Goan Mad - Travels in Goa Part 1

I'd be a pretty shoddy blogger without the obligatory outfit post in the snow so here you go, fresh off an eleven hour flight from India determined to show off the sun tan, frostbite be damned. Who says I don't suffer for my art? 

So where have I been for the last three weeks? Let's start with the first 7 days. 

We landed in Goa on 2nd January at just after midnight, hailed an auto rickshaw and headed off to Benaulim, a predominantly Christian fishing and rice producing village in the south of the state. 

Palmira's business card was stashed in our travel wallet so we rung ahead and reserved a room before we boarded the plane. We'd inspected the rooms on a previous visit and knew they were clean and quiet. After a particularly unpleasant night in a cockroach-infected bed many years ago we now never book accommodation without viewing it first.

The rate was just shy of £5 a night and a short walk to the beach and a fine walk it was, too.

The beach? A wide stretch of powdery white sand extending for 25 kilometres, lapped by the warm Arabian Sea, fringed by palm trees and dotted with coco-thatched beach shacks and traditional fishing boats.

Unlike some of Goa's beaches there's no hassle from hawkers and beggars, the only disruption being an occasional fisherman needing help with dragging his boat back in to shore.....

a meandering cow or three....

...and the odd sea snake accidentally brought in with the day's catch.

The sunsets are astounding, 

Every night after a quick shower we'd head back to one of the handful of beach shacks to quaff chilled Kingfisher, feast on amazing veggie curries,

and share any leftovers with the beach dogs.

Don't fret, animal lovers, this litter have already found new homes and their mum's been neutered by a local animal rescue charity.

South Goan night life is chilled and fabulous with no need for shoes, make-up or fancy clothes. There's party on somewhere every night with dancers, fireworks and live music, just look out for the fliers posted on the palm trees around the village.

And even better? A night out for the two of us with a beer or three, fabulously fresh & spicy vegetarian food and a couple of vodka and tonics for the road costs less than £10.

1970s bikini (the fabularse Helga), Vintage sheepskin coat (£9.99, Banardos), 1970s high-heeled wellies (jumble sale)

Hope your 2013's has got off to an equally fabulous start.

See you soon for Part 2 of our travel tales (if you can stand the excitement).

PS I've committed the heinous blogger's sin of posting before catching up on commenting. When I checked Bloglovin' this morning I'd over 1000 blog posts unread. I'll be over soon as no doubt the jet lag will have me up at some ungodly hour in the morning.