Hippies and Heat in Goa

Haven't posted in a few days... get ready for a long one! 

Haha, just kidding... I only have about 30 min to write. Blaire is getting a massage and I'm going at 12:30 (she got a full body 80min one, I got a 30min foot one, both at an ayurvedic center here in Arambol). So, gotta be speedy!

Boy, I thought Mumbai was relaxing... well, it feels like we've arrived on a different planet! Arambol is the Woodstock of Goa, filled with dreadlocks, tattoos, and t-shirts of Che and Bob. Spent a somewhat relaxing afternoon on the beach yesterday (after switching from a guesthouse our first night to a beach hut - a few minutes from the beach - our second. Today is Holi, so our faces are covered in colorful powder, and kids are running around spraying us tinted water while erupting with laughter :) Massages, beach, then tattoos... oops, was I not supposed to write that?! Hahaha.

Back to our last day in Bombay... I mentioned a very special event the night before we left. As I was walking back from the bathroom to my room, the desk guy said, "Excuse me, ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you..." and proceeded to tell me about an outdoor wedding taking place the next night, just across the street, where the family had requested white foreigners to greet people as they arrived and to serve some food. He said Blaire and I could do this if we wished, and we'd even be paid (500rs/$10 - which goes a long way here) and fed! I thought it all sounded a little odd at first, but the more I thought about it, the more excited I got. Blaire was still napping when I entered our room, so I anxiously waited for her to wake to propose the offer. When she arrived in India, she said; "I want to see an elephant and I want to go to a wedding." Well, Blaire, you'll more than just go to a wedding! As I expected, she was very enthusiastic about our job offer. 

We were given beautiful saris to wear, which Indian women in the changing room helped us put on - what a process! Then they did our make-up (there were 3 other foreign girls with us), and then we took our posts. Blaire and I were greeters, the other 3 were inside serving food. It was a bit awkward to be hired for a Muslim-Hindu wedding, and we wondered why they wanted foreigners, but it was a great experience nonetheless... don't think I'll be getting another similar offer anytime soon. We smiled, with a little bow or Indian head-waggle, as we greeted the guests with a namaste - prayer hands and all - as well as a as salaam walekum. Said enough of those that night to last me a lifetime! Guests were of course stunning. Intricate, colorful and bejewelled Indian women in saris; Muslim women in gorgeous black burkas with discreet but ornate jewel embroidery; and the men looked pretty spiffy too ;) They all pulled up in fancy cars, their entrance contrasted with the little scruffy street kids who hang out just beside on the waterfront, and who kept trying to sneak into the wedding. At the end of a long 5 hours on duty (knees and lower back unhappy), we were able to head in and help ourselves to the huge, yummy buffet.

Home and in bed by about 1am, only to have the alarm wake us at 5:40 to catch our day train to Goa. Great ride on a sleeper coach, lowest of the AC classes, much better than what I expected. 15 bucks for a comfortable 11 hour ride. Blaire had her first train bathroom experience, and was not impressed with having to squat over a hole in the floor, ridding herself right out onto the tracks. Her reaction provided me with a very good laugh :)

Great time relaxing in Goa so far. But with the amount of sleep we've been getting since she arrived in Mumbai, I don't know how we're getting through the days. Last night's attempt was severely interrupted by the irritating buzz of mosquitoes outside the net, the obnoxiously loud people having dinner, drinks and laughs till 4am just outside our hut, and the roosters which took over just as the voices faded. Can't they wait till sunrise?? Isn't that the idea??

So, not too much planned for today besides massages and beach, then heading a little south to Anjuna this evening, to go to the night market and then the colorful Holi festivities combined with the full moon party. Probably not much sleep to be had tonight either...

Off to get my feet rubbed. Blaire posted a few pics on facebook... she's quicker than I am!

Peace out from Goa :)         

(How'd you like that quickie?)