How Goa happened

The idea to go Goa and that too in a car was of a friends'. He, like a few of the close buds knows about my illogical travel desires, but that that he is an equally crazy traveller, I re-discovered when he called me and proposed this idea. Why I use 're' is because he himself happens to be a mountaineer, an expeditioner. 10 years back I first met him at a trekking camp where he was a coach and we have been friends ever since.

So yeah, he proposed the idea and instantly I connected with it. To drive down to the land of beaches, firangs and all things crazy with a set of enthusiastic friends seemed like a great idea. The coming weekend we gathered at Sahdev's house-the one who made the plan and to my delight he had got maps of Maharashtra and inside Goa. The vibe in the house was so amazing... I touched wood atleast 10 times everytime I heard them discuss Goa. We spread the maps on the floor we sat around it scanning the route with our fingers. According to the plan we would be leaving Ahmedabad and be reaching Lonavala that night, leave next morning and reach Goa in the evening. We would stay there for 3 nights, 4 days and start the return journey on the 5th day and be back home by the 6th evening. A few days later Sahdev called me up to give me another brilliant news. He had managed to find a flat not very far from Calengute beach. It had 2 air conditioned bedroom and a fully functional kitchen and it was costing us 2000 per night!! 2000 between the 5 of us seemed like a dream! This was beginning to be the most economical first travel trip I was ever going to get to be part of!

Why economical is so much of a turn on is because my life is still about priorities. Just 15 days back I got my 3 year old cell phone repaired because otherwise I would had to spend a fortune buying a new one and keeping in mind my current expenses plus the Goa trip, I could not afford that. So to have a flat in Goa definitely came as a good news. We quickly did the maths and concluded that the per head per night expense reduced greatly because we would not be staying in hotels anymore.

With the route and the stay sorted, the trip materialized in front of my eyes more clearly. To discover that your friends are crazy about travelling as much as you are is a boon. To have people who are eccentric yet organised is a blessing. I was besotted by the enthusiastic vibe which was brimming in the room the other night when we all sat discussing the trip. You know when you wish for something and it suddenly takes place you are sort of scared to touch it fearing it would crumble or it maybe your illusion. I had similar feelings about the discussions. I had planned a travel trip but one this perfect! God definitely heard my prayers!

Another interesting thing to know is how Goa has affected each one of us. Collectively, it has been a lot of getting together and re-planning the plan(only because it feels good :D). Individually we all have are different ways of expressing our eagerness. Sahdev, the one brimming with child-like enthusiasm has set Goa pictures as his wall paper. He sends me pics from his last visit to Goa and keeps pinging me on gtalk ever too often just to say in his typical style, "Darlingggggggggg, 5 days to go!!" :P. Laxmi is hoping she fits into the denim shorts Sahdev got for her(they are a couple btw) from janpath. She is the most level headed amongst us 5. Next comes Samarth, Aditi's husband, who looks docile at first glance but is fun loving. He poses along with us while we pretend to plan, think, plan GOA. Aditi, has gone on a diet spree, just to fit into those 'chote kapde' and me... I have begun to pen down details, I am gearing myself for all there is to come. I am mentally preparing myself to finally set out on a journey I have always waited to be on.