11th January 2009 At 5am we were all up and having breakfast of toast and coffee. Our driver Edmond arrived at 6am. Our trip to Kanataka was a long and tedious 8hrs winding through the glorious jungle and mountains of the Western Ghats. 80% of the journey was along very basic roads in dire need of repair with massive pot holes caused by the relentless pounding from the hundred of Lorries taking Iron ore from the mines and also the annual monsoons. We saw a couple of Lorries abandoned and hanging of the cliff roads, this was a little unnerving to [View Full Entry]

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4th January 2009 Pili was up a 4:30am to go with Vinny to the airport to collect Valerie and John H. I also got up and at about 7am went for a walk down the Baga Rd to do some photography. We all met up at Bobbies Beach Shack at about 9am. It was really good to see John again and especially good to see our dear Valerie. Valerie was extremely white compared to everyone else here and took loads of friendly kidding from our friends. Pili was really excited to have her buddy here, they are like a couple of [View Full Entry]

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31st December 2008 NEW YEARS EVE Today we spent resting up and saving ourselves for this evening’s party. Pili & I finally made our way down to the beach at 10:30 pm. William, Ajay & Preity join us and Pili hit it off straight away with them. I make the rounds in the bar getting everyone on film while Pili learns a few Bollywood dance moves from Adu & Pretty. We also pop over the next bar to see Nisar and his wife Nicky from the book shop; we have a Honey Bee and do some photos and then head back [View Full Entry]

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26th December 2008 Boxing Day and time to move out of the apartment. Luckily we were only moving down the road to at apartment owned by a guy called David who earlier in the month offered us a free room. We were a little apprehensive as we really didn’t know this guy, but needs must and our lease had run out at Premudes. As it turns out David couldn't have been a nicer guy and made us feel very relaxed and at home, he even purchased snacks for us which was very thoughtful. David is approx 60yrs and worked in England [View Full Entry]

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15th December 2008 Another day at the beach and another walk to the Calangute steps. This time we were accompanied by the local herd of beach cows, I still haven’t got use to seeing these sacred cows just strolling and taking in the sun and sand with the rest of us, it’s very surreal. Pili took photos of me just strolling and talking with my favourite cows. 17th December 2008 At 8:30am Ranjit knock the door as we’d arranged a fishing trip with Neil this morning. This was a tough call for me as I’d decided not to fish again, today [View Full Entry]

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1st December 2008 This morning we all go Paragliding to celebrate John liver holding out for 52 years. Well done mate, you’re looking good on it. Over the last couple of days John and I have been negotiating with the boats on the beach for a good price. We found our man and a suitable price and arranged to meet at 9:00am, we breakfasted at then go & get kitted out with life jackets and await our vessel. We wait & wait! After about 30 minutes we walk off and get a better deal down the beach. I’m serious it must [View Full Entry]

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8th December 2008 This morning we’re up a 5:30am and walk down to back end of Anjuna around all the wetlands and small lakes. This is the real India, fires being lit inside basic huts made from whatever can be put to hand, mud, cardboard or a piece of fencing. Always the roof is a sun bleached weave of banana leaves. Even with such hardship for these people we are always greeted with a wave and good morning. I wonder how many of us would be so happy scraping an existence in the dirt like these souls have to. The Indian [View Full Entry]

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23rd December 2008 Pili woke up in pain this morning. While I was with the engineer yesterday she had been playing beach tennis with a couple of her adopted beach kids and had used muscles she hasn’t used for a while, poor girl. To clear my head as I hadn’t slept well again I decide to go for a long walk, Pili wanted to phone and speak to her family anyway so I leave her at the apartment. I decide to climb Baga hill up through the jungle, WOW it gets hot and humid up there. At the top of the [View Full Entry]

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19th December 2008 This morning Pili woke up feeling a little off colour, we put it down to a few too many beers the night before. She spent a quiet day sunbathing and drinking water. Ranjit and I decided to hire a jet-ski, it seemed like a good idea after we’d sank a couple of beers. I agreed to let Ranjit drive first and then we could swap later. Ranjit took off like a mad man and I hung on for dear life. The inevitable happened, Rangit turned the bike to hard into on coming waves and we were dumped in [View Full Entry]

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22nd November 2008 After a restless night for Peter (I kept him awake snoring, I blame his son Dominic for the snotty cold) we set off for the Blue Mountains and Govetts Leap. After a three hour drive we arrived at Govetts Leap lookout point, a vast panorama of the Blue Mountain stretching for miles to the horizon. Vertical walls of sedimentation in all shades of reds and browns and waterfalls so high the winds were blowing the falling water sideways, IT THEN STARTED TO RAIN! Then HAIL!!!!!! We were in Australia weren’t we? I wasn’t too bad as we had [View Full Entry]

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