Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Kerela Cleanse - February


We spent 2 very chilled weeks at Dr Franklin's Panchakarma retreat in the Kerelan coconut trees.   (Cos clearly we needed a holiday within a holiday?!) Sadly Harry missed out on the ayurveda treatments and yoga due to his very special and unique backside issues.  But a pure veg diet and just being there did wonders,  in fact annoyingly he lost more weight than any of the people in there.  I meanwhile diligently went to yoga most mornings at 6:30am and endured all manner of oil treatments only to emerge at the end of 2 weeks with mild acne, a rice pot and feeling tired and emotional!

the very peaceful gardens which we flopped about in hammocks


Harry absorbed the teachings of yoga at a leisurely pace, while I went to the classes!

the 'steam bath'...
...a somewhat heath robinson cupboard,
with a kettle heater and wooden stool to sit on!

Terry made lots of friends.
Hanuman,  the half monkey,
 half man god helping us on our journey.

in just 2 weeks I went from this to...







... this!

So after 2 weeks of clean living we decided to head back north to Alex and Lucy and got straight back into long Goan lunches on the beach!


beautiful ancient banyan tree on the way to lunch 

strange creatures dwell in these woods...


sunset, after long lunch
I bought Harry some sandlewood beads, given he is so working the ethnic look this year.  We now have 4 kgs extra to lug around in our ruck sack.


'La Plage' restaurant -  best chocolate pud ever!
Parting cuddles as we left goa, to catch overnight train back to Mumbai and head to Oz...





Monday, April 11, 2011

Goa - Christmas and New Year

After kindly opening their holiday house in Goa to 2 smelly back packers, Tobyn & Victoria Cleeves and their scrumptious little boy Cassius found that we wouldn't leave.  We spent 2 wonderful weeks over Christmas and New Year living the life of riley and falling right off the no booze/veg only wagon.  We had many giggles in that time, not least at Harry's expense as we witnessed the beginning of a series of rather nasty abscesses, in rather uncomfortable places!  Next door neighbours Alex and Lucy added another bundle of laughs into the mix and very kindly took up the mantle of welcoming the free loaders when the Cleeves clan headed back to the UK.

Here are some highlights and sorry we are a bit behind on the updates, its been a heavy schedule as you tell...


Sundowners in the now very upmarket Vagator beach


daily yoga lessons from Cassius

who is enjoying the sandcastle making more, dad or cassius?

Alex lubing up the ladies

hotties

Cassius into Bindis as much as Bex

Cassius filling his new shit catchers - christmas day

victoria

Lucy 

H preparing to carve the 4 christmas chickens

Happy Christmas  - Alex even organised brussell sprouts!

H reading about Lance Armstrong and working hard at the tan

Harry and Cassius

Church next to our house

Psychedelia is clinging on by a thread in Anjuna......
....but still has a sense of humour!

H and Cassius perfecting the windswept Bollywood look

Morning cuddles!

The daily purchase of fresh fruit from 'Auntie'

Dr Cassius getting ready to help.........
Nurse Nibb-Nobbs deal with abscess number one!

The night market in Anjuna

Thank you for the pink travel towels Millie Summers!

Home made cheese fondue at Alex's house
Sun downers at Turtle beach
Terry gets on it!
2 fat blokes. On a beach. Having a laugh.

Cosmic lilo

Sunset smiles