Goa Is Not Just A Destination – It Is A Feeling!

Goa has always been a crazy dream for me, a fantasy which had to be fulfilled, somehow or another. But being the only child of a single parent, my mother was extremely strict and never permitted me on those dream Goa trips which all of my other friends went for, while at college. Therefore, my yearning for this mysterious area increased more and more. Through time, I kept seeing pictures of Goa in my FB timeline from all of the super fun trips my buddies kept going to. They'd all done more than 1 Goa trip, and here I was, still a Goa virgin! Finally, I received my opportunity, to make my 25th birthday in Goa, and boy was I excited!

Day 1

My heart was fluttering during the 7-hour train journey from Bombay to Goa -- it was a strange feeling of visiting a lover, whom you had never met but had discussions with for several years. And the moment I stepped from the train on Goa land, I had been dancing with joy! I went on the week before Christmas, and Goa was decorated in Christmas lights and the vibe was too Christmassy! We reserved a kaali-peeli (as we Mumbaikars call it) and headed to our hotel Blue Beach Resort on the primary Arpora marketplace street. I had researched about what in Goa, I had talked to all of my friends and I understood what I had wanted to do. I had all of my times chalked out and planned.

However, everything went for a throw as you just can't go according to plan in Goa! And I am glad it did not, I ended up having so much fun and seeing so many areas. By the moment, we had checked in and freshened up, it was evening on a Saturday. We dressed up, got into the Goa zone and headed out to the Saturday Night Market or the Ingos Nite Bazaar at Arpora. We'd hired scooties from our hotel for just INR 300 per day! The marketplace was magical! There were...I do not understand some 1000 stalls or more setup by people throughout the world! It was a melting pot of cultures, complete with live music performances by tremendously talented musicians from throughout the planet, fire-dance performances etc..

The food stalls were just from the world! We depended on roast chicken with bread and gravy, and my mouth has started to water even as I am writing about it. Post shopping and dinner in the market , we purchased our first pints of this very famous King's beer and danced the night away while listening to the live band performances, sipping on our beer. This was truly a location with amalgamation of diverse cultures from all over the world.

Day 2

Sunday morning was bright and breezy. It was a quiet beach, on Aguada street off the radar of all, and only the ideal for me. I didn't need a crowded beach. I have been a country level swimmer during my college days and I have forever loved swimming. I have always hated swimming in pools since I felt limited in them. Swimming in the sea was the greatest is my bucket list. I stripped off my clothes, and ran into the Arabian Sea and that splash of the cold bottled water from my skin.... was heavenly! I swam deep out to the sea to the stage that I could see my friends panicking and had to come back a little, but the hours I spent flying and swimming in the seas were the finest, relaxing, rejuvenating.

Article the swim and a fast brunch in Candolim Beach, we headed to Aguada Fort, which was a disappointment. It was filthy and extremely crowded and noisy, and people were simply flocking there to click here  for their social media screen images. We left and headed for Sinquerim Beach, another silent shore beside the fort. The palm trees lined up with this shore was a sight for sore eyes.

They were teeming with people and I did not enjoy those beaches in any respect. We remained there for a while, got our hair braided in Baga beach in vibrant strands of wool and went to Brittos to catch a snack, which was the best portion of Baga.

We purchased the local port wine No. 7 that was so smooth and sweet and a seafood platter together with beef roast. The food was lip-smacking, and we saw that the first sunset from the beach in Goa while sitting in Brittos, sipping wine. We moved back to our hotel for a quick shower and headed out again to go through the famed night-life in Goa. We settled on a shack at Baga beach and even though I did not like this during the afternoon, it changed itself at night and this was the shore to be at night.

Day 3

I woke up to a beautifully sunny day and chose to pay Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim, Ashvem and Arambol beach and to my utter shock, I was successful in doing this with much more swimming sessions. Anjuna is amazing in the morning! Following a satiating breakfast in Curlies, I jumped into the sea.

Swimming in Anjuna was comparatively easier since the water was calmer in contrast to the other shores. After a long swim, we headed out to the additional North. Vagator was our next stop and the beach was great, Chota Vagator was terrific! The little trek to Chapora fort as well as the view of Vagator beach out there was a treat to the eyes. I trekked until the very last portion of it and did not even realize I had to trek back since it was late , and I had other plans to grab on. This was followed with a very long bike ride to Arambol, which was intense North Goa. It was a gorgeous ride amongst long winding streets, coconut trees and the sun on our backs. I had heard a lot about Arambol and how it was the best beach etc, but it did not meet the hype because it was too crowded. I realized I am a quiet beach individual.

After a long journey, it was late evening by the time we reached back. We were tired after covering numerous areas and two swimming sessions, so we went for a quiet dinner to a nice small restaurant named Fisherman's Cove at Candolim. There was live music and the vibe was lively with people grooving as well as the same.

Day 4

This afternoon was dedicated to  beach resorts in south goa and we wanted to pay Palolem, Agonda etc, but we'd horribly miscalculated the plan because we did not realize just how far they were from North, where we were staying. We had breakfast at a quaint restaurant called'Taste of India' that we stumbled upon while on the way and to my surprise, it was worth doing this as they had the best breakfast. I also tried the'Goan cold chorizo Pao' and it was yummy.

The journey was long and then I eventually decided to cut it short and settle with Colva beach and had a fantastic time there with less audience and terrific weather. It was late afternoon by the time we were done swimming and having lunch in Colva and we had a long ride before us, hence we decided to return North.

From the time I returned to the flat, I was too exhausted but the atmosphere in Goa is filled with an infectious energy and you can not just feel tired for a different scene. This time, I went to'Fat Fish', an excellent restaurant I found, very near Arpora main market for supper. I tried grilled shark and though the fish was tender, I did not quite enjoy it. Everything else I purchased was top-notch. It was also a few hours until my birthday and we decided to visit Titos Lane to bring within my birthday.

 

Day 5

We went to a nightclub called Get High that was a fun place with great crowd. They were just allowing couple entrance that was probably why the audience was good. And as the clock chimed 12, I downed two glasses of rum as well as the songs of Happy Birthday being played by the DJ, I introduced in my 25th birthday and entered quarter life with the best people by my side.

Since we'd covered all of North Goa, and South Goa was impossible to cover every day and we had decided to leave it for another trip, and visit the famed Dudhsagar falls (later Chennai Express), some 80 kms from Goa, close to the Goa-Karnataka boundary, amidst the forest. We had hired a taxi and ditched our scooties for this ride. However, as we reached Dudhsagar, in the entry we had to pay a hefty entry fee and take their forest reserve jeeps for another 12 kms to get to the most important point. The ride was bumpy, through boulders and flows and a crazy one! We finally reached our destinations at about 2 o clock and were permitted an hours' time to contact our jeeps.

We were lucky as a train passed through the bridge during the hour that we were there. We were given life jackets and we jumped into the flow underneath the waterfall. The water was freezing cold and such a refreshing swim I had there, bathing under the waterfall. It was a dainty old church and I prayed that I return again to this gem named Goa. Although, you may even go for a Homestay in Goa.

Raised in a city like Kolkata where there's time for life after the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced town and then moving into the Capital that can't be simply put into words, because it might surprise you, every day with something or another to ultimately settle (for some time ) in Mumbai, the city of dreams, I've been through a string of change. What Goa provided me was a culmination of all into one and that is where I designed this unbreakable bond with it. I made a pact with myself to spend 1 birthday of my sunset years in exactly the same lane at precisely the exact same location, in Goa. Hopefully, I will indicate off that. If you are planning for a Goa Trip then you should visit at https://www.planethollywoodgoa.com/