Alone in Paradise

What is strange is that I would never have gone to India by myself - it would have just been too daunting, scary and lonely. Yet as it dawned on me that I might have to actually do it , it seemed truly freeing in a way that I have never experienced, if not a little scary. In the build up to being alone I had expected to get stressed out and start panicking at the prospect of being a female, 21 year old, traveling alone in one of the craziest places that I have ever been.But it never really happened. I didn't freak out. I am so proud of myself. Some things are just meant to go a certain way, and although its truely sad that Kaz went home, I have her to thank for so much now as being alone is the biggest adventure and learning curve that I have ever had. And I have learnt to take a step back and accept every situation for what it is. But enough of the philosophy for now as I could go on for way too long.I got a flight down to Goa, as it seemed, in my head, the perfect place to meet other travellers chilling out on the beach, who might want to travel in a similar direction. From the view in the plane I was amazed at how green everything was. It was truly lush the clusters of palm trees, the bright green paddy fields and the shimmering, blue ocean. As I got a taxi to the guesthouse that I had booked in Anjuna, I looked in awe at what is a tropical paradise. It really is beautiful and you feel re-engergised just being there so I couldn't help but be excited.

Anjuna was a really interesting place to visit for me because we had discussed it as a case study in a Tourism module that I took at uni, so it was great to see what it is actually like. I think it was a good first place to go as a lone traveller in the way that everything was easy compared to the rest of India. I could get food from almost any country that was tasty and everything I needed on holiday was easy to find and buy. For me the strangest thing was being able to uncover my shoulders and wear a strappy top as this had been absoloutely unacceptable everywhere else that I had been. Yet suddenly there we girls on mopeds in bikini tops and hippy men with big beards running down the beach in their way too revealing g-strings. It felt so wrong in one way, yet it is so accepted by the locals in the area as that is what they get most of their income from and generally they seem to get on well with the tourists. As for pollution, it was cleaner than most parts of India as they clean it up for the tourists.I think that overall it is a great place to go for beautiful beaches, nice food and sun - its nice to relax there and I know it is also possible to party if you find the right people. Also it could be very romantic. Sitting alone in restaurants overlooking the sea and watching the sunset felt strange as it made me want Paul to be there so much! In any case, you definetely know that where you are is NOT India and if someone has visited only Goa they would be completely ignorant of what the country is actually like.One day I wanted to branch out so I went to a market that is not for tourists but where Indians go to do their shopping in Mapusa, 25 min away from Anjuna. It was great getting the local bus for 7R. It was so interesting to stare out of the window and so nice to feel the breeze and be surrounded by Indians again. The market was great, I got some bargains but managed to get the wrong bus back! That was my 1st bad experience of a sleazy Indian man trying to get me to go with him by telling me that the bus didn't stop at the bus stop I was at and offering to give me a lift ' to the right place'. I flatly refused and my bus turned up 20 minutes later - what a liar, who knows what he would have tried.

I quickly adjusted to being alone, making the most of the hammock outside my room to read, enjoying swimming in the sea which was the perfect temperature . I was suprised how much fun I could have by myself building sand castles on the beach, doing yoga stretches in the sea and eating gorgeous food. However being alone I wasn't able to stay out too late at night once it got dark. I would be in restaurants/bars at the beach but would have to get a motorbike taxi back to my guesthouse which was a 20min walk away. It was fine as I would just get up super early to make the most of the day and I hired a bicyle to get around.
It made me laugh a great deal as I would get so sweaty and everyone else would zoom past me on their scooters and motorbikes. The locals always said they like my bike. I really wanted a moped as it would have given me so much freedom. But being alone and never having driven any motorised bike I didn't get one! I was soooo close but I've saved my mum from a great deal of panic and I just thought that I couldn't risk it. I was enjoying myself but after four days I began to find myself starting to get lonely.

I hadn't really met anyone hang out with. I'd sat in every place along the coastline yet there were only people a lot older than me on their beach holidays, or hippies aged 70 who lived in Goa 6 months per year. I hadn't met ANYONE even vaguely representing a traveller. I found it so strange and began to question what was going on, was it me? I was alone in paradise talking only to the guesthouse owners and people working in bars and restaurants.
However I came to terms with it quickly and loved sitting on the beach in the mornings to watch the dogs lounging about before the people hit the beach. It would then amuse me to watch the cows that strolled freely along the shore. The odd one would mooch up to an unsuspecting holiday maker's sunbed frightening them or I once saw a cow being chased by a group of dog.s I have never seen a cow run so fast, in fact, I have never seen a cow run full stop. So Goa was my place of relaxation. Yet I began to feel that I needed to move on to see more of the real India and to meet some people. Luckily for me good things come to those who wait!