The neighborhood

I ended up staying two weeks in Diu, as I have said before. Many reasons to this fact, but the main one was the people I had met there.

I arrived on a Thursday with Pedro and was planning to head to Mumbai on Monday or Tuesday the most, as the final destination was Goa, and I didn't want to get there to late. But I didn't want to miss Mumbai either.

Pedro left, and I wasn't ready to leave. I had not booked nothing yet, and I got a blister from my new flip-flops. So I got Xavi to share the six-bedded room I got with Pedro, planning to stay there for no more than a couple of days. But the idea of having a TV and being able to watch the Barcelona - Real Madrid football match struck me as very appealing, as probably I would not get a TV in Mumbai. So I decided to stay until Sunday at least.

Suddenly, it was almost X-Mas, which meant that if I wanted to head to Mumbai before Goa I would have to hurry. And, remember shanti, shanti? Well, I thought of going directly to Goa and skip Mumbai. The only possibility to do so was getting a train from Verala directly to Goa on the next Thursday, which meant two weeks in awesome Diu without even noticing it.

But as I said, the people I kept meeting there were the main reason. All those excuses, of seeing the football match, the blister, or whatever would not have stopped me if the people around me weren't worth it.

I already mentioned Xavi from Manresa and Ovi and Helena from Alicante. All the Spaniards used to do their way, and I saw Xavi basically because we were sharing a room. It was really easy to talk with him, and we were very sincere to each other. Besides, I must admit that having the possibility to talk in Catalan with the assurance that the rest of the group will not understand you is quiet interesting.

The rest of the group was kind of already made up when I got there, and I met most of them at the Spanish omelet day Xavi had planned. Pedro was still there, and though Xavi said no help was needed, between the three of us managed 3 huge potato and onion omelets. on this, I might introduce Lien, who helped on the cutting and slicing of tomatoes, potatoes and onions.

Lien is from the states, but with Vietnamese origins. She was always onto getting the group together to do things. On that same day, I got to meet Bill, who was writing a book; Jim, I always him with the same clothes, and no wonder as his luggage was just a small 15 liter bag; and Patrick, a kiwi, very shanti, shanti spirited.

Later on came Hamish, also from New Zealand and Ovi and Helena, whom I already mentioned. They closed the main group, but Daniel, Bree and Emily also joined us from time to time, and so did some Israelis from our guest house. Most of the occasions where for beers at the rooftop or at some of the reunions held at other guest houses.

Out of all the people I have mentioned, only Hamish and Jim stayed at a different guest house, so Super Silver, the place we where staying at, became like a little neighborhood, where everyone cared for each other. A community of friendly people. Best neighborhood I've ever lived at.