Half way through.......

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Namaste!

I think last time we were just about leaving the somewhat hellish north Goa and searchin for some sanctuary in the south. After around 4 different bus journeys we finally arrived at a beach called Palolem. Its shaped like a semi circle, lined with palm trees and has hidden little coves either side. This was by no means escaping from the tourists as the beach was lined with shacks, restaurants, bars etc. but definately had a more chilled out and relaxed feel to it. The first couple of nights we stayed in this beach shack right on the sand but then having met a group of really nice people we were persuaded to move up the beach a little bit and stay in these shacks (also on the beach) that surround a little courtyard area where we all hang out in our new found little community. I would love to say I had been incredibly productive this week but I have to confess the whole time we have been shamelessly chilling out. There is an island just off the shore that we decided to swim to one day, I thought it alot closer than it looked and found it quite a challenge to swim the whole way - so there you go, my bit of productivity. One day our whole group of friends decided to rent mopeds. If one ventures slightly back from the beach you are met with lush greenery and smallish mountains. So we sped around those for a couple of hours, took in all the scenery which really was quite spectacular, visited a load of surrounding beaches and were back in time for dinner.

Evenings are mostly filled with having dinner and drinks for around 2 pounds and then off to some beach party/silent discos and sleeping during the day. The sea here isn't as clear as it was in Zanzibar but is still lovely to swim in as its very calm and quite clean. The weather is explosively hot which is great apart from when your desperately trudjing down the beach with your ridiculously over weight backpack trying to find a place to stay.

We have now once again moved on from beach life in Palolem in search of somewhere even more quiet and secluded. We have found this serene place in the state south of Goa called Karnataka in a town called Gokarna. We have bought along a friend we met in Palolem and maybe some more are coming down later. The beach we are staying on is called Om beach, simply because its shaped like the Om sign and its seriously quiet. People play flutes and stuff at night on their tod by the sea and you get the occasional guitar but thats it - its lovely!

The weirdest ever thing happened last night. When your travelling you realise what a small world we live in, I met a girl who went to the school opposite me in Tanzania and I get really excited if anyone even knows where offley or archway is but last night, sitting in this deserted little cafe which has about 3 hanging lights in it and serves different types of tea walks in a friend from school Alex Ingram! So strange and crazy, he is spending time in Bangalore and has come to Om beach for a little holiday. So we chatted and caught up etc etc but I still can't get over the coinsidence - must be fate!

In a couple of days I shall be movng south to Kochin in Kerala for a quite visit from Mum which should be lovely and who knows after then!


Lots of love xxxxxxxxx

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