Although I love warm weather, the sun and the beach, I very soon get bored and restless if I just lie still sunbathing. Luckily there are usually many things to do and interesting things to observe around you. In Goa, on Mandrem Beach, you can:

• take an early morning walk along the beach and watch the light morning haze slowly disappear

• watch the fishermen preparing their nets

• have your legs threaded – this means having them shaved with a thread (I didn’t dare though)
• look at the ever-present dogs frolicking in the sand
• admire the flowers that propagate over the sand before the sand stretch becomes a beach

• contemplate the impact of the waves on a recently built sand castle. If your restlessness is severe, I would suggest that you build the castle yourself. I just used an already existing one for my reveries.

• meet handsome Julia, one of the ladies selling clothes (nice stuff!) on the beach. Or if she isn’t on the beach, take a break and go to her shop for a chat. Warning: this may lead to some shopping!

• watch the sun set.