A Slower Pace

Palolem, India -- October 7-9 -- Day 2-4

Although we originally planned on only three nights, it didn't take us long to decide to add an extra day. Due to our "impeccable" planning (as usual), we were apparently just ahead of the crowds, which we were told would arrive in the next couple weeks and last through April. Soon there would be rows and rows of extra cabins set up in the trees and along the beach.

On Friday morning at a small, thatched roof restaurant across the road, the Spice of Life, I asked everyone to think of the biggest highlights of the trip so far. When were the times when we exclaimed this is "amazing," "awesome," or "beautiful"? The list quickly grew, including sights, activities and people that we had encountered during the four and a half months we had already been away from home -- the Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Madrid, the Wild Wadi Waterpark in Dubai, sandboarding in Namibia, wildlife sightings in Etosha and Kruger Parks, riding down the Gran San Bernadino Pass in Switzerland, mesmerized by miniature trains in Frankfurt, running up and down the Eiffel Tower stairs at night, the Egyptian exhibits at the British Museum.... Then, of course, meeting up with so many people along the way -- riding the gondola with Gary and Teri in Venice, playing backyard football with Axel and Marion in Germany, sharing fantastic meals with Bjorn and Annica in Sweden, swimming in the brisk archipelago waters with Bertil and Annika, gobbling up tasty reindeer meatballs with Kerstin & Ake, Berry picking with Cam in Norway, seeing amazing views with Mike and Ely on top of the London Eye....

Meg and Kylie, newly "henna'd"

A man at the table behind us, overhearing the ever-growing list, finally had to ask, “where are you guys from?  This trip sounds amazing!”  His ears had perked up in particular at the mention of Hamburg, Hannover and Frankfurt as both he and his travel companion were from Germany. Thus began our friendship with Stephen and Andre.

Stephen

Andre

Both had spent the first couple weeks in India on a group tour through Rajasthan and were now enjoying a slower pace here in Goa. Andre quickly offered to buy us coffee and chai while Dex and Kylie scampered off to the beach. We each shared stories of our Indian travels, and they were quick to give us advice about Rajasthan and recommended we take a short canoe tour up the nearby river to see the bird life.

Over the next couple days, we met Stephen and Andre multiple times for dinner and breakfast. We even introduced them to Farkel one night, where Stephen's more conservative and Andre's risk taking nature were on full display.

To help wile away the daytime hours, we invested in a couple floaty toys, a plastic ball, and three Hot Wheel cars. Batting the bright red ball between between us while jostled by the warm waves became one our our favorite activities. At one point, a group of local tourists got in on the action with Dex and me, no verbal communication required.

Although the shop owners still called out to us when we passed by, here, on the beach, it was the Indian tourists that often came up to us just wanting to know where we were from. They seem genuinely happy that we had chosen to visit their country, often shaking our hands on departure.

On Saturday, we finally got around to the boat tour. Our guide, Robert, pushed the wooden canoe up the nearby river, lined with mangroves, with a long pole. It didn't take long before we saw eagles and hawks perched in the trees.

To make sure we had a first hand view, Robert tossed handfuls of chicken into the water. Within seconds, there were throngs of birds swooping in. As it was pretty much impossible to actually time a shot, I found simply putting the camera into sport mode and holding down the shutter was the best strategy.

Although our guide stuttered a bit with his English, he explained the benefit of the mangroves in filtering the water and preventing storm surge.  We all appreciated his attempt to keep us entertained with riddles on the way back to the beach -- why did the man take the elevator down from the 100th floor each day, but only up to the fiftieth, walking the remaining fifty floors...?

Ah, but all good things must come to an end.  With the weather turning increasingly rainy, we prepared to say goodbye on Sunday evening, once again corralling our items into our packs. Tomorrow, we experience the Indian train system.