Get us outta here!

Ok, so it's not that bad. We are just really fed up of being sticky and drippy 24/7, and of having mice, dogs, roosters and birds preventing us from ever getting a full night's sleep. So, after a week in our eco-hut, we're off to Benaulim this afternoon, where we'll stay one day before heading all the way down to Kochi in Kerala.


Quick day-by-day of our time here:


Day 1: Checked into Sevas (http://www.sevaspalolemgoa.com/), our favorite accommodation yet. Straw huts with an attached straw covered veranda, with table, chairs, cushioned long chair, bamboo shelves where I displayed the mini library I've been lugging around, and open roof attached bathroom, with bucket flush and bucket shower and a banana tree spilling over the straw wall. Besides what I mentioned in the intro, this place is perfect. After unpacking, we headed to the beach, where we saw "Mogli" for the first time. (He didn't actually have a "name" at that point, but we later affectionately called him Mogli.) He is an 80ish year old man whom Blaire and I have serious (and slightly disturbing) crush on. He has bushy white hair, a long white beard, a great golden tan, and the only items of clothing he wears are yellow flip-flops and a bright red loin-cloth. It was love at first sight. He was standing tall on the beach when we first spotted him, so we settled onto two long-chairs nearby to keep sight of him. He then proceeded to do jumping jacks, legs swings (remember, he's wearing nothing but a loin-cloth) and a wobbly little dance that I caught on video (which will make me laugh hysterically for years to come). Then he walked confidently into the water, started his butterfly swim (he's 80!) and went out further than anyone else would dare. We worried a little as we awaited his return, but he came back safe and sound about 20 minutes later. He walked over to where he had left his yellow flip-flops, and walked away. Sigh. We checked the time so that we could return for another sighting tomorrow. And the next day, and the next. I'll move on to the next item on my list now, as I realize this could start sounding a little creepy... Went back to our hut, had a bucket shower under the open blue sky, and went for a lovely dinner on a peninsula cliff, overlooking the sunset on the sparkling water. Yeah. Not bad.


Day 2: Up at 7ish, went to my first yoga class since Rishikesh at 8:00, didn't like it (becoming a bit of a yoga snob), and ended up with terrible neck pain by the time I had returned to our hut. After breakfast at Sevas (where Blaire knocked her full glass of tea on the floor, and when the kind, calm waiter asked if she wanted another, she smirked, tilted her head, and said, "Actually, can I have a chocolate shake?"), we walked along the beach looking for an advertised cooking-class we wanted to get info from. I mentioned the heat in the last post, and that walk was just brutal. Even though the ocean was right there, the water is piss-warm, so no chance of cooling off with a swim. Walked about a half hour in the sand, then turned up a road that had lots of shops, still looking for the cooking school. By this time, we could barely put one foot in front of the other and seriously thought we might pass out. Saw a sign for a modern, western coffee shop that I had seen many other places in India, but had never been into, always opting for the more local joints. But I knew it would probably have AC. We found it about 5 minutes later, its closed glass doors like a mirage, and when we opened them... Hallelujah! An icy cold wave of air washed over us, and I don't think I've smiled so widely since I've been here. We sat down for ice-coffee and ice-cream desserts, sitting on the comfy couches until our skin was cold. Going through the doors in the opposite direction wasn't quite as extraordinary. Continued our search, found the cooking spot, but it was closed on Fridays. Note said next class was tomorrow night, so we scribbled our names down and would come back then. Another outrageously hot walk back to our end of the beach, perfectly timed to see Mogli at 1pm. He was laying directly on the sand, tanning his already perfect skin, with, again, his red loin-cloth just big enough (well, depending on the angle you looked from) to cover his man-parts. His routine exercises and swim  followed, as we giggled, filmed, photographed and looked on with love. (I realize you may again be a little concerned by this. We take full responsibility for our crush.) Home, shower, same resto as last night for fresh seafood and white wine, and another friggin' sunset.


Day 3: Neck pain from yesterday caused a pretty sleepless night, and it was terrible when I got up. Went to the neighboring hut habitat for an ayurvedic neck massage. Neck pain combined with deep massage equals excruciating pain. I've never cringed and groaned so much during a massage, but I knew it would be worth it. Didn't totally fix me, but did help. Another hot walk into town, this time looking for a spot to get our tattoos done (only henna for now...). Each got our left hand covered in intricate designs by a cute friendly lady. By the time we got back to our end of the beach, we had missed Mogli. Shed a few tears, went back for our afternoon shower, and headed back to town at 6 for our cooking class. Door closed. Resto next door lent me their cell to call Rahul, the course chef, who said he couldn't make it today, but would be there tomorrow. Walked back onto the beach, and right there in front of us.... was Mogli! But this time, he was in his evening-wear: a very small white beach towel wrapped around his waist. And by his side, a younger blonde woman. Blaire and I were crushed. We consoled ourselves with 2-for-1 happy hour cocktails and dinner on the beach, watching, you guessed it, the sunset. Went to our cliff resto from the previous two nights for some dessert (banoffee pie - graham crumb base topped with creamy toffee and chocolate, surrounded by banana slices), where the Nepalese waiter (same we had had the two other nights, and whom Blaire was developing a little crush on... a little more sane than our Mogli infatuation), kept asking if we wanted seafood, even thought we told him we had already eaten and were only here for dessert. Went back to our hut, played some cards, had some great laughs, and went to bed.


Day 4: Same old. Morning beach-walk, great breakfast in "town", great AC internet with great connection (finally managed to quickly upload some photos for my blog (reminder: http://erika-india-pics.blogspot.in/), 1pm routine beach lounge while watching Mogli flail his limbs about on the sand before butterfly-swimming far out into the ocean, and pm shower. Walked to cooking class, 3rd time's a charm, Rahul was there. Just two other girls there for the class, friends from Surrey (England). 2 hours of cooking followed by an hour of eating our delicious dishes and chatting. Made dahl (lentil) soup, palaak paneer (spinach with unripened cheese cubes), jeera aloo (cumin potatoes), Goan prawn curry (my favorite dish that night), and chapati flat bread. The bread was so quick and easy, I could make some every morning (Indians make it at least 3 times a day). Home for some reading and bed.


Day 5: We decided to change things up a little today, by going to Patnem beach, a 5 minute walk down the road. We knew this meant no Mogli, but we did it anyway. The beach was great, much calmer and less commercial than Palolem. Sat on cushioned long-chairs covered with a straw parasol, sipped fresh juice, and read our books. Stopped for a beachfront bruschetta on our way back to Sevas, pm shower, relax, more reading on our veranda, and off to town for a great wood oven pizza at Magic Italy (actually run by Italians). Played more cards when we got back, worked out our abs with laughter, and went to bed. But sleep, not so much. The pizzas were quite huge and we each only managed to get through half of ours. So we came home with a full pizza boxed up for breakfast or lunch the next day. When I got into bed, Blaire asked where the pizza was. Said I left it on the chair on the veranda. "Isn't it more likely to get eaten out there than in here?" "Uh, yeah, I guess." So I got up and brought it in. Put a wicker basket under it as a little prop, so the ants on the floor would be a little further from the box. Ok. Lights out. An hour later, we were awoken by packs of barking and howling dogs, a regular occurrence during the night. But there was also another noise. I looked in the direction of the audible squeeks, to see that the basket prop was shaking a little. Then the mouse's little grey head pokes out from the basket, and it scurries away when I shine my light on it. Blaire and I are giggling nervously. I decide to bring the pizza box back out onto the veranda chair (not before throwing my deodorant at the basket to make sure no other rodents are in there), but just as I'm about to come out from under the mosquito net covering our bed and cautiously step onto the floor, a large brown cockroach comes in from under the bathroom "door". Seriously??? Not wanting to kill it, I just use my flip-flop to give it a strong sweep right back where it came from. Then I quickly bring the pizza box back outside and run back into bed, under the safety of the net. Ok. Lights back out. Attempted sleep despite awakened nerves. Now, of course, I slept lightly, and every tiny sound would wake me. I went in and out sleep all night, waking at least every half hour, most often by the sound of a mouse (same one?) who kept crawling up and into my open backpack. (The next morning, I would realize it had been nibbling holes into my underwear, which were at the top of the pack.) Every time it woke me, I would shine my light at it or throw something at it, and try going back to sleep. After a few times, I got up and tightly pulled the draw strings on my pack to close it up. Mouse kept coming, but less frequently. Then, at around 4am, the roosters started their loud crowing. Think I finally managed a couple hours of uninterrupted sleep between 5 and 7.


Day 6: Decided to venture out even further today. Agonda beach was about five times the distance of Patnem (yesterday's 5 minute walk) on the map, so we rented bicycles to avoid a half hour walk in the heat. Got onto our pretty pink and blue bikes, dropped our bags into the front baskets, and peddled up towards Agonda. Beautiful scenery, lovely flat road... not for long. Steep hills appeared, and it took everything we had to get up them. Up and down and up and down as we became drenched in sweat. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20, 30, 40... We were so hot and exhausted that we couldn't even hold our heads up. They would just hang to one side as we panted our way over the hills. People passing by on scooters would slow down when they saw us, to make sure we were ok. Of course, no one else was peddle-biking this route in peak sun and heat time. Pretty stupid idea. Took almost an hour to get there. Map should be redone. Ran into the water as soon as we arrived, then had fresh juices under our straw parasol. Beach was gorgeous with very few people and shops. But honestly, after several days of this beach life, we've become pretty unphased by it... and by the sunsets... and even by Mogli (who we saw one last time before leaving this morning). Stayed a couple hours on Agonda beach, then went to AC internet to cool off, and then tried to figure out what we'd do to get back. 'Cause we sure as hell weren't doing that bike ride again mid-afternoon! I went to and ATM, and by the time I came out, Blaire had 3 guys hard at work dismantling a tuk-tuk, removing its backseat and doors so that our two basket-bikes could fit in. Of course, there was no room left for us, so we followed behind in a nice Suzuki 4x4. Our cheap day of transportation ($1/day for bike rentals) became rather pricey after that. Took it easy when we got home, pm shower, small dinner at Sevas, reading, bed. And no food in the room this time! Left two bananas on the porch that we had left over, but of course, they were gone by morning. Good sleep, well rested for today's change of location. 


Day 7: Today. Will save description for next post. This wasn't a quick day-by-day after all. But come on, it's almost a week's worth. And my posts have been pretty short lately.


Ta-ta for now...