Posted on by tomdaviesrtw

Day 30 – Kankavali to Benaulim

Today has mostly been a good day. The owner of the hotel got up especially early in order to provide me with breakfast (for free as well). It wasn’t huge but it filled a hole and the generosity put me in a good mood.

The morning was fast. The temperature was below 25 degrees – pretty much perfect – and it was flat as well, meaning I knocked off the first 60 kilometres easily.

There were a couple of climbs in the second half of the day but nothing major so the heat didn’t affect me quite as badly as it has done the last two days… Although I am a bit burnt in places

I hit Goa today which was good. Cycling through the state capital Panjim was a bit busy but I found a place to stop for a decent lunch. It was called ‘Biryani & More’… Although surprise surprise, the word ‘more’ was a bit of a lie and they actually only served biryanis. It was however very tasty so I didn’t mind.

I’ve eaten quite well today and also treated myself to a few milkshakes: sweet lime, pineapple, banana (x2) and Oreo. It seems juices and the like are quite popular in India, and I can see why! I sampled a fair few in Mumbai as well.

Up to the 5 hour mark, the ride was fantastic. Unfortunately, it went slightly downhill after that. A headwind picked up out of nowhere. It wasn’t as bad as Europe but it was enough to annoy me. The road also went bad for about 500m, and in that time a screw on my pannier rack fell out. By the time I noticed, it was too late to go back and this caused a pretty severe sense of humour failure. I started getting annoyed at anyone who beeped at me. This wouldn’t really be a problem in London, but here it meant I was constantly muttering abuse at strangers. I have now been to work with some zip-ties so all should be well.

Thankfully, Goa isn’t actually too bad. I’ve been down to the beach for a swim and am now feeling much better about everything. I’m currently pondering the meaning of the Indian head wiggle. After reviewing my experiences, I think I’ve managed to narrow it down to 5 options:
-yes
-no
-I have no idea what you’re saying
-Of course it’s spicy
-What’s wrong with our tap water?

Any help on this matter would be gratefully received

Today’s ride:
Distance: 90.28miles / 145.3km
Riding Time: 6:14:14
Av. Speed: 14.5mph / 23.3kph

7 Replies to “Day 30 – Kankavali to Benaulim”

  2. Tom, good to hear from you, not too bad a day. Sorry I cannot help with the language, but they do understand NO. I have looked at some advice given us in 2008 by the tour company ReDrinking Water, “Please never drink from the taps whatever the category of Hotel you are staying in. Drink only BOTTLED Water and check the seal is secure when you receive it. There is no need to take purification tablets as it is easy to buy bottled water. In the larger hotels you will often find flasks of water. In the bigger city hotel ice is generally made from purified water and is safe to drink. HOWEVER,ice in smaller restaurants and hotels may not be. Always check if you are unsure”. A personal Note. When I was in Malta ( I was 19) I and others took ice cubes thinking these would be ok result chronic stomach pains!!! Stick to the sealed bottled water in sips. Previously I mentioned the medicine and used my sounding of it, I have just found it: Ayurveda or Ayurmana clinics it is their way of life. You may going through somewhere a bicycle shop they do exist and they would love to let you have a screw or two just in case of a repeat failure, on bumpy roads. Good luck tomorrow, With Love from Grandma & Granddad

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  3. India sounds fascinating. I’ve only touched on the outskirts of it, but have travelled through Nepal, and a lot of what you describe rings true. Indians generally don’t like saying no, so take directions, advice etc with that in mind. Grandparents advice on water is sound. Re food, try to eat what the locals eat, and anything that is piping hot should be fine. Avoid salads in general.
    Looking forward to the photos again!

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