After 5 days of being in Shilma it was getting a little repetative, walking back and forth down the 2 main streets and steep streets, so we decided it was time to head for Goa.

At the Train reservation booth we were informed it would be impossible to get to Goa via train until at least the 26th, Richard and I looked at each other and thought we can't spend any more time here just dwindling our money away, as nice as it was, it was getting colder and colder! we had to wear our fleeces in bed in our sleeping bags, and then in the morning it took at least 2 hours to get the courage to jump out of bed.

We went to the internet cafe to have a look at how much the flights would cost! We found some cheap ones, but it just would not accept our credit cards. Richard gave the company a call as it was the only possible way to get to Goa in the next couple of days. He was informed that the price on the internet was the Indian resident rate, (10,000 for the both os us) we were charged 17,000, Richard was informed it wasnt fair that the nationals get a discounted rate so the foriegners do aswell. (Yes double the price the Indians pay)!!!

We took the tickets but werent happy, and as Richard was on the phone, I was getting verbal abuse by the owner of the phone as richard had called a free phone number and he was having to turn business away as we were using the phone for half an hour. He was "distressed" with us. Richard threw 50 rupees at him and he didnt even look up to aknowledge it from his newspaper! i was fuming! They have NO manners here what-so-ever, richard and I ranted all the way back to our room.

After a very long train journey down the mountains which stopped at every single little town and village on the way, we arrived at Kalka just to get straight onto another train to New Dehli! Yes we had to go back to this place that made us hate India and want to leave. We decided NOT to venture out into the hectic city and just crash in a retiring dorm at the station. BIG MISTAKE

Only 60 rupees each and we thought it was fine, but at this point we were the only ones in the room. After i had put my book down and started drifting off to sleep, this Indian family came in, must have seen we were sleeping, about 10 children running up and down the room, thumping my legs, turning the lights on and off, screaming their heads off, and what? did the parents shut them up? tell them to stop running about? tell them to stop hitting a girl who was sleeping? nope not a thing, just chatted to eachother as loudly as they could.

Forty winks later we got to the airport, caught our flight ( the australian cricket team were in the same terminal) and got to Goa.

We stepped out the plane and Whoooom the heat hit us! my god! took a taxi to our hotel in Panaji (the capital of Goa) and searched for a hotel with rooms. 5th time lucky! (we were starting to worry)

Panaji is at an an estuary so there really wasnt any beaches here, and it said in the lonely planet not to miss panaji, as most travelers do! but there really wasnt anything there to see! A really nice church! (Goa is a catholic state, so there are alot of churches and meat and stake on every menu)  

We stayed here 2 nights, the hotel wasnt the nicest but for the 5th choice and for 300 a night couldnt complain!

We got a taxi up the coast 20 minutes drive to Callungute which is more of a costa del sol of goa! we are staying in the quietest past, as it's not really our sceen, but the beach is lovely. Staying here for 7 days, (til wednesday) then moving onto Anguna for a couple of days for the famous anjuna flea market held on wednesdays.

We have been in callungute for 3 days now and its lovely, we are getting into a routine of going to get breakfast and then the beach, shower, changed, out for a meal! just like we are on holiday! hehe India is so crazy we thought we owed it to ourselves to relax for a bit. Not like we dont get hasseled here though!

Update again soon im sure!