The taxi driver drops me off, I fend off the touts and walk onto the beach. This place is backpacker paradise. Not commercial, no resorts, just beach huts, restaurants and outrageous scenery.
I take a walk down the beach and ask at a few places about rooms. One guy has a room, which is INR1,000, but the price goes up to INR3,000 over the Christmas days! I show my business card and get a INR200 discount. It looks like the business cards were a good idea after all.
I unpack and take a walk on the beach. I need to find other accommodation and walk all the way south, over the rocks and find a little community on the other side. It is much quieter here and has its own little private beach.
I ask about rooms and prices. They have rooms and the price is INR1,500 over the Christmas period. I pull out my business card and ask about a discount. The guys chat quickly and say I can get the room for INR1,300. I take a look at the room, which is good enough and has a wonderful view. He says this will be the room I have and offers me it for INR1,200. Bargain, well it’s probably the most expensive room I’ve had yet, but I paid INR9,85 in Mumbai for a windows cell, and nearly this price in Kathmandu. Considering this is paradise and other places are charging INR3,000 I think I’ve done pretty well. Good bless the business cards!
I grab lunch, buy some essentials, have a look around and go for a swim.
I’m pretty happy here.