'Ello Peeps =) sorry its taken me a few days to blog...hopefully i remembered to text most of you i arrived safely on friday? I wanted to wait a little while until i acclimatised to write a coherent blog =P
Despite my repeatedly negative FaceCrack profiles, im actually doing really well- The first 2 days were really stressful and emotional and at points if im honest I really wasnt sure that I would last staying out here, but since waking up yesterday morning(3rd day) im feeling a lot more grounded in myself and my surroundings...happy being in my own company, and even starting to enjoy the hustle and bustle of india.
Ive settled in Arambol, Goa for a little while, its a nice easy step before heading off, and really awesome for getting un-lonely-planet-like personal accounts of awesome places.  Ive been staying in town in a pretty hectic guesthouse really close to the beach for 200rp (approx 2.75p) a night, but now ive moved to a beach hut right on the sand.  Its beautiful and im looking forward to waking up to the sound of the waves instead of store holders grollying on the pavement, haha!

i had a really easy journey here, if not very VERY long and tiring.  I had the joy of possibly the most grumpy airport security lady ive ever encountered (saying something!) which wasnt the most enjoyable first experience of india....i then had to beg myself onto my connecting flight to goa as for some reason i wasnt on their system- I was actually hallucinating by this point i was so tired, seeing patterns crawling up blank walls =S!
I overheard a conversation from a guy in mumbai on the bus airport transfer that he was going to Arambol, so we decided to meet in Goa airport when both our flights landed and share the taxi cost together- it turns out that i later recognized his face and he was a DiveMaster on the Gili Islands when me and Jen were there in 2007/08.  Small SMALL world! He helped me find my first room which was a relief not to have to think about after a 40 hr journey. 

Yesterday(saturday) I met up with Gems who is a fellow hooper and I know briefly from a hooping orkshop in Bristol, her and her boyfriend are in Arambol until tomorrow morning when they head off to perform in Thailand/Burmese refugee camps, with Performers Without Borders.  Had a really lovely day with them, and met some of their mates (one of which i got on REALLY well with and hopefully will be able to keep in contact and maybe travel with at somepoint in the next few months-she is Argentinian and travelling on her own also...so would be lovely).  There is a really lovely big gathering of pretty much everyone in Arambol at sunset every evening where musicians come and play, while people play with hoops and poi and all manner of other crazy trickstery toys...and dance like flowerpower children(!)...its so beautiful to be part of it all with a lot of locals gathering also and really lovely communal vibes.  Ive also been getting up really early just naturally cos its so bright and walking along the beach.  There is a European bloke who creates amazing geometric sand drawings at sunrise and ive caught him in the act a few times.
 
Ive just come back from a really lovely open meeting at a centre which is part of the 'Balanced View' foundation.  This is where Deedee, a girlie a know briefly from bristol, is studying and the meeting was really interesting.  I think I may go again for a day course and see what more they have to say....there are quite a few people from Bristol doing the long workshop there that i recognise. (Mum-its pretty similar to the Byron Katie work that we do).  Nice, and wholesome and really lovely to feel part of a community and connected with people.

Now....im off to the beach to meet up with Gems before she goes and grab some dahl and rice for lunch, yumyum!

Lots of love to you all, thinking of you very very much and missing you all.  Wish you were here to see this beautiful place for yourselves...though i think its really good me doing this on my own (im starting to feel more able to communicate with strangers now and i know it will only get easier with time).

Bexi xxx