Every trip to Goa ends the same way - wishing to stay longer. It had only been a year since my last visit and with a break in classes, I and my girlfriend packed our bags and set off.
It started with some trouble as upon arriving at the airport, I called the beach huts I had booked online for confirmation which was declined. Apparently, Booking.com never intimated the same to them, however the owner of the cottage was a helpful person and provided us accommodation in a room in his sister's home at a discounted price.
But every trouble was forgotten as we took a dip in the calm cool water at sunset and kicked back with beers and seafood by a bonfire as some musician played old rock 'n roll classics on his guitar.
After breakfast at Agonda we took an auto to Palolem where we checked into the beach huts that I stay at every time I go there. We went on to the beach for lunch and and spent an idle afternoon taking dips and getting drunk. The evening was spent at the Palolem market shopping for trinkets before heading to the beach for a candlelit dinner and live music.
With Palolem being more crowded than usual we headed back to Agonda the next morning. I have found it more economical to hire a Honda Dio or Activa to travel to Agonda, Patnem and other nearby beaches as they charge INR 400 total while autos will charge INR 500 to travel to and fro from Agonda alone.
Anyway, the day was spent beautifully as we stayed in the water for hours and sipped beer and cocktails all day long. We returned at sunset to Palolem for another candlelit dinner.
After lunch at Palolem we headed started the long cab drive to Mandrem. Reaching there in the evening, we had a late lunch at the sea facing huts where we were staying, had a nice dip and chilled by the beach for the rest of the evening.
Woke up and hired a bike from the owners of the huts we were staying at to enjoy a nice ride to Baga beach for breakfast. But as it always happens with me, the quantity as well as the quality of the crowd got to me and I could not get back to peaceful old Mandrem fast enough. Had an idle evening at Mandrem with lots of dips and food.
Last day in Goa so we decided to just chill at Mandrem all day. The day alternated between dips in the sea, beers in the restaurant and just lazing around on the sunbeds. In the evening we walked along the beach street picking up trinkets and snacking on shawarma rolls. We left for the airport the next morning and headed back.
