The party failed to materialise but that probably wasn’t a bad thing. I went to a beach bar and sat, listening to two sorts of music (from CDs and the whisper of voices mingled with the crashing of the waves) for a couple of hours, then went to bed.

Today’s trip back to Colva was uneventful, even fast and once I got there, pleasant indeed. I met Suriya’s middle daughter (Bobbi), her husband (Ravi) and their two children. Ravi’s a horticulturalist and whould love to work in the UK – anyone know of any such jobs back home?

However Suriya’s wages hadn’t arrived today and so she couldn’t buy her train tickets. I don’t think she can book mine without me being there, because the authorities will want to note passport and visa numbers (There are at least three pieces of paperwork every time I book into a hotel: the register, another form with two carbon copies, one of which goes to the police, and a receipt.) before issuing a ticket to a foreigner. So I’m going to try to meet her at Margao station tomorrow at 11am, assuming buses run early enough on Easter Sunday!

We also went to sort her glasses. She had arranged a certain price with her actual optician. However he wasn’t present and the assistant at the store didn’t appear to have the authority to accept what Suriya was telling him without written proof. So Suriya’s going to try again next week. However, she has her prescription and we’ve found frames that suit her and I’ve given her enough cash* to cover what she says they should cost. I know her glasses can be made up in a a few working days so she should be right soon.
*1000 rupees – this is 13 UK pounds and is probably not much more than what I’d have paid for food if Suriya hadn’t fed me so often.

So, I’m off to find a bar for the evening, then get an early night so I can sweat my way back to Margao early tomorrow.