Part Two : Reflection and the waters of Goa
So I wrote part one a while ago, and here is the next one, finally! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing this, and if you want to read part one first, go here : Destination Goa : Chapter One.
Disclaimer : Names have been changed because I didn’t want people to feel awkward :p
The first thing I noticed about Goa was the trees. Well, no one could miss them. As soon as the captain announced we were about to land, I looked out the window, excited to get the first glimpse of the place where we would be spending the next three days in, of which I had heard fun stories and hoped to make my own. There they were, a mass of little green dots spread across the entire place, and I thought to myself, the trees are going to be the most significant thing that I remember.
But I had almost forgotten that Goa was full of beaches. Along the bus ride to our hotel, I noticed many things. The trees which covered every place, lining every path, the narrow roads, cramped with scooters and cars and all other vehicles filled with people making the best of their time in Goa, the thatched roof houses, which took me back to my childhood home in Nagercoil, all of these things etched themselves on to my mind. But the first sight of water just wiped everything away. It came without any warning, a quiet glimmering surface glistening in the morning sun, bearing the many sized boats which were docked. It looked at peace, with itself, with the world, and the world around me just vanished.
And this water is what took me into reflection mode, reflecting upon myself, the world, my life, everything under the universe. I silently looked on, contemplating and considering, and I got a clarity which could only be compared to the clear water I saw there.
Our hotel was situated close to the Anjuna beach, about a kilometer away from there and was situated in a narrow alley which looked deserted if one didn’t know the place. It was a cozy little place with comfortable rooms and a nice balcony, and while the stay was more than good, that was not we had come for. So we set out to explore our first beach, Anjuna.
Anjuna was located on the coast of North Goa, a popular beach filled with tourists ranging from families to foreigners, little kids swimming in the water to old men soaking in the sun. We went there on a breezy evening, the wind welcoming and the water calling us to her. It was a long walk from the resort till the beach, and we went further in to the farther end of the shore. It was less crowded here, and we got into the water. Everyone had their own thing to do in the water, from swimming to a far point to just floating in the water. I tried to go in farther, but my fear of drowning left me nervous. Jackie tried to help me ease into it, and he went to the extent of helping me get far. I still don’t know how he had the patience for it, he could have been just having fun with the others. Somewhere amidst this chaos and fear, I still managed to find peace. The water was refreshing and cold, and I am glad I went in.
After many years, if someone were to ask me what moment I remembered the most from that evening, I would say this. I was standing in the middle of the water, the waves rising and falling around me, and the guys were all swimming around. There was a father and a little kid swimming nearby. One of the guys was swimming towards the ocean, as if towards the horizon itself, as the sun was setting. The water was up to my chest, and it was cold. I looked to the shore, and at the people going about their business. There was nothing spectacular about that moment, and that was exactly what made it the best. That in a place like this, even an ordinary moment could be something great.
That wasn’t the only unforgettable moment from the evening though. After we all came out, we found out that Romil was bleeding and the hit his foot had taken earlier from a stone was not just minor. As he ran towards the first aid shack, he had left his bloody footprints behind, and when we walked back, following those same footprints, I knew the image would forever stay with me. After a long walk back to the resort, he then went to the hospital and got it treated. And we were still not even done with day one.
The day started slowly but early for us the next day, as we pulled ourselves out of our beds and got ready for the day’s journey. It was time for our ‘Grande Island’ trip. We had arranged it through the tourist agent who had helped us arrange the entire trip, and didn’t have much of an idea about it. Although, we had heard it would include snorkeling, dolphin sighting, and the promise of a good meal had our spirits hopeful.
To say the island trip did not go as planned would have been an understatement. The morning started off well, as we all split into two groups and climbed onto our boats. We rode for about two hours under the warm sun, with refreshments and music in the middle of the sea. The water was glistening and the wind was soothing. There were beautiful birds flying past us (I never found out the name) and I spent my time just watching them glide and the black and white patterns on their wings. It really was the best time to reflect upon oneself. At one point, we even saw some dolphins and needless to say, people were excited. This was, for me and for many others I’m sure, the better part of the day.
Post this, we reached our snorkeling point, which was more of swimming around in dirty water and less of snorkeling, and proceeded on with doing whatever was possible to do. I didn’t get into the water, due to the aforementioned fear of drowning, but it was still entertaining to watch people go crazy in the water. As for those who did get in the water, one would have to ask them about the experience.
After the “snorkeling” session, we went to monkey beach, our next stop and the place we were supposed to have lunch. We were told it would be an island with stalls of food and we were all eager, having toiled under the hot sun and the exhaustion was beginning to set in. It turned out that the island was a small patch of land filled with a thousand people cramped into a tiny space for lunch. The place was packed and the smell of frying was everywhere. There was no place large enough for our entire group to sit, and none of us had the heart to eat the food. So we left, tired, frustrated and hungry. Little did we know our patience was about to be tested more.
The engine of one of the two boats had malfunctioned, so the drivers had tied the boats together and were running them on one engine. The downside of this was that every five seconds the boats would clash and water would splash inside. The floor was filled with water and most of us were wet from all the water. At one point, we were frustrated so they stopped to try and fix the other boat. The result of this was that we were left stranded in the middle of nowhere for almost 30 minutes. After a long day, this was almost unbearable. When we finally left, and took the bus ride back home, we were done.
On a side note, after coming back to the hotel, some of us, including me, went off to eat at a restaurant nearby. If you’re wondering why I’m mentioning this, let me tell you that if you think you’ve had a long day and things shall get better, you’re wrong. We went to the restaurant relieved at getting to eat, and the order came after waiting for 45 minutes. The rest of them went to the resort, and came back after freshening up while we were still waiting. That’s how long we were stuck waiting for the food. So remember, always be prepared for things to go from bad to worse.
On our final day, before we left, we decided we should go back to Anjuna again. After all, we had come to Goa to see the beaches. So we went back, found a shack and ate a lot. It was just a normal evening in Goa. But I would never forget it.
I would never forget how we were all sitting overlooking the beach, looking at the people wondering if it was their first day in Goa with much more to do or if it was their last, just like us, reminiscing over the good times they had. I would never forget how even as we were all eating in a rush, we were all hungry and had to leave for our flight, all we cared about was dancing to this song that was playing. I would never forget how Bhavya ran to the shore, just to soak it in one last time before we left. I would never forget how she looked, standing under the moonlight, her feet touching the water, like a little girl who was forever lost in the sea. I would never forget looking at those around me, wondering if they felt the same melancholy I felt at that moment. I would never forget how I looked back one last time at the water, seeing myself float away into the horizon.
That’s the end of part two! If you were there and are wondering why I left out one of the key parts of our trip, a.k.a the Night of Aarambol, stay tuned! The best is yet to come.
Kate's Corner 