The Herd and three Escapes!

A bit more lazing space here at Agonda!

Greyrocks loves Palolem, but its beauty and charm come at a price: - it is popular and can be crowded! It is - after all - an almost perfectly shaped bay and therefore finite in its shore frontage for bar and accommodation shacks. Even fans like us have to admit that it is all a bit tightly packed. Throw in a holiday like Republic Day with Indian trippers, or the arrival of three boatloads of Russians from all-inclusive hotels and escape is considered!

We had ideas like the annual Betty's Booze Cruise, but we were "Billy no mates" this year; or a rickshaw to Galgibag, but - again - better as a group, or going to see the upcoming beach at Talpona. But we didn't! With the exception of  the school visit and charity day mentioned in earlier posts, and some business trips to Chaudi for ATM, optician and blood tests, we stayed put. As time went on we became less wedded to The Nest. Two lengths of the bay just about amounts to the current daily step target for Ruth, and with all those shells to collect.... So we found some less rowdy spots for drinks, lunch and sometimes sunbeds!

Our three little trips were:

1. South to Patnem Beach via Coulomb. It is just a matter of hugging the shore - up and over a headland, but we still went slightly adrift! Once there the facilities are not much different from Palolem, but wider and quieter. The sea entry is not as good - with a drop down and tales of dangerous undertow. but it makes a change. We got a rickshaw back.

2. North to Agonda. This needs a rickshaw both ways. The bay is so long it falls into zones, and we went left from the church. We found a very pleasant bar with a good menu and comfortable sunbeds,  Bizarrely we saw a lone horse as well as the cattle that congregate as they used to at Palolem. The sea was also a bit choppy. In the village behind we saw a band practising for carnival. The road passes Leopard Valley:- not quite a Greyrocks experience. and anyway Bob is afraid of leopards!

3. Up the River.
Almost everyday as we neared the river mouth at the north end of Palolem Beach we would be approached by boatmen touting for business. Ruth thought it interesting, and a cheap substitute for Betty's, but Bob wasn't impressed and we fought off the hard sell - particularly that of a persistent chap in the Hawaiian shirt. Then one day the experience was described to us by a friend.  It is a silent return trip of 40 minutes in a "punt", with many birds including red kites that swoop down for chicken thrown by the boatman. Ruth liked the sound of that (well, not the chicken bit!) but Bob remained uninspired and we continued the refusal ritual on our walks.

Then Roger told us we could see much of this without the organised trip, by walking up to the bridge that is the turning point for the boat.

You start on the "main drag" and it becomes less developed until you are amongst the huts of Old Palolem. The track narrows and there is an ugly concrete bridge with a beautiful view of the river, birds and the occasional boat - perhaps with a tourist fishing. On the way back we went into the well-established resort of The Dreamcatcher, which has direct access to the river and a tranquil bar area. We wallowed there before returning to the fray!