Arambol....

When I first arrived I arambol I was accompanied by two overly confident Israeli girls who had " done India many times before", they annoyed me and I felt lonelier in there company than I would have done without them so I politely said goodbye and thank you for their help.... I was on my own and good! After a sleepless night in a room with a very loud fan I thought it best to embrace the day and do some exploring. At first I was intimidated by the place, it then crossed my mind that this feeling wasn't unusual to me as I have felt it throughout my life; starting new jobs, going to places by myself, a feeling of stepping onto the territory of others and the only way to get over it is to stay and find my way as I probably would have felt the same in any place I landed....I changed guesthouse to a room wit a ' better feel' , I found a very good yoga class and a very good patch of beach away from the fuss..
Unlike your usual ' holiday resort ' arambol has a different feel and a great mix of people working together in harmony.. On one end of the spectrum there are beautifully tattooed and pearced hippy/ traveller types, filling the beaches at sunset drumming away, dancing, juggling... Groups of people taking tai chi classes run by men in flowing white suits (sorry to say but cringeworthy), your older traveller singing happy songs, eyes closed and full of love and then you have the Russians...set upside from all of the free flowing love and melodic vibe the Russians fall into the ' stiff and abrupt ' category, if there is such a thing. A bit like aliens landing on earth, but as I said everyone relaxes in harmony, in their own individual ways making it a fascinating place to sit aside and people watch.
My days are now filled with 2 hours of yoga, followed by a very welcome brunch to cure my ravenous state and then relaxing on the beach, although relaxing on the beach does consist of telling endless sellers on the beach " no thanks", everything from jewellery, sarongs, drums, ear cleaning and today a guy was trying to sell glitter balls..WHO wants to by a glitter ball when they are sunbathing? Giving the persistence of these people I am sure somebody ends up adding one to the endless amount of tatt they have been forced into buying and furiously stuff it into their luggage ready for it's cupboard bound existence back home....
All in all arambol has a friendly alternative vibe, the locals are charming ( a few perverted!) and you can get a mean fish curry.... And on that note now is my time to stop writing and go indulge in my new favourite taste sensation........

2 weeks in......

So, two weeks ago I started my adventure to india and here I sit, 9 o'clock in the evening, overlooking the Arabian ocean, with a beer and waiting for a fish curry.... Now is the perfect time to start my blog.....

My first two days were spent in Delhi.. I arrived at my guesthouse wiery and was happy to find a friendly looking room with a massive bed, I slept almost immediately and woke up mid afternoon disorientated and a bit apprehensive as to what I was to do next but then I thought food!!!!! I spent the rest of the afternoon researching on where I was going to taste first of many delights.. A taxi dropped me off at my carefully chosen location where I ate real Indian ( vegetarian ) food.... I wasn't sitting alone for long as two very friendly fellow englishmen spotted me and asked me to join them which was comforting for my first night....

The next day I spent roaming around Delhi, my patience being tested by the CONTINUOUS beeping of horns.. Many people had warned me that Delhi was full on, too much, but quite honestly I wasn't overly intimidated as my expectations were far worse.. After being harassed by a rancid looking beggar and then more gently harassed by some rancid looking men I found a cute little restaurant near my guesthouse where I filled up with more delights and then so forth to bed...

Good news on awakening, my seat on the train to goa had been found so off I went on a very rickety rickshaw to a very busy train station where I was very happy to find my spot which was to be my bed for the next two days and yes I literally slept for the entire journey....

After very nearly missing my stop I ended up being " saved " by two Israeli girls and after sharing a taxi ride with them I have ended up here in arambol where I shall make my base for Christmas..... The place is full of hippies and Russians, busy but a friendly vibe. I have found a great yoga class ( two hours long and strenuous) I am bronzing myself and eating lots of fruit!!!! I have found I very quiet stretch of beach where I while away the hours reading and planning my route for the new year.... This will be my place for Christmas, and although I will miss family and friends at least I will have the warm glow of the Indian sunshine upon me. Xxxxxxx