Where I Slept: Palolem Beach, India

Palolem Beach, India | 18 January, 2007 | $5.64

How cute, my own little cabin on stilts! The markets around the beach in Goa cater to the want-to-be hippie crowd, full of sarongs, toe rings and patchwork bags. It’s fun to look at first, until you start to realize it’s the same mass-produced skirts and jewelry you see everywhere. I purposefully avoided the “party beaches” as much as possible, hoping to get some fresh air and time to read a few books.

More photos of Palolem Beach can be seen in the gallery.

Where I Slept: Panaji, Old Goa, India

Panaji, Old Goa, India | 15 January, 2007 | $5.64

I arrived in Old Goa during daylight hours and found another tourist to share a rickshaw from the train station. The driver was happy to take us to a hotel, but when we got out he asked for an astronomical amount for the ride. I had been traveling around India for a while and knew when I was blatantly being ripped off. I suggested a different amount. The driver got mad and tried to take my backpack. I reacted swiftly in defense of my camera and computer and began trying to get his hand off my bag. By the time we finished our fight and the man was tired of being hit by a woman a crowd had gathered. The women seemed pleased that I was standing up for myself, and I paid the man at least double the normal fare (still, less than he wanted) and left.

My passenger, who I had only met 20 minutes earlier, had just arrived in India and was a little shocked. The hotel she wanted to stay at was full, so we ended up walking around town looking for a new place. Old Goa was more expensive than I was used to but the room was very nice and clean. Later that day, as I walked down the street I heard a rickshaw revving its engine, and looked down an alley to see my driver. He was yelling “give me my rupees!” I was on edge for the rest of my visit, not knowing when the driver would show up next.

The next day, while I was taking a self portrait outside of a church a man stood 15 feet away, watching me while masturbating. A policeman watched the scene with little interest. These close encounters set the tone for my visit to Old Goa.

More photos of Old Goa can be seen in the gallery.

Where I Slept: Mumbai #2, India

Mumbai, India | 12 January, 2007 | $11.24

My last two nights in Mumbai were spent in a tiny, overpriced cinder block hotel room. I had grown accustomed to my own bathroom in India, even in rooms half this price. Mumbai was different.

More photos of Mumbai can be seen in the gallery.

Where I Slept: Mumbai, India

Mumbai, India | 9 January, 2007 | $20.56

Last year I fell behind on my “Where I Slept” series and jumped from Aurangabad, India to Ethiopia, leaving out January through March. Here’s where I fill in the blanks.

This hotel room was the cleanest I stayed at in India and one of the most difficult to book. I lucked out with a cancellation and got this room at the YMCA in Mumbai for two nights. Mumbai was the most frustrating and expensive city in India to book accommodation and if I went again I would probably book in advance.

More photos of Mumbai can be seen in the gallery.

Another Year

On the way home from celebrating the other night I walked past this sign at my L station. It’s a nice message to start 2012 with. Happy New Year folks!

I’m Still Here, Somewhere

October? Has it really been that long? There’s so much I’ve been planning to talk about here but I’ve been really bad about getting around to it. I don’t think I’ve even mentioned my New Mexico vacation, or finished writing about my All You Can Jet trip. There’s a few months of my Where I Slept series I skipped that I will be catching up on in January so there’s something to look forward to.

Here’s a flash mob Mumbai-style to close out 2011. Have a happy new year!

Bike Fall and a Sunburn in October

This Saturday was full of fun bike riding. I headed down to the Loop before 8am and was amazed to bike across the river and turn left onto Wacker Drive with no traffic to worry about. REI was having its annual garage sale for members (something I joined before RTW #1 back in 2004), and The Hideout hosted a Bike Fall event.

My friend and I got there at 11 thinking that the neighborhood tour was leaving, only to find out we would have to sit outside in the sun and drink Fat Tire for a few hours. We were entertained by music, BMX bike tricks and The Racketeers before heading out on an architectural tour. After biking back from a friend’s birthday party on the other side of town I was exhausted, but was glad I’d put that 22 miles on my bike and not a car.

I love the gritty backdrop of the Chicago garbage truck parking lot and Sears Tower behind The Racketeers. The Hideout really is hidden away.

Autumn in Chicago

Save Ferris

Can you believe this year is the 25th anniversary of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off? To celebrate, Chicago’s Groupon put on a showing of the film in Wrigley Field. For $10 my friends and I sat in the bleachers Saturday night, while others picnicked on the outfield.

Before the game we all broke the Guinness Book of World Records for “number of people singing in the round” with our rendition of Danke Shoen. I loved that it wasn’t just a movie—a Ferrari like the one in the film was parked out front beneath the marquee showing “SAVE FERRIS,” look-a-likes popped up in left field and the hot chocolate vendors were wearing “Bueller” jerseys.