Why I like it

I thought I'd sit down and discuss what it is I like about Palolem. I believe it's often an important exercise to think about what you like about a place, rather than what you dislike. It's easy to discuss (or bitch about) what you dislike, more of an effort to discuss what you do like; but ultimately worth it. After all, it makes you realise what you're living there for.

I'll start with sounds. I was discussing what sounds were nice in Palolem (yes, having the time to discuss those types of things is one of the things I like about Palolem) and we decided that the sounds that were beautiful in Palolem (and also happened to typify it) are: the sound of the waves, the sound of the wind through the palm leafs; the sound of a single Enfield (India's answer to the Harley Davidson) in the distance; and the crows.

As for the feelings, I'd have to go with the sand between your toes, the sun on your skin after a chilly night, the feeling of only wearing swimming shorts, the temperature (very close to perfect, except at three in the morning when it's frigin' cold) the cushions on the seats that they have everywhere around here and hammocks.

The tastes too are quite extraordinary. You see, when you first arrive here you eat a lot of crap, that's because most of the restaurants are only good at making one or two things and you don't know which is good at what when you just arrive. Now, however, by asking a lot of people and eating out a lot myself I've come to find where the really excellent (and really affordable, two things that are not necessarily mutually exclusive) food can be found.

Yesterday, for instance, I started with a wonderful banana-honey porridge, then had an Greek salad, moved on to a steak sandwich, had an apple pie and finished it all of with excellent coffee and ice-cream; interspersed with the occasional beer and gin tonic.

The smells are fantastic as well, with food smells mixing with the scent of the sea, the wind and India (the last a quite particular smell); cigarette smoke with sun tanning lotion, bamboo with coffee.

And the sights. This still remains one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen, even though people are trying to convince me that one beach over is even more spectacular. Beautiful in a semi-circle punctuated with a peninsula and monkey island.

Palm trees everywhere, bamboo shacks, lounging travellers and exotic cocktails. Souvenir shops and shopkeepers who have a surprising good memory for faces (they all know me now, though I doubt I even know five of their names). They all smile. Bonfires. I should have mentioned those before, because they really encompass all of the senses; warmth on your skin, the taste of smoke on your tongue and the scent in your nose; the cracking of the wood and nature's own light show.

In other words, I like quite a lot; which is nice to realise while I'm still here.