Goa - Night 1

I suppose it was my own fault.  The “guest house” was off the beaten path.  I followed the manager there and the walk back to the main beach was entirely self explanatory.  It just looked so self descript I didn’t think I’d have any problem identifying it again.  During the day, anyways.  I suppose I also should have recognized that the fact I didn’t get cell phone reception in the hut wasn’t a fluke.  My service just didn’t extend very far past the beach, which should have been reason enough to blackball the spot as a viable housing option.  It was just so damn hot, and my bag was so damn heavy, and it overlooked the water, and really seemed just fine at the time.  And I suppose it’s just fine now.  Now that I’ve found it again.  The last hour of wandering around the path, exploring every make shift stone stairwell before verifying that the building it led to was in fact deserted, before giving up and walking back to the beach no less than 3 times to call the manager and plead for better directions was anything but fun.  Thank god I took down his number.  The fact that the directions got better and better with each plea just made me mad.  Why didn’t he tell me it was between Lude Guest House and Neeru Guest House the first time?  Why didn’t he tell me that the first sign for Om Gesh is a restaurant, the second leads to an abandoned building (after a bit of a hike), and the third isn’t well marked but is well lit and is also the spot I’m looking for?  At least he picked up his phone each time.  Man, did I start to panic.  

I’m here now, and that’s what really matters.  I’m praying for an easy night’s sleep and for my thoughts and dreams to not dwell on the funky mattress and sheets (that’s what the silk dream sack is for), nor the humidity, nor the mosquitoes (lets see what this repellant is really made of).  Even if I do sleep soundly, I think odds are high that I’ll switch residences to the better reviewed Residensea in the morning now that I’ve actually located it.  In the meantime I’ll focus my thoughts on the interesting folk I’ve met so far, the feeling the ocean surf had on my skin, and the prospect for an adventurous scooter ride in the A.M.