Shanti Shanti...

Shanti: the Hindu word for peace. It's a word you hear a lot around here...a vibe you feel around here. We've arrived in Arambol in the north of the state of Goa and it's about as peaceful as it gets. Arambol is a small village on a hill with a smaller village of fisherman bellow by the sea. Their outrigers, named after different christian saints and outfited with glowing virgin marys, line the beach. A cluster of restaurants cling to the cliff at one end with the beach itself sloping in a crescent befor straightening out all the way to Anjuna. We are staying in an idylic bamboo hut with the surf breaking in front of us while meandering cows, children playing cricket and sunning travelers occupy the sand. The family (or more accuratly, the community) who own the huts has been amazing, inviting us to dinner at theirs for a fresh caught fish curry! Their kids are cute and entertain us all day. A body board we procured for 50 Rp a day as served as well....morning after noon and sunset sessions on surprisingly ridable surf. A favourite restaurant of ours is among those perched against the cliff. Steps at the base level lead up to a terrace, up another flight of steps carved into the rock to a table for four and on a bit further to the table for two...overlooking the sea....with a thatched roof umbrela and candlelight....amazing. The first time we came here for tea we stayed long after our cups were empty....marveling at the (noWordsAvailable)ness of this place we had majicaly landed in an over night train away from mumbai. They began to close up all around us and we started to reluctantly gather our things. "No, no, no, my friends. Shanti Shanti....it's ok...stay all night if you like," the manager rushed over to inform us. We almost did. Our neighbors in the hut next to us are two Isreali guys...one a bit older than me...one a bit younger. The older of the two knows the area quite well and has shown us around the beach, including fresh water springs and a mineral/mud body rub that would pass for an $80 spa treatment in the west...all courtesy of mother nature. Sunsets are amazing. Food is amazing. People...Amazing. Radka and I have got a mild case of the traveler's nerves. The fear of moving on because it can't possibly get better than this. But we will move on and it will get better (and worse and everything in between) but for now....shanti shanti.