There are quite a few departures this week. Some permanent, some just temporarily.

Yesterday I had breakfast at Sea Front while Bob, John, Joseph and Janet went into Chaudi for masala dosa at Coastal Palate. The beach was really quiet and it was lovely to enjoy my coffee looking out at it. Pamela and Deborah went back to the wholesalers to get some more beach dresses. We then all spent the day at the beach. Very hot day and the water was idyllic. Glassy calm and very very clear. We could see the tiny fish schools around our legs.

I left the beach at 215 and went back and showered and washed my hair pre-cut. The little salon is about 50m from Eve’s. I took my photos of my last cut at Saffron in Hythe and the lady did a very good job of copying it. I was really pleased and got a lot of compliments later. A good result for £8. She also invited me to their housewarming party on Thursday. She and her husband have built a really nice new house right behind the salon. On Thursday they will hold a religious puja (blessing) for the house and then some hours later there is a lunch and party. Joseph and Janet are also invited and Marylyn and Clive are going too, they are friends.

It was John and Sue’s and Gloria’s last night so they chose Dropadi in Palolem for dinner. Always reliable in every way especially for a large party. The sunset was spectacular. Dark pink. I haven’t editted the photos below at all. I had chicken kastoori which is pieces of chicken marinaded in yoghurt and cottage cheese and then cooked on a skewer in the tandoori. It is just absolutely succulent and yummy, not dry at all. Bob had an aloo gobi with rice and a delicious butter naan. but everything there is good. We had a great evening. John even tried a cashew feni (the local firewater)!!

It was also a last night of sorts for Pamela, Eddie, Deborah and David as they are going to Hampi, the UNESCO world heritage site in Karnataka for 3 nights today.

Hampi is so fabulous and the hotel, Hampi’s Boulders, is out of this world, set in rice plant fields by a cascading river and amongst giant red boulders. We have been 3 times and always loved it.

So this morning, we heard the Hampi travellers leave and then later we had farewell breakfasts at Eve’s with Gloria, John and Sue. Joseph and Janet also stayed to bid them all farewell. Sad to see them go, they’ve been good company.

Bob and I tukd into Palolem to the Palolem Dental Clinic. Daisy and I have clean and scale appointments there next week with the Singing Dentist and I had to go and fill in a couple of forms and pay a deposit. The treatment is 1500 inr (£14) each and we gave a 1000 inr deposit each. Very cheap compared to home.

Eve’s are having an additional well drilled into the garden. They have mains government water but like Cyprus, that can be rationed to balance supply. They largely use water from their own well/bore hole but with the extra rooms – and more to come – they are adding a second and deeper one.

Tonight we had dinner with Joseph and Janet at Namaste on the beach. It was crowded as usual for the great food at great prices. I had 2 large gins with a bottle of soda, prawn kadai. Bob had prawn masala, plain rice, a butter naan, a g&t and a beer. Our total bill was £13. Very good. Afterwards we went into the gelato shop and all had a cone. I had chocolate. So yum. The best bit is the cone which is crisp and lightly spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. What a treat!