Yes, indeed, why?
What the hell is this damn Goan Flavour anyway?
You don’t know anything about Goa and why should you?
Den of Vices?
Or you do know about Goa and think it is just a god-forsaken place where people go to get wasted, party on the beach, do drugs and things that happen in movies like Hangover. That it’s a place with scary dreadlocked backpackers and people waiting to rip you off.Teeming with young inexperienced people who have no idea how to handle scooters and end up crashing everywhere.
You would be right.
You would also be wrong.
I do not deny that Goa has a dark side. It does, and even today there are many major issues that face the people.
However, I believe that when you go to a place, you explore each and every aspect. You see the good, the bad, ugly, and then you decide.
YOU decide how you want to see the place.
YOU decide what memories you want to carry back. Whether it is spending the most romantic evening with your loved one under one of the most starriest skies on the planet. Or whether it is spending the whole day in your room in a drunken stupor go out only at night, boast to your friends that you ‘DID’ Goa, and believe that’s all there is to Goa, and that’s all that ever will be.
Well, there’s more.
I remember swimming in the sea at 6am, feeling and hearing nothing but the sound of the roaring waves, and being calm inside despite being alone, like I was part of the universe.
Dawn at Arambol
I remember spending the night at Arambol with my younger brother and his friends. It was one of the best times we shared and we stayed awake to see the dawning sun slowly light the sky and bring it to life.
I remember the excitement in my Goan colleague’s voice and the way his face lit up, when he mentioned that I MUST try out Florentine’s near Candolim for some of the best Chicken Cafreal dish in Goa. (Try it. Florentine opens everyday at 6pm. Amazing stuff)
I remember and am especially grateful to the random dude who I met at party, who turned out to be an orthopedic surgeon. I had a bad fall from a bike near Anjuna, and having no friends or family in Goa (new to the place), I called him up. He asked me to come to his hospital right away, and in 10min, my arm was bandaged and cleaned up. The arm has completely healed and you can barely see the deep cut anymore.
Goa is going to be what you want it to be.
You will carry back unforgettable memories or mundane ones. Just depends how you look at it.
You should read this blog for great stories.
Having responsible fun.
And how to manage yourself safely if you are going to have irresponsible fun (have a designated driver/don’t ride after drinking, etc.),
There will be useful practical advice.
Hotel Lemontree Amarante at Candolim, Goa
There will be good food reviews (my friends will attest to the fact that we ALWAYS have great food when we meet up, bad food experiences are few, but I’ll warn you about those too).
I am planning interviews with different groups of people; students, couples, professionals, weekend escapees, and foreigners (non- Indians), so that I can give a whole range of people a realistic idea of the budget and practical considerations should be when they visit Goa. And also how to ignore the budget and just have a blast. (I had a crazy fun Holi in Goa recently without paying a dime. Read all about it here.
But mostly you should read this blog to have fun. To see Goa in a new light.
Seen on the way to Anjuna beach
And to see what your trip here could mean to you.
That’s why you should read this blog.
Thanks for reading all the way to down here. If you liked this post, share your thoughts in the comments below :).
