17.2.26

This morning my bathroom smells like a bonfire.

Liz went to meet the manager, he didn’t turn up. The desk guy went to pick him up later, we chatted. He was really shocked by the booking. com listing. He is going to get it amended. He gave us 3000 rupees discount and waived the 3% card fee.

There’s nothing they can do about the bonfires, it’s from the neighbours at the back.

So all’s well that ends well. Our chalets are large, spotlessly clean, comfy beds and pillows and hot shower. For some reason Liz’s was cold.

Opposite is a beautiful restaurant, Avocado garden. The breakfast was amazing, the hugest serving of fruit, Muesli and yogurt. It took so long to get through it all.

We headed for the same beach bar as yesterday. Kevin & Sharon have breakfast included and were at the beach already.

There is a relentless stream of ladies- all selling the same trinkets, some with fabrics, others handing out ayurvedic massage leaflets, the sunglasses guy, the windchime man, the crystal man and the lovely pashmina man.

I bought a pashmina from him yesterday. He appeared again in the evening.’ hello Linda’. It took a while to realise it was the same guy as he was now wearing flashing devil horns and selling feather headresses!

We had the same entertainers from Agonda, the tightrope man and the woman with 3 small children and another on the way. She plays drums while the older 2 dance and do cartwheels.

There’s a couple of women with babies begging too.

2 Indian women next to us took about an hour to choose trinkets. One couldn’t have talked louder if she’d had a megaphone.

I was feeling very tired, ratty and coffee deprived. Very hard to find decent coffee around here.

It was impossible to doze have a conversation or read a book without interruption. The best part was my cheese dosa and Maaza drink.

We left the beach earlier than usual, Liz and I explored the many main street shops.

I got an outside shot of the dreadful Casa guest house whilst there.

We turned left at the end of the street and walked back along the beach.

Met some lovely creatures on the way back.

It was heaven to get back to the tranquility of my chalet and make coffee.

Had dinner with Sharon and Kevin and opted for Ferns by Kate. It was busy, so obviously popular. Portions were small, my biryani wasn’t a patch on previous ones and not sure there was any cheese in the garlic cheese naan. I wasn’t over keen on Kate either, she spoke to Liz like a strict school teacher while we were ordering.

We all agreed that Palolem isn’t doing it for us. We’re missing the tranquility of Agonda and the food and sunbeds at Roger’s in Benaulim.

These 2 stop at the greengrocer every evening for coconut. He has also named them.

I’d like to go to Patnem tomorrow, the next bay, which is supposed to be quieter.