Not long now

This jumble is the start of my packing heap, including presents for my birthday! So exciting, and really looking forward to catching up with old friends in sunny Varca 😊

Goa to Chennai

Still can't believe It's been 8 weeks. We've said our goodbyes to our last remaining  friends Kath & Bob after dinner last night

We're now Chennai bound 

Albert our taxi driver has kept some of our things ready for next year and the good news is it's just 10 months away.

So not long!

Last few days

View from our apartment 

We've had a really great time and met some amazing people - some intrepid travellers with great tales to tell.

Fred, and brave Val who had a heart attack and pacemaker fitted at Margao hospital. Fred swam morning and evening in what has since been called Fred's pool. 

Linda & Dennis from 202 who gave us loads of books and himself read the trilogies.

Mo & Bob; Bob ended up in intensive care after a major problem with an ulcer, poor Mo had to collect 2 units of blood by taxii - sorry we'd gone off to Jaipur so couldn't help.

So no worries about the healthcare everyone was more than happy with their  doctors and let's not foget Indian doctors are the very backbone of the NHS

John who managed to find HP sauce in a restaurant we went to - everyone had some even on their curries!

Wonderful Al found meditating in a cave, what a breath of fresh air and inspiration he was.

The River Ganges - intoxicating! This is the before picture 

This is the after picture - id been blessed, accidentally got my hands wet whle lowering our lighted candles, and unknowingly drunk Ganges Chai (tea)

Today I spoke to a guy I'd referred to himself as Castro- his beard and appearance reminded me of Fidel. As its my last day in Goa and I've walked up and down the beach watching this guy, I decided to ask him what on earth he hunts for everyday on the beach. It turns out he's from USA and he collects sharks teeth! We talked for half an hour about India, where we'd been and what we'd seen - fascinating.

Our last ride on Betty to get some last minute bits and a pic of our local vlage church 

On Sunday we fly down to Chennai before flying back home on Monday 

39c Feeling hot, hot, hot

The temperature is getting hotter and it's even too hot for us. 

We went into the village to do some last minute shopping, all the local shopkeepers  know us and have a chat about what's going on. The co-op veg shop manager used be on P & O Cruise lines and has been round the world nine times. He gave me some extra limes  foc and some bananas from his own garden.

The supermarket manager said 'are you never going home'  and didn't have any change so gave me this instead - nice!

Then there's the cricket. 

The wine shop manager was talking cricket, he has the cricket on the telly all day and locals pop in to find out the scores. India are ,of course, doing very well.

We went to the beach but it was just too hot and heard this really loud noise - a hovercraft! 

The breeze dropped so we headed back to the apartment after lunch on the beach

Then a nice dip in the pool. 

The air con indoors is on 23c and it's just like walking into a fridge. 

Himself is feeling homesick and needs to cook. Maybe chicken curry and a side order of chips? I really  must diet I've piled on the weight, beer at lunchtime and ice cream in the afternoons.

Gone Fishing

Nice barracuda!

We went just down the tracks on Black Betty to another part of our 20 mile beach and supplies were just being bought in.

You can see the dodgy old bridge over the river between the sand and the ocean. I was ok going but this afternoon we ended up with three local dogs including Ken Dog escorting us over the bridge and a flee bitten one we call Sprinker (obvious reasons) happened to brush alongside me nearly sending me into this stinky  bog which the other dogs swim through, poo .I think the dogs like himself he always talks to them, they wag their tails then follow him squeezing under his sun bed. It must be the low snoring noise that they like!!!

One of himselfs gang of growlers, they love a swim in the sea.

Our friends Irene & Bob from Welshpool left yesterday  we miss our afternoon laughs. 

For John & Denise we went to Pedro"s again. Nothing's changed great reggae and more weird dancers which included this four!

Getting around

Well you may have wondered how we get around ,and this , along with Albert & Candido's taxis is our mode of transport.

We decided to rent the scooter for our last three weeks. It really takes me back to my youth, we had a Lambretta back in the days of mods & rockers. (Kids you'll need to Google that)

We had a christening ceremony, remains of a Kingfisher, and named her QE2, which has now been shortened to Black Betty. We've had a few moments- himself has endeavoured to get into the zone with the locals, who are all quite obviously tepathicly connected. We did have a moment with a local who had a full length ladder on his push bike, he came round the corner and nearly had us off, but himself being an old HGV class 1 driver manoeuvred us safely away. Today himself took Bob one of our neighbours into  Varca on a shopping trip when they encountered a herd of cows, with horns, up the high street. Bob was somewhat panicky and clung on to himself while he safely dodged the mooers,

Pineapples growing in the grounds of the apartments.

Today we sat by our favourite beach shack Glosant. They have been advertising for a chef and waiters so we applied for the jobs! Mukesh Singh (him in charge) pictured below couldn't stop laughing! Hope they don't ask for a day s trial could be a tad hot in there it was 34c today

Note to self: need to agree a rate!

So relaxed

We've been here in India for seven weeks and are both feeling really relaxed. Many of our friends have gone home but we still have three couples who are with us til 17th. All have said 'well that's it back to reality' but this is reality! Anyone would think this is a fantasy world!? We have spent our time enjoying the warmth of both the weather and the Indian people.Day  to day living is interesting. Our fridge packed up yesterday and Zivan our landlord got a repairman out. In between time to stop the butterscotch crunch ice cream melting he took it upstairs to some Russians who graciously gave it is back - himself speaks fluent Russian you know . 

Last night some local Indian friends came round for a cup of tea, yes really. Suku and John came over with some Chicken Xacuti and for dessert pancakes filled with coconut and cinnamon. Suku bought me some Kashmiri chillis and himself her homemade masala mix & a bottle of homemade wine. Himself made some Indian style bubble & squeak to go with it

I've been sleeping like a log

Getting 9 hours straight through, rather than my usual 5 - 6. I put it down to the mattress on the bed being made of coir which is coconut husks. Apparently it aids sleep. I remember a customer at Mikes Bedshop asking about them as he and his wife had got the best nights sleep in Thailand on a coir mattress.  

Festival of Holi

Today Goa goes bananas!

The festival of Holi is a spring festival of colour and love when everyone has high spirits, in more ways than one, and plays pranks, sings dances and throws paint powder everywhere!?!

Just some of the lovely handprints we had to put on the wall of the bar! Needless to say it was a swimsuit day and dip in the sea afterwards

Just like being back at play school really 

Then lots of Indian food and a stunning sunset 

A load of bull

It's been a busy day on the beach, you never know what will cross your path. The locals are all getting ready for a bull fight, not like the Spanish variety - this lot chase each other and send the spectators into a mad panic.

These water buffalo were headed for the river that is just behind the beach, but one escaped

He just loved the sea

there was no getting him out, in fact they left him for half an hour and he was up to his neck in the waves. They use the buffalo milk in the beach shacks, it's very rich and creamy.

I walk miles up and down the beach - most people have a chat, local clothes sellers, mobile jewellers the all of a sudden I thought these guys were after me, but then they turned round and dashed back, it was a lifeguards trials event.

Out celebrating

No time to blog, just off celebrating having been headhunted while on my sunbed for a great new job! Result!

More tomorrow....  

Hells bells - it's raining!

We saw a few clouds yesterday afternoon, the first we've seen for about 5 weeks, and on checking BBC weather on my phone saw the forecast for thunder, lightening and heavy rain! Thought I'd picked up the forecast for Evesham by mistake, needless to say they were right. At about 4 in the morning all hell broke lose. I can't remember ever seeing an electric storm quite like it, and the rain - well it filled the pool up and hammered down til about 7am.

Needless to say it woke all the neighbourhood dogs, cats, chipmunks, and has probably roused all the Cobras, pythons etc from their slumber across the field to the beach! 

Today saw the departure of 12 Russian ladies, I'm being very polite they looked like a bunch of Romanian gypsies. Think charity shop mismatched sale rail! The one 'lady" wore men's socks, bikini 2 sizes too small with ample beer gut and sported an umbrella on the beach. I was itching to take a picture but didn't have the courage fearing a bloody nose.

Ok you guys let me know what these big pods are and I will bring you some back! I expect the "blue ropers '( or was it no hopers)  Thatch quiz team might know ha  ha .

Beach life

Quite a lot happens on this beach. The local fishermen launch their boats, many hewn out of tree trunks like this one, sewn together with rope, cross stitched and coated with tar

They go out late at night and bring the catch in at dawn, about 6.30 am here. I haven't been up that early this year!

Then the ladies get to carry the fish pots on their heads to their 'shop'

Just behind the fish stall they sell fish curry & rice for 60p and I'm told it's very good.

There are lots of water sports;the Indians love a good soaking on the banana rides and scream and shout for more, most of them are fully clothed which seems a bit odd to us, and the Sikhs wear their turbans. 

The Arabian Sea is full of shellfish, prawns and bigger fish too. I had a tasty prawn stir fry for lunch with a cold Kingfisher beer

And here's the other sort of Kingfisher

Goan life and The Equalls

We were pleased to see Albert Fernandez our taxi driver at the airport. When he found out we'd been delayed he picked up some fresh bread, butter, eggs and milk, and to top it all off he managed to find some schweppes tonics - bless he's a good soul.

We've slipped easily back into village life here. Everyone speaks and lots have asked us how our trip went.

There was a wedding on the beach, the groom arrived on an elephant. I got the best shot I could without having to cross the river in between!

We also met another rock legend today. Pat Lloyd one of the two white boys out of the Equalls. We told him about the Reggae nite at Pedros and within about half an hour of getting there he was up on stage with Al & Graeme - great night 

Incredible India. Excuse me?

The tv advert say Indian incredible India! And they're not wrong. 

Things are very different here, no one bats an eyelid at what they class as the norm, especially in the cities. I refer to belching,coughing, spitting in the street, sneezing and lastly farting. Absolutely anything goes. I was walking through Mumbai airport when an old guy in white robes in front of me let one go, a rippler in fact. Himself says it must be great to fart with impunity without the worry of a follow through - this ladies must be a man thing, having never experienced anything like this myself:)

 The sneezing has been a concern. The old saying coughs and sneezes spread diseases rings true. We have been concerned while in the north about the swine flu epidemic there have been 13,000 cases and 774 deaths. The Japanese as usual are all wearing face masks. Fortunately there are only a few cases in Goa so it's good to be back. We were not unduly worried having both had flu jabs with Tamiflu added before we came to India.

Second picture is Gulab Jamun a sweet dessert and this is a yoghurt curd which is really nice.

Back to sunny laid back, clean Goa, and while on the beach today a mum with her two kids erected this tightrope, she played on the drum, little girl walked the rope, she was only about 6 and the little boy who had a painted curly moustache aged about 4 came round with the hat. Great family teamwork.

Anyone for jelly?

The sea is just like a warm bath, crystal clear, but today I was just getting out of the water when a Russian lady who has a place near us shouted me to get out quickly and this was right behind me. I don't know what make or model it is, I've never seen one as big it was about 24 inches across and was still moving. Being a complete wus, I didn't go back in, I decided the pool would do today.

Thanks today to John & Denise for the English Cheddar & French dressing xx😊 missing you already!