Go..Goa ! 27th to 30th Oct 2014

An invite to a wedding of a friend's son..and program ban gaya...we would go to Goa and chill!!. Emerald palms and sapphire seas..did we need a reason? Not really but then an excuse always helps!

Booked at the Club Mahindra Emerald Palms, their new resort for 2N and then of course we would be shifting to the wedding venue - the Ramada, both in Varca.

Bangalore - Goa - Monday, 27th Oct 2014

Woke at 4am to pouring rain, packed breakfast and lunch, filled a flask full of coffee...carted all the luggage to the big guy Scorpio, when the rains became a bit less furious and we set off at 5am. The rains were still heavy enough to hamper progress at full speed, so slow and steady we drove on, passed Sira..stopped for breakfast which we had sitting in the car, some hot coffee and rolled on. It was only after Chitradurga that the rain let up though clouds remained..so it was very very pleasant. Just after the Hubli toll booth, we took a right and an immediate left to get on to the Karwar road. The first 430kms are on NH 4 and the balance 250kms through beautiful scenic Dandeli teak forests with lush green cover. Perfect to stop for lunch..watch out for monkeys though, which we did half way through. The last 52 kms when we turn right to Karwar (left will take you to Gokarna and Mangalore) are tedious as roads are narrow in typical West Coast fashion and heavy 2 wheeler traffic...watched the warship at Karwar port and wished the Govt. would build a lovely corniche so people can enjoy

the lovely vistas..on we drove through lanes bordered with laterite compound walls. turned at Madgaon church, picked up a cool drink and drank it lustily..it was 3pm and we were hungry..moved on till we got a 4 roads junction and turned left to reach Nevellim church, kept right, went over the bridge till we reached Varca church and continued straight as finally we spotted a board showing Club Mahindra (CM), a km from Varca church is a T-junction where a km on left gives you CM Varca Beach resort and a km on the right gives you CM Emerald Palms. This was earlier a Zuri property.

Reached CM Emerald palms and were bowled over by the beauty of this Portuguese Villa inspired design...open, beautiful, several pieces of art, huge fountains...nice!

Our 1 bedroom apt was on the first floor, it was very spacious and lovely...with 2 baths etc., and since our friends who were supposed to come couldn't make it..we had it all to ourselves!

A small catnap and we were up for some coffee and then we were ready for a swim, after that sleep called..and we had an early dinner and hit the sack.

Goa - Tuesday, 28th Oct 2014

Surprisingly, we were awake and without a trace of fatigue at 6am. Some coffee later, we walked on the beach which is 1 km from the resort, and unlike the other resort where we had to walk the length of the resort property and then quite a bit of beach to hit the sea..here we drove the 1 km, walked down white sands for maybe about 200m and we had the sea lapping at our feet. Beautiful, quiet, hardly anybody around - the sounds of the gentle waves whispering that all is well with the world..sheer bliss. We ordered some breakfast after reluctantly returning to the resort, and it came pronto in 15mins, albeit in those stupid boxes which I hated last time, and the feeling persists. This was the biggest put off for ordering meals from CM - there are 2 restaurants - 1 opp the resort called Travellers Rest and another adjoining called Loco's. The first one is run by Biharis and is a shack but the prices are the same as CM !! Loco's is run by a Goan couple and is patronized by nearly all of CM's members. 

At 11.30am feeling invigorated and the sea air making you feel good, we went up to Varca church and picked up some stuff for lunch at the super market next door, some cold beer, some snackies and returned...relaxed watching a movie with the cold beverage and lunch. Siesta time was relaxing and woke up at 5pm...another visit to the beach to view the glorious sunset and we returned to pick up some dinner from Loco's and happily lazed around the pool - swimming and chilling, till 8pm when we went up to our room 912 on the First Floor, which gave us a lovely view of the fountains, changing colors and looking ethereal..but the balconies are too small for practical use, so after clicking a few snaps, had dinner and read for some time in the living room as there is no proper bedside light for bedtime reading, which is so so important to me, went to sleep.

Goa - Wednesday, 29th Oct 2014

We repeated our early morning beach walk, returned, had breakfast and checked out at 10am and drove to Ramada Caravela Resort which we reached in 20 mins. As part of the Wedding party, we were given our designated room 202, which was lovely, had a nice garden view..only 1 peeve, no health faucet in an otherwise luxurious bathroom..the Mario cartoon on the tiled wall was the piece de resistance !

Then we went and met up with our fellow friends who had also checked in and the usual laughter and bonhomie ensued and after some beer and vodka, a decision to go to the famous Martin's Corner at Betalbetim after Colva Church for some fabulous seafood was taken. We drove up the 12 kms to the place and the effort was every bit worth it. Pomfret, Kismur, Calamari etc etc..you get the gist..with Ranga Rao and Ram hitting a couple of Feny shots too to complete the Goan experience. Since we had gone there at 2.45pm, we returned only at 5.15pm!!

Ranga and myself reached the Varca hall for the Sangeet and found Vivek and Pradeep around but the Feny still had Ranga and Ram under its influence, woke them up, some fresh lime soda did the trick..enjoyed the Sangeet and the dinner. 

We had to apologize to Nalini that we were leaving a day earlier then scheduled due to some unavoidable reasons, wished Nihar and his bride..and went up to our room. Packed up and went to sleep.

Goa - Bangalore Thursday 30th Oct 2014

Woke up at 6am, had a quick shower, and went down for breakfast at 7am, filled up some coffee, chatted with Rosa who was there for her walk and checked out. We left, the fuel gauge showing low, but could not locate a bunk till Cuchelim, on our way to Karwar..because there are no fuel bunks in Varca and in Madagaon we would have to go in the opposite direction of our trip...hearts in our mouth, till we fully tanked up (please bear this in mind)..by which time it was 8.15am, then we hit it straight back for Bangalore, a brief stop at the Warship Museum and the lovely gorge we drive through for some pics, a stop for coffee after Karwar and lunch at the Kamat Upachar some 15 kms after Hubli. Though lunch was ok, the place itself can be cleaner and has a look of dilapidation. (in fact come to think of it all the Kamat Upachars seem to have a woebegone look...wonder why?)

A brief stop after Tumkur, for some coffee and we cruised in to Bangalore at 6pm...weather was pleasant and barring about 3 hours in the afternoon, we did not need the AC.

Reached home at 6.40pm.

Super trip to Goa and back...thanks Nalini Nanjundayya for the lovely hospitality and arrangements...a place meant to relax and unwind..anytime!

Log

On the odo - 1403 kms

Fuel Economy - 14kms/litre

Route - Bangalore - Tumkur - Chitradurga - Hubli - (turn towards Karwar) - Karwar - Canacona - Cuchelim - Madgaon - turn left for Varca. - 680 kms.

Weather - Cool mornings and evenings, hot afternoons. Overall humid. Cottons only weather!

Photo Credits - Ranga with his EOS 1000D Canon