Salt in my hair, Beer in my tummy, Happiness in my heart
Goa holds a special place in my heart. The countless number of beaches, the sand that makes my feet feel funny, the colourful houses of Fontainhas, quenching the thirst with beer instead of water, mouth-watering Goan delicacies, the quintessential countryside roads lined with coconut trees, spooky places around the state and a 100 per cent guaranteed fun getaway—Goa never fails to impress me.
However, this time around, when I packed my bags for Goa, it felt weird. With a never-seen-before surge of new COVID-19 cases in the country, I had to be mindful and cautious about the activities I did, the people I met, and the places I visited. Keeping all these precautionary measures in mind, I set my foot on the land that comforts me the most.
Salt in my hair, and Feet soaked in the ocean
The traveller in me wanted a break. The traveller in me was looking forward to a vacation and decided to stay put in a beautiful property in South Goa. While North Goa awakens the party animal in me, however, South Goa had my heart. I stayed at Majestic Beach Comforts, a serene-looking modern property with direct beach access and a pool (what more could I have asked for).
For the four days that I spent in Goa, I went to the beach at least once. And one night, the waves that hit the shore and the stars up in the clear night sky told me the stories they witnessed over the years to put me to sleep.
Goan fish curry and rice, Prawns, seer fish and kingfish fry
The moment my plan came to shape, all that I looked forward to in these four days in Goa was to devour authentic Goan fish curry and rice. And guilty as charged, I never left an opportunity to feast on it. The aromatic curry made with a dash of tang, blended with spices, garlic and ginger just cut through the richness of the Goan culture, relishing my dormant taste buds. Though the Fish Rawa Fry was a little too dry for my liking, I feasted on it as I’ve never seen a fish fry before. Let me tell you that I am such a Piscean like that.
Why drink water when you can down bottles of beer?
What happens in Goa stays in Goa and, I don’t remember how many beers I downed. No matter what time of the day or the night it was, if I wasn’t riding a two-wheeler, I had a bottle of beer in my hand. There is nothing like sipping on a beer and watching the sunset over the horizon.
In other news, I had a friend travelling with me who was big on trying local brews. We downed a few glasses of Cashew Fenny and Urak (with lemon, of course), but I’m not quite sure if I liked it. However, I would certainly like to try it once again.
Cheers to the uncle from whom we rented the scooter, Cheers to Google Maps, Cheers to the sedimented paths, and Cheers to this beautiful sunset viewpoint
On day 3, my friend and I had a very satisfying lunch at Amarela, overlooking an astonishing landscape. However, we did not have anything planned for the rest of the day. And as we wondered, not very far from where we were, there was a sunset viewpoint and, decided to go there. We didn’t know what to expect. The sedimented path that led to the viewpoint seemed never-ending.
When we reached the viewpoint that overlooked the vast sea, I was at a loss for words. I will leave it for the pictures to speak.
Four days, a comfortable stay at the spacious cottage with 24-hour access to the beach, a stuffed tummy with mouth-watering Goan food and a heart filled with happiness, love and gratitude. Goa, you are beautiful, and you have my heart.
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Please note that my travel to Goa was in the first week of April when the surge was not high. This blog post is about my experience in Goa, and I do not encourage anyone to travel at this given time. We need to stay home and safe. I know that this post might seem insensitive to a few concerning the current situation in our country. There is a lot of information floating around on social media, which is scary, and this is my way of coping up. Writing helps me calm down, and reminiscing the good times that I’ve had in my life helps me stay sane.