Seeing the light, in every drop of rain!

I’ve fallen in love, with Goa, all over again. The monsoon is finally here and at long last, I can see it rain for miles on end. The other day, I was sitting at a friend’s place and staring out of the window, watching the rain fall off the branches of the trees close by. It’s such a beautiful sight. Even when I lived in Mumbai, the only time I enjoyed the monsoon was when I hopped onto a train and came here. The smell of wet mud just smells so much better here than in the big city.

Falling in love is not an easy thing. One minute you’re doing what you normally do, the next thing you know, you’re catapulted into a vortex of colour and sound — A kaleidoscope of emotions. Then again, that’s not what I feel about Goa. I would reserve that for a certain someone, wherever she may be. At this time, I’m more inclined towards being footloose and fancy free in the rain.

Goa never felt so good. I would often extoll the virtues of spending a few days here in the rain, to everyone who would want to do something different. I would long for the chance to come here, book a room in a resort on the beach and sit there reading, sipping on something warm or watching a good movie. Experience a different Goa. I can do that now, but then again, I have a day job. Not such a good idea now, especially since after this little piece, my boss is not going to believe me if I call in sick.

Even now, I dream of heading to the beach and walking barefoot in the rain, feeling the wet sand crunch beneath my toes. Standing on an empty shore, the waves crashing down with immense ferocity. In some ways, I’m a child of the wild. Like those people who love to be amongst nature and beautiful things. About two years ago, a few friends and me went out for a holiday. Somewhere between Mumbai and Goa, it was in the middle of two hills and by a beach and we spent two beautiful days there. I remember getting up in the early morning and walking up a hill and just sitting there, taking in the sights. We had so much fun, just squatting on a rocky outcropping and eating lunch, or playing cards in the late evening until dinner. It was a pretty peaceful but short holiday. My only regret was that we didn’t have more time or else we would have just driven down to Goa and had more fun here.

The only scary part about the monsoon in Goa is riding a bike on the wet roads. Drivers still show no mercy for bikers when coming down a slope or overtaking on a straight. The chances of an accident happening are even more now, but the apathy still stands.

On the brighter side, the roads are cleaner and the place has gone quieter, which, in a lot of ways, is a good thing. Though, I strongly feel that as a tourist destination, Goa can do so much more. This season can also be a good time to visit the state and someone should see to it that the wheels are set in motion in this regard. Until then though, I look forward to cantering in soaking wet to work, sipping hot coffee on a damp morning and walking carefree in the sand.

May 31, Gomantak Times, Goa