love it! As we drove to our destination I could see the lushness of the palm trees and mangroves all around and I was literally stunned by its beauty. I have seen my fair share of palm trees in my life but seeing them growing like a forest of pine trees might in Canada was a spectacular sight. The sky was a brilliant blue and with the sun shining, it was obvious that we had found our idea of paradise.

Before we arrived it was difficult to decide where to start off in Goa because there are tons of different beaches dotting the coast all offering a variety of things that each is known for like less hawkers, more scenery, more laid back, parties, tourist type and amount, etc. We decided to book a studio condo in Arpora (North Goa) because the idea of being in a house environment with groceries for a few days was really appealing! The condo was really adorable with a great balcony with candles and twinkle lights on it that we could relax on in the mornings or evenings drinking our homemade chai tea. It was really perfect for that reason alone!

The only and major drawback was that it was about a ten to fifteen minute scooter ride to the nearest beach and after a day or so, we were a bit annoyed at the inconvenience. Just the scooter experience alone felt a bit daunting at times! Although Josh is a really good and defensive driver, I never quite felt at ease on the scooter unless I had recently consumed a pina colada (I think that was Josh's idea...). The roads aren't too bad but there are a fair number of hazards like wayward cows crossing, huge buses that hog the entire street, and unmarked speed breakers that can make you go flying if you aren't keen enough! I think my anxiety alone was hard enough on Josh without my nails digging into his side but he was a trooper and did great. We both also had a laugh at the police shakedown where all the foreign tourists were being pulled over and fined for various things. It was only 500 rupees but they might have tried to make it less obvious by pulling over some Indian tourists as well!

Scooter stress aside, the beaches are amazing and there is no better way to see the amazing scenery and explore the different beaches than by scooter. Our first day we headed to Anjuna beach which is fairly quiet but still offers beach chairs and a couple of nice restaurants that can bring you a drink. The tide was so high at this beach however that while sitting and reading my sandals were almost swept out to sea! It felt so great to lay in the sun with the salty humid air filling my lungs and indulging in a fluffy beach book.

We enjoyed Anjuna beach so much that we returned in the evening to go to the same beach bar. This was a small hassle since obviously we were not going to drive to the bar and we had to wait around for a taxi, being way overcharged both ways but once we arrived we were excited. They had romantic tables laid out on the beach with the chairs pointed to watch the waves and only the glow of candles to give light. It was perfect but since we didn't learn our lesson that day, we were eventually soaked by the tide coming in and had to retreat inside. This was really the first time we had an evening out in India and it was so enjoyable to meet people and to dance!

The next day we decided to try Mandrem beach as we had heard a lot of good things about it! Along the way (okay, out of the way since we got lost) we discovered Vagator beach which was gorgeous with rocks and cliffs but perhaps not a good beach for lazing around on since it was milling with people. Mandrem's location eluded us for about an hour but as soon as we were on the right track the drive proved stunning with views of all the picturesque rivers running through groves of palm trees and rice farms all along the way with the people working them.

Once we arrived in Mandrem, we had to walk along a rickety wood bridge over a river which leads to an absolutely beautiful, huge beach with virtually no one on it for all that space! It was literally breathtaking and although we were burning daylight and couldn't stay for long, we vowed to come back. It was also neat to see all the beach huts being built since the season was just beginning and as I sit hear writing from our beach hut, I can appreciate all the work they do each year since they have to tear them down and put them up again.

The next day was Wednesday and around North Goa, that means Anjuna flea market day. You cannot imagine this market with hundreds of stalls and little shops on blankets and more variety than most markets would have because of the sheer size of it. There were a million different things to buy from bangles, necklaces, drums, clothing, tea, spices, magic kits, sunglasses, etc! Being warned of how aggressive the market could be we came with a good sense of humor and had an awesome time! The prices are hilarious with some people trying to get 15 times what the item might be worth! My plan was to list my price and walk away without haggling at all. Ten to one this method worked and I was feeling pretty pleased with myself. Josh on the other hand can be a bit of a softie and I teased him about being a liability but it is all in good fun!

In North Goa the rest of our time was spent with more beach days, enjoying the rolling waves and pristine sand while watching cows mosey by and drinking chai tea at our "home." Today we left the North to explore the South and have ended up in a cute beach town called Agonda and we have a hut right on the beach! I suppose we are trading one extreme for the other and I am excited to have such amazing beach access and this beach is surprisingly quiet too for its beauty! It's funny to experience so much diversity in India and to come from Rajasthan, a traditional state with big chaotic cities to Goa, a totally liberal state that harbors old hippies and tourists in bikinis along with their small town roots. I can say without doubt that we will be back to Goa and I know these next five days are going to fly by.