(^50) Panaji
Our day in Panaji was spent finding a suitable derailleur for Amanda’s bike.
Even though there was a Firefox bike shop in Panaji, the derailleur would take
ten days to order. My brand-new iPod, bought in Cape Town, packed up
following barely one day of music pleasure. Luckily, Panaji’s Apple store offered
to order a new one. As the replacement would take a few days, I decided to
collect the iPod later. My laptop was also virus-infected and needed sorting out.
Panaji – Colva – 36 km
In the habit of getting underway early to escape the sweltering midday heat,
biking out of Panaji was around 8h00. The traffic along the main road was
horrendous, and we veered off onto the coastal route, which made for a lovely,
stress-free ride.
Once a sleepy fishing community, and part of the hippie trail of the ’60s, Colva
had lost most of its hippie vibe but remained a lovely place sporting a great
beach. Finally, we found the perfect spot outside the core tourist area but still on
the beach.
The rest of the day was spent on the beach (there's nothing like swimming after
a hot bike ride). After a quick shower, we returned to the beach for supper. By
evening, it started raining, cooling temperatures to near perfection.
Colva – Agonda – 40 km
The ride to Agoda became another “push-up-the-hill” day for Amanda who had
her first flat tyre. Shortly afterwards, the derailleur gave problems again. Even
the smallest roadside repairs brought hordes of helpers. Finally, a ride was
organised to Agonda, where a bike repair shop fixed the problem in no time at
all.
leana
(Leana)
#1