Here is the view from our little beachfront cottage:
The beach is 3km long – here is looking from the north and then the south ends of the beach:
I love the boats of Goa. I could take photos of them all day long. One thing I enjoy is the way their names reflect the plurality of religions in this former (Catholic) Portugese colony…
One morning we were woken before dawn by a barking dog. Eventually the cause of the commotion became clear. A turtle had come ashore to lay its eggs, just 20 meters from our cottage … and then off it waddled back to the ocean.
The next morning I discovered that I had become a celebrity. I had made it into The Goan newspaper. That is me in the top right hand corner of the photo:
As always, the signs that inhabit the bazaars of India bring great joy – for all sorts of reasons. Here is just a sample. One can only imagine the impact of a ‘9-11 Super Store’. My favourite is ‘spacial food’. Had a fair bit of that experience in my time in India…
For us it was a time for reading. I may have been in Goa, but my imagination was a long way away – in Afghanistan – after devouring another Dalrymple masterpiece … (now with a little review here).
… eating dinners on the beach …
… (with the coastline facing the west), enjoying the sunsets …
… and even watching some cricket. The Sandy Feet (not to be confused with The Deep Fine Leg) was the neighbouring establishment. Not only did they enjoy playing a little cricket on the sand, using their menu as a wicket, they had a TV inside where we watched one of NZ’s finest ever victories – over India no less … and then a victory over Australia as well, just three days later.
nice chatting
Paul
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a selfie in the setting sun |
About Me

the art of unpacking
After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.
Recent Posts
Just when I thought that it could not be possible to have another first-hand account of the impact of John Stott’s life (d. 2011), along comes this book by his close friend, John Wyatt. I am always ready to learn more about John Stott, but also about friendship. It fascinates me. It keeps coming up…
Reading stories to grandchildren over Christmas reminded me again of how powerful they can be. They are so compact and simple in presentation, and yet so clever in construction. There are just so many features at work in an effective story. It is some years since I taught narrative preaching, but when I did I’d…
Apart from the eight years in which we were based overseas, Barby has been working at the Refugee Resettlement Center in Auckland since 2002. This year she is a ‘release teacher’, spending one day each week in three different classrooms, with three different age groups. Impressive—and demanding. One day is spent with 11-13 year olds—from…
Beautiful photos!
Thanks, Laura 🙂