Goa: Time After Time! (contd.)

"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere,but to go. 

I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." 

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Goa!

Time After Time!

Part II

Through my years of travel within India, I've come to realize that there are there are two types of travels: either in the company of the loved & dear ones and the other option is to go solo.

      

 

Over the years I've traveled quite a number of times with my BFFs, and those travels have been fun and adventurous. But a journey when undertaken alone, is an experience surreal.

    

I've been fortunate enough to travel to Goa at least once every year. November of 2014, is when I lived in Arambol for an entire month. A weekend getaway that stretched into a month long stay, a stay that allowed me to seek clarity about a lot of concerns that lay muddled in my life.

Arambol has become my go to place, ever since my first solo trip to Goa in the early 2000s. The aura that emanates from this quaint fishing village on the shores of the Arabian Sea, is most humble, full of love and acceptance. The crowd is a mingle of people unlike any other place in India; there are the locals, people from other Indian states and enumerable travelers from nations far & wide.

Throughout the duration of  my stay I made acquaintances with a variety of people: local and tourists, Indians and foreigners alike. But there are three who shall forever remain a notch above the rest. I met them during this stay. Roomisa from Sweden, Rusbeh from Iran and Caroline from Ireland. Three amazing individuals with amazing personalities. People of positivity and peace, I am left inspired eternally.

With Roomisa and Rusbeh

Unfortunately I can't find the picture with Caroline. 

One of the highlights at Arambol is the 'Drummers' Circle'; in the cozy southern nook of Arambol beach. It isn't a shack or any such, it's basically drummers  gathering around and breaking beats that would make anybody want to bust a move. It is magnificent! Every evening, as dusk approached, like an unspoken routine that's where I ended up. 

Another treasure trinket is the recess of water, infamously known as the 'sweet water lake'. The natural placement of this swatch of water found me quite amused, since the sea was just a few steps away.

 

As usual Curlie's was also a constant destination, I'd rent a bike for the day and ride on north towards Anjuna every now and then.

But it wasn't often that I ventured beyond Arambol during that stay, I was content in this cozy Aram-bubble. I had a comfortable room with air-conditioning and private bathroom, a multitude of eateries catering to possibly almost every food craving that I could bring to the table; WiFi at just about any and every restaurant, cafe or beach-side shack. Everything, including the beach, within walking distance. 

 

 

 

 

On an average day I'd wake and enjoy the early morning air with a serving of freshly brewed coffee, followed by a hearty breakfast at German Bakery on Arambol market street. Then head on out to the beach and walk to my favorite shack "The Laughing Buddha', where I'd spend hours into late afternoon enjoying a scrumptious lunch of fresh seafood. 

Following the cravings of my sweet tooth, I'd head on to La Muella on Arambol market street, within walking distance from my room and absorb myself into a book while enjoying the most sweetest of confections. Back to the room I would head, to bathe and wash off all the grime dust that had formed a layer on my skin as a result of all the walking. Then rush on back to the beach to get to the Drummers' circle, which almost always dispersed just in time for dinner. 

At night the Arambol beach side transformed into a semblance of twinking lights and music; the change being most contrast to the daytime demeanor. I'd nibble on something light and then walk back to my room, where I'd sit out on the balcony sketching designs, watching people pass by. 

 

On the occasional late night munchies, I'd head on over to this street-side vendor in front of my building, who only sold food through the hours of the night and remained shut during the sun lit hours of the day. He made a simple egg omelette with veggies, sandwiched in a local Goan bread; it looked simple but it tasted well beyond that.

A month well spent, exploring the streets on a few occasions, and on some hiking through the forest with new friends that I'd made.

I'm not saying only travel alone, all I'm saying that every now and again just pack your bags and pick a destination and head on over. Don't worry that you're going solo, you'll make friends wherever you're headed. 

 

To live and to be alive is to experience! And who knows, the moment when you take that trip it might just turn out to be the most rewarding adventure you would ever undertake.

Goa I will visit, time and again!

Perhaps its what you need as well, all you have to do is get there and let life's run it's course. 

What you waiting for? 

There's no perfect time like the present! 

If you've to arrange for leave from work, get to it! 

If you're doing nothing but being idle, get off your arse and make the travel arrangements!

If you're already on holidays, then consider this.

Get your 'know-how' about Goa at  www.goa-tourism.com

And here's some music to make you move, go on Sound Cloud and listen to Musique: Lingua Franca! Vol.02 .

Well, that's taking care of 'throwback thursdays'!

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