South Goa: Patnem beach

Our mini eco-warriors trying to plant a tree on Patnem beach

​Don't get me wrong, it feels great to be back on a beach but I'm surprised how quickly I've declimitized to the travelling lifestyle.

Two months at home in the freezing English winter (we even saw snow more than once) has knocked off my travel radar and my internal thermometer somewhat.

We arrived in Goa three nights ago, flying in aboard a Thomas Cook flight (how disintrepid can you get!). We sweltered in a hotel, with aircon, near the airport and now find ourselves thoroughly ripped off for accommodation on the otherwise pretty perfect, Patnem beach.  

You'd have thought after two months at home in the UK that we'd be fully prepared for life on the road and after more than 15months on the road previously, we'd know what to be prepared for. Sadly, both assertions would be false. We've forgotten some basics (antiseptic cream, story books and travel adapters for the multitude of electrical devices we carry), We're unprepared for other stuff (the heat! arriving in peak season with no bookings - oops). On top of all this, I have grown so accustomed to creature comforts in just two months of UK life that I feel almost as bewildered as I did when we first set out in September 2015. What no fridge? No washing machine? …

Turning up here on Patnem was our second introduction into the disorganised disorder of general life in this huge country. We'd had our first taste of crazy systems already when trying to book train tickets online. For anyone else looking into this I'll post a separate thread with some advice or check out www.seat61.com. Needless to say, it’s a messy affair, which took four days and many internet hours to book one overnight train journey. Finding accommodation when we arrived at this beach seemed along similar lines of haphazardness, many resorts seem to be partly private owned so you have to speak with ten different people to find out if there is a room free and all the rooms, even ones side by side in a block, are all vastly different standards and prices and of course there's no correlation between cost and luxury. It can be exhausting!

Two nights in and my discombobulation was increased further thanks to Otto (our youngest) waking up a multitude of times attempting to hack up his own tiny lungs in a number of coughing fits, which the calpol and ibuprofen administering had little effect on. We eventually relented at 3am and moved him into our bed where he slept like a baby...Peter? Your best performance yet? We didn't enjoy such sleep as just as we moved him in, the power cut out and the meagre ceiling fan ground to a suffocating halt in the 30°c heat.

Welcome to India!

The busy beach, Palolem, next door.

​Thankfully, things are looking brighter today. After a late start we spent the day eating delicious vegetarian food, swimming in the sea and building sand castles complete with aquaducts. Evening followed with more fine curry, fire shows and loads of kids running free, playing on beached fishing boats with giant sticks in a scene reminiscent of Lord of the Flies. Luckily, the fire didn't get out of control, no littluns got hurt and many new friends were made.

Back on the 4 person moped tomorrow - eek. I’m not sure I'm ready for it? Better get channelling my inner Zen!

Please power, stay on for us tonight!

With new friend Champ!