The second half of my trip through South India a couple weeks ago took me to Dandeli, a small but increasingly tourism-based town in the mountains, and Goa, one of India’s best beach regions.
DANDELI
It was quite the adventure to get to Dandeli, and for as fun as jumping from one local bus to another between random towns was, it was not a journey I would recommend doing unless you have your own car. I did find some enjoyment in being in part of the world where my ability was limited but still being able to get around by relying on the kindness and directions of locals.
Dandeli was a perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of Indian cities. In fact, we even got to stay in this pretty awesome treehouse right over the river.
From boating to bamboo pole fishing to going on a guided late night nature walk, it was a very nice escape into the wild. Another one of the activities we did was go to what they called a “natural jacuzzi.” This involved taking a boat over to a nearby island where there were some rapids that flow into a quiet pool. We would sit up against the rocks so the rushing water would massage (read “destroy”) our backs and then chill in the pool afterwards. I could see myself totally doing it again, but then before we knew it, it was off to Goa!
One last view from the boat on the river
GOA
Finally made it to our destination — Goa! The beaches of Goa are a popular destination for foreigners, and I am not lying when I say that the majority of people on the beaches were white. We purposely picked a nice, quiet beach and relaxed for a couple glorious days.
As I looked out onto the ocean, I thought about how European sailors used to navigate around the coast and tip of India and probably looked at the same beaches I was lounging on. It still sometimes gets me that I’m on the other side of the world right now from everything I knew in life.
The local culture in Goa is interesting, as it was a part that was settled by the Portuguese. A good number of locals are Christian here — one of the taxi drivers I had was actually named Jesus Christian, no joke. They also have this local cashew liquor which might be the most subtle and smooth liquor I have ever tasted. But no trip to Goa would be complete without trying the seafood.
Tandoori Kingfish — Amazing stuff.
So that was essentially my trip in a nutshell. Got to see a lot, hang out with FMS friends, and enjoy local culture. It was relaxing but was definitely a momentary escape in the greater picture of what I’m doing here in India. I totally believe my friends here when they say that even they haven’t seen all of India — there’s just so much going on and so much history! Definitely would like to explore some more, but for now I’m pretty happy with the sampling I’ve been blessed to experience while I’ve been here