After a lot of hassle over the price of a taxi we secured one at a slightly less extortionate rate (and then felt bad on the journey when the driver told us stories of the poverty of local taxi drivers). He was happy to go across the ferry and said it would - as we had been told previously - close shortly - possibly the next day- when the bridge would open. We noticed that some villas on the ferry approach had been seriously tarted up in anticipation of their much more peaceful future.
Anyway, it was an uneventful drive over the ghat and we were soon greeting the Prakash household and seeing our room, which was one of three new ones added as the first floor extension wing:- quite small and with no fridge but with modern fittings and an excellent bed! There have been changes nearby: a monstrous plate glass façade is still being erected as the place opposite is drastically renovated, and a set of "luxury" wooden cabins is up and running next door.
There is also a new restaurant on the road to The Office: Royal Italy. It became a favourite along with The German Bakery, Ferns and The Steak House where we went five times - to see four films. (A power cut and the curfew caused one to be aborted and resumed at a later date)
Here is the long anticipated (!) slide show for the five weeks or so, followed by some other snippets:
We soon heard about a tragedy that had happened some weeks before in our nearest town;- Chaudi, and we followed the progress of investigation and guilt-naming.
Last year's ridiculous ruling on sunbeds in front of bars has ben rescinded and it was generally possible to find a good spot in front of The Nest (The Office) but we did also use the place next door. One day we went for a walk and came back to find them almost deserted. The reason was soon apparent:- a very "nasty niff" emanating from a dead (and largely decapitated) turtle washed ashore after getting caught in either a net or a propeller. By next day it had been removed and it was rumoured that the shall was worth GBP2K.
Eleven of us went on the Betty's Boat Trip, using two taxis and discovering that the new bridge was not -in fact- open, so it was a third ferry crossing of the Sal for us. When we got to the boatyard our vessel had departed without us. We never really found out why, but we were given some story and piled into a very simple 10-seater to do the sea section of dolphin spotting. At the river mouth we were handed (well ten of us were) heavy duty life vests, and were taken on a largely fruitless and very lumpy hunt. Back into the river and were tied alongside the intended boat for a midstream relocation. Thereafter it was the usual programme with four sea bass instead of two kingfish, a lot of alcohol, some birds, bats and no-one remembers the journey back to Palolem.
And that's about all the excitement Greyrocks encountered (or sought!) 2014 goes down as the best yet of four Goa trips!
On the way home we passed through the new Terminal 2 at Mumbai Airport which had been open for just a few days. An amazing palace of a place - but not for the beer drinker! All the connections worked well for the journey home , although BA's in-flight film and TV choice gets worse every time we fly with them. Their days with us may be numbered! We had left 34deg C, passed through London's 8 and returned to Fuerte's 26 - but more of that later!
Anyway, it was an uneventful drive over the ghat and we were soon greeting the Prakash household and seeing our room, which was one of three new ones added as the first floor extension wing:- quite small and with no fridge but with modern fittings and an excellent bed! There have been changes nearby: a monstrous plate glass façade is still being erected as the place opposite is drastically renovated, and a set of "luxury" wooden cabins is up and running next door.
There is also a new restaurant on the road to The Office: Royal Italy. It became a favourite along with The German Bakery, Ferns and The Steak House where we went five times - to see four films. (A power cut and the curfew caused one to be aborted and resumed at a later date)
Here is the long anticipated (!) slide show for the five weeks or so, followed by some other snippets:
Last year's ridiculous ruling on sunbeds in front of bars has ben rescinded and it was generally possible to find a good spot in front of The Nest (The Office) but we did also use the place next door. One day we went for a walk and came back to find them almost deserted. The reason was soon apparent:- a very "nasty niff" emanating from a dead (and largely decapitated) turtle washed ashore after getting caught in either a net or a propeller. By next day it had been removed and it was rumoured that the shall was worth GBP2K.
Eleven of us went on the Betty's Boat Trip, using two taxis and discovering that the new bridge was not -in fact- open, so it was a third ferry crossing of the Sal for us. When we got to the boatyard our vessel had departed without us. We never really found out why, but we were given some story and piled into a very simple 10-seater to do the sea section of dolphin spotting. At the river mouth we were handed (well ten of us were) heavy duty life vests, and were taken on a largely fruitless and very lumpy hunt. Back into the river and were tied alongside the intended boat for a midstream relocation. Thereafter it was the usual programme with four sea bass instead of two kingfish, a lot of alcohol, some birds, bats and no-one remembers the journey back to Palolem.
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| Wow, but no beer! |
On the way home we passed through the new Terminal 2 at Mumbai Airport which had been open for just a few days. An amazing palace of a place - but not for the beer drinker! All the connections worked well for the journey home , although BA's in-flight film and TV choice gets worse every time we fly with them. Their days with us may be numbered! We had left 34deg C, passed through London's 8 and returned to Fuerte's 26 - but more of that later!
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