February 17 - 20 2012: The longest stay of my trip at Betalbatim beach, with early morning at Vasco, Majorda, excursions to Dudhsagar Falls, to Sankval railway station at the beach and to the mighty Konkan Railway Zuari River bridge.
Sanvordem station: At Sanvordem, the largest intermediate station of Madgaon - Kulem section, we were once again greeted by empty mainline tracks. Only the platform proved to be far from empty with obviously a whole school going on a Saturday excursion, 2
Vasco - Kulem passenger: Now we continued on a more curvy routing under constant ALCO-chugging towards Kulem, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Vasco - Kulem passenger: Not that I had been alone since Sanvordem, but it was only a short way to go... 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Kalem station, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Kulem station: Arrived at Kulem - with U - , and yes, the image is straight! The school now left the passenger train, it had finished its journey on a dead-end track which obviously had partly subsided into the ground, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Dudhsagar Falls: Shortly before reaching Dudhsagar Waterfalls viewpoint I heard a train whistle above me, legged it and caught South Western Railway star loco KJM WDM-3A #14024 plus a Gooty WDG-3A pair with leading #14630 hauled 17311 MAS VASCO Express op
Dudhsagar Falls: A blue snake passing above the falls, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Dudhsagar Falls: The panorama - spot the jumping monkey! 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Dudhsagar Falls, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Dudhsagar Falls: Across a crest you reached a pool beneath the falls where Russian girls were posing in bikinis and locals were playing in the water under the cascades. However, guidebooks warned about going swimming as several people had already drowned
Dudhsagar Falls: The waterfalls definitely were more spectacular during monsoon season, but even now, after months of dryness they still posed an impressive sight and provided refreshing moisture, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Dudhsagar Falls: Close-up variation, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Dudhsagar Falls: Time exposure variation, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Dudhsagar Falls: A group of bonnet macaques was at home along the footpath to the falls, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)
Mollem national park: One of three methods to get to Dudhsagar. Several rivers had to be crossed, that's why jeep season only began two months after the start of the dry period, 2012-02-18 (Roni Kappel)