THE MANGALA LAKSHADWEEP EXPRESS TO ERNAKULAM

I reluctantly leave Palolem and take the Mangala Lakshadweep Express overnight to Ernakulam in order to board a flight from Cochin (COK) to Delhi. There I will collect two bags of snowboard gear from the Left Luggage office at DEL and board the return flight home to the USA.

My original return flight was scheduled for today but I didn't think it was prudent to fly on April Fools Day. This didn't keep me from riding the trains however, but I did get pranked. The railway service is a great pride of India and it is said that despite the chaos, and all the other madness, that at least the trains run on time. This isn't true - Train No. 2618 was 1.5 hours late pulling into the station at Madgaon. The arrival though, at Ernakulam Junction, was dead-on time so the railway company redeemed itself in pretty short order.

This time on the overnight train I shared a compartment with farters and snorers, and I slept fitfully with my head buried in a pillow.

THE BEACH AT PALOLEM (GOA)

Goa is one of the most visited states in India. This is where the world comes to party, but things have changed with a new noise ordinance (silence at 11:00PM) which effectively pulls the plug on the all-night rave party scene. Still, last night there was meant to be a "Silent Rave". This is an event where people rent headphones and all listen simultaneously to the same beats. Retarded.

Palolem in South Goa is one of the less-hyped beach towns, so it's pretty mellow, especially compared to Anjuna and points north. It is very nice; the official website for Palolem claims that the "world's best beach" is located here.
Photo credit: Mel L.