1. Prepare well in advance of your trip. We are a huge and diverse country and the Four Zones- East, West, South and North – are all fairly different from each other. In fact, each of the States are very different from each other.
2. Decide on two things upfront- the duration of the trip and the budget you want to set for yourself. These will form the basis of all the planning.
3. If your trip duration is anything less than 10 days I would not suggest visiting more than one part of India. It will not give you an opportunity to really experience the place unless you want to do one of those run from here to there, listen to a guy talking really superficially about a place and then get into a bus to rush to the next place kind of trips.
4. Decide on where to go depending on the time you will be visiting as this governs what the best places would be to visit during that time.
5. Find an indian friend- We are spread across the globe and pretty much most people would have an indian colleague. Take their advice on places to do, things to see and maybe friends to hang out with in the cities you are visiting.
6. Think of interesting things to do in India that you can take back with you when you head back. This will make your trip really memorable. My picks would be doing a yoga course, or else doing a course on Indian food, culture or else learning a new sport – Scuba Diving, Golf are both quite nice sports to pick up in India. Doing something like this will let you make friends in the city you are visiting and give you a chance to socialize among the locals and learn about India like no other way.
7. Carry modest clothes. Being a foreigner in India means you will attract attention. It’s best to dress modestly so you are not bugged by random beggars and roadside Romeos 
Trust me, you don’t want to be romanced by these guys.
8. Try and visit with a romantic other or else a friend. Two is the best way to travel to India as you will find many situations where having a friend who can stand in line while you make enquiries or to hold the fort while you haggle is very useful.
9. Carry a cheap GSM cell phone. Prepaid service in India is dirt cheap and international SMS is supported no matter where you travel within the country. Get a prepaid SIM card the day you land and ensure you give it to your family back home. Save them the stress of not being able to contact you. Internet cafes btw are not so easily accessible and the speed can be a real drag.
10. Bring along a ton of passport photocopies and printed passport sized photographs. You tend to need them for a variety of purposes in India – e.g. getting your SIM card, signing an agreement with a Vacation rental landlord, using a cyber cafe etc.
11. Travel with limited clothes and budget for having to buy some indian outfits on your first night in the country.
12. Try and enter the country through a big city like Bombay, Delhi or Bangalore. Stay for a day there – these are all exciting places. Use the first day there to spend some time in a big shopping center – These are the names – Shopper’s Stop, Pantaloon, Fabindia etc. where you can buy good quality indian clothes so that you can travel around comfortably.
13. Carry some of your fav. foods that will survive being on the road without airconditioning for many days 
And finally,
Relax.. Expect to learn new things and to experience one of the world’s most vibrant, colorful and unique countries!!
We were pleasantly surprised when Palash Bose, the aclaimed Mumbai photographer, landed up at The Only Olive, and wanted to use it as a location for a photoshoot.
Not only did he use the house but the natural surroundings ( river, church, bridge, market) as well.
Here are some of the pics. Feel free to scan through, and be amazed
And its visible from The Only Olive
Khorguem or Corjuem is a small island that is very picturesque and that is situated 2 km from Aldona in the Bardez taluka of the north Goa district. The island’s name according to the late Fr Moreno de Souza originates from Khor as in khorik which means deep or lower and Zunvem which means island. However according to some people khor also meant tough or hot-headed.
Corjuem is well connected with Aldona by a road bridge which is a major source of attraction as it is built according to the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. The island comprises of 10 vaddes known as Cuxem, Primeiro Vaddo, Segundo Vaddo, Podwal, Sinkeri, Colomb, Baga, Barazon, Novi Khazon and Khursachi Muddi. The people of Corjuem are known for their singing. The island has a number of houses and bungalows and elects three panchayats to the Aldona-Corjuem panchayat.
An Old Portuguese fort known as the Corjuem fort is another attraction in Khorguem. This fort built in 1705 is one of the only two inland forts that are surviving made of pitted laterite. In the eighteenth century this fort protected the Portuguese from the Marathas, Bhonsles and the Rane Rajputs. The fort also has an interesting story according to which an ambitious Portuguese woman named Ursula e Lancastre landed up here as a soldier as she was determined to succeed in a man’s world and also dressed like one. The earlier chapel of St Anthony was known to have been in the Corjuem Fort.
One can see a small chapel dedicated to Mae de Deus (Mother of God) whose feast is celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. This chapel was erected by Joao Felipe Ferreira from Divar in 1854 at his own cost along with some contributions from the islanders. Thus the Catholics at the Corjuem Island celebrate two main festivals – one of Mae de Deus and the other of St Anthony in June.
There is a temple in Corjuem known as the Shri Sateri Panchayatan Praxn temple. Also the main Hindu deity in Corjuem is Malambadevi Satpurusha who has six affiliate temples. One will also find a school here known as the Mae de Deus High School. For health care there is a Health Centre and the Corjuem Gymkhana Club. There are ferry services available from Aldona that take you to Corjuem. A railway line is also located nearby.
Facts- coutersy goaholidayhomes.com
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