Goa in monsoon

This was my first visit to Goa. Sun 'n' Sand? - nopes - some wet sand, but no sun at all - it was monsoon in Goa!

There were 10 of us. We hired five bikes and then, we were on a roll. We rolled through incessant rains. At one point, we stopped to buy us flimsy raincoats that made us look funny - yet another reason to laugh.

We had plenty of reasons to laugh; being together outside work was one of them. So excited were we that we created a Whatsapp group long before we started for Goa, first to make plans, and then to stay connected whilst in Goa.

Goa is not only about beaches. It is also about old forts, long rides and long, long lunches and dinners in picturesque eateries (especially long because Goan restaurateurs take their own sweet time to serve food).

Soaked to our skins, we rode through lush greenery, rain on our faces. A wrong turn led to a petty skirmish with the law, but that was part of the experience of Goa - a wet, green Goa.

But oh yes! Goa is definitely about beaches. And what lovely beaches! Some of them we had all to ourselves. The waters rolled and roared loudly, as if to call back the seasonal revellers who avoid the monsoons. But there we were, having the time of our lives. Mobile phones went click, click, click - capturing us in various poses against the lovely backdrops. There was the fear of the rains damaging the phones, but the views were irresistible.

Didn't I mention drinks and dancing? Those in the group who love their drinks regaled at the lower prices. Some drank and danced through the night, while others went off to sleep, to garner energy for the following day's adventures.

Three days and two nights were all we had. But the return journey by train was no less beautiful. As long as we could, we fell over each other to watch the scenic Western Ghats and the magnificent Doodhsagar Falls in all its monsoon glory.

After sunset, the train took a longish break at Londa, where we resumed our photo sessions, pretending to pull and push the train and asking every other passenger on the platform to capture the group in a snap.

Like all good things, the trip ended, but we are still holding on to the Whatsapp group, still exchanging photos and memories. Perhaps we'll use it for another trip in the not-so-distant future.