As it was my birthday in January we went 'on holiday' for 1 week. We went to Colva, which is about 2 hours from here on the scooter. Colva was the place in Goa that we always used to go to, until we found Agonda. We took as little as possible with us as there are several steep roads and our scooter doesn't have much power. They are designed for small Indian people, not Colin, me and a weeks worth of stuff. So Colin limited me to 1 change of clothes for a week (although he did allow me to take a bar of washing soap so that I wasn't a complete clatty midden) - imagine that girls!
The journey was going well until we hit the really steep hill. The scooter was really struggling so Colin decided that we needed to make ourselves more aero-dynamic so that I didn't have to get off and walk. He was sitting with his head on the handlebars and I I was sitting and my torso was down flat against his back. It actually worked even though our top speed was 5 miles per hour and we looked like a couple of dafties. You can drive by road all the way but we took the route where, half way up you catch a small ferry across the river. You are only on the ferry for a couple of minutes but it is really nice and scenic.
When we got to Colva we headed to Joemas cottages. Colin has been staying there since 1995, sometimes for 6 months at a time. It is an Indian family who have 4 small rooms at the back of their house in the garden. When Colin first started going there it was a Mama and her 3 sons, the sons are around Colin's age. Now the family has grown with the sons being married and 1 having 3 children. They all still live in the family home. Unfortunately Mama, who was the linchpin of the household and very hard working, had died in October at age 81. As usual they were delighted to see Colin and share news about other travellers and Indians that they've all known over the years.
It is really nice sitting on the balcony by your room as the view is just plants, banana trees and papya trees. The family have 3 dogs, a cat and also rear pigs and chickens. So all these animals wander around in front of the balcony. This year 1 of the pigs had 8 tiny piglets and the cat had 3 kittens so I was in my element. Cost us a fortune in biscuits cos I love to feed ALL the animals.
Colva is much bigger and busier than Agonda. The beach is 18kms long. It gets a lot of Indian tourists and Westerners who stay for 6 months every year. It has big apartment blocks to accomodate this, although not on the beach front. You have to cross over a bridge to get to the beach and, at that point, the beach is rammed with people, jetskis, parasailing, banana boat rides ect. However if you walk about a kilometer along the beach you find small isolated shacks with serve food and provide sunbeds and shade. We always go to a shack called Cecelias. It is run by a mother and her son, with a couple of helpers. She is an excellent cook so the food is always great.
One of the helpers in the shack is called Sharon, whom Colin has known for about 10 years. She used to be a seller on the beach, selling fruit, sarongs, jewellery etc. As selling on the beach was banned by the police many years ago she now helps out at the shack. She doesn't get paid for this but, as it is a discreet way to sell to tourists, she does it. All her merchandise is hidden on her person and it is hilarious to see her pulling jewellery out of her bra and sarongs, clothes and sunbed blankets being pulled out of her Sari. I think Colin and I are the only people she doesn't try to sell to as she knows we never buy anything. We have a really good crack with her though.
7 years ago I bought a sunbed blanket from her and I still have it. Every year, including this 1, she can't believe I still have it and complains every time she sees it. The best one though is Colin with his blue north face vest top that he has had for 12 years which he wears every day to the beach, even if he is there for 6 months. It drives Sharon mad. She told me I should throw it in the bin and tell Colin that the jealous people stole it. Then he would need to buy something from her. She also says that she knows we have arrived in Colva because she spots Colin walking along the beach to the shack, identified by his blue vest top!
We had a really nice time catching up with friends that we have known for a long time but is was really good to get back to the quiet and calm of Agonda
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