Goa at last!

After an epic 27 1/2 hour train journey from Varanasi to Mumbai, we enjoyed some colonnial luxury in the big city. Lovely afternoon watching cricket at the Oval Maidan and an evening stroll down ocean drive to admire the New York style skyline and the filthy sea that no-one can swim in anymore - including the fish! Did a bit of expensive (relatively so) shopping and ate delicious pasta and scrummy cakes at Mumbai's latest euro-style cafe 'Basilico'.

Another train journey to Margao in Goa. Lush 2AC curtained cabin (4 bed) - oh the luxury of a little privacy. Arrived refreshed and relaxed in Margoa. We went straight to south Goa as the north is Costa del Nightmare. So much for Palolem, supposed to be Goa's 'paradise lost' but more like lost, found then trashed.

We found ourselves a lovely quiet beach just up the coast where we've been chillin for a week or so. Clean surfy sea, plam fringed sandy beach, fresh food and lovely guesthouse. Place to ourselves besides a few other travellers, who've we've hooked up with in the hiring of big jeep and are off to Hampi together for 3 day excursion, then onto Gokarna. There's talk of another tsunami around the 19th (I just think it's possibly annual post trauma panic - some mad man on the beach in Patnem - nostrodamus or nutter, who knows? But more worryingly a few fishermen are talking about it). We're glad we're in the Hampi hills then anyway, but will be hoping Patnem prophet has just had a touch of sunstroke.

The children are loving beach life (as are we) and we're all now very healthy and relaxed. Plan to head south to through Karnataka to Kerala for xmas. We spend our days building sand sharks, with mussel shells for teeth and mughal-esque sand castles and forts, or lazing in the hammock with a good book, or body surfing in the the warm Arabian sea. There's just enough surf for lots of fun without quite drowning us - although the approach of tonight's full moon has given us some strong tides this last day or two. Relax in the evening with some great people - good company and a cold beeror two on the moonlit beach watching shooting stars.

Well time to return to Agonda. Probably be out of touch for a week or two again now as it's blissfully quiet and empty where we are and where we plan to go next. Few travellers and therefore few facilities. But we have everything we need - sun, sand and surf with a nice thali on the side :)