Goa In October

The last few weeks have been so packed that it's been impossible to really add anything to the blog. I had barely got back from Germany at the end of September when it was time to rush off to Goa for the training group workshop. Now back home again, I can relax and enjoy sleeping in my own bed after over two months of being constantly on the move, at least until late December when we go to Neredu 2 again.

Goa was hot, but then I suppose that's to be expected in October. Though nature's occasional son et lumiere show accompanied by buckets of rain over an extended period, did sort of cool things down off and on. The good part was that this still being the non commercial part of the year, the beach which was almost empty except for a few people and a handful of cows strolling along the sand. No doubt by early December things will start pepping up and all of Goa will begin to look like a giant disco with colourful flashing bulbs and music blaring from every beach shack.

We arrived at Fatima's Guest house in Agonda to find out that the management had been taken over for the next few months by a handsome trio of ("cousin") brothers from Assam, the Sharmas. Though the prices on the menu were simply absurd - which is logical I guess, else how else would the guys make a profit after paying the rent - the smiles, the charm and their friendliness made it pinch less.

Nice though it was being in Goa again, it's a far cry from how it used to be fourteen or fifteen years ago. Hordes of Russians, Israelis and other nationalities cram most of the space on the beaches and even isolated beaches like Agonda used to be, have become garish and loud during the season.

Dinesh Sharma

Ganga tending the bar

George and Ayse

Sharat, our chief organiser agonising over some lost detail

Chandran and George relaxing on the terrace

Heinz enjoying a joke

Sudha, probably defending herself against some unfair observationAt John's

Heinz, Ayse and I decided to go down memory lane the last day and went off to Bogmalo where we spent the night at the IEI guest house and dined at John's. The food at John's Seagull was as usual incomparable - garlic cheese naan, garlic squid and prawn, and an unimaginably delicious barbequed fish - a large sea perch which John personally served us. For dessert (we were stuffed by this time) the three of us shared a Crepe Suzette which came flaming to our table. Including a whole lot of drinks, the snacks and main dish our bill for three was a little over Rs. 1600. Where in the world would you get that kind of deal?!