- It's official, I am abroad. I know this because I got food poisoning and an ear infection, I always seem to get something when I travel internationally.
- Travelling like Indiana Jones is fun.
- Realizing I have exactly 2 more months. Bittersweet.
This past week was a ton of fun and came with a lot of realizations (and not a few stomach aches). It has officially been 6 weeks since I first arrived in India and it is exactly 2 months, to the day, until I arrive State-side. This is dangerous in two aspects. After going to Goa, I was very much reminded of SoCal and how much I love Cali and summers in Huntington Beach which are characterized by sunburns, barbecues and salty / sandy hair and skin. The second aspect goes back to the realization that this experience is halfway over and I hate it when adventures end, not to mention how much I will miss the friends I have made here and the food I have grown to love. I know that I will have to come back to India again.
We went to Goa last weekend, and it was so beautiful and the Arabian Sea was so warm. We took an overnight sleeper bus to Goa and it was quite an adventure and I felt like Indiana Jones; weaving in and out of the jungle roads while sitting in a small bed with no safety belt of any kind.
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| My bottom bunk in the sleeper bus |
The view from the bus on the way to Goa!
Just getting used to the bus :)
We arrived in Goa early Saturday morning and immediately set out for Anjuna Beach and it was paradise - a hot paradise. The water was so nice and the waves were 'rolly polly' waves, as my aunt and I affectionately label waves that 'roll' over you and gently pull you around.
Goa was not as built up as I thought it would be, but this really only adds to the experience and adventure I think. The way to the beach was a beaten path and the jungle seemed to enclose us everywhere. Above is the view from our hotel balcony.
Saturday night we headed to the Saturday Night Bazaar which was a lot of fun and absolutely humongous! Much bargaining was to be had. I was also surprised to find a lot of fellow Westerners, mostly of the hippy variety. Many stalls were operated by them.
We ended the night by sipping some drinks on the beach with the Arabian Sea stretched out in front of us and the beach shacks behind us. Although it was not peak season, there were still so many people milling about and watching the Chennai vs Mumbai cricket match. It was fun seeing the locals' reaction to the game.
And although Goa was so much fun, it did leave a few of us with an unexpected gift: food poisoning. But, it was all apart of the experience and really, it was bound to happen one way or another.
What I really loved about Goa though, was that it seemed to have escaped becoming an overly touristy place. It still felt 'undiscovered.' I haven't truly experienced this feeling before, and it is undeniably something I am not soon to forget.
This weekend we are going to Charminar and will explore more of Hyderabad, but I will wait to write about that next Thursday. Hope you all are enjoying whichever adventure you are currently navigating.
