So updating the blog hasn't gone quite as planned. There are fairly frequent internet cafes but the connection is a bit hit and miss. I've been thwarted so far in attempts to get some pictures up for you; slow connections and file resizing issues - I won't go into. There's a test photo uploading now (fingers crossed) and if it works I'll put a few more up, even if I have to sit here all night…

Anyway, we're now in South Goa at Palolem Beach which is by far the most beautiful beach I've seen, other travelers had told us to come here as it's lovely, but I didn't quite believe just how lovely! The beach is in a crescent shape, an island at one end for interest and all backed by palm trees. Add blue skies, some intense sun and a clean clear sea and it all adds up to being stunning. Even the row of beach shacks doesn't detract from the view, and they're wall to wall and currently heavily relying on blue plastic for construction. When they're all covered in natural palm fronds it'll look better, but by then the place will be heaving with tourists.

We're staying for the next five nights in a bamboo hut-on-stilts in Utopia Park. It's not on the beach so it's a roomy hut and not tacked onto the side of neighboring huts. The view - although not of the beach -from our one window is over a field that's filled with butterflies in the day time, on to the palm forest and then mountains in the distance. We've had to buy many mosquito repelling products as the hut hasn't got glass in the windows, or the walls meeting the ceiling come to think of it. We're already bitten to lumps and eating anti-histamine like sweeties so I guess a few more bites won't matter.

Looks like I have to go! Everything's closing down for the night…