The Beach

This last week has been fairly uneventful. I went to the rural rotation, which was at the end of a 2 hr. metro/train line on the edge of Mumbai. I don't actually know if it would still be called Mumbai but no matter, because the only difference was that the buildings where a lot smaller (no lack of people, remember its India I am talking about). The natural medicine clinic had some amount of hectors of land that I cant remember, on which they grow all their own food for people in the community and the students at the large school that they run. It was cool to see. Our guide was very confusing, even now I am not sure if he was working there or was just some former drug addict patient who knew a spattering of English, so I don't know too much about the place. Unfortunately due to events out of my control we could only spend one night so I cant really say much more about the place. The rest of the week I just hung out here in Mumbai, did some sight seeing, which means that I spent more time in traffic then in temples. I traversed bazaars in which you could really find anything, its kind of freaky, think; goats, smart phones, antiques, car repair, food, all packed an old alley.
This weekend I went to Goa! Goa is basically a tropical paradise, with picturesque golden sand beaches, palm trees and clean warm ocean water. It was great, all except becoming sick just as we left, and only getting better as soon as I got back! Just my luck. My advise; try not to get sick on an overnight train in India. If you can imagine, you don't get much sleep. By the time I got to the beach I was exhausted and promptly fell asleep on the beach, thinking 'ahhhh... how peaceful'. When I awoke the damage was done, and I am currently the color of a beat. I didn't really feel bad at that point so ran around in the sun, went for a swim in the perfect water and enjoyed the place. By night I hardly had any energy to move. The 2nd degree burn covering most of my body, of course, only added to the effect of any intestinal problems that I was suffering from. Now 24 hrs later, after this near death, I am feeling great, albeit my movement is inhibited from searing pain. The beach was every nice though and was not very crowded, a real surprise here, with only Europeans filling some of the sun chairs. I did enjoy the trip, not as much as I could have, but it was great to get out of the city and in to a (much) less smelly area (I only realized this upon returning).