The Train
We woke up at 5am to make our 7am departure at Victoria Station. As we watched people load goods onto the other trains we began to wonder where the other passengers were.

It turns out that the train was delayed for five hours(!)

Five hours later, we returned to the train station and headed to Goa.

We arrived at 3:40am at our accomodation, Bhakti Kutir.

Without a reservation…!

We managed to get the last two huts. Shortly after checking in, we passed out in our huts to the sound of dogs fighting in the jungle, crows crowing, fireworks going off at random and two monkeys swinging in the trees.

Thank god we found a place to stay!

GOA
Goa, being one of the most popular destinations in India, attracts a lot of backpackers. Since the late 1960s hippies have converged on Goa to soak up the sun, smoke hash and meditate on the beach.

Fishing Boat,Patnem Beach. Goa, India.

Later, in the 90s Goa became famous for all night beach parties and raves.

‘Bridge and Tunnel’ Restaurant. Pallolem Beach. Goa, India.

Several years ago, the Indian governement cracked down on drug use and noise levels in Goa, effectively shutting down the reasons that hippies/ravers would come to Goa in the first place.

That isn’t to say that you can’t find a rave. It’s just that some raves switch to headphone-use only, after 10pm.

Literally, people will rent headphones and sit around the bar listening to the DJ spin, in silence.

My experience of Goa, is that it is a place in transition. There are many more families here than I expected, and many middle-aged Europeans come to Goa specifically for Yoga and Auryvedic treatments…not raving and drugs.

Talisman to Keep Crows Away. Goa, India.

The last day in Goa, Robin and I climbed onto a rock to watch the sunset. Shortly after, a rasta man and his wife, (both life long travellers originally from Alabama) joined us on the rock and began to play drums and sing, watching the sun go down.

Babay Yishua and Imani. Goa, India.

I thought to myself that this would be as close to the original Goan spirit as I would come.

I loved Goa, but I did not really shoot much here. Goa is mostly populated by tourists and westernized Indians, and really did not inspire me to work. The relaxing was nice though.

Europeans. Pallolem Beach. Goa, India.

A Shave. Goa, India.

After several days of much needed relaxation we headed off to Chennai to see the Pongal festival, after that to Pondocherry, a French/Indian outpost on the Bay of Bengal.

-Kirk