Goa Travellers Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Hi there! I will have to go to central India next month for 2 weeks because of company requirements. I expect to have 2-3 days off in the end of the stay if I manage to do my work in due time. I will not be too far from Goa and I wonder if I should go there for a week-end. This was my dream in the 90's and at that time I was a student so no option. Now that I have the opportunity, I'm unsure whether it'd be worth it...I'm afraid the momentum isn't as it used to be. I'm afraid I only see leftovers of a golden age with only local people preying on tourists to sell drugs and attract them to expensive facilities. This, with little benefit, the Beatles have gone, Goa Gil has left, Mark Allen, DJ Jorg, Raja Ram also, ah ah!! What do the israeli youngsters do there? (beside drugs) What kind of music do they play? (I like old school goa trance) What could I benefit from such a trip? Anjuna beach Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Eye Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Well it's not really party season in Goa anymore, most of the better parties seem to be between about mid-january and mid-march give or take a few weeks in both ends. I was there (Chapora, Vagator, Anjuna) in december and all the parties were just mindnumbingly monotonous darkpsy with no melodies and some random but equally monotonous prog thrown into the mix. But yeah, what I hear from people is that Goa is as good as dead these days. Don't expect to hear any oldschool or even newschool goa anywhere, unless you happen to be lucky and in the right place at the right time And where in central India will you be anyway? Keep in mind that travelling in India at least by bus or train isn't exactly the fastest way of getting from one place to another (especially if you need to change trains or buses somewhere and the timetables leave huge gaps of loitering in the middle of nowhere). So if you're unlucky you'll need 2 days to go back and forth (unless you can continue from Goa to whereever you're going). And what do people do there? Spend time, in any which way they feel like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goa Travellers Posted May 11, 2013 Author Share Posted May 11, 2013 I will be in Andhra Pradesh. I was thinking about flying to Goa (by plane, not LSD). Yeah, I have the feeling that I'll be less disappointed to visit local places, flea markets, buying some Ganesh t-shirts rather than going to Goa and coming back without having seen much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djuna Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 I was thinking about flying to Goa (by plane, not LSD). Good one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest D N H Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 If you don't go to goa, don't miss the opportunity to go to sacred places, temples and monuments, tribal shops, bookstores etc. But again you have very little time indeed for the data of India. Truly bad that goa isn't the place since years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padmapani Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 when i was there three years ago in february for 10 days, we found not one single party and the "famous" venues from back then played minimal techno. but arambol was still a nice chilled place to hang out and go swimming. i heard from a friend who was there over new years this year, that there are still good parties, but only around christmas break; he also said it was overrun by drunk russians. though if you go now, it's probably rather empty with mostly relaxed people who stay there for multiple months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotwang Posted May 11, 2013 Share Posted May 11, 2013 Keep in mind that travelling in India at least by bus or train isn't exactly the fastest way of getting from one place to another Or safest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
draeke Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 ain't going to goa said the goat ranch 7... and neither should you, unless u have a teleporting time machine and would happen to be there in the golden seasons of 91 to 95. After that i've been told it was not the same, but if i were you i would go to anjuna just to take a bath, sunbathe and buy some memorabilia, but i wouldn't go to ANY party at all.... cheeeeeers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penzoline Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 but i wouldn't go to ANY party at all. Story time uncle draeke! Story time!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goa Travellers Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 Hum, ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Eye Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Or safest. We didn't run into any particular trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotwang Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 We didn't run into any particular trouble. I've heard from multiple people that the driving in India is terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goa Travellers Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 Indians themselves say the driving there is chaotic, and they are always amazed when in the western countries people stop to let people cross the zebra crossing, and that no one honks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exotic Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Indians themselves say the driving there is chaotic, and they are always amazed when in the western countries people stop to let people cross the zebra crossing, and that no one honks. True Will you be in Hyderabad by any chance ? there are lots of over night buses that leave for goa , multi axle Volvo ones in case you are interested . they are pretty comfortable and safe. Although this isnt the right time to visit since season is over but if you still want to go because you will be in India and dont want to miss a good opportunity to visit the mecca where it all started , then i would say go for it! Go with zero expectations and you will not be disappointed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padmapani Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 I've heard from multiple people that the driving in India is terrible. it is. i was in a state of constant terror during a four hour taxi drive from dehli to agra. transportation gets better the further south you are in india, but considering how it is in the north that doesn't mean too much Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goa Travellers Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 Yeah, I'll be in Hyderabad. My coworker who's there already told be it takes daily, in the morning, 1h30 to go through the traffic jams, if all goes well, to go to work. So far i've always complained that I waste 15 minutes to go to work everyday. This will be a steep change! I'll not have to drive, but I'll be frightened, ah ah! This will remind me Colombia and Venezuela. Crazy driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Eye Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 The honking is what really got on my nerves most of the time in India. I mean, in a huge city like Delhi and with the driving attitude of the people there it's kinda understandable, but in smaller places with very little traffic I think they're honking at you just because you happen to be a westerner. Or do they really think I'll be jumping in front of their car from across the road? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goa Travellers Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 Yeah, cultural thing. I also find it incredible. Actually, the more crowdy the city, the bigger should be the effort to reduce noise. You could honk alone in the countryside if there's no one around An Indian friend told me they honk because they're upset with the time spent in traffic jam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goa Travellers Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 So! I'm back from India...Incredible country to say the least! It's even mentioned on their immigration form: "Incredible !ndia" Indians are very sweet and cheerful, it's difficult to leave them and to come back to ageing Europe (today it's 15°C and it's raining here...). They stare at you like children, as if you were an extraterrestrial. One could write a whole book on India! People constantly run to survive, yet they smile at you and are always here to help (something we need to learn from). The food is very good, lots of tasty fruits also. Only problem: spice in food. I would always sweat like hell while heating. Ladies don't dress like men (as in western countries), they dress very beautifully, and they are very charming and beautiful ladies with long dark hair, hypnotizing eyes, they're truely beautiful. Where I was, people speak Telugu, which again, is a very beautiful language (written and spoken). I wish I could have learned more Telugu words than Namaskaram, and Dhanyavadhamulu. People drive like crazy. It seems there are no rules, but fortunately, the collective subcounciousness of drivers does so that accidents are very often avoided (however I have seen a few accidents in 2 weeks). People are not afraid of death, as a result they take risks, like children. I have seen many things that surprised me (or that I consider contradictions) such as cows (sacred in India) eating plastic bags in landfills along the road, people throwing away garbage in public places (roads, parks, streets) while being overly clean at home, people not fastening seat belt, brooms not having sticks and women having to bend to swipe the road borders (tiring job), drinkable water tankers on the road with the tap left open, a baby on the motorcycle in front of the dad, no helmet. Lots of people always, everywhere. Lots of noise, traffic jams and pollution in the city. I have seen market sellers and rickshaws trying to charge incredible amounts of money (like 20x the normal price), so before paying, I would always convert mentally into euros and compare to local cost of living to make sure I wasn't ripped off too much. But that's ok to pay a bit more than locals. Cricket is the national sport ; Pakistan is the official ennemy. Beautiful music on Radio City (91.1 FM). It took 2 hours to come back from work everyday. Hyderabad is a huge and very spead out city, roughly 40% of the population is Muslim, I didn't know that, Muslim women wear a black niqab (you can only see their eyes), Muslim men wear a crochet taqiyah and a kurta. Hindus have a third eye, and women have a bindi. People are deep believers (everywhere you see gods on paintings, temples, symbols, statues, mosques, churches, etc...). Beautiful weather, a bit too hot for me, though. I would feel bad when they called me "Sir", and I would often mention "Please, feel free to use my first name only - forget the sir, LOL". I have seen a monkey near a house, buffalos in the middle of the street many times. Beautiful customized painted Tata trucks. Custom-made vehicules. I felt pretty bad seeing poor people begging at the traffic lights or low-cast workers treated like junk by others for no reasons. I focus more on the beautiful aspects of India. I would love to live there, I only have to come up with a valid and sustainable project. Everybody should spend some time in India, it is a great lesson of life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmot Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 I have seen many things that surprised me such as cows eating plastic bags in landfills along the road, people throwing away garbage in public places while being overly clean at home, people not fastening seat belt, brooms not having sticks and women having to bend to swipe the road borders, drinkable water tankers on the road with the tap left open, a baby on the motorcycle in front of the dad, no helmet. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. But seriously, I'd like to visit the country just for the experience, not for any assumption that it's particularly great or bad. The same for Goa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exotic Posted June 23, 2013 Share Posted June 23, 2013 Wow billiant post Goa travellers... so you couldnt make it to Goa i presume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goa Travellers Posted June 23, 2013 Author Share Posted June 23, 2013 No, actually I didn't try, I wouldn't have had time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trunksan Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Funny I didn't see this post earlier... I backpacked around India for about 3 months in 2006, Goa was the only place I didn't like and I went all the way from Kerala to the Himalayas seeing many different places. Chapora was the only place in Goa that had a bit of a vibe, other than that it was shitty mass tourism, I was there early December and there were some parties but still I found everything to be totally fake and pretentious, even the hippies in Goa are snobs. I stayed for 5-6 days and left, it was horrible.I also almost had an accident with my scooter WITH A BUFFALO, I fucking drove to Old goa (Velha Goa) through the highway, overtaking buses and trucks, but the only time I had any issues was WITH A BUFFALO deciding to cross the road while I was passing. I think being from Greece, where the driving can also be dangerous, helped me be prepared for the Indian mayhem... and they drive the wrong way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goa Travellers Posted June 27, 2013 Author Share Posted June 27, 2013 Ah ah...Yeah, the buffalos down the streets...They look stoned and walk slowly. I have visited Greece, and people honk in Greece too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shpongled247 Posted June 27, 2013 Share Posted June 27, 2013 Epic post thanks for sharing. One day hope to get to India and Goa.. Even if goa has lost it's magic many years ago.. Have a strange question, but I'm fascinated with monkeys and wondering what was your experiences with them over there ? Did you interact with some or? They are a sacred animal to them yes? Weird question I know?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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