Pune to Goa : A pictorial

[spadival]

Well, Since Pune to Goa is a well trodden path and Goa seems to be like a second home to most people here, I wont go into too much details about the route, places etc.

Background Info:
Originally, we had planned to head to Harnai beach in Maharashtra for the long weekend. I tried booking a room at every 2 bit resort (Suspect some of them are 3 bit hole in the wall). But all of were packed. I was soo irritated with this, that I proclaimed to my wifey that we are marching off to Goa to see the real beaches!!

Onward Journey:

March 21st 2008, Me and wifey started off at 6:30am from Pune. Excellent route recomended by our inhouse Goa specialist Moralfibre - Pune-NH4-Nipani-Ajara-Uttar-Amboli-Sawanthwadi-NH17-South Goa.

Sunflower field somewhere near Ajara



Amboli Ghat - between Ajara and Sawanthwadi




Our Base station for the next 3 days: Kolva beach, South Goa

Reached Margoa at around 3pm after a 1 hour lunch break at Vittal Kamat, Sawanthwadi. At Kolva beach, We stayed at a hotel called La Ben close by (booked via www.makemytrip). Cheap a/c room with a TV hanging on the ceiling!! A veggie restaurant, Sagar Kinara is right opposite the hotel. Dont laugh, But me and my wife being vegetarians (Hence sea food is not an option!!) liked the Masala Dosa and idlies served out here.





We spent the evenings in Kolva beach. You can see the rain clouds gathering. Some people carefully folded away their clothes to get into the water in their undies, only to watch their clothes get fully drenched by the rain that followed!! .. Nothing like rains to cool things down a bit!!



The next two days, we went around most of the beaches in North Goa - eating, drinking (i.e.mineral water ) and shopping.

Fort Aguda:



Calangute Beach:



Anjuna beach:



Poor elephant, whats it doing in Goa?



Baga beach:



Backwaters, anyone?




The Return Journey:

Pressed the Warp Drive button on my Baleno (Not an OE feature) to head back to Pune!



.. only to be slowed down by a Chris Bangles designed "Anand Special" from West Bengal !! In order to overtake, I had to peep thru the bulging "flame surfaced" sides of the bus!!



Amboli ghat - Sun rays streaming through the dark clouds



Green fields and the gathering storm



A bend on the road with a solitary tree - . Got the right place at the right time for a quick break amid some amazing naturally "lighted up" scenery







Gulp! Driving into the sunset on NH4 - with a storm in sight (it rained like mad) and a broken headlight (low beam conked out).

[CorsaLove]

Very beautiful pictures Spadival. What cam you using?

Goa is always fun and good to hear you had a great time. More pictures would spice it up.

[moralfibre]

E.X.C.E.L.L.E.N.T. pictures Spadival. Nothing like driving to Goa when it rains.

Sunflower field somewhere near Ajara

These sunflower beds are about 4-5 kms before Amboli on the Amboli - Belgaum section. I am sure you got a chance to picture them because the roads around these farms are horrible.

Our Base station for the next 3 days: Kolva beach, South Goa

Its Colva beach buddy

[adc]

A very refreshing witty pictorial with superb pictures, enjoyed it every bit

Originally Posted by spadival

.. only to be slowed down by a Chris Bangles designed "Anand Special" from West Bengal !! In order to overtake, I had to peep thru the bulging "flame surfaced" sides of the bus!!

You do have to watch carefully how these big butt buses go about a road curve when trying to negotiate a turn at high speeds on a poorly inclined Digha road - you could almost feel their massive body roll coming and almost hitting you in slo mo.

[akroy]

Nice pictorial spadival, drive in rains on GQ is an experience of lifetime!!
BTW, What is Warp drive button?

Abhi

[nishantgandhi]

Very very nice pictures. Which cam are you using?
BTW, whats a Warp Drive button?

[FATAL3RROR]

Wonderful Pictures spadival! Goa looks in a totally different picture than our recent TBhp drive down there! The pics will clear up the 'picture'!

What do you shoot with?

[1000Horses]

Wonderful pictorial description buddy. some of the pics are terrific. Rains and those clouds makes it for me. Fantastic.

[spadival]

All pics taken by my wife on a Olympus 3MP camera (that I bought for someone as a gift, but retained because its too good )

Originally Posted by moralfibre

I am sure you got a chance to picture them because the roads around these farms are horrible.

Nope.. Navigator cum camera person (Wifey) announced an unscheduled pitstop .. Thanks for the Colva spelling (Mods: pl correct).

Originally Posted by adc

you could almost feel their massive body roll coming and almost hitting you in slo mo.

I can believe that ! And you would probably think the bulging sides are an optical illusion if you are not from WB. I almost rubbed my eyes in disbelief.

Originally Posted by akroy

BTW, What is Warp drive button?
Abhi

.. Now dont go to your local M.A.S.S asking for this to be fitted on your Alto! Warp drive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[bblost]

Nice, I liked the pictures.

[sushrutha]

WOW fantastic pics .. You are so lucky with the background(clouds)

[n_aditya]

Fantastic pictures Spadival. Seeing those rain clouds all over the sky including while on the highway makes for a very relaxing and refreshing holiday. Looks like a paintaing that has come alive.

Reminds me that my vacation is long overdue. Truly amazing photography. Gotta say that again.

[Dippy]

Lovely pictorial spadival. Those beach pictures are amazing. Dying to make a Goa trip and I think I'm gonna do that real soon now

[pawan_pullarwar]

Too good pics.. no one velive taken from 3MP Olympus. Nice writeup.

[vnabhi]

Great pics spadival. Now I need not travel to Goa---all I need to do is visit this posting of yours for a refreshing breather