So far, my experience in Goa could be summed up with 3 M's: Moto's, Music, and a Mutinous Belly. Yeah, I wish I could finish this entry with my customary 'Intestines still fine' but alas it would be a lie. Two days ago I was bedridden, anything that entered my stomach was kicked out faster and ruder than a hippie with an overextended visa. And believe me, there are a lot of those here.
Today, on the other hand, has been fantastic: A 2 hour massage followed by a 2 hour yoga session. Ahhh to feel alive again.
Anyways, that's not what this blog entry is about.
Following an arduous 14 hour bus ride from Mumbai Mal and I arrived in Goa early in the morning. Well, Panaji to be precise. You see, Goa is not a city but a small province with little beachside villages sprinkled throughout. Panaji is its capital and where I started my Goan excursion. It was there I found a tailor and got two custom shirts made; there's nothing like a well fit shirt. In addition, I got rid of the beard, for the first time being shaved by a barber the old fashioned way: straight razor all the way. When that was all sorted it was time to hit the beach, and more importantly meet up with my very good friend Adam, who I will be travelling with for the next little while and will be a fixture on this blog, along with Mal. Together we shall be the 3 Indian muskateers: pictures coming soon.
In Panaji I had some decisions to make. Goa wasn't very big but there was a lot to it and getting around might be a problem should I rely on nothing but taxi's. It would get expensively quickly. There was, however, an alternative, one that I jumped at and have been enjoying ever since: my very own motorbike. Hehe, don't worry mom, I'm driving just as carefully as I did back home. Er, more carefully, yes, far more.
It's liberating, really, to be master of your own transportation. And cruising through the Indian countryside on a motorbike is satisfying on so many levels. Though I've had to remind myself to stay on the left hand side of the road a few times, and dodging cows and elephants at times has been a chore, on a whole it is fantastic.
There is one other thing that I've done that is quite exciting. You see not only is my friend Adam here, a man very much musically inclined, but so is a woman I know from back home named Sparrow. Sparrow is here to record an album. And the day after I arrived she needed to add some backing vocals to some of her tracks. When she asked if I would like to help, I was more than happy to.
A few days ago I showed up at the recording studio with my best singing voice. There, I met an older british man with a long gray hair, a goatee, and joyful, smiling eyes. His name was Chin Maya, or Chinny for short. He was producing Sparrow's album and would accompany me and Adam as the male back up singers. There was, in addition to us, four girls that Sparrow had wrangled up would provide our contrast. We spent the morning in the studio(which was a three-story tower really, with trapdoors and ladders to access each level) singing and laughing. It was good fun! So, I've been a little over a week in a week in India and have made appearances in an Indian TV Show and music album, with injuries and sicknesses interspersed throughout. I think I've done well.
Oh! and I've bought a small, lightweight didgeridoo, it should be an excellent companion in my travels.
Intestinesstill now fine.
Today, on the other hand, has been fantastic: A 2 hour massage followed by a 2 hour yoga session. Ahhh to feel alive again.
Anyways, that's not what this blog entry is about.
Following an arduous 14 hour bus ride from Mumbai Mal and I arrived in Goa early in the morning. Well, Panaji to be precise. You see, Goa is not a city but a small province with little beachside villages sprinkled throughout. Panaji is its capital and where I started my Goan excursion. It was there I found a tailor and got two custom shirts made; there's nothing like a well fit shirt. In addition, I got rid of the beard, for the first time being shaved by a barber the old fashioned way: straight razor all the way. When that was all sorted it was time to hit the beach, and more importantly meet up with my very good friend Adam, who I will be travelling with for the next little while and will be a fixture on this blog, along with Mal. Together we shall be the 3 Indian muskateers: pictures coming soon.
In Panaji I had some decisions to make. Goa wasn't very big but there was a lot to it and getting around might be a problem should I rely on nothing but taxi's. It would get expensively quickly. There was, however, an alternative, one that I jumped at and have been enjoying ever since: my very own motorbike. Hehe, don't worry mom, I'm driving just as carefully as I did back home. Er, more carefully, yes, far more.
It's liberating, really, to be master of your own transportation. And cruising through the Indian countryside on a motorbike is satisfying on so many levels. Though I've had to remind myself to stay on the left hand side of the road a few times, and dodging cows and elephants at times has been a chore, on a whole it is fantastic.
There is one other thing that I've done that is quite exciting. You see not only is my friend Adam here, a man very much musically inclined, but so is a woman I know from back home named Sparrow. Sparrow is here to record an album. And the day after I arrived she needed to add some backing vocals to some of her tracks. When she asked if I would like to help, I was more than happy to.
A few days ago I showed up at the recording studio with my best singing voice. There, I met an older british man with a long gray hair, a goatee, and joyful, smiling eyes. His name was Chin Maya, or Chinny for short. He was producing Sparrow's album and would accompany me and Adam as the male back up singers. There was, in addition to us, four girls that Sparrow had wrangled up would provide our contrast. We spent the morning in the studio(which was a three-story tower really, with trapdoors and ladders to access each level) singing and laughing. It was good fun! So, I've been a little over a week in a week in India and have made appearances in an Indian TV Show and music album, with injuries and sicknesses interspersed throughout. I think I've done well.
Oh! and I've bought a small, lightweight didgeridoo, it should be an excellent companion in my travels.
Intestines
OMG...maybe yer mom won't worry about the bike, but I will...Helmet???
ReplyDeleteDon't break your collarbone!
ReplyDeleteBikes are bad!!! Have you learned nothing from my tales? Return that atrocity and rent a jeep - 4 wheels very stable, yes sir
ReplyDelete