Xmas Pics

SEASONS GREETINGS FROM GOA

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!!!

Well, this has been my first Christmas away from Europe, and I must say Christmas kind of doesn't feel so much like Christmas (as I know it) here in Goa, though I have been having a great time.

On Christmas Eve we went to an Italian restaurant, and had the most delicious Italian food I thought possible in India. We attempted to attend midnight mass and got to the church surrounded by the local Indian folk looking stunning in their best saris and suits. It was a beautiful church with twinkly lights everywhere and the sermon looked colourful with the robed priests, but seeing as we were right at the back without a seat, and didn't understand a word of it as was not in English, we didn't stay for the whole thing. Still, it was nice to have a taster of the local Goan Christmas experience!

On Christmas day, after having spent the day on the beach, our Christmas dinner was BBQ Kingfish and Rockfish which was absolutely delicious (though nothing beats your Christmas cooking, of course Mumsie).

The hardest thing was calling everyone who isn't (either in England or France) here with me and should be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We had an opening present ceremony with the Christmas tree and lights flashing on our hut and xmas music playing in the background, which made it almost Christmas as I know it bar 2 things. 1) The weather 2)My family missing! (wish you were here guys). However, it has been really fab to have our lil' clan joined by Pete n' Sal from England-yipeee!

I have been getting into the swing of Aramble and doing Yoga in the morning, and taking a dog from the local animal rescue home for a walk, and of course enjoying the sea, which I have missed so much being a Londoner in my previous life...

Just wanted to say, thanks so much Mumsie for my lovely new camera (I can take pics agin and put on blog-note this one!!! whoooopie!) and Tim for the card! AND YES ITS A GREAT PRESSIE!!! Love to you all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Goa

Palm trees grow like weeds here, sandy beaches, chill out bars, whatever you are into Goa will have a beach for you. There are package holiday beaches, budget traveller beaches, Goa Trance and rave beaches, yoga and alternative health beaches, and simple 'absolutely nothing' beaches. I love this place. It is not India, it is a lovely holiday break, except that if it was beach outside of India, you wouldn't find herds of cows chilling out alongside the travellers on the beach.

I have just finished a 2 week (approx) stint on Anjuna Beach, and have just arrived in Arambol (further north). Anjuna was so much fun, beautiful beaches, not too crowded, and great nights out dancing underneath the stars at Dolce Vita and in the Trance of Paradiso club. Its been let hair down time ! Anjuna is a long picturesque beach. I found a little place with a sunlounger and a very shanti bar, with very sweet Indian folk who would run to the otherside of India to get you something if you asked. Anjuna was clean and the locals could be seen sweeping the beach every morning with complete dedication. There are shop sellers who when I first arrived would be asking me to buy something, and gave up on me after a while(how many sarongs can you own?). My favourite were the fruit sellers with HUGE baskets on there heads selling "pineapple, coconut, melon? I have very sweet melon today!"

Groups of Indian tourists from outside wander the beaches proudly wearing their 'I love Goa' t-shirts (and also fascinated by westerners in Bikinis-understandably as Goa is the only place bikinis are acceptable in India). At the other end of the beach there is the bar 'Curlies' which plays Goa Trance all day (Occasionally is good enough for me!) with all the original 'last hippy standing' hippies with the long hair beards and thongs. Back at the more chilled end, at the infamous Gagarin(Ask Ade about this one-anyone who can) with the very slow'Im so chilled' service, watching the sunset, I saw 2 dolphins playfully jumping in the sea. Anjuna, nothing like it. I had a great time with Eddie and Ade from UK who were here on a two week break(though luckily they returned as I think 2 weeks of Anjuna madness by night is probably enough, and I only had one week of madness !), and after a couple of days alone met up again with Kaya (polish girl I met in Daramasala). Also a couple of others are coming plus the Pete n' Sal from UK for Xmas and New year celebrations...It will be my first xmas away from Europe and alongside palm trees....The only thing that would really make it for me is if I could get the whole family over here!

Well it has been decided after being involved in a bit of an accomodation scam(thought had booked accomodation in Anjuna for everyone arriving), that Kaya and I would head to Arambol(easy to find cheap beach huts), as here is where you find the Yoga and 2 weeks in Anjuna has been great, but time for something different, although we will be heading there for new years eve!

After arriving in our sweet little beach hut, We put our Christmas tree up !! We even have flashy lights and an Angel on top. Also managed to get some xmas music from a local, though the "Im dreaming of a white christmas' is highly unlikely here!

Phrase of the moment; India India India (This is not India, this is Goa!)

Hopefully will be able to get some pics up soon!

My lovely Tony!

Just a couple of pics of the love of my life. Its a shame he isn't here with me in Goa, its a great place for love to bloom. Awwww! My lovely Tony!

Bombay to Goa

Notes on Bombay, first impressions..

Very lux compared to Dehli(esp Old Dehli), cosmo, large roads, reminds me of the West. I haven't seen a cow yet which seems really odd after getting used to their slow walk on the roads along with all the pedestrians everywhere else. I saw a sign ' Slum Tours, only 3oo Rupees' which I must say struck me as a bit odd. Can you imagine a sign back home which said 'Council flat and the homeless in London Tours only 10 quid'??!!! Somehow the rules change over here..

My hotel was very expensive (compared to my usual budget which allows me to stay here as long as 7 months), but clean.

The train station up the road from me is a beautiful British construction. It had coffee tables that reminded me of our grandparents generation. I loved the warm buzz of the place, it felt kind of electric and exciting. Nobody noticed me being a westerner anymore as plenty here! (it actually felt strange not to be noticed for a change, I had got to used to my celeb status!).

Part of me wishes I was here longer (bar the expense). I'm whacked and off to bed.

Goa
Wow. After a long and as usual exhausting journey here, messing up the meeting with Ed and Ade from UK (I arrived at the wrong end of Goa) then eventually meeting in Anjuna, I am here! I LOVE GOA! Its great! Nice beaches, palm trees, market stalls, Cows (its good to see some of the familiar India), and happy chilled holiday people. Anjuna (where am staying) is actually really quite chilled and not too busy. I think it is because it became over popular and then people avoided it so now its one of the more peaceful places. Its only now that I realise how full on Ive been on this trip so far, and Ive only realised this since I actually stopped. So maybe the blogs will be abit quieter for next few weeks as its not most exciting blog to say "today I relaxed on a beach and had a nice fish curry' or 'I went to dance to Goan trance at the local club' or ' I had a coconut drink and fresh pineapple on the beach today'... I am sure you get the picture!

WISH YOU WERE HERE!

By the way I met Jim Morrison and Gerard Depardieu.(not really but have been hanging out with their lookalikes except that Gerard's lookalike has a smaller nose).