Another Trip Already! Part 2

As I continued reading blogs, travel websites, and checked out the general map and routes on MapMyIndia.com, I realized I could make this trip into more by visiting more places in the region. 

The competing thought was that I should start putting my time into the startup I have in mind.  It was somewhat late but not that late for the year.  Recent news suggests there is progress being made on this front from competitors already.  The window may be closed.  Even then, a job is always an option as well.

Or, on a different strategy, I could simply take on an assignment that was offered to me again, which would begin in December and go to next summer.  If I do that, I won’t be doing my business anyhow, at least not full-time.  So perhaps it makes sense to get out and travel India more.  Seriously!  Who knows when I would get another opportunity to do this?

If I drove up north, I could turn it into a three or four week trip.  How so?  There are two routes going to Srinagar from Delhi.  One takes you through Ludhiana and Jallandhar up to Jammu.  The other route goes through Dharamshala and then crosses over to Jammu.  I could spend two days in Dharamshala also!  A couple of additional days may be required if I decided to go to Vaishnu Devi near Jammu.  These two stops could extend the trip by a week.  On the way back, I could stop in Shimla and check out Bishop Cotton School.  There is also Kasauli, should that happen.

Lots of possibilities.  I just need to settle on one and make a decision.  Unfortunately, a few other things are happening in parallel that affect my decision, so let’s see how this all pans out.  If I’m going to go to Leh, I need to prep my car, buy some supplies, and get going relatively soon.  Only then would I be able to spend the required time before roads start closing again.

Another Trip Already! Part 1

I have been back in Delhi from my Goa trip two days now.  I have no real withdrawal symptoms to speak of.  I am somewhat surprised by that.  Instead, what I have is a strong desire to travel more!

I decided to review some travel websites in India yesterday (Saturday) and today.  I have been thinking of going to Ladakh and Leh for quite some time now.  It looks like roads are open until October.  This is important because a) I am considering driving up there, and b) if I don’t do it this winter I won’t have a chance to do it until next year.  From the blogs and sites I read, the views are outstanding and driving really makes all the difference, as I expected.

The airfare would be around Rs. 10,000 according to a couple of travel sites.  If I drove, petrol would probably end up costing me about the same.  Delhi to Leh via Srinagar is about 1218 kms.  Delhi to Leh via Manali is about 860 km.  If I went up via Srinagar (and possibly through Dharamshala) and came down via Manali, I’m looking at about 2100 to 2400 kms altogether.  At 10 km per litre, a back-of-the-envelope estimate requires 210 to 240 litres for the trip.  At Rs. 55 per litre, we’re looking at Rs. 11,550 to Rs. 13,200.  That’s a reasonable difference from the airfare but would be well worth it.

The first question that hit me was if I could drive up in my Honda City.  Don’t I need some kind of SUV as the blogs suggested?  I would think an SUV was preferred.  But then I was wondering if an SUV is absolutely required or can a Honda City do also?  I don’t mind being a bit adventurous in a Honda, going a bit slower and taking additional precautions as long as it is still generally safe.  My answer was found here and (somewhat) here.

You require about 8 to 12/13 days, depending on the number of surrounding places you wish to visit.  Your day count is forcibly reduced (or needs extension) because you must get acclimated to the high altitude!  Visitors in the past have recommended various strategies of doing this including spending a night at a location on the way to Leh and planning that within the driving itinerary.  The other way to do this is to arrive by air and then spend a day to two days doing absolutely nothing except local walking around, i.e. very limited exertion.

One driving route I came across is from Delhi to Manali to Leh.  This is probably the most used route if the final destination is Leh, which it is for most people.  I guess it is mine too but then I came across a post that talked about houseboats in Srinagar.  I had wanted to go out there as well.  I was wondering if I could drive up to Srinagar, cross over to Leh, and then come back down the Manali route.  Turns out I can do that.

The other option, one that I haven’t considered too seriously but did look into, is taking a train up to Jammu and then a bus across to Leh.  This would significantly cut down my cost as a 2AC train from Delhi to Jammu can be had for Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1100.  That’s less than a tenth of the driving cost.  Yet, it wouldn’t be nearly the same.

All this sounded great until I remembered the newspapers talking about the Amarnath land issue that led to general mayhem in the region.  I had decided to bunk the idea when I came across a news article stating that a sit-in was being planned for tomorrow, August 25, and that a potential agreement was in the offing.  If a sit-in does happen, I think the chances of the curfews being removed and road travel opening up again are slim.

Going at this time is a bit too risky, even for me.  Sure, I can be adventurous and take risks on these types of things, I know I’ll find a way through it without harm, especially since it would only be me going.  But this wouldn’t be adventurous at this point in the protest movement, this would be stupidity.  If it clears up in the next couple of days, this may still be a salvagable idea.  Otherwise, Ladakh and Leh are out for this year.

Goa Trip – Interesting Observations and Helpful Tips – Part 2

This is a continuation of my first post.  Please read that for the disclaimers.

Getting Around – Transportation
Rent an Activa if you can drive a scooter.  I highly recommend it as the way to get around town.  It doesn’t require gears to be changed (i.e., it’s automatic) so don’t worry about that.  I got it for Rs. 200 per day for two days.  If you rent it for one or two days, you can expect to pay that much.  If you take it for 3 or more days, you can get it for Rs. 150.  There are private owners who will rent out to you.  I took a vehicle from one for two days.  I suppose it’s extra income for them.  They don’t have the license to rent the vehicle and so I would suggest avoiding them.  They will also charge you the same amount as an authorized dealer.  The way you know the difference is that the licensed vendors have vehicles with license/number plate in yellow/gold.  Private vehicles are in white.

Baga and Calungute do not have a petrol station.  If you are venturing to Panjim, you can fill her up there.  You will pay regular rates at the pump.  If you don’t get to Panjim don’t fret.  You can get second hand petrol many places in Baga also.  You will pay a slight premium – Rs. 65 to 75 per litre as opposed to the standard rates of approximately Rs. 55. 

The way this works is that people have one litre water bottles with petrol for sale.  You can identify these shops because sometimes they put a few bottles right outside their premises.  If you don’t see this, just ask and someone will tell you where you can find bootlegged petrol. 

If you have a car, that’s equally good also.  But if you are here during peak season, I would think you would want to park your car and get a scooter, or even more likely walk.  Don’t wait to see if you need it, just get it, you will be glad you did.  There really is no other transportation in this part of Goa.  There are a few taxis but you’ll pay the same amount for one ride that you would for the whole day of Activa rental.  The taxis aren’t readily available everywhere.  Again, the whole situation will probably be dramatically different during peak season.

While they are the practical solution, Activas really are the best way to get the true feel of the place.

Alcohol Availability
Alcohol is available starting at 10:00 AM and on until 6:00 AM at places like Mambo.  Watch out for the deals.  You can score liquor at highly reduced rates during happy hour, which usually goes from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM.  Try the King’s beer, a local Goa product, only because I think one should be willing to try different things.  But don’t be surprised if you don’t like it.  I didn’t care for it much.

Food
South and North Indian food is easily available.  You can get a good meal for Rs. 250 to Rs. 300 per person.  Keep in mind that I am vegeterian.  Non-veg may cost slightly more.  Fast food like McCann’s is for as little as Rs. 50.  It’s right near Tito’s and is open until 6:00 AM.  This is likely the place most people will go to since they’ll be partying more than me. 

You also have American food such as Domino’s and Subway in Baga.  High end hotels will, of course, cost you more.  A lunch meal and dessert at the Hotel Aguada Resort along with two beers will be slightly over Rs. 1000.

You have to check out Britto’s.  It’s a great restaurant and pub in the northern part of Baga.  There is plenty of place to sit and you can be right on the water if you get there early enough to get those seats.  If you are vegeterian, check out Sagar in between Calungute and Baga.  It’s not “local” but good food nonetheless.

Going back to McCann’s, I also highly recommend it.  It’s literally a hole-in-the-wall place with a few chairs outside.  It is not a restaurant but if you plan to pick up food or find yourself hungry after a late night of partying, this is the place.  In fact, if you’re cruising by, check it out too.  The place doesn’t open until 7:00 PM though.  Again, this may be different during peak season.

Open Hours
Very little opens in Baga until 9:30 AM.  Infantaria does open earlier, maybe around 7:00 AM or 7:30 AM, and has a decent breakfast menu.  Even Cafe Coffee Day doesn’t open until late.  There are a couple of places in Calungute that had signs of being open 24 hours.  If you wake up early, plan to have your own tea or coffee available.  A notable exception to this is Subway.  I had a meal there at 7:00 AM or so one day.

The party places are open all night.  Their liquor license is until 6:00 AM and they tend to stay open with a crowd until very late.  Not sure if this is the case during non-peak and non-Independence Day weekends though.

Party Places
Baga has the parties.  Mambo (and Tito’s) is the place to be.  They’re owned by the same person and are adjacent to each other.  Actually, I believe Mambo’s official name is Tito’s Mambo.  The place is where the parties were happening until 6:00 AM!  Tito’s seems to be turned into a restaurant full-time.  They’re both in Baga.

A club on the same street as Tito’s, two doors down, was under construction/renovation while I was there.  It’s called Kamiki.  It’ll probably be ready by this December.  So that’s a place you’ll want to check out also.

Bottom line, Baga is a great place for clubbing.

Supermarkets
There is at least one store in Baga that is a real supermarket.  They are relatively large and offer the key necessities you may require during your stay.  It’s called ”Norms” I believe.  It’s open 24 hours in fact.  It’s near the street that takes you down to Mambo and Tito’s.  There are also plenty of other mom/pop stores where you can get the essentials during the day.

Goa Trip – Interesting Observations and Helpful Tips – Part 1

I ended up in Goa during Independence Day weekend.  It’s actually a great time to come down.  The crowd is larger than you might get at other times during the off-season.  After a few days here, I know enough to provide a few interesting observations and even some helpful advice.  I will cover accomodations, transportation, food and alcohol, typical open hours, and a couple of party places.  If I think of something else, I’ll add it.

Disclaimers
Before I start, keep in mind three things:  first, my input is based on spending most of my time in Baga and Calungute.  I did not go to the south.  Second, I was here during the off-season.  Costs will be significantly higher during the peak season of December to January.  Finally, undoubtedly there are many places I missed.  This isn’t meant to be a guide; it’s just what I came across during my (relaxing) stay in Goa.

Hospitality
The people in Goa are generally helpful.  I read about this in my research but it’s really true.  I have yet to run across someone who was rude.  It’s very unlike New Delhi or New York.

Language Considerations
You won’t have any problems in Goa if you speak English.  That’s the preferred language in fact.  I think most of the locals speak English with tourists.  If you come here from outside India and think you’ll practice speaking Hindi, you probably won’t get a chance to do that.

Names of Towns
Goans have a localized vernacular for their towns.  Panaji is called Panjim by the locals.  Mapusa is pronounced Mapsa.  If you were reading a map prior to going to Goa, you’ll see Panaji and may get confused when you get to Goa and hear Panjim all the time.  They are not two separate cities.  When you hear the word Mapsa, they mean Mapusa on the map.

Panaji in the South
It is interesting that Goans consider Panjim to be in the south.  I heard this from at least two people.  I also heard this from one of the Mumbai guys that was going to be coming on the trip.  When I looked at Goa maps, that didn’t work by any stretch of (my) imagination and I have to admit I was confused when people said that.  To me, this is not a geographical determination.  It is a social one.

I am assuming (so I may be wrong) they consider Panjim to be in the south because in most major cities in India, the southern part of the city is where the affluent typically live.  South Delhi is much more richer than North Delhi, for example.  I don’t know enough about Mumbai but do know that South Mumbai has the “business” class families as opposed to the “service” class.  In India, that’s also an indication of wealth.

Now, I could be totally wrong about this.  If I am incorrect, please email me and let me know.

Don’t Ask About Places to See!
As you venture on your Activa or car (see my next post), you may be tempted to ask a local person the places to visit in a specific town.  Or, you may want to know what’s further ahead of you on the road you find yourself on.  Don’t bother!  I can tell you what they will say: “the beach”.    Yes folks, the only thing to see in Goa is the beach.  Or at least that’s the impression the locals will give you.  There are a few churches and museums but the standard answer is firmly established.

The one exception to this is asking about eating joints and watering holes.  Those are questions that are readily answered, sometimes even without asking.

 

Accomodations
Identification.  The first thing you need to know about accomodations is that you require some kind of identification to secure a place.  I would think this is the case for all hotels as well, not sure, but it is for guesthouses and cottages.  I used my license.  A passport or an identity card would work also.

There are four kinds of accomodations in Goa, as elsewhere.  The difference though is that the number of each kind varies significantly.  You’ll find high-end hotels, mid-level hotels, cottages, and guesthouses.  Majority of the places are guesthouses and cottages, probably over 80%.  You may find half dozen or so mid-level accomodations.  Well, they describe themselves as 3-star.  They’re fairly good places.  The number of high-end hotels is probably even fewer.

My feedback on these places is from going to the reception, asking about their tariff rates and getting a feel of the hotel.  In some cases, I may have had a meal there.  I did no lengthy research, so keep that in mind. 

(I’m not even sure why I’m giving these tips, since I did no exhaustive survey and it’s not like I stayed in Goa for a month.  But, whatever, they’re here for those who may find it useful.  Plus it’s a great way for me to summarize my trip.)

Guesthouses.  I stayed at a guesthouse and it was just fine.  I had a TV which I paid Rs. 25 more per night.  There was no AC but it wasn’t really needed in August.  If you come with people who are used to more comfort, you might shoot for a mid-level hotel.  The only issue of not having an AC is that the windows stay open.  This means you’ll get a few flies, though not by any means an unbearing number.  It’s a good idea to have Odomos nonetheless.

The guesthouses during the off-season can be had for Rs. 450 to Rs. 750 with Rs. 500 a good average.  Part of it depends on when you get here (i.e., before the crowd?) and the length of your stay.  They have mostly double beds but singles are also available.  The rates aren’t much different though.  Air conditioning rooms can be had along with cable TV. 

One important note about guesthouses: they are just like the name implies.  They are houses, even if they are large, owned by regular people.  These folks live here, it is there home.  So be respectful of that!  It’s the fine line between acting as a houseguest and a hotel visitor.  They will generally leave you alone.  You are not expected to socialize with them but you may want to talk to them anyway.

Here is a picture with many guesthouses (yes, they are right next to each other).  The phone numbers aren’t provided.  I’m sure you are a resourceful person and can Google it or find some other means to get the contact details. And here’s another one.

Cottages.  Cottages are one step higher than guesthouses.  They are really like small motels in the West.  You can get the same rate as guesthouses with the range going from Rs. 500 to Rs. 800 during the off-season.  Some cottages have swimming pools so look for that if you are interested (actually, some guesthouses may have that too).

Mid-level hotels.  These are around Rs. 1300 to Rs. 1800 per night.  I didn’t see many of them but I do know they are around.  They are probably a good bet.  If I wasn’t going on the cheap on this trip, I’d probably opt for one of these.

High-end hotels.  In a trend I am noticing in cities I visit, high-end hotels charge rates similar to hotels in the West.  In Goa during off-peak season, they can be up to Rs. 3000 to Rs. 6000 per night.  They are luxurious places like you would find in a major metro.  The Hotel Aguada Resort is now owned by Taj and I highly recommend this place.  I had lunch there and spent two other afternoons at the outside restaurants.  Excellent place with sweet ass views.  Okay, honestly, this is what I thought all of Goa would be like (see my post titled “Fort Aguada and the Envisioned Goa”).  The Grand and Lemon Tree are two other places that are pretty good.

Bathroom water.  Okay, I am not sure I know the definitive answer to this issue.  If you leave your razor on the bathroom sink, be prepared to have it be slimy the next day!  Yes, that’s right, slimy.  It’s very similar to the trail that snails leave!  In fact, I honestly thought that’s what it was the first day I noticed it, maybe a snail got in the bathroom.

It may also just be the wetness of monsoon season.  I kept the water bucket filled so I wasn’t chancing a lack of water to take a bath in the morning.  I left the mug in the bucket.  After the second day, I noticed that the mug had the same slimy feel to it.  If you leave something in a damp area like the bathroom, you will get this.  I don’t think this will be a problem at more expensive hotels and it’s unlikely to be an issue during the warm peak season.

I thought about asking the guesthouse owners.  Then I thought if it wasn’t due to the monsoons they’d feel bad about it.  I decided it wasn’t that big a deal.

Peak season. The hotels during December start getting booked up in August.  A couple of high-level hotels I talked to said their rates are as much as Rs. 25,000 per night from December 23rd to January 1st!  That is definitely on the high end.  You can probably find a mid-level hotel between Rs. 5000 to Rs. 12,000. 

Guesthouses will probably be between Rs. 1500 to Rs. 3000, again depending on when you got there and how long you intended to stay.  These would be double beds.  Each extra person/bed generally costs Rs. 1000 extra per night.

Goa Trip – Confessions

I bought ‘The Week’ news magazine, for which I can’t seem to find a website except maybe this one, at Vasco da Gama station to catch up on news of the last 10 days that I might have missed.  In going through the table of contents, a review of the book “You Are Here” caught my attention.  It is written by twenty-something Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan.  The book is about the new young, urban Indian woman, her attitude and uninhibitedness.  Madhavan describes a woman who gets drunk, smokes, and doesn’t hide her sexuality and the many men in her life.  Sounds like a good read.  It lends towards my interest of learning more about the new urban India.  And where are these girls anyway?

What’s even more interesting is the way in which the book came about.  Madhavan has a blog called ‘The Compulsive Confessor’.  Two publishing houses read it and approached her to convert it into a book. Hmm.  I wonder if 1.5 Generation Indian will turn into something like that.  LOL.  Probably not.  If it is to do that, I’ll have to describe my 1.5GI and NRI related observations more so.  Something to think about nonetheless.

The book review got me thinking on a completely different tangent though.  While I was in Goa, there were two occassions where I briefly thought to myself that I should go and find a chick to hook up with.  I was in Goa afterall!  It was like being in Miami for spring break.  “Come on, that’s what people do,” I told myself!  Unfortunately, or fortunately, these thoughts didn’t come to me until the parties for the weekend were over.  Even if I was to find a girl at bar or club, chances of which were slim since girls don’t go places without guys in India (see my posts on Dating in Delhi), the crowd had largely left.  The trigger for these adventurous liasions was the owner guy of the guesthouse that I was staying at.  He asked me a couple of times if I had gone partying at Mambo.  When I told him I hadn’t, he gave me a disappointed look, though he tried to hide it.

I had been officially reminded that being single sucks. And being single and in Goa sucked even more.