Toto, I don't think we're in Thailand anymore...

I feel like I've been neglecting you all.

I've had all these adventures over the last couple of weeks and they're all trapped in my journal which is straining at the seams, the stories desperate to be diseminated via the wonderful world wide web, to be read by all you good people.

Basically, I've been living it and not blogging it, which isn't such a bad thing really.

Since I arrived in Bombay I sort of decided that I'd rather be blogging it and not living it for a bit, which is the reason why I've retreated to this internet "cafe" (it's actually more reminiscent of an internet "toilet", but still) and am biding my time before I get on the first train out of town!

Oh, I'm exaggerating as usual, it isn't all that bad. I just don't think I'm quite ready to embrace Bombay, hence the reason I've decided to get my skates on and head down to Palolem Beach in Goa. I've been told that Goa isn't the "real" India, which suits me just fine as I'm looking for a substantially diluted version of this colourful, intense and frankly intimidating country so I imagine it will fit the bill quite nicely.

Travelling can be tough and exhausting and sometimes you end up in no frame of mind to really appreciate what you're experiencing, and I suppose that's where I'm at right now. I'm soaking all this new experience up and enjoying it but I've already become saturated... super-saturated, in fact. If you know some science you'll know that this means I'm pretty fucked off. Thailand is like kindergarten compared to this shit.

Fortunately my prayers were answered last night when Alon walked into my life as I queued to get off the plane. Actually, to be perfectly accurate, he limped into my life. The shock of India has been softened significantly by the fact that my current travelling companion, despite sporting a nasty sprained wrist and a dodgy ankle (the result of a recent drunken motorcycle accident), is a double hard Israeli bastard who does not take shit from anyone. Alon's three year spell in the army (including 3 months in the brig) has been tempered by a 1 year stint working very successfully and entrepreneurially (cor, what a word!) in London. He's a nice guy and although he may be little bit scary, he's definitely reassuring to have around.

I'm going to be spending the next two weeks in Goa, moving around a bit but based on Palolem Beach. Until the day before I left Koh Tao, I was considering changing my plans and staying on there for Christmas, but then I went out and met this hippy and he said to me, "Palolem is like heaven, man" so I thought I'd give it a go.

In the new year, once all the drugs have worn off, I will have to steel myself for some real travelling in "real" India, but in the meantime I will happily step aboard that train tonight, collapse in a heap, close my eyes and not open them again until I'm in paradise.

Oh, I should note that I'll be travelling down to Goa second class, so while you may all think I'm a bit of a pussy, the truth of the matter is that I'm a double hard bastard too!