Goa is the place (Part I)

Link for Part2

Link for Part3

I decided to go Goa, but none of my colleagues, friends liked my plan , without any advance hotel bookings, and then I decided, to check if I can roam all alone there. It’s a beach paradise in India, a long and rich colorful coastal line, means romantic beaches but I wanted to verify with own eyes, moreover I wanted to learn how I feel roaming alone for three days with no prior plans.

26th January, India’s Republic, a Thursday this year, a national holiday, so I took off for Friday (27th Jan) and left Bangalore on Wednesday night to stay there for 3 days and 2 nights, booked my tickets through KSRTC, reliable and easy I must say.

BLR to GOA:

KSRTC Volvo, Airavat (non sleeper). Travel date 25th January - 6:50 PM.

total travel time 12 hrs, boarded from majestic bus station, ticket cost ~1300 INR, since I booked only 3 days in advance, and it was the peak season, so its expensive lucky that I got the seat #2

GOA to BLR return (redbus)

Kadamba travels, Volvo (non sleeper). Travel date: 28 Jan – time 6:50 PM, Panjim. ticket cost 850INR, travel time 12hrs.

Because of usual traffic around Majestic area we actually started around 8 PM from BLR and reached Panjim at around 9AM, through Karwar- Mudgaon route.

@Panjim :

Panjim bus station, like any other Indian station, you will find crowded, messy, sellers, vegetables, fruits cold drinks, tea , coffee, everything. Using my hand made map for the places/beaches which I had planned to visit and could be covered in two days, I decide to go to Calangute beach first.

Taxiwala said 500 RS but I knew the place is only 15 kms so I took the local city bus which cost 10 rupees and I experienced real Goa from inside a packed minibus with locals, foreigners (some in beach wears, believe me), fisher women (with basket full of fresh fishes, smelly), tourists, students everybody was in, conductor’s (drunken) dress up, hair, beard & bandana his trembling legs and shivering hands, him running in loops from back gate to front door in out of the bus to collect ticket, plus the old Hindi romantic remixed loud songs, I enjoyed every second of my travel in bus.

near Goa University &Medical college

somewhere before Panjim

somewhere at Calangute

@Calangute Day 1
I reached around 10:30 AM and got a single room on rent @600Rs/Day in someone’s house, hardly 100 meters from the beach. The bathroom was clean, had ventilation, enough water, one bucket, one double bed, neat bed sheet & pillows, glowing Philips bulb, fan what else I need in Goa, got freshen up and went to the beach, rest you can see in photographs.

@Calangute beach

@Calangute beach

@Calangute beach

@Calangute beach

@Calangute beach

evening sun @Calangute

evening sun @Calangute , beautiful this was

walkers @Calangute

kite flying @Calangute

amazing footballer

@Calangute market

Calangute main circle, loved this place, tons of variety of bikers...

Highlights:

• You can get rooms/houses on rent even if its peak season, no advance booking is a fun.
• People, drink less water, beer tops the chart.  
• Get a bike on rent.
• Variety of restaurants/foods on the beach in the evening & market area.
• Indian fellas please don't come with parents, because skin tanning is performed everywhere, only if you are very sure and comfortable, otherwise plan 'Vaishno Devi' or Somnath , visit. 
• Strictly recommended for honeymooners, rest can follow too :)  
• Shopaholics would love it too, beach wears, fashionable jewellery, tattoo  etc, I bought few packs of Kaju (cashew nuts), its famous for it as well, 50rs Reyban goggles.
• Baga & Candolim beaches are adjacent to Calangute on either sides, a must visit for real  beautiful white sand and colors ,  water sports if you like, I didn't try water sports myself though. 
• play football, frisbee, volleyball, cricket or other games on beach if you get a chance...

..more pics from anjuna, baga, candolim & other places in next post... PART2

Please leave your comments (good or bad) in my attempt, you can also click on this  Google's +1 button, it means a lot to me. 

~bd