A friend of mine, Pam, from Victoria in Canada came to India for a 6 week backpacking trip with her partner Renee, Renee’s daughter Chase and a friend of theirs Marlene. They have journeyed from one of India to the other, from Delhi and visiting the Taj Mahal in the north to house boating in Kerala in the south and were now winding up their hectic schedule with some beach time in Goa.
They were staying at Palolem Beach in the south of Goa where I visited with Naomi back in October last year. It’s only about 85 kilometres away from Arambol and I contemplated taking the public buses but that would have entailed 4 different buses and probably would have taken 5 hours so at the last moment I decided to rent a scooter. A few sceptics like the pump jockey at the gas station thought I was a bit crazy to go that distance on a little bike but I didn’t see what the big deal was, although I did make sure to check the oil before heading off.
I took the direct route to get there, passing through Mapsa, skirting by the Goan capital Panjim and puttering through the industrial town of Margao. All in all it took me about 3 ½ hours of scootering and I arrived mid afternoon. The beach was much busier than back in October when it was the shoulder season and had a slightly different look thanks to the erection of many new huts and beach restaurants. Regardless I easily located the place where Pam and her travel companions were staying, a place called San Francisco Huts. It’s been a few years since I last saw Pam and she is the first friend from Canada that I have met up with since I starting Wandergliding. It was wonderful to see her again.
Pam:
Renee:
Chase:
Sunset on the first night:
We spent the first evening just catching up while going out for a nice Italian meal. The following morning after breakfast we wandered down the beach. I mentioned to the ladies about the option to go on a small boat up the river to check out a large, precariously balanced rock that Naomi and I saw in October. They hadn’t heard about the option and were interested and by chance we ended up on the same boat as before: Mr. Big!
In Mr. Big:
Chase lounging in the boat:
It was a leisurely cruise around and we did see a variety of birds including the beautiful Kingfisher. At the half way point, when we were as far inland as we would go, we caught up to a couple of other boats on the same tour and they were pulling closer to one shore by a small dam as some monkeys were sitting in the trees. On the opposite side of the little lake were a couple of local men on the banks who looked to be fishing. With our attention focused on the primates, a small explosion ripped through the air causing the monkeys to flee instantaneously. We turned around to realize that it was part of the fishermen’s technique...chucking a stick of dynamite into the water to stun or kill fish. A couple of guys hopped in the water with masks on and began to search for their bounty. So much for the tranquil float in a boat! We didn’t mind watching the odd bird dive down to steal one of the fishes chucked up on shore by the fishermen...fair game no?
Paying Mr. Big after the ride:
We had lunch at a restaurant with a patio on the side of the lake, the only one. We should have had Mr. Big drop us off there as we had to wade about 50 meters back to it in knee high water but no big deal. We continued wandering around after eating and headed towards what some locals call (or at least I do) “Monkey Island”. It is a small island linked to the mainland by a narrow sandy strip that is underwater at high tide but our timing was fine. We eventually located the trail that crosses the island and true to its name, we did see some monkeys en route. Reaching the high point of the isle, we almost turned back before trying to reach the other side. I’m glad that we didn’t as the steep rocky cliffs did not disappoint.
Me on the other side of "Monkey Island":
The cliffs at the viewpoint:
Chase throwing sand for some reason:
Just in case we hadn’t had enough exercise yet for the day, Chase was insistent that we rent kayaks in the late afternoon. Unlike Arambol where you hardly see any sea kayaks, in Palolem they are a dime a dozen thanks to its sheltered crescent moon shaped shore with Monkey Island protecting it from the prevailing north westerly winds. For a mere 100 rupees ($2) per person per hour, we were outfitted with 3 singles and a double kayak. Chase and I were in the double but we both had a half broken blade on one side of our paddles. Nonetheless we were able to keep up with the others as we all dawdled around the bay just before sunset. A bit of a race broke out on the way back between Chase and me against Pam. It was pretty neck and neck right to the end but as we neared the shore Pam lost her focus, turned sideways to the waves and was promptly flipped over...I’d call that a win for us Chase!
That evening we dined in Dropadi, a beach restaurant specializing in Indian cuisine (yes, such a rarity in this country!). It was quite divine. Chase was ecstatic with her stuffed crab and everyone else fully enjoyed their meals too.
Pam with her dinner made with love:
Chase enjoying her crab:
The next morning I hit the ATM machine about a kilometre and a half away from the beach on my rented scooter from Arambol. I took a wrong turn on the way back but decided to do some exploring to the south of Palolem. I ended up on a small beach called Patnem, which seemed to be a smaller, quieter version of Palolem. Good to know for next time.
Patnem Beach:
When I returned I met up with the others for brunch and then we spent a lazy afternoon swimming in the sea, reading on sun beds and chatting. Pam, Renee and Chase left that evening to the Dabolim airport (Goa’s only airport) to fly to Mumbai but only after we had a final dinner together on the beach.
Sunbeds on the beach:
Sunbathing:
The last dinner:
It was wonderful to catch up with some friends from Canada here in India. Ladies, I’m glad you had a great time in India and see you back home sometime in the future!
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