Eclectic Read: Goa I

“Life is interesting when you start seeing the problems in life as little conundrums and put thoughts into solving each rather than into the conundrum itself.”

I know what I mentioned above is hard to follow. But once you take this little step ahead, life becomes a bit easier to survive happily.

I had booked a bed in the six-bed mixed dorm at the Summer Hostel in Palolem which meant that I had to get down from the train at the Canacona station. It became so interesting to talk to my new friends that I missed the Canacona station. While I was calm, I saw another woman walking past us towards the gate, red-faced, confused and panicky. Lucas, the guy from Germany walked to her and talked to her in German. Astryd (I got to know her name much later) sat with us and I did my little bit to calm her nerves by letting her know that she wasn't the only one who missed the station and that we can get down at Madgao (the last stop which is an hour away from Canacona). The funny thing, her grown-up son had already gotten down with his friend at the Canacona station.

On reaching Madgao station, we took an auto-rik to reach Agonda to drop her at her hotel and then to Palolem right in front of my hostel.

I was knackered and carried an infected wound below my right foot. The days in Goa were beyond beautiful. Hiring a cycle and cycling to Agonda, Galgibaga Beach and Panem, going to a doctor, getting into an accident with a bike, going to The Leopard Valley for a party with the hostel mates and showing off some crazy body movements while dancing. Actually, the list goes on.

For the first three to four days, I had Marek to hang out with. He is a Polish guy in his thirties working in London. We went out quite a few times in the mornings while he took a dip in the water of the Palolem Beach and I sat at a restaurant reading Daily Teachings by Rhonda Byrne and pining for my wound to get healed. The wound restricted me from doing a major activity in Goa - going into the water.

It was his last night in Goa when we had our dinner together (first and last dinner, probably). The chairs and tables were set on the sands facing the sea. Candles on the table. Two of our hostel mates on our left (Surprise! Surprise!). Music at every restaurant but distinct enough to not make a mess of the tunes. We started off with Golden Fried Calamari and Golden Fried Prawns and then the Sea Food Platter. I am sure I had overeaten and was ready to skip my breakfast the next morning.

During my cycling trips to Agonda and Galgibaga Beach, I was motivated to work on my stamina. It is super hard to cycle up and down those roads which sucks out all the energy especially for a person like me who does not exercise (not proud to admit!). A harrowing incident while returning from Agonda in my cycle was getting into an accident with a bike at a T point. The bike crashed into my cycle breaking the back wheel and lucky enough to be a little away from injuring any of my feet. So, it’s motorbike versus cycle. The man on the bike started yelling at me. The point is this is the first time I got into this kind of situation. Even though I know how Indians handle these situations on road, I was polite enough to apologize and let it go. Oh wait, no! This was not the way how this matter was going to be closed because the biker didn't stop. He thought this polite woman will be easy to bamboozle. I wish there were people watching me and recording the transition from an apologetic polite woman to a hot-headed witch retaliating and turning the man into a puppy who gives up. The man drove away. Smiling, I dragged my cycle to return to my hostel.

On the way, I got two school-going boys who tried to help me out. A man who looked to be in his sixties straightened the back wheel by footing it. The boys accompanied me till a motor-vehicle repair shop. This day couldn’t have been better and I couldn’t have been more grateful to these strangers. With all the new troubles in life, one grows, discovers a part of himself and learns.

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