I don’t dig for beaches and in that sense it was an unlikely holiday destination. But the promise of the monsoon rains and the offer at the Taj were enough of a lure for me to drag my parents and head to Goa. It was a not a typical ‘Goan’ holiday - with no beach activities, no visits to century-old churches and no shopping at the colorful markets of Panjim. I slept, ate, watched TV and wrote, following the same cycle every single day. The monsoon did not let me down, as was evident from the frequent darkening skies and heavy downpour. The Fort Aguada resort, where I stayed, is located in Bardez, North Goa with beautiful views of the Portuguese fortress and the beach. The rains combined with the swaying coconut palms and the tall waves were a sight to behold all through.
With nothing much to do one evening, I decided to take a long walk along the shore. But the sea was pretty rough and the monstrous waves seemed to devour the shore. So I instead walked down to the fort to take photo shots of the hazy horizon and the waters beneath. The fort had high walls and extended into the sea. The waves were lashing mercilessly against the outer wall and spraying water on the inside of the fort in full force. With pictures taken in every possible angle, I returned back to the hotel satisfied. One more day of lazing around saw the end of my holiday. Time to head to the Vasco Da Gama station to catch the 2:30 pm train to Chennai! It was a visually enriching 75 minutes drive passing small settlements and backwaters, with the rain coming down in torrents yet again.
Very soon after we settled down in the train, it entered the Western Ghats, I realized that holidaying in Goa is not just about the place, but also about the journey. A good 4 hours of the journey until darkness fell, the sights were captivating. The dense damp vegetation and the innumerable streams led me to fantasize that I was inside a rain forest. The mist hung heavily in the air, and there were also the lush green agricultural fields to add color to the landscape. As if green was not enough, the water in the puddles were dark rust in color, thanks to the mineral rich soil. The train weaved in and out of tunnels, and the constant drizzle was absolutely refreshing. It was as though there was one big canvas and nature was filling it up with sights and colors. The humble Indian Railways train does take on a dreamy look in that weather!
As darkness fell, I settled down to pen down my beautiful experience. This train journey was one of my most memorable that I had ever undertaken in India. Talk of holidaying in Goa, one should undoubtedly travel along the Konkan coast for the unmatched experience.
