Gorgeous Goa!!

Post by Ian, comments by Em in blue
From dirty Delhi to gorgeous Goa! - this post was drafted on the balcony of our beach fronted, stilted, beach hut in Mandrem, Goa - but more of that later!!

After getting back from Agra we checked the internet only to find an article about Indian airports being on heightened alert with advice to arrive early due to the extra security checks. DAMN - there goes our lay in!!

So we got up early, had a quick breakfast, checked out of our hotel and made our way to the metro station laden with our rucksacks. We'd had this bright idea that by getting the metro to the end of the line that we'd be closer to the airport. However, upon arriving at the last metro station and asking a tuk-tuk driver we find that we're now 14km from the airport which we're sure is further away than when we we at our hotel! Oh well, the journey only cost 128 rupees (1:60 ukp) for both of us!

We get to the airport and as we go to check in we walk past one of the many plasma screens showing Indian news and we see a report about gunfire at IGI Airport. Em remarked "I wonder where that is?". Then the penny dropped - it was Indira Ghandi International airport where we were about to check in!!! Does trouble follow us around or what??! In fairness it was another case of the media sensationalising the story with very little evidence to back it up. Gun shots had allegedly been heard at the airport and a car had apparently driven through a security checkpoint without stopping.

Security is incredibly hot in India with armed guards with a variety of weapons ranging from pistols and shotguns to fully automatic rifles patrolling anything from the railway system (even on the trains), the Taj Mahal, the metro, etc. We've lost count of the number of times that we've been frisked, walked through metal detectors and had our bags checked (which was a pain with our rucksacks in the metro). I have to laugh though as they give special treatment to women...think women only queues, women only security lines, women only seats on the train...FAB! although in all honesty, being a white female still makes me invisible and women push right past me in queues as if I don't exist!

So whilst killing time at the airport Em spotted a McDonalds and given that it had been hours since breakfast we succumbed to a packet of fries - but we did resist the temptation to have them Indian style!! It's amazing how much more Western influence Delhi has compared to Mumbai - all of the big names are here. I would like to add that I have no intention of eating an Indian Mcdonalds...surely french fries don't count?? I have eaten Indian food this whole holiday! I'm not going to want a curry for ages when I get back! Steph, you'll be pleased to hear, I have become rather fond of Paneer and the dishes here are amazing.

Anyway, I digress!! So we board our Kingfisher flight to Goa. Kingfisher is quite a smart airline - hell they even have metal knives and forks. We had to sit through a cheesy promotional video though telling us how the chairman individually picks all of the Kingfisher staff - yeah right!!!

After 2.5 hours we dis-embark the plane to temperatures of 33 degC. We were slightly apprehensive of how we'd get to our chosen resort as the Lonely Planet was a little thin on information (to put it mildly!!). And to make things worse, I was in charge of the Goa leg of our trip. Don't worry, he's done a good job...it's beautiful!

Whilst I'd done quite a lot of research on the best resorts I was unable to make contact with my final choice so I was winging things a bit! (but knew there were plenty of other options if my first choice was fully booked).

Luckily there was a pre-paid taxi booth at the airport which avoids all the haggling so we got a taxi to Mandrem. The 65 km journey cost us fourteen pounds! Just to point out there was no air conditioning and I probably lost 14 pounds in sweat! I thought I might just stop breathing I was so hot!

Ninety minutes, several emergency stops and a few more grey hairs later, we arrive at the idyllic Sea paradise resort.

We're shown a couple of huts - one on the ground, one on stilts - we opt for the stilted hut which has all of the (cough) mod cons, (ahem) en-suite, running (cold) water, power and light (although the electrics look pretty damn scary to me!). So we have a shower, a drink and take a walk along the beach as the sun sets...and this is where I return to the start, writing this on our balcony with the sea lapping on the beach.

Please revisit our Delhi pos as we have now found faster internet and have posted some more pics!