I've also spent my time hanging out with Dale; a Thai boxing, raving fire twirler who nearly set me alight one evening (although I was far too wrecked to even blink). In fact, now that I think of it, Dale has been present at each risky event in Goa. Coincidence?! There was the 'walk' around Monkey Island that became precarious barefoot rock climbing tempting fate to deliver me another split head. Then there was the highly intelligent decision for the two of us to break up a local bar fight. Hint: When the number of people involved is in double figures and pool cues are being broken off folk's faces then getting involved is not advisable. Miraculously it seemed to work. Perhaps it was the unfamiliar sarcasm of "Now are you absolutely sure you want to kill him, Really?" For the happy ending (apart from the guy with the broken face) we drunkenly patted ourselves on the back. Once sober again we simply blamed each other for getting involved whilst the girls tutted and shock their heads disapprovingly.
The main head shaker (although her Indian style finger wagging is far more expressive) was Bex; Dale's better half and Joe's surrogate mother. Despite the amount of time spent keeping house and generally making sure everyone is fed, clothed and watered, Bex still found the time to work on her tan. This, when I left, was somewhere around Mahogany although she was planning some intense tanning action for their last few weeks which should give her a nice Charcoal effect.
Dale and Bex were joined for New Years by Lisa and Roto. Lisa came with a mission to tan and conduct various catalogue poses along the beach. She also kept me amused by following each and every yawn with a strange whooping sound. Miscellaneous small animals in the surrounding brush are probably still confusingly searching for the origins of this bizarre mating call. she can also amuse herself with just a simple straw - odd girl!
That brings us to Roto who despite his camped up raving, high pitched "Ooh Really, 241 Cocktails?!" and ridiculously upright posture still managed to attract a proclamation of ever lasting love form a not unattractive Portuguese girl. Granted, she was a bit of a psycho who tried to wrestle with him and he actually had to run away but still. Despite this setback, Roto was soon back on form and butt grinding with a strange little horny Indian man in the bar - and he wonders why we call him gayboy!?!
That brings us to Roto who despite his camped up raving, high pitched "Ooh Really, 241 Cocktails?!" and ridiculously upright posture still managed to attract a proclamation of ever lasting love form a not unattractive Portuguese girl. Granted, she was a bit of a psycho who tried to wrestle with him and he actually had to run away but still. Despite this setback, Roto was soon back on form and butt grinding with a strange little horny Indian man in the bar - and he wonders why we call him gayboy!?!
The other long-timers were Ed and Sarah; on the last leg of a 2 year trip! Ed's one of those chilled out characters who spent many a house party sat in his corner in his own little world playing his drum for hours on end. He is also a master in the ancient art of Frisbee. Along with Joe, their prowess in this sport of men only served to highlight my own uncoordinated efforts of running in the wrong direction, throwing it at unsuspecting sunbathers and falling in the sea! My new aim for the year ahead is to find a sport I can actually do without breaking something, being on the wrong side of a 64-0 scoreline or prancing about like an epileptic Gazelle! There has got to be something!!
Sarah, the tormentor of traders, is a shopping legend and was enlisted for my Xmas gift bargaining. I merely told her my list and stood back in awe! She has the same talent with room prices and has provided me with loads of info for places to stay in SE Asia.
I made the mistake of telling Sarah and Ed one of my new years resolutions for 2009 and promptly found myself performing at my 1st open mike night that evening. a little unexpected and absolutely terrifying but once my nerves had settled down (about an hour after playing) it was definitely the highlight of my time in Goa so I have to thank Sarah and Ed for the nudge and the rest of the guys for the encouragement.
So, these are the guys I've spent the last 3 weeks with. Xmas was good fun with a BBQ, secret Santa and a more than slightly inebriated house party till the wee hours. Boxing day was the traditional great leftovers coupled with feeling like shit, watching shit movies and saying jack shit!
New Year's Eve was a tad different from those spent in Ealing's O'Neills with Dale and Roto doing a fire show on the beach to the backdrop of exploding fireworks, soldiers patrolling between their bunkers on the sand protecting us from nonexistent terrorists, police receiving backhanders for loud music then closing all music down at 12:30am! At this point we simply headed back for another house party with Guitar, Jembay and Roto's 'basketball on crack' dance.
Other days and nights all blur together but included; Joe ordering toasties in multiples of 7, Canadians with broken legs, really good live music, really bad live music, Bex adopting a dog, Joe adopting a cow, Dale wrestling a cow, Lisa headbutting the front door, floating in the sea, Sleeping on the beach, Roto losing the use of one eye, Ed walking like a cowboy, myself wearing a Xmas cowboy hat as I took control of the bar and drank their profits and everyone being ill at one time or another.
Good times but I'm feckin knackered!
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