I am now in Palolem in Southern Goa, recovering on this peaceful, gorgeous beach with Mary and Don, two of my Anjuna crew. Mary and I leave for Bombay tomorrow to meet up with Chris. He wasn't enjoying Anjuna as much as I was and decided to move ahead there while I stayed and enjoyed Anjuna and my new friends' company for a bit longer.

My warm feelings about Anjuna and my friends there only continued to grow during my week there. After the first party, Lucy, Dave and Matt fell ill and skipped the party on Saturday. Alex, Chris and I went together but ended up alone most of the night. I wandered around dancing and meeting new people, excited to be experiencing a party on my own. Soon into the night while taking a dance break, I met Mary, a beautiful and effervescent 29 year old from "near Birmingham." We hit it off immediately and chatted and danced the night away.

Mary later introduced me to her friend and travel buddy, Don, a former co-worker of hers from "near Cambridge." The two of them joined our crew and the seven of us, Lucy, Dave, Matt, Alex, Mary, Don and I spent nearly all our time together for the entire week. Hours of dancing and partying bonded us. Hours upon hours of talking, sitting, listening to music and gazing at the sea from the Sonic porch cemented us.

Our final party together was Wednesday night. It was at The Temple again and the organizers outdid themselves. The lighting, visuals and organization was the most impressive of any of the parties we went to, and the experience we all shared partying as a group made it a night I won't forget. Leaving Anjuna was very difficult. Trying to explain the closeness I felt with these people after such a short time is difficult, but the best I can do is to say that the connections I made over the last week could very well last a lifetime. A visit to England is an imperative.

Mary is off to meet her parents in Delhi and will be with me until we both leave Bombay on Thursday. She, Don, Chris and I may meet up in Nepal for trekking at the end of March.