Unveiling Goa-Day 1

I am just back from Goa and want to admit i was completely thrilled with beauty,tranquillity and hospitality.Though this story did not start from the day we headed from Hyd-Goa but couple of days back from the decision date.Goa-the place where most of my friends had been and narrated their story and shared pictures.Though i was excited to hear and see them,one part of my heart was always sceptical,what treasure Goa has for me instead of crowded beaches.So to combat my fear i started doing my research in Internet about some lonely serene beaches,unmanned may be unnamed ;). Doing so few names popped 1.Agonda Beach
2.Galjibaga Beach
3.Rajbagh
4.Talpona
5.Unknown find explored by me :) probably i will name it then ;)
(i am sure regular Goa traveller had never been to these beaches.)
so these were my findings and i had to choose one among them.



PALOLEM CAPTURED FROM BOULDERS

 So next mission was no find other basic amenities,so i asked my partner what kind of place he will prefer to stay in Goa and he answered "any decent hotel with Big Swimming pool" which really made me laugh because all places in my list are least explored and do not have any luxury so i convinced him "why we need pool we both are ferocious swimmer so we will practise our swimming drills in Arabian sea" so that was the deal and we set to go for journey.




SUNSET AT PALOLEM BEACH

 @23rd Oct i rushed from my office little early,did my quick packing and with our backpack we headed to catch our bus.My heart was buzzing with excitement,journey was pleasant and as always i loved food when  bus stopped in road side highway restaurant.It was around 11pm but that restaurant was pretty lively,so we filled our stomach light and had sip of tea(i am tea addicted ) and bus moved on wheel for destination.It was 5 am in the morning when bus stopped at an isolated small hotel off highway and i read the board "Goa".Surrounded with beautiful mountains and green vegetation,no pollution,no noice at all and very few people visible around.Our destination was another 2 hours drive from this place.Boarded on bus again and Got down at Ponda then serial bus ride to Margaon and then to Cancone(Kankon).Ride was comfortable with mix of local Goan and bollywood songs.Route was scenic to make the mood.Our target was Agonda Beach but when we got down from bus we got to now Agonda is far so we had to settle at Palolem Beach which was 5 min walk from the place we got down.



WONDER OF COLOURS AT SUNSET

So my first glance on the beach and my word"this is beautiful..........".I want to give a brief description-it was a lively beach but few people there,all tourists from different corner of world,people with smile,beautiful restaurant chain and well designed beach cottages.We headed to find accommodation and we liked it in one go so now all set to enjoy Goa...We settled there and with our swim wear on,we jumped into ocean.It was beautiful deep sea with emerald blue clean water,waves were giant and spontaneous.We both are good swimmers in pool but geography and chemistry of ocean is totally different :) so we took sometime to get acquainted then it was all ours,venturing deeper and deeper into it and learnt to make our self afloat in giant waves and trust me that's most enjoyable thing in water.We did not realise of passing time until our stomach started growling with hunger and we realised how much calorie we have burnt fighting with waves :)



NATURAL SWEET WATER LAKE AT COLA BEACH

Right on the beach there was a beautiful restaurant named Havana and that remained our paradise for eating until our journey,We filled our self with delicious food and then again went to find more treasure in beach stretch.Now we were at beach extension towards the unmanned island and terrain was getting rocky i had my strong wish to venture into that unmanned island but it was close to sunset,anytime water level may go up and we will be trapped there so i quenched my thirst with climbing on beautiful gigantic boulders there.Kept challenging myself more and more and captured breathtaking view of the ocean from that elevation.

SCENERY AT GALJIBAGA BEACH

ME SHARPENING MY KAYAKING DRILL FOR VENTURING INTO OCEAN



ONE END AT GALJIBAGA BEACH

I was wondering we had arrived here travelling for over 14 hours but not at all feeling any bit of tiredness probably that's magical healing property of this place.So by now sun has set and moon was on head so we had our dinner and took a walk on beach.Sand cold,wind gentle,ambiance lively and in sync with sound of waves.

SUN GLIDING DOWN 

We sat on the beach with moon on head playing hide and seek with palm tree there.Sea line illuminated as perfect white in moonlight,you can see the chain reaction the wave triggers and can watch them clashing on the shore,Believe me you sit on the shore with your loved ones and watch the magnitude of beauty,feel the quantum of the peace and look the magnificence of the ocean where our ego are like very tiny bubbles which comes and goes then probably we will learn to respect our relationship even better.We spend pretty good time there,that particular environment was so conductive to bring out feelings those lives deep within various layers.So that was the beautiful end of day 1 in Goa..........story of the next day will be in next blog.........

My diary-Winter

Hello reader

It was 5:30am today when i opened my eyes and suddenly run towards my bedroom window and in awe said "hey see, dense fog outside".I maintained my awe and kept watching outside.In moments my mind rolled back to the old memories of winter.

Winter-this word itself gives me mild shiver.My earliest memory with winter is when i was around 12 year old, used to spend winter vacation in my village.My village has a different landscape and geography than my boarding school.In winter when some servants working in our field and my mother used to wake me up saying "Ranu-please take tea to the people working there" and me scrubbing my eyes,half sleep-half wake,holding hand of my little sister walking through fog making our way to the land.After reaching  field we used to enjoy that sip of tea more than anybody there,we play,run and dance there.I feel like spending time in heaven(that's how i imagine heaven of my Dadi's bed time stories).This is my oldest memory of enjoying winter.

Though winter has individual chapter of every year in my diary.But most belongs to the same place i.e. my boarding school.I was growing ,my perspective widening and i was seeing everything around me more observantly.I remember going for running through fog in very early morning(that was not out of interest but compulsory part of my seven year life in boarding school to defent myself from getting punishment of being lazy but that turned me to a half marathon runner today ;) ).Whenever i was unable to see the target distance,i got inspired to enjoy the run,the journey and to not worry about the destination.I remember playing handball in that killing chilly windy morning.Every time that ball hits my hand,make my heart cry but passion for sport was so high i never stopped playing(no matter how many times i  broke my ankle,elbow,legs etc thankfully I saved my face ;) ).I remember when i used to open my mouth for fun and enjoy seeing steam coming out from it.I remember going for morning tea just to get glimpse of the person who makes my heartbeat increasing to alarming level..(well that was the only time in 24hours i could see him and i can mention it so openly because he is my husband now ;) ).And many more stories but plot was same-my boarding school.

Then comes my college time when i used to spend  winter of Bhopal staying most of the time on terrace,being love bird spending whole night talking on phone.Seeing fog getting dense with night and getting thinner with arrival of sun was in my daily routine.Having semester exam preparation tension on my head in january,but feeling of enjoying winter always won the battle.So no matter if i am spending my evening watching sunset near Bhopal's big lake or sipping tea for whole night at the name of exam fever i have relished both equally.

Life has changed from being carefree teenager to a responsible career oriented professional but i defended my basic identity.So once again i am back to my world after been deprived from enjoying winter(as i have stayed in a tropical country for past 3 years where season never changes) .Again i am standing at the threshold of my favourite season.Now i enjoy it while driving to my office in the morning seeing mesmerising beautiful dew lying on the shrubs and grass on both side of airport road,playing hide and seek with ATC tower,watching aircrafts suddenly coming in front and immediately disappearing in fog.Similarly at the evening when i drive back from work to home,Sun remains right in front of my heading,with its blooming red flare looking more prettier than before.Same tress on both side of the road now throwing gentle wind over me.The mildness and fragrance in air intoxicates me in sync with melorious music and i feel like being in heaven as i did as a child playing in my field.

With all my happiness,i say to all my reader enjoy winter.Don't complain about too much work load or not able to catch up with your daily chores.Life is all about living this journey in your way.Probably gearing up and taking a walk in dense fog in the morning or watching sunset with sip of tea in evening at home while talking to the sweetest person exist in this planet will take all your stress and life will be ever beautiful.Wish you happy winter......

WEEK-END TREK TO ANANTAGIRI HILLS

It was sharp 5 am when this melodious voice hits my eardrum "Ranu get up we have a  plan for trekking Anatagiri hill today" and  very next moment i was on my toes with all my excitement buzzing in my heart.I quickly prepared myself, did basic packing for the trek and with full enthusiasm we started for Anantagiri.Just to share we had no well defined itinerary for this place except great excitement for this hills,which doubles as our car started moving on its wheel from our house.
Yesterday night it rained heavily at Hyderabad so it was wet in the morning and everything was looking very neat and new.Listening melodious songs sung by my all time favourite Sonu Nigam,we were enjoying every moment of our journey.Beautiful weather was making the mood.Route to the destination was very beautiful,our car was passing through dense thick canopy and old giant magnificent trees on both side of lane.We are totally thrilled to see them and hardly could believe it's so close to our doorstep that we could simply come for breathing more air(as we call it :)).We passed through serpentine road with dense plantation of various crops as we took narrower lane off to the main highway.In very early morning panorama with cloudy weather i am really running short of words to explain you the exact beauty of the place.

POND IN PADMANABH SWAMI TEMPLE

We kept our heading and finally after 1.5 hour drive we reached the place called Anantagiri.As i got down at once i uttered "this is super awesome...." i really meant it.I don't remember when last time i had seen such serenity.We all three were completely moved to see the beauty of the place.Right in front there was a Temple for Lord Padmanath swami so we did darshan.

MY BREAKFAST AT ANANTAGIRI

As it was very early in the morning only people visible are Chai shop so we too took the sip of tea which tasted best ever in that mild winter.Seeing their hospitality and happiness we decided to top up our self and prepare for the trek.

ENTRANCE TO JUNGLE-ILLUMINATED WITH FIRST LIGHT OF THE DAY

Right outside the temple one boy was standing when we came out after darshan and asked us Rs 15 for parking our car.I thought there was nobody in or outside the temple when we came so how this fellow appeared from where?First I asked him about jungle he warned us "Please do not go very inside,the forest is dense" and i threw his warning out of my mind saying "please come to rescue us if we don't come out in 6 hours and we will pay you our parking charge then only " and with the sound of our laughter we were inside the jungle.

SPOTTED SPIDER ENJOYING IT'S BREAKFAST

It wasn't a steep climb or rather we took a straight trail.First we explored the jungle to the extend we can.Best things were the chirping of birds,sometimes it's raining a bit,air was so pure and smelling the mild soil.Well just to share as i have trekked in several jungles before i want to mention the difference of this place.There was no tourist activity at all,no well defined path and no sign boards for guiding trails making it a wonder for us.So simply we kept following our instincts and going deep into jungle.



ENTRANCE TO THE JUNGLE RIGHT BENEATH PADMANATH SWAMI TEMPLE

We followed the basic trail and did elementary exploration about the terrain.Forest was very calm and quite except chirping of birds and sound of leaves falling off trees with sweeping wind..

FOUND NILGIRI PLANTATION IN DEEP WITHING JUNGLE

We kept walking within and spotted this Nilgiri plantation inside where traces of earlier camping group remained.

TRAILS

As i have already mentioned it had rained previous night and weather was in the mood that anytime it will shower again,trails were wet and slippery but thanks to our quality sole shoe kept us
going without fear of falling down.

 

FOUND THIS AMAZING MEADOW IN DEEP INSIDE THE FOREST

NILGIRI PLANTATION



VIEW FROM THE HILL TOP

After exploring the basic we decided to climb.It was steep but equally interesting,we were going up and up,making our own path and finally reached on top then started enjoying the scenery,jungle was looking beautiful,we could see tall eucalyptus trees,meadows and other neighbouring jungles clearly from there.



GREEN CARPET TO EASE OUR TIREDNESS OF TREKKING

We completed most of trails then we decided to take bigger risk.We got off trail and tried to search some treasure and luckily we found one and it was a eureka moment for us.We were wonder struck,lost in the feeling of awe and my partner said "it's hard to believe that such a beautiful place exist so close to our place and we are standing right here to see them".Believe me it was just AMAZING.Captivating beauty of nature so untouched,no movement of any life ware and just mesmerising landscape so original to take our heart away.

CHANGING WEATHER

SURPRISE TO SEE BEAUTIFUL FLOWER ON GRASS



MEADOW

We were in no hurry and full mood to enjoy the beauty of mother nature,weather kept changing from rain to shine and back again and every colour of it was adding on to our wonder.All our tiredness of trekking have gone already and greenery was so pleasing that we were running,dancing,jumping and sleeping all on the lap of mother nature.
 

ENJOYING THE WALK



ME CAPTIVATED IN THE BEAUTY OF THE PLACE 

After spending quality long hours we were back on to trail and got our way out,again that parking guy standing welcoming us (may be because of his Rs 15 )and i enquired about any more spots in nearby area,so we headed for Kotpalli project.The road was beautiful ghat road,totally different than others we have followed,so again lost in beautiful scenery with melodious songs.




DRIVE BACK TO HOME

Again the toughest time of the trip to say good bye and head back to home.After spending such a beautiful day out here i prepared my mind now that sweet home is calling and with beautiful memories we started our drive back to the most serene place in earth called home.