Well we have returned from what can only be called a mind blowing trip to India. It really has been a trip of all extremes of wonder and heartbreak. I can only say we have enjoyed every sight and sound, hustle and bustle than can only be India.

Bangalore was very very busy and our guide never managed to get the time off work to help us, so we were on our own in a very big city, not knowing where we were at all. The hotel spoke very little English, so we just did our own thing, making sure we went in one direction to find our way back.

Food. We liked the Thalis we ate, and lots of the little snacks you find on most corners. The hotel did most things and we mainly eat Vegetarian food, though we thought it could have been better.

Goa, well where do I start, they seem to cook everything to suit all, though their Prawn Chilli fry was superb, wherever you ate it. We found a little bar where the chef had come down from Delhi who cooked the most beautiful tandoori chicken and tandoori paneer, at a ridiculously low price, only 100 rupees or about ?1.20 for as much as you could eat. The beaches are stunning and the water is so warm.

I must admit to entertaining some people from Bristol with your simple Prawn curry, having gone to Margao fish market to buy the prawns and their indoor market to buy the freshest spices I have ever tasted. We all thought it quite funny sitting round eating a good a curry as we had all eaten (their words not mine) during our time in Goa. I have a photo of the curry and will do my best to upload when I can work out how to do it.

To sum up, a wonderful trip, lots of fantastic experiences/food/sights and sounds, will be going again. Sorry if this is all a bit rushed but I will post some more when my head has got used to being back here.

Sooo happy to read you had such a wonderful trip!

Sounds like many memories were made...

And lovely to hear you impressed new friends with a Mamta's Kitchen recipe while you were there, too.

x

Wilsonz, welcome back! I am glad you enjoyed the trip overall. Bangalore used to be a clean, beautiful city with a god climate, until the computer revolution happened and it was over-run by computer companies and dependent businesses locating there. Now it is as crowded as everywhere else.

Goa was Portuguese influenced food before, but now it caters for all tastes because of international tourism. Rs 100 for a dish is a reasonable price at roadside restaurants. Many people in India will still find that quite beyond their reach.

I am glad that your friend enjoyed your prawn curry. I would love to have your photo of it, and a few others too :-).

So, when are you going back? India gets in people's blood, in spite of its crowds and problems.

We will certainly be going back, we are in love with everything about India, both the good and the bad. You can not blink for fear of missing something One of the highlights was the fourteen hour overnight train from Bangalore to Margao (Goa) where we were treated to all sorts of wonderful food and the most delicious Chai delivered very quickly every time we stopped at a station. Anyway I digress, please tell me how I upload photos so you can see my Prawn curry (your recipe) and some other photos of our trip.

Wilsonz, we don't have any facility here for uploading of pics, you would need to use some other site such as flickr or whichever, and share the links here.

x

Or you can send it to me on a mail, I will post it on my flicker account and give a link here.

Here is the picture;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mamta1/6857530776/in/photostream

Thanks for putting the photo on Mamta, believe me it tasted fantastic.

Looks great Wilsonz, seems like you know how to have the best time on holiday, go with the flow and take things as they come :-)

Steve

You should have gone to Goa years ago - you have missed the best of it. Then it was unspoilt by charter tourists, rip off merchants and beggars from other states.

The beaches were clean and the streets were not filled with rubbish like they are now. We have just come back after a 1 month visit after not going there for 9 years and hated it and moved on after a few days.

We went to Benaulim in South Goa, beautiful quiet unspoilt beaches and from what we saw litter was not a problem. More litter and beggers in London if you ask me.