Goa

Still reeling from our long day yesterday, the hours on the train rattling through India into Mumbai, the contrasts between the green lush rivers and mountains and the dusty townships, the horrendous slums spreading for miles around Mumbai, and then the metropolitan massive city, everyone opted to avoid breakfast and head straight to the relative peace of the airport.
Despite the brief timespan of the flight to Goa, lunch was served (thumbs up Jet Airways ) and on arrival we boarded yet more taxis through yet more green lushious countryside until finally at 2pm we arrive at Cangute….
Cangute was a shock, to say the least! The calm and serenity shattered by hoards of tourists, this is the most popular tourist spot of Inida, imagine Benidorm with more people, no infrastructure, even more alcohol, etc,,,,,
But I walked along the beach for miles, found very local markets-plus mosquitos- and spent two wonderful evenings at upmarket restaurants found by a now very cheerful Romi (who is off for a month to see his family!) and ended the tour in style, wine, birthday cake, and tears all round.
So off solo, feeling very alone with my ‘family’, the group, despite our disparate ages and backgrounds, have become very close, sharing so much in every way, I shall miss them all.
Shared a taxi to my first solo place, Palolem, in the South, which is such a relief after North Goa. The beach here is paradise, endless sands, beach shacks, not enough people to count as a crowd, ….the hotel is basic, but seems clean (though I have made that mistake before and found otherwise!) and within a footstep of the heavenly beach, where I hope to rest, walk, rest, walk---and do not much more for a few days.