What’s this hoopla about Goa?

I was in Class 5 when I first went to Goa with my extended family, and some recollections of that trip:

We checked into this govt hostel for Rs 20/- a night and my uncle was nowhere to be found, when I went looking for him, (he had the keys to my baggage) I found my old uncle smoking! He was an absolute non-smoker, never seen him smoke before! And now in Goa he was transformed! :-) Wow that was amazing!

Next day at Vagator beach –my brother in law is most happy being on the beach. Reason? Not the surf and the sand but the nude sunbathing bodies. And for a naïve 5th standard student like me this was most embarrassing:-)

Evening dawns- everyone is chilled, like never before, the city seems to have taken away this family’s inhibitions and worries. My older coz sister offers me a glass of beer mixed with fanta! “You are on a holiday, go ahead and drink- we will not tell your mum!” And omg the first sip and I was ready to throw up, it was horrible! I went behind the bushes and chucked it all down and they were most happy thinking I had guzzled it all – looking at me furtively from behind their glasses at night, “is she tottering yet”!:-)

Another evening and this north Indian family (excluding me), went berserk on sea food, it was the yummiest meal for them, this vegetarian had the most feeble weak dal and rice:-)

And I can go on and on about these foolish escapades and the many susegado’s, the thonged men, the drinking binges, the beautiful days of non ending conversations, music and parties, betting and casinos, unique pottery that stole my heart, 3 of us girlfriends traveling by a scooter /bike, the sea, the palm trees, the relaxed atmosphere, Tiracol estuary, all of this brings a smile to mah face;-)

My love affair with Goa started then, since I was in 5th stdJ My Dad could never understand what appealed to me about this ganja hashish smoking old port! For him it was just a place to do business, for me it was a place to relax, unwind and be anonymous, relax like one can never, in ones own town, wear or don’t wear any clothes and nobody there really cares, it is and has always been a place to “just be” for me:-)

So you see this hoopla about Goa is a very personal thing, you gotta seriously love your freedom and yourself to want to be in Goa!! Indulge and be free, that’s what Goa has been always for me:-)