Gokarna, OM beach, December 25th 2008

The last few days have been focused on what to do for Christmas. Two days ago, me and my french friend Bruno went to visit the German girls I had met in Hampi. We went there, had dinner with them and there was a live music show in the restaurant. It was great a jam of all kinds of musicians playing guitar, flute, table, and a woman singing in Spanish. I also met in the place a Brazilian guy from S. Paulo which is a capoeira teacher here in Gokarna (he has been traveling in many places in Asia teaching capoeira). This guy is also an amazing repercussion player. So my friend Bruno which is a drummer (and a very good one) joined the group and was very happy. So we decide that we will come again to Kuttle beach for Christmas.While listening to the music I drink and have a Bang Lassie (Lassie with Marijuana) which was a disaster. Its effect on me what not very good and I had a hard time going back to my guest house in OM beach during the night. But the end was OK, I made it and recovered.
So on Christmas day we go again to Kuttle beach. This time I took a room in the guest house my German friends Vera and Lisa where staying. So we had a very good dinner with our friends. They are the kind which don't sleep too late. Therefore I stayed with Bruno until late in the beach where people light a fire and musicians play their different instruments. It was great.
Bruno is a very interesting guy. I met him on the bus coming to Gokarna. He had a huge suitcase where he brings his electronic drums. He plays professionally with an old guy which plays the saxophone. His story is weird. He married an Indian woman, lived with her for two years and is currently divorcing her. Very difficult situation in India. The he has been studying tabla with a local Indian guru. He plays great all repercussion instruments.
The German girls are very nice, but they are moving tomorrow and we are in different beaches.
I'm meeting such amazing people. Today I met a girl 19 years old from Munich. We spoke for at least two hours and I'm so amazed how this kid is so mature in her political opinions. At 17 years old she left home. Her parents are both doctors. Lately she was 6 months in south America, now a few months in India and then she is going to New Zeland. So she speaks very well Spanish and we are speaking Spanish as she wants to practice. We talked about politics, solving the worlds problems, etc, etc. I did not feel in any moment that I'm talking to a 19 year old.
Today the Giraffe Israeli band was in my guest house. They have a show in Goa on the 28th, but there are rumors that the show is canceled due to the terrorism concerns. They came specially from Israel to do this show. They where in my guest house to promote the show and make clear to people that it is not canceled. It was nice to see those guys personally and I also talked to them. My friend Bruno asked to join them during the show in Goa.
So now I ordered a train ticket to Cochin in Kerala. I'm planning to move on January 3rd. I'm staying here for a while. I'm having a great time, there is no reason to move.

OM Beach, Golkarna, December 23 2008

I'm having a great time in OM beach. I'm now in a better guest house. The food is also good and many people come to eat. It is called Sangang. If you are local to the guest shop. You don't need money. They write down what you take and you can pay all together.
OM is the 2nd beach after the Gokarna village and Kuttle beach. From the village
you walk over the a rocky hill (15-20 minutes) and you get to Kuttle beach. This is a wider beach with more guest houses and more bars/restaurants. From Kuttle you walk another 15-20 minutes over a rocky hill and you get to OM. You can keep going and get to paradise beach. I haven't been there yet. OM is a small bay with about 10 guest houses. In each there is a restaurant. Most guest houses have a few rooms and a few huts. Most rooms don't have a shower/toiled inside. They are shared. Some do. Nirvana Guest house seems to be the best in OM with beautiful rooms with hammocks, great garden, etc.
I'm happy in the Sangan where I'm staying. Shared bathroom (western style) and shared shower (cold only) but at least you don't need to use a bucket.
For the last two days I've been walking at 7:00 AM to the village. The village has a few temples and is quite sacred to the Hindu. The walk is about 35-40 minutes.
I'm meeting tons of people. I'm putting my shyness aside and talking to everybody. I'm surprised on how good I can smalltalk with whoever. I'm also using all the languages I know.
I'm meeting many people, of special notice is Ivana. She is 52 and bit older than the crowds, like me. She has been coming to OM for the last 15 years. An interesting woman Serbian/Croatian which has been married with a dutch guy and to a greek guy 15 younger than her. She lived for 12 years in Greece. She speaks many languages. She and a group of people are staying in the neighbor guest house Nirvana. She is kind of the Mon of the group which has two Norwegian girls, an Israeli, a Canadian, two Indians, a few British, etc.
I became good friends with her and now she is kind of getting me in the group.
She likes to drink a bit (and smoke good stuff) so the mood is always fun.
So I've been hanging around with them sometimes.
Yesterday after 20 years I played soccer on the beach. This 26 year old Norwegian girl comes with this ball which I though was a volleyball, but not, it was a soccer ball. Inga this girl is like a bull. Very strong and incredible good in playing soccer. So we played. Two by two. Me and the Italian against her and another Turkish guy. I feel great that I'm not falling behind in my shape from people 20 years younger than me. Surprisingly I still can play OK soccer.
So we stay in the beach until sunset. The water is calm, few waves. I'm doing body surfing which I used to do when I was young. I feel in great shape. I think I lost some more weight. I don't even have a mirror in the room, so I don't know how I look.
Today I went to a Yoga class in the neighbor beach. OK but not amazing. There are other yoga places around.
Tomorrow is Christmas and I think the Nirvana group will organize something.
I'm sitting in the evening with all kinds of people. And everybody smokes joints here.
You really don't belong if you don't. Another set of guys tried to teach me to smoke.
I'm trying but I don't feel anything. Anyway I can fake :-).
Alcohol is much more expensive than in Goa, but readily available. Beers are all around and more. So towards evening everybody is happy.
There are lots of cows in the beach and also many dogs, puppies. There are gangs of one female and many male dogs and they kind of protect their territory. Sometimes they bite the female.
The cows are very friendly, but many people had their books eaten by the cows. So you can easily be cow hassled, or they can eat your stuff or book.
I love the dogs. They are dirty and ugly but friendly. In the morning I pet them and they come with me wherever I go.
Paradise !!!!!!!!!!

Gokarna, Dec 21 2008

The trip from Mysore to Gokarna was quite and adventure. I had booked a seat on the train and was in the waiting list. So I was not sure I could get a seat. My train was at 11:45 PM. At 9:30 PM I check and see that I'm still in the waiting list and the chart has been closed. I did not know that this means I have got my money back and that there is no point in going to the train station.
So at about 11:00 PM I go to the train station, check-out from my room (paid for the full day).
So I did not get in the train and had to go back to the hotel. The hotel guys were kind enough to let me go back to my room as long as I leave before 6:30 AM. At 4:00 AM I wake up, free the room and go to the bus station for a bus which was supposed to leave at 5:15. The bus I took, is what is called the government busses. They are very cheap and that is where most Indians travel. The journey to Mangalore was supposed to be 8 hours. The bus is like a normal city bus. No special seats for this long journey. Also the roads are terrible and bumpy most of the time. The bus goes through many different villages and people go up and down. It was very tiring, but I cannot say I suffered. I put my back-pack on the seat and slept on it. After this 8 hours I get to Mangalore, and luckily the bus to Gokarna was leaving in a few minutes. Another 7 hour journey of the same kind. In the bus I met Bruno a very cute french guy which is a drummer and is learning to play the table in India. After a long and tiring trip I get at night 8:30 PM to Gokarna. I was planning to stay the night in the village and wait for the morning to check a beach place. But Bruno convince me to go with the Rickshaw directly to the beaches. He is travelling with a big suitcase where he has his electronic drums. We were so fortunate to find two Huts availabe in OM beach. As everything is full. This is the most hectic time of the year.
This is probably the simplest place I've slept so far. A straw hut, right at the beach with sand floor, shared shower (bucket shower, no running water) and shared Indian style bathroom.
But inside the hut is very nice. A clean and confortable bed with a big moskito net.
The place serves very good food, and you just seat on the guest house for a long time enjoying.
The beach is breath-taking. Amazing small bay, with very few people, and very calm water.
The water is not clear like most of Indian beaches. There are cliffs that you can go up and see magnificent views. People tell me that there are dolphins very nearby. So this is really a paradise. It is full with back-packers from all places and has quite a few restaurant shacks where you can drink beers, etc. People tell me that they have here Bangee-Lassi (for the ones that know what it is) and I'll try. To my understand this is a narcotic lassi (yougurt drink) and should make you feel really happy.
So I'm dazzled with this place. I already went for an early morning walk (6:30 is still dark) and it has lots of cows and dogs on the beaches.
I'm planning to stay here for quite a few days, hopefully including new-year. Now I'm shopping for a bit more confortable guest house. I'm paying $3 a day.
My friend Tania, for which I decided to come is here somewhere, but I haven't met her yet.
We were communicating through SMS, but reception here is not always available. In any case I'm already thanking her for having come to such a wonderful place.