Mumbai to Goa and Home

Monday, March 18, 2019
Anjuna Beach, Goa, India
Sorry for the long delay in getting this final entry out to all of you!  After leaving Mumbai, we had 3 riding days, a rest day, and then 3 more riding days, with either limited or no wifi all along the way.  Usually I use the rest day to update the blog, but that day we were totally without wifi.
We left Mumbai the same way we arrived, by ferry - a lovely way to arrive and depart! Greg and I both got sick in Mumbai, he the first night we were there, and me the last night (we were there 3 nights).  We don't know what caused it, but we both had intestinal woes, headache, a little fever, and nausea.  We were able to ride the first day out of Mumbai, a short 41 mile day, although hilly, and I made it to lunch the second day, while Greg rode the whole day.  But the day going into our rest day and the day after the rest day we both rode in the van.  We just were not recovering and couldn't eat much and felt like we needed to give our bodies a break.  It worked well for us - we could eat again, and thoroughly enjoyed the last 2 days of riding.   We found that once we were feeling better, our mood improved too, and we were having fun on the bike again!
The riding between Mumbai and Goa was along the coast, and we were expecting it to be hilly, but it felt like riding up and down shark's teeth!  Climb, climb, climb, down, down, down (sometimes gingerly because of road conditions), cross an inlet or river, then do it all over again!  The scenery was very tropical:  palm trees, lush greenery, monkeys (of course!), while the hilltops were more brown, with dormant fields outlined in beautifully laid rock walls, awaiting the rains.   On the hilltops we also saw exposed smooth black rocks, evidence of ancient lava flows. And periodically we would have beautiful views of the coast and ocean. On one day, rather than bridges, we had 3 ferry crossings, always an adventure!
Our rest day was in Ganapatiphule, a tourist area on the beach.  We stayed in a government-run hotel spread over a large area, with no wifi.  The rooms were pretty dirty and basic, but the grounds were pretty, there was a nice outdoor restaurant, and our rooms had balconies with lovely views of the beach.   And, there really wasn't any place else to stay!  We all enjoyed a true rest day, since there wasn't a whole lot to do!  Some of us swam in the ocean, although not Greg and me!  It was very interesting watching all the Indian tourists at the beach.  No beach towels, umbrellas, coolers, or sand castles.  People just walk around or sit in the sand.  The men wear modest bathing suits, and the women wear their saris.  Nobody really swims - they just wade or stand in the water, and of course the kids splash and run and yell, just like kids everywhere!
We had an interesting experience for the last 20 K or so of the ride.  We were getting close to Goa, a major destination for many Westerners, especially younger people.  They like to rent motor bikes and zip around on the narrow roads with no idea what they are doing or how the traffic really works.  And, we found ourselves thinking:  these people are ruining "our India" - what do they know about the real India!  I can only imagine how the people that actually live there must feel, if we felt like these visitors were interlopers.   When we got in at the end of the day, we discovered we weren't the only ones that felt that way.
The last night on the road, before our last day of riding, we were all given our Hippie Trail jerseys, so we could wear them the last day, always fun! The TDA tradition is that the very  last night of the trip, before everybody goes their separate ways, we are treated to a very nice dinner.  This time was no exception:  dinner overlooking the beach, great food, and a time to relive all the memories of the trip and say our bittersweet goodbyes.
As Greg and I think about the trip, several things stand out for us.  First of all, the people of India are wonderful: smiling, kind, generous, hospitable, and very proud of their country.  Secondly, we saw sights we never expected to see, which we've tried to share with you through our pictures.  Thirdly, we rode with an amazing group of people: positive, adventurous, good humored, and supportive of each other.  And, last (although certainly not least), the TDA staff did a wonderful job of taking care of us and providing the safety net that made it possible for us to get through the tough times!  Although there were times when we questioned our sanity for undertaking this trip, we are so glad we did it!  It was much harder than we thought it would be, and I can't say we loved every minute, but there were so many things to see and experience that could never happen in any other kind of tour.  No regrets, and many wonderful memories!
Thanks for following along with us on this trip!  

Comments

Dave
2019-03-19

Congratulations on completing the Trail. Great blog, and the pictures gave a good feel for what you experienced. You all have really achieved a perspective you only get by being in all those diverse countries. Greg knows you're in the Byrd tree right(....N Pole explorer). Or maybe it's Greg's Viking ancestry dna:)

Cat
2019-03-19

Congratulations and welcome home! What an awesome adventure. I love the possessive feelings you had for India

bob schmidt
2019-03-19

thanks Eve and Greg for the stories and photos we really enjoyed them

Susan N.
2019-03-19

Congratulations on your amazing trip! Welcome home! I bet that your list of things to be grateful for in the good ole USA has multiplied. Thank you so much for sharing with us. Sorry you were ill but everyone who goes to India gets very sick-no matter what-a right of passage. Great travel blog. Your "foster" monkey will arrive at your house next week. Enjoy!

Patty
2019-03-20

What a wonderful journey! We really enjoyed reading the blogs. Can't wait to hear where the next cycling adventure will be.

Bob Gorman
2019-07-01

Dave Holland sent me your link. We r golf buddies. My wife n I lived in India for 2 years. Enjoyed your comments and pictures. I read about you eating some street food or trying some restaurants on your own and suspected I would be reading about what we called “Delhi belly”.

Geoff S
2023-11-24

Hi Eve and Greg... I just stumbled across your blog as I was researching cycling in India. If you see this message would you have a few minutes to help me with a few cycling quetions? My email is geoffsimmondz@gmail.com. thanks :)

2025-02-17

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