I had a pretty tight schedule; in four days I had to be in Mumbai to pick up my good friend Lisa from the airport. It was her first time in India, and we were traveling together for a few weeks. I covered a lot of ground, driving over 2,000 km across India from north to west in just four days. Amritsar to New Delhi to Agra – Gwalior to Mumbai. I was surprised by how well-maintained the roads were for the most part. The highways were at least two lanes wide and new, so I made good time, only stopping to eat and sleep. My car didn't give me any further trouble, which I was happy about. The area became more populated again, with shops lining the streets. I was near a major city again. On the fourth day, I reached Mumbai, the last time I'd been there was two years ago. At first glance, not much seemed to have changed; perhaps it didn't seem quite as chaotic. But that's also because I'm used to life in the Middle East/Asia by now. People hang onto trains or cars, entire families squeeze onto a single motorcycle or scooter, constant noise and honking – it's all become normal. The Hanging Gardens are a great place to admire the Mumbai skyline at sunrise. Early in the morning, it's a good place to escape the city noise, and another advantage of getting up early is the weather – after 10 a.m., it's sweltering. I picked Lisa up at the airport, and off we went! Off to Goa. Twelve hours later, we arrived in Goa at sunset.
Goa can't be compared to the rest of India, more like Ibiza or Mallorca. Beach, sun, parties, alcohol, drugs – "everything is possible in Goa, mister." Extremely low taxes on alcohol, warm weather, and trance music attract tens of thousands of tourists to Goa every year. Some villages, like Arambol, are firmly in Russian hands. Goa was once a hippie state 30-40 years ago, but tourism has since destroyed much of the culture and nature. There are hardly any beaches left that aren't crammed with beach huts and bars. Loud EDM music blares from the speakers at the beach bar. Finding peace and quiet on the beach is about as likely as winning the lottery. Street vendors are everywhere, of every age. Coconuts, corn, bracelets, necklaces, tea, ice cream, water, toys – everyone wants to sell you something different. Some more persistent than others. I encountered the guys at the trance party the most. Every Tuesday there's a psytrance party at Shiva Valley. The parties are good and usually go until early afternoon. The location is right on Anjuna Beach, and almost everyone at the party is on some kind of drug and in another world. In the middle of it all are little children, barely six or seven years old, selling light-up items, lasers, and flashing bracelets. It's mostly the women who are selling things; they always tell the same story. The man at home drinks and doesn't work. She and the children have to earn the money.
We spent a few days around Goa and then made our way to Hampi.
- Beach days
Then, in Hampi, came the big surprise: when I checked into the hostel, they asked me if I was with the other German guy with the car! What? Another crazy guy? When I saw a silver Mitsubishi Pajero in the parking lot, I was delighted because I recognized the car. It's Matthias; I've been following his blog, and he's on his way back to Germany. His route took him through China, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and India. Over a beer or two, we caught up and chatted about our travels. The "Goan Corner" hostel is highly recommended; the owners are incredibly friendly and helpful. For the equivalent of 2 euros, you get a mattress and a mosquito net and sleep under the open sky on the terrace. We spent the next few days in Hampi, and the sunset at the Monkey Temple was one of the most beautiful I've ever seen. 575 hand-carved steps lead up to the temple, from where you have a fantastic view over the rice paddies and hills all around.
We had two new companions for the trip to Mysore – Elvin and Alyssa. We spent one night in Mysore and visited the palace. There isn't much else to see in Mysore; it's not worth staying more than a day. The palace is elaborately decorated and furnished inside – photography is not allowed!
Everyone was looking forward to Ooty; it lies at an altitude of over 2000m, and the temperature doesn't rise above 20 degrees Celsius during the day. Finally, a chance to unpack jeans and sweaters again. Ooty itself is a larger mountain village, mainly visited by Indian tourists. Delicious homemade chocolate is available everywhere. The market in town is worth seeing, perhaps simply because it's so different from a market in Germany. In the meat section, the meat hangs openly on hooks. The chickens are kept in appalling conditions in tiny cages, awaiting their death. The air is horrific, flies thrive, and remains of dead animals are thrown on the ground everywhere. Just around the corner, you're in the fruit and vegetable section, where you can buy all sorts of fresh produce. The contrast couldn't be greater.
Back in Goa, we spent a few days in Palolem, located south of Panjim at the southern end of the island. It's less about partying and more about rest and relaxation. On Agonda beach, I met two other overlanders: a German couple from Leonberg who plan to drive their Land Cruiser to Australia, and an English couple who have been traveling in their car for several years. They had just returned from Africa, where they drove from Morocco to South Africa and shipped their car to Mumbai. We chatted for a long time, and I gathered a lot of new inspiration and ideas. Africa. Why not, indeed?
We spent the last few days in Arambol – in northern Goa. There are lots of Russian tourists here; everything is geared towards them – restaurants, shops, advertisements in Russian. The vendors even spoke to us in Russian a few times, even though we don't look that Russian. Then it was time to say goodbye. I said goodbye to Lisa at the airport – two great weeks are behind us. Until next time, Lisa!
Then came the bad news at the Nissan garage. My rear coil spring had broken and damaged the shock absorber as well. I definitely need new ones, and even after a three-week wait, the garage was completely useless. Definitely not recommended, but everything takes a bit longer in India, which I'm used to. I ordered the parts myself and am importing them to India. So I was stuck, but well, there are certainly worse places to be stuck waiting for spare parts than Goa. I found a home for the next few weeks at the Jungle Hostel. Goa's parties have something for everyone, whether you're into hip-hop and R&B or techno, trance, or psytrance—there's something for everyone. I met a lot of cool people at the hostel.
A couple restaurant Tips.
- Sakana – Japanese restaurant, try the beef teriyaki
- Sandwich truck „Hexxa“ opposite the Oxford supermarket
- Opposite the Jungle Hostel – small South Indian restaurant – very tasty and inexpensive food
- Artjuna vegetarian & vegan dishes – be sure to try the hummus!
Parties
Mondays: Techno Monday's Curlies
Tuesday: Psy Trance SHIVA VALLEY
Wednesday: Ladies' Night CLUB CUBANA
Fridays: HILLTOP
Saturdays: Saturday Night Market
My Indian visa expires at the end of April; a six-month visa isn't extendable. The only option is to leave India and apply for a new visa. I've decided to fly to Sri Lanka and apply for a new visa in Colombo. I'm not actually allowed to leave India without my car, so I'm curious to see if they notice at the airport. I hope not. It takes at least ten days for the new visa to be issued, so I'll use the time to explore Sri Lanka a bit more. May is the rainy season in Sri Lanka—but not everywhere. The north and west remain almost completely unaffected. I'll meet up with a few people from my last hostel there; we're all in Sri Lanka around the same time.
I'm looking forward to a new country! I've only heard positive things about Sri Lanka from other travelers, I'm excited!
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