A crowded town bus from Madgaon (South Goa) took us to Panaji (North Goa) at 8 pm on Day 2. The crowded bus set the precedent for the next 2 days – the bustling city was a rude shock after the peaceful village. The Airbnb house was further up North, in Arpora near Baga beach and we took a cab there from Panaji.
1. Party night fiasco
This time, the Airbnb house was not a cottage with sprawling paddy fields, it was one of the many service apartments in a gated community. We were led to a fashionable apartment by an obliging caretaker.
Ms.D dropped hints about wanting to party. At 10 pm, we dragged our weary selves up to get dressed for a long night of fun, or so we thought. Club Cabana, touted as one of the best night clubs, was a short walk away from the apartment. It was at the end of this walk that we were informed about the shutting down of the club during off-season.
Dear Ms.D flew into a rage, accusing us of not planning properly and not fulfilling any of her wishes.The most patient girl of the lot calmed her down during the walk back. The helpful caretaker told us of open night clubs near Baga beach and also about the guys next door willing to lend their car. While Ms.D jumped at this, the rest of us politely refused. We politely refused again, when the guys came knocking on our door to invite us for a party – everyday Goa scenes!
I was secretly relieved that the club was closed and that I could get a good night’s sleep. It was a relaxing night of conversations, laughter, food and a bottle of red wine that put me to sleep immediately. The next day was going to be exciting – water sports was part of the agenda!
2. Water sports – Anjuna beach
Day 3 began with a mission – to rent blackboard bikes with helmets (the police were more keen on apprehending traffic violations than drunk driving). 2 of our friends had to walk in the sweltering sun to get these bikes from the owner.
We had pricey tender coconuts and dosas before setting out to Anjuna beach. The beach was a haven of water activities – a stall had been set up with printed menus of available sports and rates. The best deal was a combination of all 5 sports for Rs.1200, which everyone eventually agreed to.
Anjuna beach bustling with activity
It started with Jet ski – we raced through the waves in a high-speed water bike that made me feel like a Bollywood heroine in a racy action sequence and sent my adrenaline rushing. The guides were greedy and wanted extra money to let us operate the bike or go for a longer ride but we declined.
Jet ski
Next was the Bump ride – this time we went crashing through the waves lying down in a water tube dragged by a speed boat. I liked the Jet ski a tad bit better because I could anticipate the waves and felt more in control even though I was just holding the accelerator, not operating it.
Bump ride
Third on the list was Banana ride, the 2nd best sport of the day. All of us sat on an inflated banana-shaped tube and held on to floppy side-handles while a speed boat dragged the banana through rough waves into a far end of the beach. Once there, the guide cued us to release the handles and tilted the banana to send us crashing into the water! I panicked that I was sinking and reached for my friend who knew swimming- this was despite the fact that we were all wearing life jackets! The guide noticed me flapping around and pulled me back up on the banana. I heaved a sigh of relief and watched my friends floating around with content in the water. It was not until my feet touched the ground did I realize how much I had enjoyed the thrill of this ride.
Banana ride
The fourth sport was Speed Boat which took the bunch of us into the middle of the ocean for our final sport. We giggled like school kids every time water splashed on our faces during the ride. Some people carried their phones in the boat,wrapped in plastic sheets but none of us had the courage to put our phones in danger and we decided to enjoy the moment. So we left our phones with the guide before boarding the speed boat.
The fifth sport was Parasailing, the best of the day. From the speed boat, we were transferred to a bigger boat that could hold 20 people, in the middle of the ocean. We were then taken to the deck, one by one, tied to a safety harness with parachute and then lifted into the sky, with the help of a long rope. The default height was 80 feet and the guides demanded extra money for 120 feet along with dips (using the rope, they dragged us into the water for short, quick water dips) – we gave in this time.
Parasailing
It was an exhilarating experience to be lifted high up in the sky, to be able to view the beach and the endless ocean, to be surrounded by nothing but the color blue, to hear nothing but the wind. It was thoroughly calming to feel powerless and small in this colossal universe. As I was dragged back to the boat, a sense of tranquil washed over me – the only sport that managed to do it.
Fish oven shack, Anjuna beach
After completing the rides at 3 pm, we collected our phones and made our way to a shack for lunch. We were feeling famished and ordered a whole lot of exotic dishes. An hour passed and there was no sign of the food or the waiter. Annoyed, we went into the kitchen to find the chef, the waiter and the entire staff stoned and not cooking. We walked out and bought bhel on the beach. Sigh! So much for the lemon honey pancakes!
3. Dil Chahta Hai – Chapora fort
Tired and hungry, we rode to Chapora fort, famous for the filming of the Bollywood movie – Dil Chahta Hai. It was very crowded and required a steep climb up a muddy and rocky path – sunny evenings certainly not the best time to visit. By the time I reached the fort huffing and puffing, I had lost my friends in the crowd.
Rocky climb, Chapora fort
I was too sulky and short of breath to enjoy the view from the top of the fort – the vast expanse of the beach in the distance and the coconut groves in the nearby hill would have been a sight on normal days. But that day, I just wanted some food and rest.
Later, I got reunited with my friends who calmed me down and together, we spent a good amount of time searching for a bike key that got dropped during the uphill climb. From Chapora fort, we split into 2 groups – Ms.D, along with a girl, was going to Vagator beach to watch her beloved sunset while I, along with 2 other girls, wanted to go to Thalassa.
4. The beach sunset – Thalassa
Thalassa, a Greek restaurant on a cliff overlooking the Ozran beach, was much hyped by my colleagues and was a short ride away from Anjuna. At 5.30 pm, we reached Thalassa to find it packed with a cosmopolitan crowd dressed in cocktail gowns and suits. And there we were, looking like hippies in sand-covered shorts and mis-matched beach hats. The place was chic with tastefully-done white interiors, fancy flea market and a great view of the beach, but we hurried out since the wait time was long and we felt out of place.
Thalassa, Cliff over Ozran Beach
We parked the bikes at the edge of the cliff and walked down the steps along an inconspicuous pathway that led to the Ozran beach. A striking feature here was the color of the sand – it was jet black with rock formations. We sat at the edge of one of these rocks. As waves crashed on the rocks, spraying water on our faces, we watched in silence as the sun painted the sky with hues of yellow, orange and red on its journey home, down the horizon.
Sunset at Ozran beach
The magical sunset made us forget that we had eaten nothing but a dosa and bhel the whole day. At 6.30 pm, we ordered pizza and Nutella pancake from a shack, after duly making sure the waiter wasn’t drunk. We devoured the pizza and washed it down with a mug of hot tea. The whole world suddenly felt like a much better place!
Pizza and Tea, Ozran Beach
We called our friend to ask about the Vagator sunset – the ride had taken longer than expected and Ms.D had missed her last chance at a beach sunset. We felt sorry for her and more for our friend who had to put up with her tantrums. We made plans to go to a club that night to make up for the missed sunset.
5. Party finally! – Club Tito’s
We regrouped at the apartment, the caretaker booked a cab (because we had plans of coming back late) and at 11 pm, we were on our way to Baga beach lane. The lane was full of life – with restaurants, pubs, loud music, glitzy lights, drunk people and sober people ready to get drunk. We went to Tito’s which had free entry and free drinks for girls and couples.
Club Tito’s, Baga beach lane
Tito’s was like every other club – dim-lit dance floors with the occasional flashy light, ear-splitting music, inebriated couples and creepy stags. We went to the Bollywood dance floor – it was filled with people stepping on each other’s toes while dancing. So, we went to the Hollywood dance floor – there was no crowd but the songs were unfamiliar and boring. Groaning, we went back to Bollywood, danced for a couple of songs and made our way out. Partying is not for the feeble bodied!
We left Ms.D behind to pub-crawl and strolled to Baga beach for dinner. It was a surprise to see the beach filled with lit-up shacks and a crowd of holiday-makers. It seemed like half of the city had driven down to the beach for an unannounced midnight celebration!
Decked-up Baga beach
Drinking in the happy sight, we settled down in a breezy tent and ordered dinner. Under the star-lit sky, amid good food, good company and the sound of waves and laughter, I realized that this was the kind of nights I enjoyed, not the ones dancing away at the club. At 2 pm, we met with Ms.D and made our way back to the apartment in the cab. As soon as we reached, I took a tablet and crashed on the bed. I was feeling drained and asked my friends to count me out of any plan tomorrow – I was going to get some sleep that I so badly needed and deserved.
6. Goodbye, Goa!
Day 4 dawned, bright and sunny. My friends had generously let me sleep and had gone to visit Aguada Fort, Candolim beach. I was to meet them at Sinquerim beach for lunch. After ordering in breakfast, I packed my bags, left them with the security along with my friends’ bags and vacated the apartment.
I reached Sinquerim beach, met my friends and we strolled along the beach. It was quite pretty but I had reached a saturation point as far as beaches and forts were concerned. Food, sleep and home seemed more attractive now.
Sinquerim Beach
After lunch, we bought chocolates, cashews(famous throughout Goa; Cashew Feni is a speciality alcoholic drink here) and a few souvenirs. After collecting our bags and dropping the rented bikes, we boarded a town bus(crowded, as expected) that would take us back to Panaji, from where we would board the bus home.
Goa had charmed me with its pretty beaches, sturdy forts and vibrant life. South Goa with its serenity is a little more closer to my heart than the buoyant North Goa. But both of them hold memories and gave me experiences that I will cherish for a lifetime. Until next time, Goa!
it's a happy life! 