Mumbai/Goa

So the last couple of days in Mumbai seemed to revolve around avoiding the intense heat and humidity by finding an air conditioned watering hole as soon as possible while trying to delude ourselves we were just going for a walk. Meeting people was as easy as saying, "going out". "Anyone coming?"
A week in Mumbai and I was ready to leave as although I liked it there was nowhere to really relax. Smuggling girls and booze into our room was a little exhilarating but we ran the risk of being thrown out of the "Christian hostel" which I am quite surprised I wasn't. The manager came into the room as an impromptu party in the room was in full swing and I had a bottle of vodka which we had put into coke bottles right in front of where he came and stood. He was more concerned there were girls in the room. Off we went and ended up with a guitar and our booze singing by the gate of India. What a night!
My last day was a repeat of the last few but I managed to get my stuff together and left for the station sweat pouting off me at nine pm. I arrived at Victoria station, quite an amazing building and went into the chaos. I found the information office and was told the train left from platform sixteen. I wandered down the platform and found a group of westerners, Welshmen actually and sat next to them. They had arrived that day and were going to sleep on the station until seven the next morning. Too hardcore for me. As the time came closer for me to depart I wondered why there was no train so I asked an Indian and he told me I was on the wrong platform. No Sixteen sir. Number eighteen. You sure? Yes sir so I ran across and boarded the train with about five minutes to spare.
On the train safely I found my bunk next to a westerner who I started talking to immediately. I was so happy to be in the cool second class carriage with air conditioning and felt that I would not faint as I had almost done the night before. I found out that Ian was planning to DJ in Goa and he had some nice music equipment. He said he would get hold of me as he only wanted small parties of fifty to a hundred people. He offered me a sleeping pill and I soon drifted off to a fairly peaceful sleep. I woke up the next morning feeling really good and well rested and decided to ask where my stop was which is just as well because it was the next one. I was ready and saying good bye to Ian I jumped off to be met by the usual barrage of rickshaw drivers. Having an idea of the price I asked and was quoted the right amount three hundred rupees and as it was a fair way I felt it reasonable.
As we approached Arombol I liked it straight away. Surrounded by palm trees and hills it is exactly what I was hoping for. The taxi driver took me to one place but the rent was too high so we went further along and I bargained the owner down to two hundred and seventy five rupees per night and as season is coming up and the prices will sky rocket I took it and have paid up to the third of Jan. The room is big I have a double bed, electricity, a fan, a balcony,a table and a chair. The outside loo is very clean and I even have a hot shower which I have to switch off to make it cold enough. It is a two minute walk from the beach. I like!
I have been meeting people easily. The weirdest was meeting Ian as he got off at another station but is also in Arombol. I bumped into him in the street. Then the day before yesterday I met a yoga teacher that I met way up north in Ladak last year. While chatting to him a very nice girl joined us and I was invited back to her place. We had a few drinks and then I left. She is going to an Ashram for a week but will be back so I hope I see her when she returns all bliss-ed out from seeing her Guru....I dunno these old hippies hey.
Yesterday I was having my breakfast and started to chat with a lovely German girl we ended up spending the whole day together but she was leaving in the evening. Dam! Oh well at least they are talking to me. There is still hope. So that pretty much brings things into the present again. I think I'll go for breakfast.....