A relaxing weekend in Goa

After a 45 min flight, I arrived in Goa on Friday afternoon. I took a 1½ hr taxi ride to Palolem Beach, which is quiet, pretty and away from the party scene – so my kind of beach! I’m staying at Camp San Francisco (beachfront huts right on the water) and “camp” is a good way to describe the accommodations (my hut doesn’t even have a mirror and the shower is this tiny trickle of cold water). That being said, the location can’t be beat. Even though the place I wanted (and that Lonely Planet recommended) was booked, I had to do a ton of research on my own and take a gamble and I actually think in the end I picked the perfect beach and the perfect beach huts. Camp San Francsico is in the center of a beautiful, long beach, and I have the best room (closest to the water). While the accommodations are quite basic, I haven’t seen even one creepy-crawly thing (amazing) and it looks to me like the most appealing spot on the beach, with the best view, an incredibly attentive staff and a restaurant with terrific food. I enjoyed a relaxing dinner at a little candlelight table under a thatched umbrella (that was right in front of my beach hut), about 50 feet from the waves rolling in from the ocean.


Since I’m traveling solo, I struck up a conversation with a young local girl who was hanging out on the beach. She’s 19 and pregnant with her 2nd child. She has never been to school and was married at 17. She confirmed the message I hear often, which is that in India you’re really expected to have babies IMMEDIATELY after getting married – or else everyone assumes there is a problem. She reinforced to me (once again) that I need to get started with my family! (I get this message here several times a day) Anyhow, she works at a local shop selling souvenirs to tourists and her husband sells sarongs on the beach, with her sister who sells jewelry and does henna tattoos on the beach. Sweet girl…

After dinner I laid in bed listening to a really great mix of reggae/ dance /bollywood music on one side (coming from the laid-back bar next door) and the sound of waves rolling in from the ocean on the other. It was so nice.

Even though it was forecasted to thunderstorm all weekend, Saturday the sky stayed blue and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Thank the Lord!!! It was pretty hot out, but the water was clean and refreshing. I spent the day reading on the beach, eating at beachside cafes and buying jewelry from the beach vendors. At one point I took a boat cruise to a remote cove where I enjoyed a private “Butterfly Beach” (with 3 others who wandered off) for 2 hours. It felt like a piece of paradise.


I’ve met many Caucasian tourists here, but not a single American! Everyone is Russian, Canadian, Estonian, German, Israeli… everything but American – it’s so strange. The boat operators say that very few Americans come to Goa.

Later as the sun set, I walked along pristine Palolem beach and listed to Sarah McLauglan and Enya on my ipod. It was like the dream version of my perfect day, except for the fact that I kept thinking “Dana would LOVE it here”! It doesn’t feel fair that I’m living this adventure while he’s home working on PDRs and Business Reviews, but I guess I’ll have to remember that “I owe him one” (my words, not his) one day when I’m going into labor : ) I felt a bit guilty laying on the beach today drinking Kingfishers while he is actually volunteering and cleaning up trash in Dallas. What can I say other than my husband is pretty amazing and we are very blessed!

For dinner I ate on the beach again under a starry sky. A very talented Estonian singer (who is apparently recording his CD next week) performed with an acoustic guitar while all of the Camp San Francisco guests relaxed around a campfire.

Sunday I bought some jewelry on the beach from a 15 yr old girl named Nikkita. I thought that was a beautiful name and asked her how to spell it. She said she didn’t know how to spell (her own name!) since she had never been to school. That is so sad. I also took a dolphin boat cruise out to “Honeymoon Beach” – we didn’t see dolphins but the beach was gorgeous.

This weekend confirmed to me (once again) that you don’t have to stay at a 5-star hotel to have an amazing vacation. For about what we pay for parking when we stay at fancy hotels, you can really live an amazing life and have quite an adventure. I think that’s why D and I really love to explore developing countries. I’m really looking forward to seeing him in less than 3 weeks!