GOA-geous

by TRISHNA GURUNG

FROM ISSUE # 102 (June 2004) | IN THIS ISSUE
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When I decided that a holiday was in order, Goa was an easy choice. This little Indian state on the west coast of the subcontinent was put on the international map with the arrival of the Portuguese several centuries ago, by the hippies last century and droves of wannabe-Dil Chhata Hai poseurs in recent years. So why did I want to go anyway? Affordable, accessible and awesomely beautiful.
When you choose to go to Goa determines the budget. Off-season prices are usually half the amount charged during Christmas and New Year so plan accordingly. I decided on March because it was the tail end of the peak period; the weather would be good and it fit my schedule. Never mind that it also dovetailed the arrival of annoying boys that had just graduated from high school.

If you have time, going to Goa overland is very cheap. Air tickets cost four times the train and bus fare. The easiest overland route is probably to Gorakhpur, a major train station, and onto Mumbai. First class, two tier a/c is safe and comfortable. The only annoying thing is the windows don't open— so obviously you have to look at the world through heavily tinted windows. Train food is ridiculously cheap, Rs 50 (IC) for a full meal. Take a good book, your discman and some cards because two nights on a train tends to feel very, very long.

Mumbai is a short stop to Goa so we chose to leave almost as soon as we arrived. Like the classic Amitabh Bachchan you could take a train, but buses are cheaper and plentiful. It is a good idea to leave the city mid-afternoon. That way you'll be on a Goan beach early next morning.
Researching which beach you want to stay at before you get to Goa makes very good sense. When the bus emptied out at the capital Panjim at 5AM after a 16-hour ride, we were surrounded by touts yelling they'd take us to "the best hotel on the best beach".

Calangute is perhaps the most commercial stretch of sand in India. Lots of hotels, shops, bars and tourists. We got a very basic room, a fan and an attached bathroom, for Rs 200, but if you're only going to sleep in the room, then who needs a 24k gold toilet seat? After one night there, we lucked upon the beautiful cobalt blue Gomes Villa on the beach, halfway between Calangute and Candolim and 30 seconds from Café del Mar, our favorite shack on the beach that let us blast Nepali pop on their system. For just Rs. 200 a night, Gomes Villa fit the budget and fulfilled our need for an aesthetically lovely place to rest our heads.

Shacks are beach restaurants. There are upscale ones, like in Baga, which come with broadband laptops, to low-end sheds. Almost all have one thing in common—sunbeds, which cost Rs. 50 a day in-season, but we had them free. While the menus at these places are standard, the cooks aren't. Goan curries come highly recommended, especially the superb Crab Xacuti and Prawn Balchao. Sausages, port wine, bebinca cakes and Kings beer are other popular Goan foods. It's very easy to eat, drink and be merry.

Getting around can be cheap with public transportation. We took full advantage of the 'ladies only' seats, although during peak hours, it's just writing on the (bus) wall. Taxis are the expensive option. The best, however, is hiring a scooter. At about Rs 150 a day it's cheap, fun and very cool—in more ways than one. The automatic, gear-free scooties are a breeze to learn and very easy to handle. Two litres of fuel will get you all the way to Old Goa, back to Calangute and even on a joyride to Baga. Of course there are boats—hulking tankers, steamers, wooden fishing vessels named after saints (they are more a novelty experience unless you wangle your way on a midnight fishing expedition).

You can do as little or as much as you please in Goa. Watersports, parasailing, night bazaars, day markets, sightseeing (don't miss the mysterious remains of St Francis) and mad, bad parties are all for the taking. Ask around because most locals and expats are only too willing to help.

Shopping in Goa was bliss, skilled as we were in bargaining. Lots of fabulous shell chandeliers—not as tacky as it sounds—Indian gypsy clothes, Tibetan (!) jewelry, casual clothes and most of it affordable. The only thing in short supply, ironically, was bikinis. The ones we saw were either made with Kate Moss in mind or cost twice the Mumbai price.

It would've been easier to go topless. Bottom-less would draw too much attention, even if there are nude beaches in Goa. Mind the sun! We had SPF 30 waterproof sunscreen, hats and sun beds in the shade. Our neighbors were less prudent, and the Europeans (as they tend to do), turned an unattractive lobster red and then peeled. That did not deter packs of Indian men who walked the beaches and leering at anything female.

The sea is beautiful and dangerous. Whenever locals warned us it wasn't safe, we stayed ashore. We never saw a single lifeguard so we kept an eye on each other, and as romantic as midnight swims under starry skies sounded, the current is unpredictable. There was no way we wanted to end up a 'floater'…dead person washed up on shore. That's no way for a holiday to end.
The way it should end is with an overwhelming reluctance to leave. You see, that's what keeps us returning for more.