Days 13 - 19: Goa, Palolem Beach

 My days have settled into a very agreeable pattern of breakfast, settle myself in a shady spot under the coconut trees on the beach, swim in the sea, update blog, read, walk on the beach. Most of my blog entries are written on my Samsung Mini Galaxy Android phone. Swype rocks! Thanks Ms Chia, for showing me how to swype.

Masala omelette for breakfast, delicious!

Palolem beach

Continuing on, I never miss the afternoon tea with chai and cake ;-). More lying or walking on the beach. Watch the sunset. Dinner either at Ciaran's or another restaurant along the beach. Watch a movie or drama series on cable TV before going to sleep.

A highlight was catching sight of dolphins off the beach. I could only see them slightly when they emerge briefly from the water. It was still a magical experience seeing wild dolphins for the first time. It was also better than my whale watching experience in South Africa - I wasn't sea sick and hanging on to the toilet this time :-p.

Fish tikka

I met a nice Danish girl, Lone, who had the same idea to just relax on the beach and we hung out for a few days before she left for Hampi and Bangalore. She had volunteered for a charity in Bangalore for a few weeks and been to Dharamsala, a town in the mountains further north of Shimla where the Dalai Lama is based. She really rates Dharamsala as a semi-Tibetan place to visit and stay a while. I am inspired to try and go there next time.

Lone also introduced me to cheese naan. It tastes like cheese on toast but better. There goes my natural weight loss by travelling - heat, sweat, drinking water, backpacking - plan. I'll have to learn how to make cheese naans when I get home!

There was a bit of excitement when a Keralan film crew came to film in our hotel for 3 days. It was slightly disappointing as there was no Bollywood dancing. The actors just seem to walk up and down in front of my hotel room. Apparently they were not very famous. It looked like a romantic comedy. Some tourists were asked to be extras. There was a hive of activity with the lights, cameras, guys climbing coconut trees to rig the white sheets, and a cook who prepared all meals and chai for the crew. But the actors just seem to hang out a lot and then do the same scenes repeatedly.

Keralan film crew at our hotel

We were now at the tail end of the season. Some of the huts were being dismantled and Ciaran's shuts from 15 May. Everyone will then leave around end of May and return after the monsoon in October. Many from Ciaran's are from Nepal. Many shopkeepers have also left for their home elsewhere in the country. I liked being here at this time. The beach got really busy the first weekend I was here as people came for a weekend break. But it got pretty quiet after that. Mornings are the quietest. Every evening before the sunset, a few cows would wander onto the beach and enjoy the sweet sea breeze. They seem to have the right idea, it was the coolest time of day. Some fishermen would be working in the evenings sorting out their nets. I think it must be nice coming home to this - relaxed beach, sunset, see your mates and family - at the end of a working day.

Cows visit Palolem beach before sunset every day

Quiet time at Palolem Beach

Sunset at Palolem Beach