South Goa (Palolem)

Palolem must have been one of the worlds most idyllic beaches. Palm trees on one side, white sand in the middle, and clear blue ocean on the other side. Now it is a kilometre long stretch of bamboo huts and cafe / bars built on the edge of the beach.

Not a bad place to spend a short week.

Local fishing is still a significant industry. Though we do like the juxtaposition of the kite surfer in the background.

Toddy tapping, the extraction of natural alcohol from coconut palms, and the brewing of Fenny from cashew apples are other significant industries judging from some of the very pissed locals.

But we just spent most of time chilling out.

The wind picked up a bit so we had to retire to sun loungers for todays reading on relativity and quantum physics.

Too much lounging around, and ants in his pants was playing football...

... and for a brief spell a bit of cricket, which quickly deteriorated into a squabble worthy of a few deaths on the Indian Pakistan border. Why do they have to be so serious? "It's just not cricket!" Its worth noting that for people taking their cricket so seriously, they were very bad at it.

The fishing boats return for sunset, and the gringos stop their football, to swim, shower, eat and drink. It was a tough existence.

We thought we had a full-moon in Goa but we got the day wrong and had to leave a day earlier. This didn't matter much as the government had in its ultimate wisdom banned music after 10pm in the open. Go somewhere else for your parties seems to be the message.

Agonda beach was a 30 minute motorbike ride up the coast and what a difference it made. This place is paradise, a 2km stretch of gorgeous clean sand fringed by palm trees.

There were just as many locals going about their day as there were Westerners on the beach.

We came to Agonda to see Helene and Dave who we met previously trekking in the Himalayas. We had such a brilliant relaxing day, and a real good natter.

The surf didn't really get up, but we did go out and had a bit of fun.

We took some brown out of the photo so you are not too jealous of the tans.

10 days on the beaches of Goa and it has to be said. "It was not enough!" We needed longer.

Now it's a 24 hour train ride and then a plane to Sri Lanka.... Nice!