As this is is being written the Rabe's sit in the midday winter sun in the lovely faux-baroque statue garden of the Royal Plaza hotel. How we got to be here is a story filled with tears, sweat and bottles of Oral Rehydration Salts.
The final days of Goa were mixed, as most of this 3 week trip has been. On Monday morning the Rs took a taxi to the closeby city of Margao, Goa's commercial capital. The idea was to have a quick look around, change some money and return around midday to meet up with old family friend and aid colleague Stanley Mukkath.
The day was very warm. Margao, much to our surprise was a teeming market town filled to bursting with all sorts of people, stalls and vehicles. Architecture alternated between old time colonial Portuguese and brightly painted Hindu colonades. Sadly, the children, anticipating an imminent return to Melbourne, were restless and squirrley making any adult enjoyment of the New Market and town next to impossible. Nate lost his daddy-patience and around 1230 we headed back through the shady narrow roads towards the hotel.
Lunch, sans Stanley, who had turned off his phone and missed our messages, was had at the Park Hyatt. A soothing final meal gastronomically and psychologically and emotionally. Back at the hotel, the afternoon and evening was passed in conversation with Stanley, (Nate) catching up on old themes and friends as well as is usually the case discussing Indian politics and topics as diverse as diet, brain function and novel writing. Yvonne baked in her usual spot facing the western sun and Arabian sea. Mose and Esther splashed in the pool or watched a bit of TV when they got tired.
Dinner of calamari, chicken tandoori, fish and beef xacuti and a Indian Cab Sav at the beach front ZeeBop restaurant was pleasant especially with the soft sand tickling our feet underneath and sound of the waves (interspersed with non-stop chatter of Russian tourists).
FINAL DAY IN GOA
The day broke with news from Network Nate that we didn't actually depart Delhi until midnight the 12th, not the 11th. That we had a further 24 hours in Delhi was received by the others like a nasty bite from the tail of an angry red scorpion. WTF?!!
Calls were made to Javed to arrange an international hotel along the lines of the Taj or Radisson. He reassured us positively. In the meantime, we got the airport, bid farewell to Stan only to discover that the plane was delayed by 1 hour.
Finally, after two hours on Anise the SpiceJet we landed in a cool winter evening of Delhi. The international hotel booked by Mr Javed was of the world famous Blue Berry chain and located in the industrial heartland of Karol Bagh. The red scorpion stung again! Livid and tired Javed himself was forced to accompany us to the Royal Plaza, an ornate but adequately superior hotel spitting distance from Janpath.
BREAKING NEWS:
A good night sleep interrupted at 445 by a change of linen for the kids after E wet the bed was followed by a leisurely breakfast and then a round or two of Go-Fish! But E complained of a sore tummy and local doctor came round for a room-consultation. He suggested a range of pro and anti (biotics) syrups and ORS. "She should eat only bananas, apples, plain curd and rice."
And so with a long slow afternoon ahead of us the R's reflect in the statue garden on the end of the India 2012 trip. Current wisdom suggests everyone is very eager to return home. Hell hole, Fed up. Bored. When do we get on the plane? (A sampling of random Rabe comments)
The final days of Goa were mixed, as most of this 3 week trip has been. On Monday morning the Rs took a taxi to the closeby city of Margao, Goa's commercial capital. The idea was to have a quick look around, change some money and return around midday to meet up with old family friend and aid colleague Stanley Mukkath.
The day was very warm. Margao, much to our surprise was a teeming market town filled to bursting with all sorts of people, stalls and vehicles. Architecture alternated between old time colonial Portuguese and brightly painted Hindu colonades. Sadly, the children, anticipating an imminent return to Melbourne, were restless and squirrley making any adult enjoyment of the New Market and town next to impossible. Nate lost his daddy-patience and around 1230 we headed back through the shady narrow roads towards the hotel.
Lunch, sans Stanley, who had turned off his phone and missed our messages, was had at the Park Hyatt. A soothing final meal gastronomically and psychologically and emotionally. Back at the hotel, the afternoon and evening was passed in conversation with Stanley, (Nate) catching up on old themes and friends as well as is usually the case discussing Indian politics and topics as diverse as diet, brain function and novel writing. Yvonne baked in her usual spot facing the western sun and Arabian sea. Mose and Esther splashed in the pool or watched a bit of TV when they got tired.
 |
| Esther and Stanley |
Dinner of calamari, chicken tandoori, fish and beef xacuti and a Indian Cab Sav at the beach front ZeeBop restaurant was pleasant especially with the soft sand tickling our feet underneath and sound of the waves (interspersed with non-stop chatter of Russian tourists).
 |
| Paragliding on Utorda beach |
FINAL DAY IN GOA
The day broke with news from Network Nate that we didn't actually depart Delhi until midnight the 12th, not the 11th. That we had a further 24 hours in Delhi was received by the others like a nasty bite from the tail of an angry red scorpion. WTF?!!
Calls were made to Javed to arrange an international hotel along the lines of the Taj or Radisson. He reassured us positively. In the meantime, we got the airport, bid farewell to Stan only to discover that the plane was delayed by 1 hour.
Finally, after two hours on Anise the SpiceJet we landed in a cool winter evening of Delhi. The international hotel booked by Mr Javed was of the world famous Blue Berry chain and located in the industrial heartland of Karol Bagh. The red scorpion stung again! Livid and tired Javed himself was forced to accompany us to the Royal Plaza, an ornate but adequately superior hotel spitting distance from Janpath.
BREAKING NEWS:
A good night sleep interrupted at 445 by a change of linen for the kids after E wet the bed was followed by a leisurely breakfast and then a round or two of Go-Fish! But E complained of a sore tummy and local doctor came round for a room-consultation. He suggested a range of pro and anti (biotics) syrups and ORS. "She should eat only bananas, apples, plain curd and rice."
 |
| Last minute shopping at Connaught Place |
And so with a long slow afternoon ahead of us the R's reflect in the statue garden on the end of the India 2012 trip. Current wisdom suggests everyone is very eager to return home. Hell hole, Fed up. Bored. When do we get on the plane? (A sampling of random Rabe comments)
It's been fun to follow along on your (mis) adventures in India! Thanks for the stories and photos!
ReplyDeleteSafe travels home to Melbourne~
bec