"She smells seashells from the seashore"!

Terebra Turritella (variety unknown)

By the end of our first week in Goa we had picked up a few pretty shells and we took them to Palolem. There we began to see a profusion:- particularly of this sort, and a plan was hatched involving them and the August wedding feast. We would need about 90, and thus we embarked on a mission. We mentioned it to friend John who does a daily beach walk at a completely different time from us, and we did a deal involving acceptable specimens and gifts of vodka! Soon we had quite a collection, but a quick wash was insufficient to remove a disgusting and developing smell in the bathroom at the Guest House. We moved them outside and decided it was not worth drastic action until the six days we were staying there were over. On moving day we took our cases and hand luggage down to the main accommodation and left it in their office pending cleaning of the room. We also took the Matalan carrier bag with the shells. When we returned in the evening our landlord told us he had taken all of our belongings to the room. A great simple spacious room in which we continue be very happy, but the stench on that day was awful - and we were mightily embarrassed! Something had to be done!


Mr Google came up with five strategies - bleach, burying, boiling, freezing and microwaving - none of which were feasible. A second search suggested alcohol, and there is plenty of that in Goa! John went to the cheapest place around and bought for us a bottle of cashew fenny - rough stuff, but it seems to have done the trick! Many have been the jokes about what to do with the liquid post-soaking! We now have as many of these items as we need and are engaged in packing them  (with air fresheners) for travel in the hope that we have not transgressed! Watch out for August's posts to see how they are used! We now move on to rationalising the mixed collection of other types!

A postscript on the shells: they quite rarely are found with a resident hermit crab, and we have humanely removed them and returned them to the shore. One day a rampant woman ran up to us and asked in highly accented English how we would like it if we were turned out of our home. Our protestation about the nature of hermit crabs fell on deaf ears and she stormed off!