Bus from Mumbai to Goa

  Goa, India
Wednesday, January 10, 2007

 
 
 
 


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We had been thinking about leaving Mumbai and had a very difficult time deciding between heading north or south. There were advantages to each. The north of India is colder this time of year (it can dip down below freezing), but it seems to offer the most cultural sites. The golden triangle of Agra, Delhi and Jaipur holds a wealth of places to visit, including the famous Taj Mahal. The south, on the other hand, has picture perfect beaches, expansive swaths of nature, and perfect weather this time of year. With Jen leaving in a month, we felt that we had to pick one direction and stick with it- India is too big to do both.

In the end, the beaches and the warm weather prevailed. We were to go south, to Goa! Probably the most popular backpacker destination in India, Goa was known as a great place to unwind from the full-on pace of India. It is a major thorough-fare on our journey farther southward, and a welcome opportunity to tan our pale hides.

We decided to be brave and catch a sleeper bus to Goa for about 500 rupees each (at 43 rupees to the dollar, it's less than $12). We had heard mixed reviews about the buses; shabby conditions, bumpy rides, and highway traffic could make the ride unbearable.

Once we settle on to the bus, we realize we had made the right decision. The sleeping platforms are wide and relatively comfortable, and the views of urban life whipping by out the window are spectacular. It's a virtual kaleidoscope of differing ways of life. An impoverished street of shanties bleeds in to a high rise apartment building which gives way to a shopping center which gives way to a mucky river with houses on both sides. Through this, there is always an incredibly dense population of people. People, traffic, thick smells, vibrant colors and noise permeate every inch of the India we have seen so far.

Only during the latter part of the 15 hour bus ride did we discover the beautiful landscape we had heard about. Rolling hills and enormous wetlands stretched as far as the eye could see. The sun rose over the mountains in a flaming ball of blood red, illuminating the landscape.

Arrival in Goa hasn't exactly the breath of fresh air we had hoped for. We chose a beach called Baga in the north of Goa on the recommendation of some other travelers. The area is very, very touristy, very developed, expensive and busy. The locals, accustomed to a constant flow of tourists from every corner of the world, have lost much of the charm of the people we found in Mumbai. They are pushy and rude, and constantly trying to hawk some kind of service to you. Calls of "Taxi? Taxi? Tuk Tuk? Earwash? Massage?" are constant.

But at least we had the beach! Or did we? We arrived at the beach to learn that the water was un-swimmable for health reasons, garbage was strewn all over the sand, and stray dogs and cows (yes cows!) left little brown surprises everywhere. The beach along the Arabian Sea stretched for as far as the eye could see, but we could barely find a spot to lay our blanket among the crowd.

Spending a bit more time in our Lonely Planet guidebooks this time, we started thinking maybe we had made the wrong decision coming south. Justin and I would eventually be on the picturesque beaches of Thailand, but now we were in India! To not see the Taj, Rajastan and Delhi would be a major mistake.

Like any traveler knows, the hardest decision can often be the best one. We purchased a direct train to Delhi, leaving the next day (Monday). We'll be out of commission for a bit as the train is listed as taking 36 hours to get to Delhi. Translated in to India time, this could take over 48 hours. See you in the north!