A group of us woke up early today to embark on a day trip beyond the beaches. After all, there is only so much beach bummage that one can handle!
It took us about 2-hours by taxi to reach the the the small town of Kulem, a town located just outside the Bhagwan Mahaveer Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, a protected area located within the Western Ghats.
What I didn’t know at the time is that the Western Ghats are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and said to be one of eight “hottest hotspots”of biological diversity in the world. The mountain range is home to 39 properties in total with locations in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.
From there, we hopped in a safari jeep for a 1-hr climb through the mountains up to the waterfalls.
As expected, the 4-wheel drive was more than needed as we climbed the mountain. We crossed over rocky terrain, small streams, and large pools of water at low points along the road. We parked and then there was a short hiking path to the base of the falls.
Dudhsagar Falls is one of India’s largest waterfalls with a peak height of 1017 ft. It sits on the border of Goa and Karnataka, and is a four-tiered waterfall. Its name can be translated to “Sea of Milk” because the monsoon rains transform the entire rock face into a jaw-dropping force of water. Unfortunately the monsoon season is from July to September, so we were just catching the remnants of water left behind.
I wasn’t aware that we were allowed to swim in the pool. Fortunately Tané had a spare bikini top and I decided to sacrifice my underwear for the cause. (I ended up having to ride home commando, wet panties in a pair of jean shorts is never a good idea.)
It was definitely an experience being able to lay our backs against the rock face and feel the pounding of the water run across our heads and shoulders.
We then swam back to the rocks, dried off, and had a quick photo-op before heading to take the jeep back down the mountain. After we hopped in the taxi, it was on to our next stop for the day.
The diversity of India’s culinary creations are something that no one should skimp out on. India is the largest democracy in the world, and its substantial geographic presence results in six, unique climate subtypes. From north to south an abundance of dish varieties can be found. Goa, for example, is well known for its Goan Fish Curry, and the south for its use of lentils, rice, and dosas, whereas naan, rotis, and samosas originate from the north.
Such variety would not be possibly without the use of spices, and we learned all about the difference flavors that each spice can add to dish on our tour of the Tropical Spice Plantation. We were able to see, pick, and taste all of the following: Pepper, Vanilla, Betel Nuts, Cardamom, Lemongrass, Piri Piri, Nutmeg, Cashew, Clove, Cinnamon, Bay Leaves, Chinese Coriander, Turmeric, Ginger, All Spice, Gherkin, Cardamom, and Black Cardamom.
They even had an elephant giving rides! (Although I can’t comment on whether he was being ethically treated and cared for.) We then headed back to the hostel to relax for a bit before we all grabbed dinner together to celebrate my last evening in Goa.
It’s somewhat surprising that we are such good friends, with very similar travel philosophies, despite our colored past. You see, once upon a time, many years ago, we dated each other, and, as with many high school relationships, it ended dramatically and emotionally, igniting a rift in our social circles. But, as is typical with age and college, our friendship evolved and adapted to the adults we were becoming. Even today I still find some irony in our story. Nick is one of a handful of friends that sees the world and travels in similar fashion to myself.
CestLaJu 