GOA

Goa is huge.  The coast consists of nineteen beaches stretching 60 miles long.  We stayed in northern Goa at a beach called Baga, wedged between Anjuna and Calangute.  Apparently this is the area for people like us—no longer college-aged backpackers, but not ready for the tranquility/boredom of a resort.  The area feels a little like Sihanoukville, in that the beachfront is packed with thatched shacks/restaurants, and the dusty streets are filled with all sorts of ramshackle shops, restaurants, bars, and guesthouses.  But there are just so many of them, it feels much bigger than Sihanoukville, Phuket and Samui put together.  Goa is a madhouse in December through February, when every hotel, guesthouse, restaurant, bar, and disco is packed with tens of thousands of (mostly European) tourists.

After three nights in Goa, we took an overnight (12 hour) bus to Bombay.  Someone should tell these bus drivers that it's hard enough to sleep while sitting in a bus seat without their constant weaving, slamming on the brakes, and honking.  It would also be nice if the busses had bathrooms.