Ask a Bangalorean for a must-go place with friends – the immediate answer would be Goa! Actually it isn’t just Bangalorean, any Indian who loves to party and have fun would shout the same answer. We are a small gang of 4 people who meet very rarely in person, but spend most of our time hanging out together in Skype calls and the main reason for this is due to our long-distance friend Karttik, who is in Germany. The plan to Goa had been in our list for a long time, and the urge to implement it happened when Vj’s parents were starting to look for a prospective groom for her. Hence, the plan was ON! Meanwhile, my friends Shalini and Neha were also interested and the size of the gang increased to 6.
First step was to plan a suitable date for all of us, since we were in different regions of the world and finalized the date during the week of Christmas. Booked our train tickets way ahead in October, and yet we had WL tickets for our return journey. But we were confident that it would be confirmed eventually as we had a long buffer time in the middle. Next would be to book the accommodation. There are two parts of Goa – North and South. South Goa is a peaceful place and not frequented by visitors, but if you want to have some real fun, you should pick a spot in North. As you might have already guessed, the rates are much cheaper in South than North due to the tourist demand. Since it was around Christmas time, we were running out of hotels and trusted Goibibo for a decent place. Finally we ended up booking in Aishwarya Guest Inn in Calangute Beach. Two major things – travel and stay done and yes, the plan was happening!! Unfortunately, we had to wait for another two months for the reality.
Time flew so quickly and it was December already. As always, there were last minute dropouts – Shalini and Neha, who ditched us. Yet, the plan was still happening. In the meantime, Vj was also engaged to Vardhu and we wanted her fiancé also to join us, but he couldn’t join due to some important interviews. Still he was kind enough to lend his water-proof cameras to capture the important moments.
The most awaited day Dec 18th, Friday was here. After an extensive search around Bangalore for sky lanterns which we planned as a secret surprise for Vj, a shop in VV Puram offered us what we wanted. Hurried back to home, picked our luggage and headed to KR Puram where we boarded our train. The enthusiasm level didn’t go down even a bit, as conversations never stopped. Meanwhile, Vj also joined us in Yeshvantpur. Her dad came to drop her and gave us lot of suggestions for the trip. Bidding goodbye to Bengaluru, our minds travelled to the fantasy world. Karttik and myself planned a surprise cake as well for our bday babes – Vj and Sriram. Thanks again Amma’s Pastries for the amazing cake.
After finishing our dinner, we shifted to the top berth and played cards. Vj taught us a new game as well, which became crazy in the very first round due to Sriram’s mad game tactics. Karttik – As usual, you proved to be the perfect partner! ;) Yes, we cheated a lot against the other innocent group – Sriram and Vj. It was getting late and we went to sleep.
Dec 19th, Saturday
I woke up and found Karttik still awake. Poor thing did not sleep the whole night for our safety as the teenagers in our coach were having some typical Goa fun in the train. I had prepared bread and jam the day before and we had it for breakfast. We ordered the train food as well, which was pathetic. Please, never do it! Get your packed food from home or bread would do the magic. Next, we were geared up for the most awaited Dudhsagar route. That’s the main reason for most of the tourists to choose train journey over flight or bus. We crossed tunnels after tunnels to reach the majestic falls. The train moved slowly across the bridge, but the view wasn’t something as we expected.
Maybe we didn’t go at the right time, the water level was too less. But the teenagers added fun to the train journey as they made all the weird noises while crossing the tunnels. That took us to our college days. The sun was shining brightly and we were very scared to step out of the train. Finally, we reached Vasco da Gama and placed our legs in the party town.
Took a cab to our hotel stay in Calangute beach, which costed around 1000Rs. The cabs in Goa have fixed rates where they would show you a sheet with the cost. Also do not look out for Ola or Zoom Car in Goa. Initially we opted for non-AC to cut-down our expense, but we ended up shifting to AC as the heat waves were unimaginable. In an hour, we reached our hotel and rested for a while. We booked two rooms, but the rooms were too spacious which could accommodate lot many people easily. Refreshed quickly and stepped out as our stomachs were shouting for food. Luckily, we found a restaurant nearby which was totally decorated in red ahead of Christmas. We ordered egg fried rice and chicken starter which was really yum as we were starving. The veg guys also tried a new option – Fiery Babycorn where the food was fried and dipped in groundnut paste.
There were lot of super markets as well around the place. Went back to our rooms and rested for a while. The sun started to set and we started our exploratory walk. We did not know where we were going, but it was so much fun to walk with this bunch of people. On the way, we purchased a cute hat as well. Ended up in Calangute beach and were hunting for a place to have dinner. But Karttik and I were actually searching for an open space to leave the lanterns in the beach without affecting the shore-side restaurant huts. On this process, we walked along the beach and reached Baga beach. Baga was completely crowded as opposed to Calangute. We had dinner at a small place, and yeah! We had plain rice and fish gravy which was really yum.
Back to the beach and we got a sight of few people leaving lanterns. We were excited and started experimenting our lanterns. Brave Karttik took the initiative to follow the procedure, but I directed him in the wrong way and the first one was burnt to death. Yet, we dedicated the second one to Vj and it was the best among the lot which was in the sky for a long time. Meanwhile people started gathering around us and one photographer asked our permission if he could capture the lanterns as well. Yes, we were becoming famous around the place. We left the other 3 also into the sky dedicating it to each one of us, but it didn’t withstand as much as Vj’s. After all the fun, we came back walking in the empty paths and wished good night to Goa.
Dec 20th, Sunday
It was a bright Sunday morning and who would want to wake up to it instead of lying in the bed for an extra 30 minutes, but we were on a holiday and cannot afford to waste our time. BOOM! I got up from the bed and woke my partner Vj, which became an unsuccessful mission as usual. Called Sriram’s number and woke him up as I knew that it is even more difficult to wake up Karttik – the night watchman. After our continuous torture, Vj and Karttik too stepped out to see the sunrise and we got ready for the day’s mission. Hired two bikes and headed straight to Anjuna beach after our breakfast in Sagar. While Vj and Sriram were in one bike, me and Karttik were in another. Thank you Karrtik for taking the risk and letting me ride the bike, but the police was suspicious if I am eligible to ride. And the worst part was that Vj was having our mobile and ID card and they went way ahead of us. We were stuck in the middle and just waited until these guys noticed that we were missing. Finally they returned and the police asked me to wear my helmet while riding. Everything was set and I accelerated my bike to the beautiful silent Anjuna beach which had visible rocks and small fishes and crabs.
After wandering around for some time in the beach, we planned to head to the next beach. Meanwhile we wanted to finish our lunch as well and ended up in a small place in Anjuna beach. Filled our stomach and headed straight to Baga beach. On our way to the Baga, we got a glimpse of paragliding in Anjuna but it didn’t fascinate us though!
After quite a few struggles to find our route to Baga beach, we ended up in the most crowded beach of Goa. It was literally filled with lot of people and surrounded with shacks and shops everywhere. Of course, it had a huge range of water activities to try too. Our main goal was to do parasailing, but we also opted for Banana ride. Initially, we thought that we had to bargain for the rides, but there was a fixed rate counter (1200 for parasailing with dip and 800 without dip, around 1000 for 5 people in banana ride) Main rule to remember before coming for the ride is to leave all the luggage and the personal belongings at the hotel or in the bike as they would charge you extra bucks for the cloak room. As all the parasailing boats were busy, we headed to enjoy our banana ride, but it wasn’t as fun when compared to Gokarna. It wasn’t worth the money and I would never do it again in Goa. Since the first mission was a failure, we hoped that the parasailing wouldn’t do the same to us. Boarded into our speed boat and took our positions. They might sue you extra bucks to have waterproof covers for your camera, but don’t fall for it! We took the risk and headed to our boat which had our balloon. Despite the fun, there was fear at heart since it was my first attempt. I was asked to sit on the small rope and they tightened the belts and off I went into the waters dashing the Arabian Sea. ZOOM! I was lifted into the air and all I could witness was only silence and the sunset in front of me. The beauty that I saw at that moment cannot be expressed in words.
I was flying like a bird all alone, away from the human’s land and the thoughts didn’t exist long enough that the boatman pulled me down and I could see my friends shouting and taking my picture. Even though the overall ride time was only around 5 minutes, the happiness was timeless and priceless.
Then we came back to the beach and played for enough amount of time in the beach and headed back to our hotel. Refreshed and had dinner at a nearby restaurant and bid goodbye to the awesome day as we were tired after the rides.
Dec 21st, Monday
As usual, I was the first one to wake up and disturbed the rest of the group. We managed to hire a car from the same hotel and used it for the entire day. Before taking the car, ensure that the diesel is filled to full and note down the readings. Bargain the rates and make a deal clearly at the beginning as they might cheat you easily. Meanwhile, we had our breakfast at Shri Sagar – Yummy Dosas and Puri and filled our stomach. Our day started in Dzire and we thought we could use this day to visit places that were far away. Fuelled the car and sped to Old Goa, which was famous for churches. Our first halt was at Basilica of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO world heritage site that had the body of Francis Xavier. It was very silent and peaceful as we entered the church, apart from the tourist crowd and the church was well decorated for Christmas.
As we moved around, we glanced at the history of the church and there is a museum inside the church as well if you want to get the complete picture. Took a lot of photographs and we were deciding for the next destination. It was already around 3 PM and hunger panic started. Struggled a lot to find a good restaurant on our way to Dona Paula beach, and finally ended up in the usual Dominos. Yet, the pizzas also tasted good since our taste buds were dead and thanks to Vj and Karttik for that additional choco lava cake which made my day! After a good lunch, we headed to the famous beach where many shootings have taken place.
It was truly an amazing spot and the sunset view was out of the box! Undecided about the next destination, we were wandering around the roads of Goa shouting to loud music in the car and dancing crazily. We did not bother about the past or the future, we were living in the present. Then someone got a weird thought to accelerate the car to Arambol beach, which is at the northern tip of Goa at 7PM. Being the sceptical me, my mind started to think of all the probabilities and possibilities and the risks associated with my crazy friend’s plans, yet my voice had no sound. We were driving across villages and invisible roads with Sriram’s dying phone’s GPS.
The phone was about to die and we had a wedding girl in our car! Thank God, people realized it finally and my voice was heard. I know it would have been fun and mad to ride with these people, but I wasn’t ready to take the risk (Well, that is me and my friends know it very well :D) Took a U-turn and traversed back the same path and reached our hotel little early. Googled a lot to find a really nice place to have food and nailed the list to ‘Zuperb’. It had a simple open ambience with small number of tables. While we were playing the battery-operated candle, the hosts walked to us and started a nice conversation. Oh ya.. You could ask for anything and they will get it ready for you. If you were looking for what to order, the owner would get your interests and serve you the food in your mind. That place became a memorable one for all four of us, because of the conversations and the laughter that we had! Clock was ticking and the roads were empty, yet we were having the best times, because we knew that this time wouldn’t come again as Vj would be married the next time when all of us meet. I can’t describe that moment, it was a mix of all the emotions – fun, laughter, tears, happiness, satisfaction, crazy, sad and name everything. We were discussing about all our moments together and how we wished that this trip could persist forever. Bidding goodbye to the superb Zuperb and the amazing hosts, we drove our car back to the hotel and bid good night to Goa.
Dec 22nd, Tuesday
Wishing for another extra day in Goa, I woke up and packed my luggages. Booked a cab and headed to the airport as Vj had to catch a flight to Mumbai. The other 3 musketeers wandered around Vasco da Gama and did some shopping and boarded our train at 3 PM. Since our minds were full of memories, we did not talk much but went to sleep thinking about all the good times which soon became good old times. And thus, a wonderful trip with my mad people ended crazily.
After refreshing
quickly in the private restrooms within temple compounds, we started our trek
around 5AM. The initial stretch till Battara Mane was through a dense forest,
with a mix of flat surface and steep ascends. Mind your legs – those creepy
leeches might be looking out for you! The sun light started to spread, we reached
the rock of HOPE – end of forest area, listening to the birds doing some
amazing musical for us. Then we walked till Battara Mane in an open area, while
our stomachs started shouting for food. 
The most difficult
stretch and the minute you will regret for taking this challenge :P I regretted
for not exercising regularly and keeping my body in shape. Thanks to a wonderful
team I had, who motivated at every step. Literally I was struggling to keep my
next foot forward, credits to the ascend and my trembling legs. My body gave
up, but my mind didn’t. Aaaandddd ORANGES SAVED THE DAY! The instant energy
that it gave under the scorching heat WOW – I ensured that I will fill my bags
with oranges in my future treks. We walked slowly and rested flat on the mud on
reaching Shesha Parvatha. 
Medium to difficult
trail, but you can’t give up at this point. After Shesha Parvatha, we walked
into a forest, which was so refreshing to be away from the sun, and hence we
picked up the pace here, but the end had its challenge. We had to ascend on a
flat rocky wet surface. That was indeed scary, but we managed without breaking
our bones. Few inches further opened the doorway to the majestic Kumaraparvata
peak. Yayy! We did it and a sense of accomplishment went around the air despite
our tired faces.
Wasn’t very fancy as I
expected the descend to be quicker, but our legs cursed us. With a lot of
pebbles around, we kept our steps very carefully to save ourselves from a terrible
fall, However, it didn’t drain our energy. Time flew as we walked sharing our
life stories laughing and making fun of everyone in the group, and yayy, we
were in Battara Mane around 6PM. As much as we tried to reach the base without
our torches, we had no other option but to step out of the forest like an owl.
