Heard a lot from avid travelers and friends…..seen a lot in movies and travel shows….read a lot in newspapers and lifestyle magazines…..but I got to know what exactly they meant by the term ‘incredible’ only when I made a trip to one of the most amazing places on earth couple of months back. Haaaah….Paradise, thy name is GOA.
Far from the drudgery of life, Goa is the place to be for all weary souls. I realized it the moment I stepped on this beautiful place. The land of fine wines, beautiful women, exquisite beaches and warm people…..Goa has all the four going for it. I felt all refreshed just by the sight of the Konkan city from a distance.
Guys, there were several moments that touched my soul and left me enchanted with the beauty of Goa. I feel like sharing some of them with you but please excuse me if words fail me today….The very first day I was sitting on the rocky shores of North Anjuna beach. Tired from a daylong journey in train, I thought of visiting the Anjuna beach - since it was nearby our boarding house - to witness what is arguably the most amazing site in the world….SUNSET! It had a spellbinding effect on me as I sat there gazing at the horizon for over two hours. I tell you it is quite a feeling when the free air kisses the sea waves and then runs across your face. It seemed to me as if my entire existence….my soul had been purged of all the impurities. That was the moment for me….and it gave me an indelible memory.
A day later, my best buddy Partho (with a map in his hand) and I hired a bike and went on to explore the entire north Goa. Forts, beaches, palm trees, local markets, the city churches…..we visited all. Bike riding had never been so much fun until then. One thing that took me by surprise is the way local inhabitants go about their lives. They seemed to be in no hurry and looked like they are on an eternal holiday. Not one soul appeared to be going for work. Most of the people were self-employed and operate their business with a relaxed attitude. The laid-back attitude of the Konkan fellows was in stark contrast to the lifestyle of people living in metropolitan cities who can invariably be seen in a tearing hurry to go about their stuff.
The last day in Goa was full of action. Besides traveling to the interiors of the North Goa we had water sports waiting for us. Water scootering, banana-boat ride, steamer……we had a whale of a time. But the best of the lot was parasailing. For people who don’t know much about the sport, parasailing (also known as parascending) is a recreational activity where a person is towed behind a vehicle (usually a boat) while attached to a specially designed parachute, known as a parasail. The boat then drives off, carrying the parascender into the air. Considering my weight, I had doubts whether the parachute would be able to take a flight or would it just be dragged on water by the boat :-)
But it did….and boy what a flight it was. When I was watching downwards from up there, I could see the vastness of sea; the huge number of people having fun on the beach seemed to be reduced to a miniature; and the sea birds flying parallel to me appeared to be communicating to me. They looked into my direction and croaked…as if asking me how I was feeling being a part of their world. The entire experience was actually surreal.
(Guys, just as an FYI, the parachute guy called me up from Goa few days back....bahut pareshaan tha bechaara...his business has nose-dived ever since I used his parachute. For my weight, the 'used parachute' is not functioning properly now. He he he…)
Goa has a lot of things that I can endlessly talk about but I am limiting myself to mentioning only a select few as there is a paucity of time. But before signing off, I want to admit that the four days spent in Goa have been the most memorable ‘four days’ of my life. I know that in the journey of life, I will come across many more scintillating places….who knows some of them may turn out to be even better than Goa but the Goan city will always have a special corner in my heart.
