For more fun Goa stuff, check out Goanflavour.com

Hi there.

This site has now shifted to www.goanflavour.com. So just click the hyperlink, and you’ll be taken there.

Goanflavour.com‘s updated with more fun and useful Goa info, whether you are a solo traveler coming to Goa for the first time, or with family, backpacking, or college student. You’ll find stuff to do and places to go, courtesy detailed coverage about restaurants, hotels and beaches that I’ve personally visited.

And if you make up your mind, you can even book a trip to Goa, using any of the banner ads. Easily book a hotel or hostel, whatever takes you fancy. There’s great discounts available, especially for folks from the UK.

Cheers and travel safe :)!

Battle with the Subscribe Button and Opening the Floodgates of Internet Money

Hi All

I just read this nice post by Quixotic Semiotic and you should totally check it out, especially if you are in India and in your twenties.

It’s about the issues that hit you when you hit twenty.

The post’s honesty is so refreshing, plus the themes it touches on are totally relevant to twenty-year-olds like me. No offence to non-twenties. 

The above mentioned post inspired this post and its rather unconventional title. I felt inspired to be honest about the ongoing stuff on Goan Flavour.

As you may know, I recently shifted to self hosting on WordPress. While I said that this was for greater control and all; all that is bull*@#$. After researching about blogging and how to make money online, I was set-my-pants-on-fire excited to get started, write a blog, add ads and make big moolah. Then I could quit my job, retire to my beach bungalow, sip on my cocktail drink and laugh at the suckers who sweat it out going to work, never realizing the rat race they are in.

Easier said than done.

It’s been 2 weeks, and I am engaged in an epic battle with the Subscribe button (it’s on every page and it’s not working 😦). Shifting hosting took 7 days. Then there’s the deal with nameservers; they’ve to be shifted to point at the new address. Pretty simple, right?

Not! I shifted the nameservers and my site disappeared. No more access to the cool Goan Flavour blog. Instead, you got a happy alligator offering to host your website. Noooo!

Ok. Back up. Study more, did more hectic research. Figured out how to log in on WordPress.org and start posting stuff. Still no way to transfer all the old content.

At this point, I was also struggling with the message of Goan Flavour. I’d done a ton of research on blogging, and found some pretty amazing stuff. How do I share that with readers appropriately, on a travel blog? Should I keep it about Goa, about travel? How does it grow and where does it go? How do I write cool stuff about Goa that people want to read?

Why have the internet money gods forsaken me? WHY???

Hahaha.

I have since calmed down, and stopped entreating the money gods, and focusing more on creating quality content which will help people visiting Goa, whether they are travelling solo, with friends or family.

“Enjoy the journey, not the destination.”

I’ll probably start a new site to explain the whole setting up website and self hosting, as starting my own site has been one of the most fun and liberating things I’ve done.

On that note, I’d like to point all the readers and followers here to the new residence of Goan Flavour.

Blog:

Goa fun blog

Booking Holidays:

Book Holiday Now

Go here when you need info about Goa, and/or book a holiday. I do believe it has some really unique reviews, great places to visit, and all kinds of helpful info. I hope to expand the scope of the site to include posts reminiscing in deep philosophical ways that show you how cool and deep I am.

But for now, it’s back to battling with the subscribe button and working to open the floodgates of Internet money.

Enjoy and have a nice day :)!

Goan Flavour moved successfully!

Check out the newly self hosted site, up and running now!

http://goanflavour.com/

Still a few tweaks left to go! I’m still figuring it out.

Let me know what’s not working and I’ll fix it.

Meanwhile, enjoy the new site and photos!

Check out the latest post here:

http://goanflavour.com/back-from-the-dead-goanflavour-is-live-again/

The new theme’s gorgeous, and I’ll be uploading some fantastic photos soon. Would love to hear your thoughts on it and what you’d like to see on the new website!

Do sign up again to get the new Goan Flavour exclusive updates.

Coming soon, exclusive holidays to the Maldives. Enjoy your own haven at amazing resorts in the blue Indian Ocean. At rates you won’t find anywhere else. All thanks to a close friend who runs a travel agency.

Cheers!

 

Moved Successfully!

Check out the newly self hosted site, up and running now!

http://goanflavour.com/

Still a few tweaks left to go!

Let me know what’s not working and I’ll fix it.

Meanwhile, enjoy the new site and photos!

Check out the latest post here:

http://goanflavour.com/back-from-the-dead-goanflavour-is-live-again/

It’s a gorgeous blue, and I’ll be uploading some fantastic photos soon.

Cheers!

 

Moving to Hostgator

Hi all

I’m in the process of moving the hosting to hostgator, so the site may not be visible for 24-48 hours.

If you get an error message, sorry about that, and will update you when we are up and running again!

Utsav

Delicious Goan Ros Omelette

A slight drizzle fell on us, as we made our way to the Ros Omelette stall in Panjim, the capital of Goa.

Thought it was around 8.30 pm, and getting dark, there was a sizable crowd of loyal patrons huddled around the small, brightly lit Ros Omelette stall, a beacon of light for hungry souls like us.

So what is the delicious Goan Ros Omelette all about anyway?

It is one of the most fabulous creations of Goan cuisine. Simple, yet delicious. Ros is a Konkani word meaning gravy. You know what an omelette is. The dish itself consists of 3 components.

A well made omelette, prepared appropriately with onions and tomato. 2 hot buns toasted to perfection with generous helpings of golden butter. The omelette is put in a small steel dish, and finally drowned in steaming,hot chicken curry, resplendent with spices. At some places, mutton replaces the chicken in the curry. The cook finally sprinkles freshly chopped onions and coriander to complete it.

Hot Buns and Hotter Ros Omelette!

I sneaked this photo of the omelette the guy next to me was having, while waiting for our order. He gave me a funny look, but went on eating.

The Ros Experts

The 2 guys were so busy making the food and dishing it out, I could hardly place our order. My friend and I watched as the tawa guy fried egg after egg with intense concentration. There was a smooth fluidity, a practiced expertise in their movements, the way they poured the chicken curry, the way they toasted the dancing buns. Swift and efficient, with no wasted movements.

The day will come when I will be able to cook like that, win Top Chef and blow Padma Lakshmi’s mind with rad Ros Omelette skills!

I noticed some people having a Coke with their Ros Omelette. Thumbs up to that!

Our steaming hot dishes arrived, and we were gasping for air as we ate the mouth watering Ros Omelette. It was hot! The shop guy poured extra curry when it finished.

Total Cost?

Rs. 60 for 2 Ros Omelette (Rs.30 each) + Rs.20 for Boiled Eggs + Rs.15 for extra buns = Rs. 95 (US$ 1.5)

So for Rs. 100 or US$ 1.5, two people can have a belly filling hearty snack!

Time?

It opens in the evening after 7pm, and closes by around 9.30-10pm. No omelette n the morning or afternoon, so keep in mind this is an evening thing.

Location and Directions?

Central Panjim. Take the right before Hotel Mandovi, towards the Adidas showroom, and you’ll find the Ras Omelette stall I went too (marked in orange on the map). My colleague told me about another famous stall (marked in blue on the map) near the garden, Jardim Garcia de Orta.  Here’s the map:

Ras 1 and Ras2!

There are lots of other places serving Ros Omelette around Panjim, so look around at your leisure and choose your favorite :)!

Here’s some other great links for Ros Omelette:

1. Foodiegoan (Better picture than mine!)
2. Roos Omlet – Goan Style (Detailed Recipe with nice pictures)

This is one simple dish you can easily make at home. I can make the omelette, unfortunately chicken curry is a little out of my league at the moment. But that peak shall be conquered soon!

After having this, I’m convinced Ros Omelette is truly the way to enjoy egg with gravy! Join me on the next trip!

Comment, like and share if you like the above.

 

Best of Thailand Trip – Unforgettable moments

Night in Bang Tao, Phuket

Its night out here in Bang Tao. The dark blue night sky is awash with white stars, and dark grey clouds against the dark mountains in the distance.

Its been a whirlwind of a trip, much awaited and looked forward to. I’ve fallen in love with Phuket, and I do believe it represents the best of Thailand, in terms of experiences with food, the beaches and the spirit of the people. 

Here are some of the best photos of the trip:

Bike and 91 gasoline

My beloved bike on which I roamed all over Phuket. At 250 baht (INR 500 or US$ 8) day, it was an awesome deal, thanks to Khan and Katy at Bang Tao Kitchen. Tip: Always negotiate on the bike rates, especially if you are travelling with 2 or more people. 

Fried Squid and Sausage on a Stick

Every place has got a street food stall, and for 10-30 Baht (INR 20 or US$ .30), you can get some pretty delicious soya sauce dripping goodies.

Queen Victoria DJing at Catch Beach Club, Surin Beach

Catch Beach Club

Partying at Surin Beach.

Foot Massage at Pattaya

Experiencing the famous Thai massage.

Tip: Bargain for the massages as well, and you can usually get a 100-200 Baht cheaper, especially if 2 or more people are getting massages at the same time.

Ladboys at Patong, Phuket

Seeing the famous Ladyboys at Patong Walking Street, Phuket.

Fried Grasshopper

Eating grasshoppers in Bangkok!

Pad Thai

Having delicious Pad Thai, my most favourite dish in Thailand.

Golden Sunlight at Nai Harn Beach

My favourite picture of the beautiful Thai landscape; took this while biking on the road.

On the streets of Bangkok

Overlooking Kamala Beach

But the absolute best part was getting to chill with some of my best friends.

Will definitely recommend going to Thailand for a vacation. It provides a glorious experience, and its pretty easy to get around.

I’m inclined to post a special how to guide for people looking to party and chill in Thailand, especially on a budget :).

 

 

 

Chilling in Thailand

On a break from Goa, and what better place than Thailand???

Wish u all the best for your vacations and breaks.

Goan flavour updates to continue after July 1, 2013.

Meanwhile, enjoy some Thailand photos!

 

The famous Pattaya beach

 

Some awesome roast chicken in Bangkok

 

 

More Bangkok street food – Pork Dumplings

 

View of the Skytrain from my room

 

Street food festival near Platinum Mall, Bangkok

 

 

An ice cold Singha beer on the beach – Perfect way to enjoy a relaxed evening

Fun Way to Get Around Goa – The Dashing Pilots

If you are alone, and have just gotten off at the Panjim bus stand, and are wondering how to get around Goa, have no fear.

The dashing pilots are there.

Hello from Mr. Pilot!

No, the pilots do not have ANYTHING to do with airplanes or any other aviation related machinery. Proudly astride yellow colored motorbikes, these gentlemen will carry you swiftly to your destination. This gentleman happily posed for me at Panjim bus stand.

In Goa, the yellow color on the bike’s (or scooter’s or moped’s) number plate signifies that the bike (or scooter or moped) is for tourists. You’ll see this on bikes for rent, for example, as you can see on this lovely bike (my only long term relationship in Goa). She’s an Avenger and a lady, and if I ride her again, we’ll have to think of a name.

My lady in red

So back to the pilots. They can take you from Panjim to anywhere close by, like Dona Paula, Miramar, Candolim, Calangute (highlighted in blue in the map below). These are the popular areas, so I would recommend renting your own bike from here, if you want to go further to other places like Baga, Anjuna.

Place around Panjim highlighted in blue

The pilots are pretty decent for the distances to the blue highlighted places. Any further and it becomes cost prohibitive/expensive. They should ideally charge around Rs. 100-110 (US$ 2-3) for distances upto 10km, which is more reasonable than auto-rickshaws in Goa, who charge Rs. 60-70 for 3-4km! My friend from Goa say Panjim to Mapusa (12km) is typically Rs.100(US$2), and a return journey (Panjim-Mapusa-Panjim) would be around Rs. 150.

However, its not recommended to go piloting, if you are carrying a lot of luggage (2-3 heavy bags). It’s cool if you have just your back pack and 1-2 light bags. 

Enjoy your pilot experience when you come to Goa, its one of those typical Goan things. It’s a fun way to get around Goa.

And here’s a sweet goodbye from our dashing pilot at Panjim.

Goodbye from Mr. Pilot

Goan Flavour Journey – Recommended Blogs

It’s been 3 months since I wrote the first post (about Sweet Water and Tandoori Shark) on Goan Flavour. Has so much time passed already!?

Time flows eternal.

It’s been an interesting journey. I was pretty enthusiastic about posting about Goa in the initial days, putting up pretty much everything I thought of, without really thinking how useful it is for the reader.

Goa oh Goa!

Hopefully I’ve learned from my lessons and the later blogs are more in tune with helping newcomers discover Goa, and old timers rediscover it :).

On a different note, these three months have led to the discovery of many interesting blogs on WordPress. It is quite awe-inspiring to read these stories, posted by some very talented people. It has forced me to think harder, and write better posts.

One of the bloggers, Les 3 Elephants, who has an amazing story by the way (read about it here), was kind enough to nominate me for the Liebster blog award.  

Inspiration!

While I won’t be writing for it, I will be recommending some of the very inspiring bloggers, who’s posts are a pleasure to read. Fun, quirky and often deep, they enrich everyday life and make you think about life beyond your own world.

Here they are (in no particular order), and I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I do :):

1. Fabulous 50’s  – Great posts by a “fifty-ish” baby boomer who puts many young people to shame with her vibrant energy
2. Dreaming in Arabic – All about adventures in the UAE. Compelling and well written posts with nice photos.
3. The Open Suitcase – Quirky, fun posts about travel with family
4. Not in India – A nice blog with gentle, relaxing posts, quotes, thoughts and much more
5. PS Love Charli – A very nice blog about fashion, health and celebrities
6. AvecVeritas – Another well written blog about make up and beauty. Great to suggest to all your female friends!
7. MissAdventure – Follow the adventures of Jessica as she travels and writes about teaching abroad in China, Thailand and more
8. The High Heel Gourmet – I love this blog for its wonderful pictures of authentic Thai and Asian fusion food. You can see that Miranti really puts a lot of effort in writing detailed recipes designed to make you drool.
9. Simple Tom – I enjoy Tom’s blog for his high impact visuals and informative videos. His posts are simple, not too long, but they leave you inspired and thinking of a better way to live :).
10. CristianMihai – This is one of the latest discoveries. A writer from Romania, Cristian has great short stories, essays and more about the craft of writing, its struggles and joys. 
11. Wanderful World – Adventures of an arm chair traveller!
12. TheVintagePostcard – She has some of the best photograph galleries about travels around the world and a most beautiful website layout.
13. EricJohnBaker – Another nice blog about writing. Eric is also a talented musician and just posted a great song in the genre of Progressive Post-Punk Arena Pop. Check it out the video here. The band’s called Full Blown Cranium and the albums called Cacophony of Weirdos. Just hearing the name, you know you want to listen to it :)!
14. Chronicles of Wanderlust – As they say, two travelers discovering the world and capturing their journey with nice posts and photos. They just covered Victoria and are having a contest giving away Maple Cream Cookies, amongst other prizes :). Check it out right away!

I do apologize for my brief introductions above; they do not to do justice to the depth and breadth of topics covered by them.They cover travel, living, fashion, food, inspiration and much much more :).

 I invite you to explore and enjoy these blogs.

Relaxed Goa

 

And do come back to Goan Flavour, for fun, food and relaxation.

Update:

I’m shifting goanflavour from WordPress to be hosted on Hostgator.com. So during the transfer process, it’s possible that some pictures/links may no longer work. If you find any link not working or post not displaying, please let me know, and I’ll fix it right away.

The decision to shift was prompted by a wish to have greater control on the website and I’m it will work out better for you:)!