Observations from Goa and Bombay

  • We tried to rent a motorbike in Goa but were denied because we made the mistake of asking for instructions on how to ride it.

  • One night some eggs must have hatched because our light in our bedroom was covered with hundreds of buzzing flying ants. They were all dead on our floor by the time we got back from dinner.

  • A phone stall in New Delhi, IndiaI had no idea it was Superbowl Sunday until my 87 year old Great Aunt told me when I randomly called on that day.

  • Thank goodness that Carrie and I both speak Spanish. It’s  like our secret language, which we use when we have to make a quick decision and don’t want the person standing in front of us to know what we’re talking about … things like how much we want to pay, or if we want to stay somewhere.

  • A little boy “pinned” a paper Indian flag on my shirt to celebrate Republic Day. When I looked at it later I realized the pin was actually a nail.

  • When booking train tickets we once had to go to the Tourist Desk where in the time that the four people in front of us asked questions and booked their tickets, more than 150 Indians were able to do the same thing.

  • The beds we sleep on are usually so thin it’s like we’re sleeping on the floor.

  • We took a local train in Bombay during rush hour with our big bags and it was one of the most unpleasant experiences ever. We were used as chairs, baggage rests and were pushed, shoved, stepped on and trampled. Even a NYC rush hour could not compare to the madness.

  • A misspelled sign in IndiaThe November 26 attacks in Bombay are called 26/11, which always invokes 9/11 memories for me.

  • As seasoned travelers we usually try to avoid it, but sometimes it’s just easier to play the dumb tourist card. “But we just got here…this isn’t how the book said it was…”

  • When we travel on trains we never know where to get off so we just have to ask the locals and they are always sure to tell us when it’s our stop.

  • With every mosquito bite…and there are lots of them…I wonder, “is THIS the malaria bite?”

  • Man, traveling makes you tired!

  • A local neighborhood in IndiaMuch of India is covered in dust or sand of some sort.

  • A good rule of thumb is to go where the hippies are.

  • We’ve shipped two packages home so far and every time we do something else new takes its place in our bags.

  • One meal a day and a couple of teeny snacks is a very common occurrence for us.

  • It’s amazing, the Indians always hike through dirt and filth and still wear bright clothes that never seem to get dirty.

  • While walking down the street of Arambol we heard a loud pop and saw fireworks from above. We quickly ran, as this was actually a power line cracking open and falling. Scary!