ROARR's Second film night!

ROARR’s film night

It is time for yet another Indian film night from ROARR. This time we got City of Joy for you a film with Patrick Swayze who plays a doctor (Dr Max) who needs a break and goes to Calcutta. He meets Joan a British woman who runs a small clinic in a poor area. She can really use a doctor to help in the clinic but Dr Max is not up for it! What will he do?

Come and join us!
20 January
7:30 PM doors open film starts at 08:00 PM
FREE entry

Send me an email to confirm you are coming: yasmin@roarr.me

Christmas dinner at ANDINA

Peruvian foods is tasty man! I loved the ceviche and the special Christmas cocktail with pisco was perfect for this occasion.

Adrian my colleague who is currently organising the Alpaca rally organised a Christmas dinner for our " ROARR family" It was a very nice evening out meeting many of ROARR's travellers from the early days when Conrad organised the first rally called Jewel of India in 1999.

It was very nice meeting you all and sharing dinner with you, and when I mean sharing it was literally sharing. Small dishes where brought to the table and we could pick whatever we liked from the plates, it's quite fun. All dishes were well presented and quite healthy too! We had ceviche Andina with sea bass and avocado, monkfish skewers with quinoa and duck confit with coriander rice to name a few. My favourite was definitely the ceviche. The private rooms was perfect for our group size and the records at display gave the room a funky look!

All and all a great night! Thank you all for coming

(sorry Paul about the candle!! This was the only picture with everyone in it)

even the manager in the back :)

 

Best wishes Yasmin

life of a street dog

Living in India is for most people tuff. We all know that India has millions of people living in slums and under the poverty line. But what about the animals......

If you picture a typical street in India you see women dressed in colourful sarees, a whole family on a bike dad, mom and 4 children, busy streets and often a cow in the middle of the road and a dog or a cat somewhere in the back ground.

You all must know something about the caste system and how Hindu's believe in Karma, even if it is just a little bit. A dog will be last on the list and if you have done bad things in this life on earth karma will make you come back as a dog in your years to follow.

The cows and goats are taken care of as they provide milk and meat. But the dogs are left on their own to survive the harsh streets of many villages in the country side.

I am a sucker for animals. I am such a softy whenever I see a hurt animal I try and feed him something I might have in my bag or I will run to a corner shop and buy biscuits and a samosa, ( hungry dogs will eat dry biscuits, I never knew that) He might survive another day. You can see when a dog is hurt by looking in its eyes. They need love too.

I don't even remember how many times I have called the Animal rescue in Assagao whenever I spotted a dog with injuries. Animal Rescue is a non profit organisation started in 1988 by a UK national. They rescue cows hit by traffic and provide them of the needed care and picks up dogs and cats for sterilisation. You could visit the kennel and take dogs for a walk as a volunteer.

My own pack has started to grow year by year. I had two cats at first than Mikey my first puppy dog came along then Flash and then lizzy. The latest addition is Moby. So in total 4 dogs now. I would say it is Doggy Paradise at our house, even neighbours dogs want to come and join the pack and obviously want to have lunch too.

Mikey was such a cute little scruffy when he walked into my garden. He was very skinny and only a couple of months old. I couldn't resist given him some food and he never left. He is about 5 years old now and very handsome. The pack are all good friends and they love running in the fields and getting muddy!

If you love animals like I do it might be interesting to visit The Animal Rescue on your day off and if you could help with a donation or perhaps even go for a walk with one of the rescued dogs.



Thanks for reading,
Yasmin




http://www.internationalanimalrescuegoa.org.in/

 

Show offs!!!! Posing for a picture :)

 

Panjim - Panaji - Ponje

Panjim - My favourite place in Goa.
The colours, people, houses, hangout spots and riverside views, it all adds up to this multi cultural city. Surrounded by water, the northern river Mandovi and the southern river Zuari. "party boats" cruise up and down the river with Indian tourists dancing to the latest Bollywood hits. On the market you will find ladies selling chorizo sausages and the fresh fish market filled with mullet, snapper, pomfret and kingfisher ready to be made in to tasty curries and fried with masala and semolina.

The old heart of the city is called Fontainhas. You will see for yourself when we go for a walking tour through the city how the Portuguese left their foot print here. The colours, the window and door decorations and the many pots and plants adding greenery to the small front porches of any typical house. Many old timers still speak Portuguese and are proud to be Goan.

There is a mix of 3 major religions like all over India,  Hindus, Christans and Muslims. Panjim has a bigger Christian community in Goa and there are many festivities over the year like Easter where the locals enjoy a red and black dance and Carnival of course with a grand parade with music and dancers and not to forget Christmas. Here some pictures

 

Our logo

We finally got our logo ready! Tell me what you think?

It's a bit wacky no?!

 

 

Eat from the garden

What you can find in my garden in Goa.
After the monsoon everything is so green and lush! I enjoy watching the garden grow year by year.
I am still waiting for a pineapple to show up, I planted that 3 years ago!

Mangoes will be in season in March and bananas come and go. The plant actually dies once it gave fruit, so sad as they look amazing!

Going home

Unfortunately this recce has come to an end. Today my flight departs from Dabolim airport in Goa to chhatrapati shivaji international airport in Bombay, there I will catch the next plane towards London Heathrow. Time has gone very fast and I enjoyed travelling and meeting people for the coming tours for ROARR. Now once I get back at the office I will put all the pieces together to complete the package. Keep an eye on ROARR’s main website www.ROARR.me for more details on “Ride to the Sunny South” and other journey’s including The Alpaca Rally to Peru, Ecuador and Colombia in October 2015. See you all back at home! Yasmin

Last days

         I am starting to get used to the weather now, the humidity doesn’t affect me that much anymore. Around noon the sun really starts to get hot. Roaming around on the bike has worked out well for me because that is how I got my sun tan. Also for all the girls who read this; please leave you foundation at home! When I wash my face before going to bed this is what I remove. Shockingly dirrrrty…. I have whole India on my face. Now in the evenings I am feeling more chilly so I grabbed a jeans from my suitcase and I noticed that the food has done me well too, the jeans was definitely more tight fitting than the last time I wore it.

 

         I have managed to make good contacts regarding the bus and I am satisfied with the result of this recce. Tomorrow is my last full day and I am hoping to finish of some loose ends. I have decided not to end “Ride to the Sunny South” in Cochin but to fly out from Calicut as we can save some time by not driving another 300km. I have got some ideas to fill in the days that I am extending along the Konkan coast. When I explored the route to Cochin I noticed the distance between the cities where too long and driving for about 4 hours should be long enough for people to enjoy. Now the task is to find interesting hotels to stay and an activity to do. Currently.
        I have located my office at a restaurant in south Anjuna called “La Franza”. They are ok for me to make calls and use their internet from my table (while I munch away a banana fritter with nutella or as today Calamaris in butter garlic sauce). Even when they close between 2 and 4 PM they let me stay and continue my work. Much appreciated!

Road Trip

          I have been on the road for the last 5 days and have viewed the rolling green hills of the Coorg plateau in northern Kerala, coffee and tea plantations and almost the whole route of the NH17 that starts in Bombay reaching all the way to Kochi.
         The drive has been an eye opening experience and I have learned a lot. I now have a more accurate idea of how long a journey takes between major cities in India. The roads I travelled have not been that bad, the worst part was yesterday when we were crossing the border from Kerala into Karnataka; a very dusty and bumpy drive and it took us more than 1 hour to cover only 20km, quite frustrating after a long day of sitting in a car. At the moment I have finished the route of “Ride to the Sunny South” and I am heading back to Goa where I catch my return fight to Bombay and continue back home to London.I will definitely need to change some things on my route and so I have some more to do!!
         I had the best experience in Wayanad. We arrived in the early evening around 7.30 PM just after sunset and had a quick stop to grab a bite to eat at Tholpetty wildlife sanctuary entrance. There were some vendors who sold all kinds of local items like bamboo rice and sandalwood soap. I got myself some raw honey from the forest and coffee powder for the office J and lucky as I was I got to see a wild male elephant with huge stusks standing around a corner. I was so happy I got to see that! The next morning I went to visit Jungle Retreat and met Anil, the owner of Jungle Retreat in Thirunelly and a big wildlife lover. He shared with me some great ideas for when we would arrive with a group. For example visit a local tribe and go trekking in the forest with a guide. And he even shared breakfast; tasty local rice pancakes and coconut curry. He told me the guide had found tiger paw prints at the edge of the forest and if I would like to go and see it? – Of course!
When we reached at the edge Rajen the guide explained that when you see a tiger or a leopard you should stare it in the eyes and be very quite. But when you encounter a sloth bear or elephant you should quickly retreat and run. ( I was getting a bit nervous by than) November and March is the best times to see a tiger because it is their time to mate. Thank god nothing crazy happened and I got safe back to the cottages of the retreat. I did get a photo of the paw print look closely as it is difficult to see.

India has 1576 official languages. In Bombay they speak Marathi in Goa Konkani, in Karnataka Kannada and in Kerala Malayalam.  4 totally different languages and so asking for road direction sometimes was a challenge even when the driver speaks kannada and Konkani his pronunciation was making me laugh every time he asked for directions. First to tell you a road trip in India is a challenge all by itself. The way the people drive; zig-zagging between potholes, cows and other road participant is one thing but over taking on a slope in a curve with no view is a whole different thing. To be honest you get used to it after a while. We as westerners are not used to driving the way the locals do. They have absolute control of the situation and think they are good drivers.
I will assure you I will look for the best driver there is and I will hit him in the head if he doesn’t drive slowly.

After being away for so many days I checked my mails today and noticed Tracy and Conrad have been a bit worried as they couldn’t get in touch with me.  OOPPPSS…..  All is well this side. Just 4 more days left and then this recce will be coming to an end L

Thanks for reading check for some pictures at the photos button!

https://www.facebook.com/ROARR.travel/posts/718123211597665?pnref=story

More Goa...

        Well the small miracle didn’t happen I am still chasing people around trying to get to see their buses and for them to tell me what the price will be before I head further down south.  Tomorrow morning Manoj our regular taxi driver will to take me to Palolem. Here I will stay in one of the beach huts overlooking the sea, taste some more fresh fish and check out what’s happening at the very last tip of Goa. (what a lucky girl I am!)

          The past couple of days I have been driving around the smallest state of India on my moped and have burned some rubber trying to get everywhere in time. On my first day I got slightly sunburned on my knees and arms from driving all day in the hot sun. It looked a bit silly just red arms and red knees J The hotels I have visited look as good as they do on their website and I am pleased with the feeling and location. As I have mentioned before the season is picking up day by day and last Wednesday was the first flea market, much smaller than usual and so much more quite. But even now all the selling ladies are trying to lure me into buying pashmina shawls, silver jewellery and Rajasthani items all in perfect English or Russian and sometimes even Dutch. “Kijken kijken, niet kopen” is what they tell me when I say I am from Holland. It is a typical Dutch saying, only looking but not buying is the literal translation.

       I enjoyed a swim at South Anjuna beach and tried out the Go Pro underwater….. At first I was doubting to use it underwater, what if it leaks and the camera will break?! No more filming…? Obviously it works!

       Today I had the pleasure of tasting Hotel Venite’s prawn curry and rava fried parwns at Panjims old heart of the city- Fontainhas. It was so good it almost tastes the same as Mai’s curry, my boyfriends grandmother. (Mai is mother in Portuguese)As we are in Goa we should definitely try some Goan cuisine. At hotel Veite the food is great and the price matches the food. The cute balconies and old furniture make it a place worth of visiting.
Old, dusty broken doors and colourful paint flaking of walls, I love Panjim; the mix of old and new buildings, parks and many large trees providing shade on the Mandovi walkway. I passed by the department of tourism to ask for a government approved tour guide and as friendly as the Goans are I left the building with three phone numbers. I was surprised to hear that they do not actually have official city walks so I will have to come to an agreement with the local guide myself and decide what I want him to show us.

I am curious what lies ahead when I continue the route to Cochin.

From here onwards I will visit new places, ones I have not seen before-EXCITING!

https://www.facebook.com/ROARR.travel/posts/717485828328070

 

 

 

Goa first days

         Since 4 o’clock this afternoon it has been thundering and raining. Sometimes heavy rain and scary thunder rumbles. I don’t think I could compare it to a thunderstorm in Holland or UK. Here it has this immense power and heavy base; it travels through your whole body. I always make sure I get to somewhere dry before the rains start pouring down. Now reaching the end of the monsoon season it just drizzles a bit, kind of like London only than warmer J

        I left my temporary home early this morning to head to the capitol city of Goa – Panjim, in search of a bus. I would like to tell you that nothing goes as planned in India and like in many warm countries also the Goans have siesta. Between 2 and 4 people stay at home and wait for the heat to pass by. Susagade is what they say, take it easy…..

       I did manage to get hold of some companies and by tomorrow I should have more details about what their price will be. If I could get a bus organised by tomorrow that would a small miracle. I found one Hippy bus! Unfortunately this bus is only for a film shoot and I don't think it would be very comfy to travel in but it is funky!

       In every village you see the workers building and reshaping beach shacks, guest houses and maintaining only the biggest potholes in the road. The locals are ready for yet another season which seems to attract more crowd every year. Now India’s middle class is growing, so are the domestic tourists in Goa.  I would guess that the freedom that one can experience here is felt in many hearts.

       Right now the children have Diwali holiday and they are preparing for Narkasur, a tradition that occurs the day before Diwali. Kids from the village get together and build a big demon king who once spread terror among the locals in Goa. The legend tells that the Goans prayed to Lord Krishna and he defeated the demon king Narkasur in the wee hours of the night. Therefor they burn the dummy made of dried grass and paper mache just before dawn to celebrate this ancient tale.

 

 

It is time for me to go to sleep now. Tomorrow is a new day and I think it has just stopped raining.

Good night

Bombay day 2 and Train to Goa

         Our alarm woke us up at 5.30 this morning. Today we are going to take the Mandovi express train to Goa. I haven’t travelled first class before and I must say typing this on my laptop on the train I really enjoy it. We are lucky to have a coupe all for ourselves, normally you share it with 2 other people and we are making the most of it. Everything you could possibly need is available, pillows and sheets, a table for all your messy bits, a mirror to check whether your hair is still looking good and even electricity sockets to charge your camera or phone. It does take around 11 hours to reach from Bombay to Goa and it covers almost 600km, the views are green and you pass by many small villages, streams and loads of rice fields.

         Another 6 hours to go and I will finally be in my most favourite place! I have lived in Goa for the past 6 years and within those 6 years I was allowed to stay 6 months at each time because of visa requirements. For me Goa is like home and my boyfriend and I have wonderful memories of the time we spent there.( I met Elroy 6 years ago when I worked at a local travel agency in Anjuna) It feels great to finally be on this recce after months of brainstorming. I have made up my mind and decided to call the tour “ Ride to the Sunny South” The last two days in Bombay where really interesting I have met up with a friend, Felix and he took the time to show us around. When I say us I mean me and my mother. She decided to join me during my recce. I will continue to Wayanad and Kochi in Kerala and my mom will stay in Goa to enjoy the rest of her holiday. Ride to the Sunny South is a tour of 16 days and I am finalizing prices, dates, hotels, activities and everything else to plan out this trip for 2015. So far Bombay has been very good to me. Meeting up with Felix who has a travel agency on Colaba Causeway was exactly what I needed. Someone local who knows the area by heart and can show what is the real Bombay! The buildings when the British ruled during the 18th and 19th century the parks and Marine drive all gloriously make part of the modern day Bombay. Check out the double decker buses.

         Yesterday Felix took us by local train to Dharavi Slum about an hour away from our Hotel in Colaba and I was amazed of how organized and clean it was. Dharavi once belonged to one of the 7 islands and when the British ruled they filled the wetlands and turned it into a big space where they kept their workers. It is now looked after by the government and has water and electricity facilities to all houses. A network of narrow streets, connect houses and enterprises to one big slum. The ladies do their washing up, silver pots and plates and the laundry is scrubbed clean on a stone in fort of their doorstep and kids are running around, they are all smiling. Each area is divided into different sections like leather produce, fabrics, clay pottery and plastic recycling. All these areas make up the Dharavi slum.

In the evening I decided to go off on my own. I took a bus up to Oval Maidan to see all the locals play cricket, walked further to Chuchgate station to see if I could see any Dabbawallas, the lunchbox delivery men, but I was too late. I hadn’t visited all the markets and bazaars so I thought that would be a good moment to take a taxi to Buleshwar. A market with everything you could possibly need household good, fabrics, beads, clothes and many Diwali decorations. On the 23rd of October is the Hindu New Year, the festival of light Diwali. And just like that my two days in Bombay have come to an end.

  These where my favourites in Bombay
- Lunch at Olympia (chicken tikka masala and Biryani) one of their specialities was goat brain but I dint have the guts to order that! I hadn’t ever notice it on the menu until a friendly man at our table offered to try some.
- Walking on Colaba Causway, a great place for shopping!

- Hearing the roosters in the morning down in the park next to Hotel Bentley’s
- Tour to Dharavi slum

Felix was a great help showing me around and thanks to him I have managed to tick of all the highlights of my list within two days.
In a couple of hours I will reach Goa. YAHOOOOOO!

So let’s get the wheels of the Funky Bus going!  Thanks for reading and keep in touch.

Bombay Day 1

Staying at Bently's Hotel in Colaba is peaceful and reminds you of a more quite Bombay of the oldern days. Situated just behind the famous Taj hotel and Colaba Causeway, There is much to do in this area. Today my friend Felix showed me around Colaba and Fort. We walked all day and already ticked off a couple of sights from my list. Crawford market, Hertige walk, Marine Drive and the hanging gardens. Tomorrow's plan is to show me the Slums and Dhobi Ghat. Best of today was Ice cream on marine drive.... Dried fruit flavour YUMMMM... and i am very curious about the Dharavi slum tomorrow. Good night for now....

Ready to go!

I am all ready!
New passport.........CHECK
Visa...............Check
Ticket........... Check

I cant wait to finally start my first recce for ROARR. I will finalize all details for Ride to the Sunny South tour that will launch in 2015. A tour that I designed for ROARR.
When I met Conrad at first after replying to a Gumtree advert I was given the opportunity to create a tour for ROARR with an idea Conrad always wanted to realize. A Funky Bus tour through India. It should be different, make people want to come on the Funky Bus and even a bit wacky.. I mean Funky Bus? What do you think when you hear about a tour with a Funky Bus....in India?
Hippies dancing to Psychedelic trance or 70's Disco like the BeeGees? I understand it could perhaps sound a bit weird, but its not weird at al! We want we make you feel happy and excited about touring around India. Visit not only highlights of a certain area but also the less known spots to complete the Funky Bus package. A mix of action and relaxation, The rural jungle and cultural side India has to offer and the major cities, dance your heart out at a local nightclub or find yourself having fun with the locals. All important aspect of this tour! I will keep you posted about the recce, send sneak peak images of restaurants and hotels and keep you up to date with anything crazy, unexpected that might happen along my travels. Keep in touch!

Yasmin
- Flying to Mumbai on 13 October and will return to the office on 6 November-