We had a lovely couple of days with Lucy, Daisy and Geri. Just being lazy and enjoying the beach. Geri had commissioned two business suits from a local tailor and he was delighted with the finished results. So pleased that he has now ordered a dinner suit too which we will pick up and transport home for him. They cost about £100 each so an amazing bargain for a made to measure suit. The material is lovely.

On Saturday night we had our last dinner together at Dropadi – everyone’s favourite. Malham and Emma , Stuart and Fi came too, so it was a “Mr Bob Table for 9\”. Such good food and nice drinks as usual. Stuart and Lucy both had the seafood tikka masalla which was huge and amazing. They always make us very welcome there. Lucy was amazed that they remembered her from previous times.

We got up at 6am on Sunday to see Daisy off in the hotel car. She’s going back looking brown and well rested and looking forward to coming back next year. I got a message from her in the early hours saying she’d made it to Heathrow. She was on Vistara connecting through Delhi.

Lucy and Geri were not leaving till Sunday evening so we had a nice last day on the beach with them. They are so happy together, with such plans, it is great to see. Geri has loved his first trip to India. He took several beach walks just to drink in the views and the scene for a last time this visit. We left the beach about 3, came back and showered and did some admin tasks and then went back down for 530. They’d packed by then and Bob and I had a couple of g&ts and sat with them while they had an early dinner. Their taxi came at 730 and we sadly waved them off.

They were on Air India connecting through Mumbai with barely 2 hours between flights. We were a bit worried about this because Mumbai connections have been very problematic this year due to there being not enough immigration desks open and other procedural logjams. Sure enough I woke up this morning to a message from Lucy saying the connection was terrible, long queues that Geri was having to push them to the front of and lots of people trapped behind them. However, I think they must have made it – perhaps Air India delayed the London flight to pick up the passengers – as no further word as yet.

Bob and I tuk’d into Palolem and met Stuart and Fi at Ciarans. There was a male singer/guitarist on and he was good, playing a wide range of styles. It was packed as usual. Bob and I both had steak and chips which were very good. He had his favourite pineapple fritters with ice cream for dessert

We now hsve 11 days left to enjoy this lovely place before heading back to the cold!!!!!