It is monsoon weather in Goa. The first few days I was here there was not a drop of rain and it was hot and muggy. Since Tuesday 15 Sep it has rained all morning, sometimes during the day and most evenings. The muddy puddle outside the guest house where I stay has become bigger and bigger, spanning the road, making it impossible to pass except through my host’s garden which fortunately is mostly weeds. With the rain comes the cooler weather but lack of sun also means warm not hot water for showers as it is solar heated. Fortunately just enough warmth to take the chill of the water.
Thursday started out just like any other day with morning monsoonal cloudbursts. I had suggested we go out just to do something. I wanted to go into Panjim to check buses and to go to the bible study in the evening put on by New Life Fellowship. I was also missing my Christian fellowship. Zameer was going to meet me at 10am but by midday he still hadn’t arrived so I walked to his place. He was waiting for his mother to finish her prayers and have breakfast so I suggested he meet me later as I was going to walk to the nearby restaurant. Unfortunately it was closed due to the festival so I walked on to the road. I enquired as I went if there were any buses or ferry operating today and was reassured there would be. Zameer had contacted me to say his parents wanted him to join them in the evening for the festive feast so I told him I would make my way into Panjim and go to the bible study that evening. I wasn’t sure how it was going to happen or how I’d get home without my interpreter but I was sure the Lord would work it all out. I sat at a closed restaurant waiting for a bus. None came.
Zameer then decided to join me and by the time he had walked to the main road a bus came heading for Panjim. We took another bus from here to the seaside where we had come on my first day. Praise the Lord, there was a restaurant open for lunch, as nearly all of the shops and restaurants we had passed were closed for the Ganesh festival.
We enjoyed a simple late lunch as it was now after 3pm, before wa
lking back towards the centre of town. It was a lovely walk, just chatting as we took in the sights of Panjim. We walked through a park, along the shores of the river mouth to the ferry where Zameer and I parted at 5:30pm. I rang Sanjeev who had arranged to pick me up for the bible study and waited. Then it started to pour with rain! I was standing beside a small building which thankfully had a bit of an overhang, just enough to shelter me from the rain. Others coming from the ferry also lined here up to avoid the downpour. I prayed that Sanjeev would arrive just as the rain stopped. Over half an hour from my call he arrived. The rain had stopped and we were able to ride most of the way before it started to sprinkle again. Hiding behind him on the scooter I hardly got wet.
It was a good night of fellowship as we studied the word of God together before I was driven home in Joshua’s car. I messaged Zameer to say I had arrived safely before sleeping.
Friday, Zameer and I left the village around 11am in search of a bus to Candolim Beach to see if there was anywhere open for a coffee and lunch. Many places were still closed but we were hopeful as this was the tourist stretch. Still infrequent buses so once again we tried hitchhiking. We were passed by many taxis and cars before two guys in a small van stopped. We clambered in the back seats Zameer chatting to the guys who were also from Delhi but had been in Goa for over 15yrs doing business. They dropped us at one of the restaurants we had previously had coffee at. It was just after midday so we ordered our drinks and just relaxed. We ordered a late lunch at 2pm then wandered down to the beach for a walk before catching a bus back.
Zameer had been hoping to join me when I returned to Bangalore as he also wanted to visit the organic farm I was going to. We had looked at a few options like train and bus but couldn’t find any going during the day and Zameer still needed to get permission from his parents. Yes, I find this a bit strange for someone who is 28yr old. But that’s life in India. I needed to know for sure if he was coming so I waited till the following morning.
I had a terrible night, I couldn’t sleep. Around
midnight when I was just about to drop off to sleep, around midnight, the village dogs started barking this started the landlord’s dog going too! The rest of the night I tossed and turned till 6am when I finally gave in getting up exhausted.
No positive confirmation from Zameer so I went online and booked a flight leaving Monday 21 Sep at 2:50pm arriving just after 4pm. I might have time to find a bus down to the organic farm which was just south of Bangalore.
Joanne had kindly sent my dress by courier to Panjim so Zameer came with me to hunt it down. I’m glad he came as I would never have found it on my own! I don’t know how many people we asked trying to find the place. Zameer had suggested I stay at the bus station while he took a motorbike taxi but I didn’t feel right just hanging around. I wanted to see if we could find it as it didn’t sound like it was that far from where we were. It was a very hot day. Scorching and not much shelter as we walked across some busy intersections from the bus station. This area was on the outskirts of town with no shops beside the busy roads. We walked in the direction that had been indicated asking people along the way. All gave conflicting and misleading directions, even the receipt we later found out was incorrect with no address. We had been asking for a seabird travel agent but it was actually a different courier company all together. Finally after about 2 hrs of hot, sweaty walking along the dirty roads we found a muddy dirt driveway leading to rundown shacks and buses being washed. Right at the back of this large area we finally found a door at the back of a shed and there in the dark was a boy about 19 yrs old behind a desk with parcels strewn across it. Joanne had warned us not to pay a cent so as Zameer inquired of the boy, I searched the boxes for my name. Praise the Lord there it was on the top! I grabbed it asked if I needed to sign anything then headed for the door. The boy was asking Zameer for money. I said no way! He had not been at all helpful in finding the place and had even been quite rude to Zameer every time he’d rung to ask directions.
It was a shorter trek back to the bus station where we caught one to the beach where we had enjoyed lunch on Thursday. We were exhausted and soaked through with sweat! I headed to the ladies where I washed down my arms, neck and face before sitting down for lunch. Before looking at the menu we both downed two glasses of water.
After a lovely lunch we took a bus back into town stopping at the market to change money. I was running low and needed enough to pay my accommodation and for the rest of my Indian stay. Since arriving we had inquired at several places along the tourist trail for a good price but they weren’t as good as either Bangalore or Bombay. I had looked up the rates that morning so knew it was 47.7 rupees to the Aussie dollar so when we called in to Thomas Cook Travel and was told it was only 46. I wasn’t impressed. On top of this I was going to be charged another 60 rupees for the service. Hmmm what to do. I eventually ask him if I changed more could he please give me 46.3, this would cover the service charge. Fortunately he agreed and so at last the deal was made.
Praise the Lord! I had all my chores done, money, flight and dress. It was a good day.
Zameer has been such a blessing being with me all the time to not only show me around but to help bargain, ask directions and generally keep me company as well as put up with my demands and when I’d been grumpy. We have kept a kitty for our general expenses like travel and meals which has worked out very well. We kept saying ‘kitty pays for this one’. It’s amazing how much we have done on so little.
I had an early night after all our walking and previous lack of sleep but tossed and turned and finally took something for the headache that had persisted throughout the night. It was still there where I woke but less severe. Zameer called to say he had blisters and was unable to walk so I made my way to the church for their celebratory service.
On the ferry I met a couple, on a two day holiday, f
rom Tamil Nardu, south of India. I offered to take their photo and struck up a conversation. They had followed me to the top of the ferry where it was cooler and shaded. We said our goodbyes as the ferry docked but then they drove up behind me on their scooter and offered me a lift. That was great except neither of us knew where we were going. Eventually I asked if they could drop me off as I was sure it was further than I needed to go. I then found my way back to the church which was not that far from the ferry stop.
Church was once again a party unto the Lord. Lots of dancing and singing with a guest speaker who gave us an encouraging word. After the service many stayed back for a celebratory lunch. The church had been in Goa 28 years. I met some students from Ethiopia who had come to Goa to study. I think they may have thought it was still Portuguese speaking but other than the local dialect and Hindi, English is the predominant language spoken.
It was a short walk back to the ferry before trying to catch a bus. Two buses were waiting but neither were heading to Coco Beach so I decided I’d start walking. I hadn’t gone far when a taxi pulled up and asked if I wanted a ride. I told him I was waiting for a bus as it was only 10 rupees. He told me he would give me a good price and I smiled. He then said ok free as he was going home for lunch. I jumped in and chatted all the way to Coco Beach. He told me he preferred English tourists as they were polite and also liked the quiet places like Coco Beach. From side on he looked like Elvis. I asked if he knew of Elvis but he ha
dn’t so I searched for photos on google. He was surprised how similar he was. I told him he should call himself Indian Elvis.
I was dropped at the edge of the village, he also gave me a good discount for my trip to the airport the following day but never turned up.
I woke early and had my things packed and ready to go by 9am. Zameer came down to help me take my bags to the taxi which was going to wait at the end of the muddy road. Just before leaving the house right on 10am we rang to see if he had arrived. He said he was in Panjim in a traffic jam and would see if his friend could make it. We waited till 10:30 but no reply so called twice but he didn’t pick up. We tried from another phone as we felt he might be ignoring us. He picked up but it was someone else who said he couldn’t come he was busy. Hmmmm this is why I like to leave well before schedule! Zameer then called a guy from the village who came after 20 mins. By this time we had walked half way to the main road just in case as there were more cabs there. I was relieved to reach the airport and just chill before my flight.
The flight was 20 mins late and full of Indians returning from their holiday in Goa. It was full of children and one crying baby in the row across the aisle from me. I felt very sorry for the mother as she tried everything to calm her baby. The baby’s father even carried her up and down the aisle but nothing lasted long. We were all glad to disembark in Bangalore.
I had a deadline to keep. I wanted to be at the Hamsah Organic Farm before 8:30 pm. I had planned to stay here a few days before returning to KL. John, who owned the farm had given me some vague instructions on how to get there. I had also done my homework and found out exactly which bus to take from the airport terminal and vaguely where to get the next one at Agara. My estimation of two hours was correct even in peak hour traffic when the bus basically came to a standstill and edging along at a snail’s pace.
It was getting dark when the bus dropped me at the intersection at Agara. I had thought it would be a bus station but this was just a busy road intersection. Oh dear where to go from here. The Lord sent me 3 angels. The first was a friendly young guy who saw me standing with all my luggage on the road looking vaguely around in all directions. He led me to a safer place where I waited for him as he rushed off to inquire where I could catch the 342 bus that passed through Muthanallur Cross. I couldn’t even pronounce the name of the place making it hard to make inquiries. He came back and helped me cross the busy road to the other side where I was to wait. Here my second angel asked where I was going so I showed her the town where I had to get off and she inquired at several buses that passed. My third angel who was a little older than myself overheard our inquiries and told the young girl she was going that way and could help me reach my destination.
After missing one bus that didn’t seem to want to stop we caught a very crowded local bus which was also heading in our direction. Fortunately we soon had two seats where my luggage could also be out of the way of the other passengers.
On both the bus from the airport and now seated on this bus I SMS John at the farm, but no reply. Just before reaching our destination I called him to say I was nearly there. He later found my SMS’s … confirms my thoughts on SMS messages. Better to call people. John offered to pick me up so I waited at the cross roads where I could easily be spotted. It was 8:30 exactly when he hailed me as he crossed the road. We bought a few things before jamming my bag between handlebars and the seat of the scooter. With me hanging onto my computer bag and back pack balanced precariously on the back we bumped down the country road towards the farm.
Thank you Lord for a safe arrival. I was dropped off at an open sided mud hut structure which had been made into a living area come kitchen and dining area. Here I was introduced to two Indian guys who also stay here one a worker the other an IT guy. The IT company where he had been studying had moved to the farm but other than moving all their possessions none of them but this guy were here now. A long story which I’m not going into to just now.
L
ater I was shown another structure which was make of iron and several floors which was also without walls. Towards the top was a platform where they all slept. This floor also had some tables and chairs at which we were able to use our computers and where the modem was set up. Because there were no walls and there were lots of mosquitoes we all slept in individual tents or mosquito nets. I was given my tent into which I took some of my personal things. I suspect both the pillow and the blanket hadn’t we washed for a long time!
The bathroom, which we all used for showering, was in a mud dwelling at the other end of the row of buildings. This mud hut consisted of a large room, which was used for storage, and two smaller rooms one with bunk beds and the frame of a double bed a broken window with glass only in one side and a bathroom with western toilet, shower and basin.
There was another smaller mud construction built at the back of a shed/garage. This was their toilet. It was accessed by steel steps as the squat toilet was well above the ground, sawdust was used instead of flushing water.
I was exhausted and crashed even with all the chatter outside the tent. But it was not a restful sleep as the light was left on all night.
The next morning John showed me around the farm properly. I told him I’d like to move to the little house and clean it up. He was delighted as he said that he had wanted to clean it so was grateful for my offer. He also suggested I take one of the tents which were erected outside his house. John and his wife were hoping to move back to this home soon. It was situated on the far northern side of the farm. The 4 acres were mostly weeds where two heifers were 
tethered. They were moved around depending on where the weeds were most abundant. There were lots of fruit trees with a variety of fruits including mango, young banana palms, soursop, custard apples which were also in season and chiku which is a strange grainy overly sweet fruit. The vegetable garden had recently been fenced off to keep the dogs and cows out. It was rather sparse of vegetation and many had already gone to seed. John told me that he had previously had a family working with him but they had recently been sacked so now it was all in his hands.
John moved here from the US and married a local girl, Swethadowri, who now lives with her mother with their two small children in town. I met her when she came out to help organise a tall stone wall which they will construct around the perimeter of the north and south ends of the farm to help keep the dust from the roads out.
My first day on the farm I scrubbed bathroom walls, sink and toilet, swept the floors and on hands and knees wiped off most of the mud. I lay down the base of the double bed to elevate my tent off the concrete floor and put plywood over the rungs. Once the tent was cleaned and erected I added a mattress, sheets and pillow cases which I had washed and dried in the hot sun. I also cleaned out the kitchen area which is on a veranda at the front of the house. That was a good day’s work. John had also brought me some mosquito repellent which fitted into the electrical gadget I had found while cleaning the house. I was set up for the night!
The weather here is so much cooler and no humidity which is such a relief. I was really getting quite irritated in Goa and I think it had a lot to do with the high humidity and heat. I seemed to be constantly dripping wet.
While I was cleaning house the guys had pulled down an abundant ant hill to make into clay. They then trampled it to remove all the boulders and then plastered it over both the inside and outside benched area. They had only half finished before they retired for the night. The next day there were dog prints all over their newly finished work! They completed the work the following day, smoothing out the doggy prints and speeding up the drying process with a fan while guarding against the dogs.
I had a more restful second day catching up with my notes for the blog and contacting other couchsurfers as Salil and Jolly may be out of town for Salil’s birthday. I sent out two requests from those I had contacted previously and contacted a pastor Anne had suggested as I also hoped I’d be able to attend church here too.
Pictures: 1. Typical Indian dish 2. Zameer in Panjim gardens 3. Barges at river mouth 4. Ferry with Tamil Nadu lady 5. Bangalore traffic 6. John in vegie garden 7. Lounge and dinning area 8. My little dwelling 9. My tent in room 10. Sleeping and study facilities 11. John and the guys collection manure
Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for my time with Zameer and for meeting some lovely people while in Goa. For the amazing church fellowship and new friends.
Praise Him for a flight back to Bangalore, for His protection and for sending the angles to direct me to my destination.
Please pray Zameer will continue to grow in the Lord and for his family’s salvation.
Please also that I will find accommodation for my last days in Bangalore and for a safe trip back to KL and that I will get done all that needs to be done before heading south to Singapore.
Mum is enjoying her time with her two youngest daughters in Broome although the weather has been too hot for her. Please continue to pray she remains in good health.