Page 38 - You Only Live Once [BooksLD]

October, before the tourist season kicks in, and dismantle them before
monsoon. Once the sea water recedes, we build them up again. If you
haven’t spent a Christmas and New Year at a shack yet, you must book your

next right away.’
She asks her cameraman to take a little break and tells me, ‘Ricky, you
can’t be selling your services on the show. It should not look like you’re
advertising. Don’t ask people to book a holiday. If need be, I will say it at
the end of the shoot.’

‘Okay,’ I say as I get a bit conscious. It’s my first time and I fear I have
nearly ruined it. I take a deep breath and instruct my brain to follow her
command.

We continue to walk as we reach the end of the beach. Her team is
occupied with capturing sunrise shots.
‘There’s a jungle echoing with chirping birds on my right. There’s a

stream of backwater which separates an island nearby, a suitable place for
trekking on your own,’ I say and point, wanting them to capture the beauty
of it all. The camera team follows my command.

‘How does it feel to experience the sunrise every morning?’ the
interviewer continues as the cameras return to face us.
‘Palolem has my heart. The sight of the rising sun in between the hills
fills me with all the energy and revitalizes my senses. Tourists often enjoy a
boat ride on their own or ask the local fishermen who live by the

backwaters to take them to nearby beaches or into the jungle via this serene
backwaters. If they wish to get the feel of staying on a marooned island for
a few hours, they are taken to the nearby Canacona island. In winters, one
might just get lucky and spot a couple of dolphins in the seawater playing
and indulging among themselves! Dolphins from places far off migrate here

to escape the extremely cold winters, much like my European and Russian
guests.’
‘Cut,’ says a guy from her team. He indicates that we’ve crossed the
deadline for one question.

We take a turn and start walking towards the other end. I complete at
least 10 such laps every day. The sea looks tranquil and calm today.
However good the change feels, it’s not a good thing for the sea to be so
quiet. The sea needs to roar to be fine.