Goan River Rum, I mean Run!

As part of a ritual started off back in my college days, a trip to Goa was in order this December. Not just to be a beach bum but more to explore its lesser known locales. I chanced upon the Goa River Marathon one fine day and thought what a unique addition to the trip this will be! So I logged in, registered.

Over a 10 kilometer down hill and uphill route, across a river and onward to the beach, a route that took me around one of the few green stretches of Goa that was not open to exploring on foot, but for this day. I have to tell you, I am not much of a runner, more like a jogger, a slow one at that. So 10 kilometers can be a pretty long excursion, I am sure you will agree! Did I have a plan, a target time in which to complete the run you ask? Of course, not! Like Lao Tuz says, "A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving." 

(l to r) My sister Yuktie Jhangiani, I and Girish Mallya, a photo op before the run with the ultra marathoner 

So I set off, half strolling, half brisk walking, taking to jogging only due to a nudge from down hill slopes. A friend's exasperated expression, "A run in Goa, you got to be kidding me!" brings a lazy grin to my face seeing as I am doing anything but running. 

As I reach the tip of another hill, I see a group of men and women huffing and puffing in the opposite direction of the run. I try to reach out to them to say, "Hey you are heading in the wrong direction." Before I voice my concerns, one of the men ask a police man standing near by, "How far is the station? We will miss our train!" That's when I notice bags strapped to their backs, and hand bags being shuffled between the group. A mental calculation suggested we were a good three kilometres away. I nod in approval, "A valid and relevant reason to run, that, yes." 

Another turn along the route and just as I began day dreaming again I notice something small and dark running towards me with such speed. No no it wasn't one of the super sprinters, they had whizzed pass a while back. My defense mechanism finally kicks in and I - yes - run! As I flew past the 6 kilometer mark the black shadowed creature ever reducing the distance between us, I saw him bend his head and flare his nostrils - a goat! I cry, a goat is attacking me! 

"What did I do!" I cry! And I wont lie this tale is true! 

Come to think of it now, I think it was a conspiracy to make me run, as with a little under two kilometres remaining, I ran for my life! From a goat, yes. I was later told the goat lost interest in the pursuit after spotting another unassuming innocent target. I wonder what it was I did that made him chase me so!      

The finish line, yes I ran here

Enjoyed I did in that gorgeous weather, beautiful route, what with rolling hills, being fed with little treats of oranges, bananas and more (courtesy the gracious Goa Marathon Team) and fab encouragement at every kilometer. It wasn't much of a river run though, what with parts of it resembling a sewer, but leading it back to Biana beach was a super idea - with the cool waves just perfect for those tired feet.   

Did I mention I was yelled at for being slow? "Its just 500 meters away, run, don't smile! yells a volunteer near the finish line. Ahh, the pleasures of leisure travel, what does he know.

Sunny Secrets: Rediscovering India's Coastal Destinations

There is the guide book tourist checklist and then there is the trail of discovery off the radar. Diipti Jhangiani takes you through both routes rediscovering destinations along coastal India. 

Pondicherry

With its blue surfs, little cafes and French architecture, Pondi as it is fondly known is a city located along the eastern coast of India.

Tourist Checklist  

Walk along the Promenade and stop at Le Cafe for light munchies and a beautiful view of the surfs. Take the heritage walk, visit Aurobindo Ashram on the route. Top up on energy at Rendezvous restaurant to sample mouth watering local sea food. After having your fill, workout those calories with good old retail therapy at the souvenir stores at Mission Street.   

Off the Radar

Auroville, a township for alternative living, lies a few kilometres away from the city. Book a meditation session at Matri Mandir, a dome shaped meditation room at Auroville for a surreal experience.

For the adventure junkie, grab onto a surf board from Kallialay Surf School at Serenity Beach and master riding those waves.

Goa

Goa’s over hyped beaches have an identity of their own, but this state located along the western coast of India has a lot more to offer.

Tourist Checklist

Explore the by lanes of the capital city Panjim walking along Portuguese churches and homes. Build up an appetite by trekking up Fort Aguada and then head to Mango Tree for a late breakfast. Follow this up with trinket shopping at Anjuna and then cool off gazing at the night sky, grooving to music at Curlies.       

Off the Radar

Set off on a road trip starting with Tiracol Fort Heritage hotel for a breathtaking view of Querim beach at the northern most tip of Goa. Drive down to a spice plantation sampling vanilla pods and sumptuous lunch, followed by a dip in Dudhsagar falls, Goa’s largest waterfall toward the west. Follow the trail south heading towards Palolim beach for a picture postcard end to your Goan holiday.

Scuba Part 2:Maldives

They say Diving in the Maldives is one of the best dive experiences. Since this was my first dive, registering that fact took a long while!

It didn't hit me till I saw the tiny islands from my airplane window.

The water! Oh so brilliant blue! Indigo and Blue, Indigo and Blue! Less than a kilometer away that too!

Yes, I had browsed websites about it, yes I checked it out on youtube, but no, I couldn't believe the blue!

I had never set foot on a boat before, let alone an island. Fun trips in Goa and rafting on multiple occasions are a different thing altogether..What am I talking! Here I was on what is probably the world's most beautiful string of islands! I was in the Maldives!

Among the bunch of islands collectively called Maldives, my dive center at the Embudu Village was located a hop, skip and jump from the Taj Exotica Resort Island.

While waterborne, Motion sickness is a grinch. They say its all in the mind really, but after a meal, when the boat you're traveling in impersonates a pendulum, the mind has no say. However, the 45 minute boat trip from the airport to our island was tackled with, without any mind/body revolts; they didn't get the time to react, too struck by the beauty of the blue.

We were to dive the following day as there is always a twelve hour gap between your flight and the dive, so everyone jumped in with their snorkel and mask. It was two at noon, the sun was at its zenith and I was too overwhelmed with the scene. It almost felt like a soap bubble, broken if touched! However, Anees and my dive buddy Remu pushed me and then I finally jumped in.



Potent salt water! In my nose, mouth and eyes! It didn't help that I was an average swimmer and the fins I was wearing suddenly seemed to pull me down! Panic! It took me a while after that to adjust breathing with the snorkel and keep afloat while moving the fins. But as I gradually calmed down and opened my eyes, the scene I witnessed blew me away!



A huge shoal of Groupers inches away from my nose, a Parrot fish or two staring me in the face, a bored baby Shark with the look, 'there comes another sloppy human,' changing course, a Sword fish quickly darting by, a fleeting glimpse of a Sting Ray! A whole new World! But the corals; pink and lilac, they were the icing on the cake.

I was aware that over the next five days, we were to repeat the same tasks like in the pool back home, the thought of being in open waters made me very nervous though.But I need not have worried to begin with, everything was planned and organised so beautifully and each time we reached between 15-18 feet depth, you had just no space for worries. The extent of fascination was hypnotic!



Over the span of five days we saw a variety of stunning fish including Clown fish(of Finding Nemo fame), turtles, huge manta rays and a small but mesmerising ship wreck!



I panicked to begin with, was hesitant on the first dive, attempted to shriek underwater with glee while playing hide and seek with a clown fish, was reprimanded for chasing a turtle and finally was christened as a Diver while wearing a mask and snorkel with bear poured down through it!

Yay! Am officially a diver!


Post Maldives, I tried the dive center in Fathiye, Turkey; but the experience wasn't as exciting as Maldives mainly because of the lack of corals and very few fish. But there's lots more to see out there, many dive destinations like Egypt, Mauritius, The Bahamas and Thailand to name a few. But the first time I opened my eyes underwater and saw at least a hundred fish staring at me.. that sight, I shall never forget!

I started off with the best, looking forward to a lot more!

(Photo curtosy Anees Adenwala and Aniruddh Kasliwal)

Goan Rain

My third trip but a first during the monsoons. For a water baby like me, it was just..Heaven!

Wet green blades of the coconut trees, vision
The hum of the sea, sound
The fresh whiff of the earth, smell
Drops of pure rain melting on my skin, touch
The welcoming tang of the imli sweets... taste

Ohhh... A brutal attack to all the five senses! A mere photograph will not give you the same feel.
Just imagine it.

There for just two days, camping in the quiet of the South, the Goa I remember during the film festival (IFFI) is a different world.

Women working in fours in the brimming rice fields, not a soul disturbing the wild wild sea...so different from the touristy Goa we all see.

That’s the pleasure of travel, going to the same place, three times over, but discovering a completely different world each time...

A gift, I’ll treasure in all my travels.

Goa: Off the Trail

When in Goa the next time, quit lazing around in the shacks on the beaches, try out the DoodhSagar Falls, India's second highest waterfalls located almost on the border of Goa and Karnataka. There is no better place to christen yourself with an appetizing shot of cashew fenni than the spice farms in Goa. Its not all about the beaches you know!
Cheers!