This is the second to last day I am spending at the office this year, so understandably the pace of working is not exactly killing me anymore. The E called in sick today, which leaves only tomorrow for making the finishing touch to the work we have been doing during these weeks. Seems like there’s really not much for me to do today, so I might as well surf on the web and make plans for the trip.

I have come up with a solution to the accommodation issue, since the locals don’t seem to handle it too hastily. I will check out of the hotel on Wednesday, get the excess luggage to a safe place and fly to Goa in the afternoon. Coming back about a week later, I’ll get my stuff, check in to a hotel again and will hopefully have an apartment ready in a couple of days. After all, these people will have had over two weeks to arrange the matter when I come back.

A word about accommodation in general: do not accept apartments without seeing them first. Book a hotel for a couple of days, ask the local people to arrange a few alternatives for you to see, and check those places out as soon as you recover from the jet lag. If you find the location, build quality and other aspects satisfactory, make the deal and check out from the hotel, if not, ask for other options. The Indian understanding of “well built” or “luxurious” is many times so far from yours that it’s better not to let anyone else be the judge. Good places are available, you just have to find them.

Tags: accommodation, holiday, hotels, luxuries, people in india, planning, practical stuff, travel, what is different, work