Экскурсионный тур «Золотой треугольник» + отдых на курорте Гоа Excursion tour "Golden Triangle" + rest in the resort of Goa

The departure from Novosibirsk and the flight this time passed without incident, Transaero even somewhat rehabilitated in my eyes. We arrived at the Goa Dabolim airport at 5-30 in the morning, and the flight to Delhi was scheduled for 15-30. At the airport, there are not even chairs in the check-in hall, so, on the advice of knowledgeable people, we took a taxi for 200 rupees to the nearest hotel - Bogmalo, where there were large sofas with pillows in the lobby. On one such sofa I slept for four hours, after which we went to the beach. A few practical recommendations: Currency exchange at the airport and in hotels is very unprofitable, it is better to change it in shops on the street. But about arrival, you still have to either exchange $ 100 (they don’t change less at the airport), or use an ATM - but it turns out about the same thing. Cellular communication - I advise you to take a SIM card from a local company, right opposite the exit from the airport there is an Airtel kiosk. Tariffs are low - a call to Russia is 10 rupees for mobile and 7 rupees for landlines per minute, SMS to Russia - 5 rupees. (A rupee is about 75 kopecks). The flight to Delhi was unexpectedly pleasant. Indian airlines have brand new airbuses, unlike ours. True, free of charge in flight you will be poured only water from a jug. Everything else is pretty expensive. The flight attendants are busy trading the whole flight. I bought a swiss army universal adapter that the instructions say will fit all sockets in the world. He rescued me several times - not in all hotels our plugs stuck into their sockets. Part one is the tour. I don’t even know what to write… One big AH!!! ! It was worth going to India for this. Photos certainly do not betray all the beauty. At the same time, the contrasts were sometimes shocking - the dirt and poverty are indescribable, and are closely adjacent to this splendor. Delhi is a tough city. Qutab Minar, India Gate and Presidential Palace, Secretariat Building; Jama Masjid & Raj Ghat, where the Mahatma Gandhi memorial, Red Fort was located. In general, there is not enough time to explore Delhi, besides, we were kept in a hotel outside the city for almost a day, without offering any additional program for this time. The second city visited was Jaipur. The fabulous weaving of the Palace of Winds enchants. And the palace of the Maharaja amazes with its monumentality and splendor. The observatory of the early 19th century - very interesting, we looked at the world's largest sundial - as tall as a 9-story building. Agra. The jewel of India, the Taj Mahal, is located here. However, when I got to know his story in more detail, the touch of romance was thoroughly asleep - it turns out that he loved her so much that she died giving birth to his 14th child. When the children grew up, they overthrew dad and imprisoned him in the tower of the Red Fort overlooking the Taj, where he spent 8 years and either fell or threw himself from the balcony, and buried him next to his beloved... The Red Fort is also a majestic and impressive building, Indians are generally prone to grandiosity. On the last day we returned to Delhi and from there flew to Goa. By the way, one more piece of advice - it is better to buy souvenirs on the excursion part, there is more choice and better deals, in Goa the choice is poorer and prices are higher. Part two - beach. Beach holidays in Goa are very specific. Due to the gently sloping coast and strong monsoons in summer, hotels are located far from the coast, and you will have to stomp from 500 meters to a kilometer to the beach. Our hotel - Holiday Inn, located almost in the very south of Goa, on Cavelossim beach, is the most successful in this sense - the minimum distance to the beach, and the hotel has its own beach. There are no complaints about the hotel - it fully corresponds to the declared 4 stars. Breakfast is varied, although the menu has not changed much. What upset - very little fruit, and in the hotel and in the markets they sell almost nothing, only tangerines and pineapples. There is no mango at all, although in Tai it was heaped up at that time. We dined in restaurants on the shore or above the river - we liked Indian cuisine. If you say “know spicy” to the waiter, then the sharpness will be acceptable. The guide introduced us to the main dishes during the tour. Their wines are sour, but I liked the Old Monk rum. There are several souvenir shops opposite the hotel. If you walk along the beach 2 km to the village or take a taxi for 150 rupees, then there are much more shops there. The set is standard - crafts made of wood and stone, scarves, carpets, T-shirts. Jewelery personally I had doubts. Especially after one story. They demonstrate to everyone a certain mysterious device - a diamond checker. Like if you press it against a stone, then a light will light up on a diamond, but not on a fianite. The wife took off her fianite earring and offered to check her diamond. The light bulb lit up, and when we laughed and said that it was fianite, it immediately went out, and the seller did not even blush. And a 2 cm ruby ​ ​ or emerald cannot cost $200. We took another tour - a sightseeing tour of Goa and a spice plantation. I liked the tour, Goa is very different from the rest of India - it was a Portuguese colony. The Temple of St. Catherine, which was built by the Portuguese in honor of the capture of Goa - the largest Catholic church in Asia, is famous for the fact that in the 17th century lightning destroyed one tower and since then the facade has become asymmetric. In the capital of Goa, there is good shopping, there are branded stores, the prices are reasonable. Conclusion. Did I like India? Undoubtedly yes. Do I regret something? Not at all. Will I go to Goa again? Most likely no. If you just need a beach holiday, then you are in Thailand. There and the service is better, and the beaches. India is worth a trip in two cases. Or look at it, as I did, but then you need to take the combined tour. Or, if you are attracted to esotericism, if you are open to the perception of something unknown, to touch the secrets of Hinduism and Ayurveda. But it's definitely not for me. In general, I was satisfied with the tour, but I would like to draw the attention of the tour operator to some miscalculations in the planning of the tour, which somewhat spoiled the impression. 1. We arrived at the airport in Goa at 5-30 in the morning, and the flight to Delhi was scheduled for a flight at 15-30. Why such a time period was needed and how we had to spend this time, if check-in for the flight starts 3 hours before, and there are not even seats in the check-in hall - the question remains open. Well, knowledgeable people advised about the nearest hotel. 2. On the excursion part of the tour, our group consisted of 3 people - my wife and I and another girl. At the same time, in all cities we were placed in hotels, the travel time between which was 20-30 minutes. Thus, every day we lost an hour for check-in and check-out. 3. On the last day of the excursion part of the tour, the excursion ended at 14:00. We were brought to a hotel located 30 kilometers outside the city of Delhi and left there. The hotel was located between two freeways, we had absolutely nowhere to go. The flight to Goa was scheduled for the next day at 15-30. What were we supposed to do these days in the suburbs? Why was it impossible to organize a flight to Goa in the evening on the day the tour ended? If this free time was necessary, why weren't we offered options on how to spend it? For example, additional excursions (even if for an additional fee). Because of these miscalculations, the rating of the tour operator is 3.