Starting with a
reunion of sorts, our Goa trip was as refreshing as a dip in the cool Arabian Sea on a windy day. After suffering three months
of bitter cold in Delhi, Sunandita and I were relieved to feel the balmy air of the
sea on our pale faces, which hit us as soon as we got out of the plane at Goa's Dabolim
Airport.
Sukanya joined us from Mumbai on the airport.We three friends rejoiced with loud banter, hugging and
giggling as we were together after almost an year. A pre-paid taxi
from the airport whisked us away towards are vacation sanctuary, provided to us
by Mr and Mrs Mayenkar at their home-cum-guest house.
We reached well
after the sunset, Mrs. Mayenkar came with a torch to light our way and to take
us from the main road to her home surrounded by green coastal trees, which was
without any streetlights.
Once into the home
we were shown our small apartment complete with a kitchen, a sitting area with
a TV and bedroom -- our abode for the week long holiday.
Excited to hit the beach, we freshened up hurriedly and went walking from our apartment towards the sea side. Once we reached Calangute beach (closest to our guest house) the smooth balmy air cooled us down as we sat down in cane chairs facing the sea with only candles encased in glass jars lighting the darkened shore.
Catching up on each others' lives in the past year and reminisced our years together while working for a news agency in
That night,
although we had a sumptuous meal of fresh pomfret, fried rice and fish curry
with breezers of different flavors, it burned a hole in our pockets as the
pomfret alone cost us Rs 600.
We pulled up our
socks and resolved to be careful in order to avoid any problems regarding finances.
To keep it simple we decided to create pool fund assigning Sunandita as the official
accountant for the trip.
We talked well
into the night, including our agenda for next the day. The agenda was the water
sports, which all tourists enjoy on their trip to Goa .So the next
morning, we hit the beach after breakfast and found a relatively secluded patch
on the beach to have some fun in the sea. We were suddenly invaded by host of
hawkers selling fresh pineapple slices, ice creams etc.
After our bath we
decided to rest on the sun beds with umbrellas laid out by the numerous shacks
lining the beach side. One of the shack boy (wearing a cowboy hat) arranged a
round of water sports for us.
First was the
plastic banana raft ride which is pulled by a motor boat. Looking easy,
we
three decided to try it out. In a banana ride, the riders have to climb the
highly unstable giant plastic banana bobbing up and down with the waves and
then maintain are balances as the motor boat pulls the banana at a speed which
sends the banana flying over the waves (and don't ask where the riders would be
flying by then).
We clambered on
the banana with a great effort and help from the boys managing the sport, but
as soon as the motor boat started we three were clutching on the handles with
all our might though it was not enough to keep the banana from bending sideways
and dunking the three of us into the sea.
With my short
height I was the worst sufferer and drank a barrel of yucky salty water. I was
yanked up from the water with one of the boys pulling my lifejacket, while Sunandita
and Sukanya suffered a similar fate.
We once
again climbed the banana with the crew promising us that this time we won't
topple, but yet again I was sent flying into the water as huge waves rocked our
dear banana.
I was so irritated with my horrific ride and I wondered who likes such kinda sports???
In my anger which
arose within me due to the dunking which my ego got, I cut my ride short and
came to the beach, while Sukanya and Sunandita went for another try, this one
was successful and they managed to go way ahead into the sea sitting on the
huge plastic banana. Thinking about it now, it really was a funny experience!!!
Then we went for para-sailing for which we were taken to a boat deep in the sea, where we went up
into the air by a parachute and after a stipulated time are rolled back into the
boat. It is an amazing experience of hanging in the air above the vast sea –it
made me feel like I was flying above the sea like a wide winged bird.
 |
| Para-sailing |
You can take a dip
in the sea, when the chute is rolled back into the boat, but at an extra cost
of course. We decided against it as getting dunked again did not appeal.
We came back
hungry and dying of thirst as it was nearly late afternoon. After a much needed
sea-food lunch and refreshing drinks we were too tired to move from our sun beds.
The sea and balmy air made us all drowsy
and stress-relieved us all.
As we already had
paid the money in advance, so we went for the scooter ride. It was a refreshing
ride with the water sprays and the thrilling experience of riding over water.
We stayed on the beach till the sunset which was amazing with the sky turning pink in colour. Weary and bone tired
from all the walking, bathing and water sports we decided to head back
for a cool shower at our guest house and return to the beach for candle-lit dinner in one of the shacks that
offered varieties of Continental, Chinese and Goan cuisine with light music.
- Malvi
