And again he conspired! The fellow above; probably sitting in the air-conditioned cabin, or should I say space-conditioned cabin as He must not be needing air; has made up his mind never to give me an uneventful weekend, more so when it’s a long weekend (2nd Apr).
Somehow I missed the 4 am alarm. Getting up lazily at 7 am, with half my mind cursing me for making such a plan which no one preferred giving me company, I started getting ready. Being on my own, it gave me bit room to experiment with, I didn’t took any backup food, and also I wore floaters instead of shoes so that it will put restriction on me not to venture deep into forest alone.
The bus to Kolhapur started at 9.30 am from Swargate. Soon I dosed off and reached Kolhapur around 3 pm and immediately I got a bus for Radhanagari from ST Bus Stand. I was surprised to see a lady bus conductor; she must be in her 20s; it made me think this is real women empowerment at the ground level which is more required than the parliament quota. The same bus was going to Dajipur too, so I took a ticket for it.
Scenic is a term I use for just few places and the route from Kolhapur to Dajipur was such, with the beautiful backwaters of the Radhanagari Dam being the jewel on the crown. The far away mountains with dense forests were inviting me to get down from the bus and explore them, but may be fear of the wild and being devoid of a tent and trekking shoes kept me inside the safe limits of the bus and I just stared lustily out of the window.
It was 5.30 pm when I got off the bus at Dajipur. But suddenly all my estimations, all my great expectations, all hope fell apart. Upon inquiring I was told that there’s no lodging available, there was a MTDC resort but that too had shutdown and the forest dept’s guest house too needs permission from Kolhapur. Assuming that the villagers are fooling me as that’s the season, I took a walk around to inquire more but that was of no use. The Dajipur wildlife sanctuary was 22 km from Dajipur village and hiring vehicle costs around a 1000 bucks which was out of question for me, not because I didn’t had that much with me but because by the time I reach the spot it will be dark and nothing will be captured in my camera. I decided to roam around the lake for sometime before I move on. I found some birds near the lake and clicked them.
Soon I started feeling hungry as the only food I had was around 10.30 am when the bus that stopped for breakfast. There was a Dhaba around half a km from village up the Ghat where I had some Wada Pau and saw a cute black cat, yeah, it was cutely evil, mocking me that I am not able to get accommodation. On inquiring I came to know that there are lodges in Phonda which was around 12 km from there and the next bus will be coming in sometime.
A Bus came around 6.45 pm which was headed to Vengurla. The bus conductor was a young chap, looked like he is new to it. I asked him the route and told I want to go to Alibag or Panvel the next day and which place will be good to halt. He said I can stay in Phonda or Kankouli. I somehow didn’t felt like staying at these places. I then asked which will be closest beach… he said Malvan will be closer and has good bus connectivity and Vengurla too has beach but is less connected and it will be around 10.30 pm when reach there. Something in me said let’s try it, I took a ticket for Vengurla and dozed off.
It was 9.30 pm when I got off the ST at Vengurla. A lodge was there near the Bus Stand with rooms made of timber and the floor covered with saw dust and sand. From the register I came to know that the last check in made into that lodge was 25 days back. I had a grand Malvani Dinner and fell asleep as soon as I lay on the cot; probably the smell of saw dust was soporific.
By 6.45 am I had hit the road to have the sea waves for the breakfast. After 10 mins of walk I came around a shrine along a rivulet. The sunrise, the chirruping birds, the stream, the numerous red flags stacked near the Shrine, the aroma from the incense sticks started cleansing my mind… or should I say my soul.
I sighted few birds near the stream which I had not before, the spotted dove, the Black-crowned Night Heron, the White-Headed Eagle, and the Stork-billed Kingfisher. I headed for the Sagareswar beach from there listening attentively to the whistles of the woods. I noticed a fig tree and stopped expecting barbets and there they were, munching the figs, their favorite fruits.
It was around 7.45 am when I reached the Sagareswar beach. The tides were higher compared to the beaches of Raigad District. There was a hill at the far end of the beach which had a light house on top; it must be around 5 km away, so I didn’t went there. I started taking shots of the waves, followed by baby crabs till I had enough of them. While returning to the main road I spotted few more birds… I took their shots and later found out that they were ‘Chestnut-headed bee-eaters’ unlike the normal ‘little green bee-eaters’ found around our place. I also saw Brown-headed Barbets, more of Red-Whiskered Bulbuls and a gang of Langurs jumping from the dense trees and a knavish cat.
I took an Auto back to the Vengurla Bus Stand as walking had become difficult because of a cut on the right foot, probably because of wearing the floaters. I had Puri Bhaji as breakfast and took few shots of a kitten. I still had an hour left till the bus to my next destination arrives.
I inquired about the light house and hired an auto to visit it. It was really hot and humid when I reached there. Around 200 steps lead to the top of the hill, which took me more than five minutes to ascend. Near the gate there was a board declaring it was a government property…. and something else….bla! bla! I didn’t read further as I didn’t found any ‘No Photography’ written when I skimmed through it. But soon; but not soon enough… only after I had taken pics enough to my satisfaction; that a old guy came out from his hiding declaring that there’s a fees to take photographs. I revisited the board and discovered that it was mentioned… but the paint had come off from the prefix ‘photo’ and only suffix ‘graphy’ was visible. After making the appropriate transaction I descended the steps and got in the auto and flew off to the bus stand, because if I miss the 10 am bus I have to wait till 2 pm for the next one.
The Blue colored bus left Vengurla at 10 am and headed for Goa.
It was around 11.30 am when I alighted at Panjim and had a Nimbu-Soda. It was really nostalgic to have it after three years. I had a flashback of the merriment during the Summer Training Days in Goa three years back.
I hired a bike-taxi and went to hunt for a place to stay of the night. But soon it boiled down that here too I won’t be able to get accommodation like in Dajipur but not because of any lack of facility but because I was not carrying any document to prove my identity. That was not so three years back, atleast something has changed. I booked my return ticket in AC Sleeper Bus. I had now just 8 hours left to enjoy the Goan Life.
I have seen most of Goa during my training days but there was one unfulfilled dream and it was the right time to fulfill it. It might sounds crazy but the dream wasn’t something one will attach with Goa, it’s not parasailing, it’s not surfing, it’s not trying the 3Fs of Goa (Fish, Feni and Football), it’s was a movie at INOX. It might sound crazy but it was an unfulfilled dream, we used to watch movies in a small theatre in Vasco where we used to stay during our training and never went to INOX as the tickets were costly. But last Saturday I decided to fulfill this dream of mine. The Taxi-Biker dropped me at INOX.
I took a ticket of ‘Alice in the Wonderland’; the show was at 1 pm. I started staring the posters; thinking I will be bored watching the movie alone, had never done that before; when I spotted a girl, in some weird green colored dress with a backpack, staring at the posters like me. I asked her if she too is a backpacker, to which she replied in affirmative. Her name was Jessica and she had come from Texas to learn Yoga. Soon the movie started and as the hall was mostly empty I joined her as the seat next to her was vacant.
After the movie we headed for Candolim beach, we crossed the Mondovi River on a launch and took a bus from the other side. After a long walk on the beach (with the cut on the right foot) we went to a bar made in a shack (not sure what the term for it is J) and ordered lemonades.
We talked a lot about travelling, about various places in India and outside and soon the conversation took a turn when I comment that I feel it’s weird for people taking Sunbath. She said tanning is in fashion now and she felt it is weird when she saw advertisement selling Indian men fairness creams, sudden the shack was filled with our laughter.
We were joined by another girl from Milan, her name was Daniela. I was really impressed by her expressions, she waved her hand more, and she had more facial expressions, and was more feminine. She told me she is learning Odissi dance when I told her that I am from Orissa. The chat went on and on. The evening flew away soon and it was time for yet another return journey, a journey conspired by the fellow above.
Somehow I missed the 4 am alarm. Getting up lazily at 7 am, with half my mind cursing me for making such a plan which no one preferred giving me company, I started getting ready. Being on my own, it gave me bit room to experiment with, I didn’t took any backup food, and also I wore floaters instead of shoes so that it will put restriction on me not to venture deep into forest alone.
The bus to Kolhapur started at 9.30 am from Swargate. Soon I dosed off and reached Kolhapur around 3 pm and immediately I got a bus for Radhanagari from ST Bus Stand. I was surprised to see a lady bus conductor; she must be in her 20s; it made me think this is real women empowerment at the ground level which is more required than the parliament quota. The same bus was going to Dajipur too, so I took a ticket for it.
Scenic is a term I use for just few places and the route from Kolhapur to Dajipur was such, with the beautiful backwaters of the Radhanagari Dam being the jewel on the crown. The far away mountains with dense forests were inviting me to get down from the bus and explore them, but may be fear of the wild and being devoid of a tent and trekking shoes kept me inside the safe limits of the bus and I just stared lustily out of the window.
It was 5.30 pm when I got off the bus at Dajipur. But suddenly all my estimations, all my great expectations, all hope fell apart. Upon inquiring I was told that there’s no lodging available, there was a MTDC resort but that too had shutdown and the forest dept’s guest house too needs permission from Kolhapur. Assuming that the villagers are fooling me as that’s the season, I took a walk around to inquire more but that was of no use. The Dajipur wildlife sanctuary was 22 km from Dajipur village and hiring vehicle costs around a 1000 bucks which was out of question for me, not because I didn’t had that much with me but because by the time I reach the spot it will be dark and nothing will be captured in my camera. I decided to roam around the lake for sometime before I move on. I found some birds near the lake and clicked them.
Soon I started feeling hungry as the only food I had was around 10.30 am when the bus that stopped for breakfast. There was a Dhaba around half a km from village up the Ghat where I had some Wada Pau and saw a cute black cat, yeah, it was cutely evil, mocking me that I am not able to get accommodation. On inquiring I came to know that there are lodges in Phonda which was around 12 km from there and the next bus will be coming in sometime.
A Bus came around 6.45 pm which was headed to Vengurla. The bus conductor was a young chap, looked like he is new to it. I asked him the route and told I want to go to Alibag or Panvel the next day and which place will be good to halt. He said I can stay in Phonda or Kankouli. I somehow didn’t felt like staying at these places. I then asked which will be closest beach… he said Malvan will be closer and has good bus connectivity and Vengurla too has beach but is less connected and it will be around 10.30 pm when reach there. Something in me said let’s try it, I took a ticket for Vengurla and dozed off.
It was 9.30 pm when I got off the ST at Vengurla. A lodge was there near the Bus Stand with rooms made of timber and the floor covered with saw dust and sand. From the register I came to know that the last check in made into that lodge was 25 days back. I had a grand Malvani Dinner and fell asleep as soon as I lay on the cot; probably the smell of saw dust was soporific.
By 6.45 am I had hit the road to have the sea waves for the breakfast. After 10 mins of walk I came around a shrine along a rivulet. The sunrise, the chirruping birds, the stream, the numerous red flags stacked near the Shrine, the aroma from the incense sticks started cleansing my mind… or should I say my soul.
I sighted few birds near the stream which I had not before, the spotted dove, the Black-crowned Night Heron, the White-Headed Eagle, and the Stork-billed Kingfisher. I headed for the Sagareswar beach from there listening attentively to the whistles of the woods. I noticed a fig tree and stopped expecting barbets and there they were, munching the figs, their favorite fruits.
It was around 7.45 am when I reached the Sagareswar beach. The tides were higher compared to the beaches of Raigad District. There was a hill at the far end of the beach which had a light house on top; it must be around 5 km away, so I didn’t went there. I started taking shots of the waves, followed by baby crabs till I had enough of them. While returning to the main road I spotted few more birds… I took their shots and later found out that they were ‘Chestnut-headed bee-eaters’ unlike the normal ‘little green bee-eaters’ found around our place. I also saw Brown-headed Barbets, more of Red-Whiskered Bulbuls and a gang of Langurs jumping from the dense trees and a knavish cat.
I took an Auto back to the Vengurla Bus Stand as walking had become difficult because of a cut on the right foot, probably because of wearing the floaters. I had Puri Bhaji as breakfast and took few shots of a kitten. I still had an hour left till the bus to my next destination arrives.
I inquired about the light house and hired an auto to visit it. It was really hot and humid when I reached there. Around 200 steps lead to the top of the hill, which took me more than five minutes to ascend. Near the gate there was a board declaring it was a government property…. and something else….bla! bla! I didn’t read further as I didn’t found any ‘No Photography’ written when I skimmed through it. But soon; but not soon enough… only after I had taken pics enough to my satisfaction; that a old guy came out from his hiding declaring that there’s a fees to take photographs. I revisited the board and discovered that it was mentioned… but the paint had come off from the prefix ‘photo’ and only suffix ‘graphy’ was visible. After making the appropriate transaction I descended the steps and got in the auto and flew off to the bus stand, because if I miss the 10 am bus I have to wait till 2 pm for the next one.
The Blue colored bus left Vengurla at 10 am and headed for Goa.
It was around 11.30 am when I alighted at Panjim and had a Nimbu-Soda. It was really nostalgic to have it after three years. I had a flashback of the merriment during the Summer Training Days in Goa three years back.
I hired a bike-taxi and went to hunt for a place to stay of the night. But soon it boiled down that here too I won’t be able to get accommodation like in Dajipur but not because of any lack of facility but because I was not carrying any document to prove my identity. That was not so three years back, atleast something has changed. I booked my return ticket in AC Sleeper Bus. I had now just 8 hours left to enjoy the Goan Life.
I have seen most of Goa during my training days but there was one unfulfilled dream and it was the right time to fulfill it. It might sounds crazy but the dream wasn’t something one will attach with Goa, it’s not parasailing, it’s not surfing, it’s not trying the 3Fs of Goa (Fish, Feni and Football), it’s was a movie at INOX. It might sound crazy but it was an unfulfilled dream, we used to watch movies in a small theatre in Vasco where we used to stay during our training and never went to INOX as the tickets were costly. But last Saturday I decided to fulfill this dream of mine. The Taxi-Biker dropped me at INOX.
I took a ticket of ‘Alice in the Wonderland’; the show was at 1 pm. I started staring the posters; thinking I will be bored watching the movie alone, had never done that before; when I spotted a girl, in some weird green colored dress with a backpack, staring at the posters like me. I asked her if she too is a backpacker, to which she replied in affirmative. Her name was Jessica and she had come from Texas to learn Yoga. Soon the movie started and as the hall was mostly empty I joined her as the seat next to her was vacant.
After the movie we headed for Candolim beach, we crossed the Mondovi River on a launch and took a bus from the other side. After a long walk on the beach (with the cut on the right foot) we went to a bar made in a shack (not sure what the term for it is J) and ordered lemonades.
We talked a lot about travelling, about various places in India and outside and soon the conversation took a turn when I comment that I feel it’s weird for people taking Sunbath. She said tanning is in fashion now and she felt it is weird when she saw advertisement selling Indian men fairness creams, sudden the shack was filled with our laughter.
We were joined by another girl from Milan, her name was Daniela. I was really impressed by her expressions, she waved her hand more, and she had more facial expressions, and was more feminine. She told me she is learning Odissi dance when I told her that I am from Orissa. The chat went on and on. The evening flew away soon and it was time for yet another return journey, a journey conspired by the fellow above.
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