13.2.06

Is it time for a change?

It will be a month since I returned from Goa. But the sand seems to be there in my flip flops.

The trip came as a junket offer and I stayed at a resort in South Goa. I was on my own. Yet I had the time of my life. I did as many things as is possible in three and a half days (my feet went really sore). Eating, parasailing, jetskiing, dolphin chasing, a trip to a spice plantation, going for elephant rides, getting extremely oily ayurvedic body massages...

Parasailing was exhilarating. It was the first time I tried it. The scenery from up there was fantastic. Only I had a hard time getting back to land. I have to come to the conclusion that you need strong arms to make it back.

And yes, I went for an underwater sea walk. This was a weird experience at the Baina Beach near Vasco. First of all, the water was not at all clear, secondly, there was no changing room and thirdly the helmet (very like a huge space helmet) which had several 1 kilo weights attached to the rim left two sore spots on my shoulders. Turns out that mine was defective.

I have to confess that I am not a water baby. So as I descended down the ladder into the sea and had the helmet lowered over my head, I panicked. The water was rising and almost threatened to reach my ears. But then thankfully it didn't. The only consolation was the good looking walk leader. I didn't even get the chance to flirt. The resort guy insisted on saying: "A come on hurry. We have to leave." I have never felt more akin to punching somebody.

The one moment I will never forget is when I was sitting on the rocks on Anjuna Beach and swigging a cranberry breezer. The wind whipping my hair with wild abandon, the sunset and the firang band playing live music at Cafe Looda's in the backdrop. It was surreal. As it grew darker, the sky became as starry as it could get. The feel was so bohemian and young. Now I know why people rave about Goa. Plus it has some of the most pretty quaint villas. I want to go back -- either own a shack, or be a bartender.

Or if none of these work, I have come upon another career option. Recently I attended a chocolate appreciation workshop by a French chef who is the head patissier at Harrods. I asked him if he would let me be his assistant. The man kept laughing. But he gave me his number and asked me to give him a call. So now I have to take a call.

In between, my folks have been obsessing about me returning home and working in Calcutta. At one point I was ready to and even asked my boss for a transfer. Now when he said: "I can't imagine you working the Cal office. Also you have to do production work," I thought twice. I guess I am too much in love with my life, work, the profile, the timing, to give it all up. My parents are sulking but I am too chicken to take such a huge step. And I just hate production. So am sticking on in Delhi.

Meanwhile, it is nearing. S's wedding. Everyone around me seems to be getting married. Now even another friend, who has gone to Calcutta for some time, is planning to go in for an arranged marriage. The bug seems to be spreading fast.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

A) I have to read your blog to get all these interesting Goa details...?!!
B) S's wedding looks like a recipe for disaster if you ask me!
C) E is always there for inspiration and comfort :-)
D) Let's go shopping.

shyam said...

Strange, another friend that I know is contemplating chucking it all and going back to Cal, transfer or not.

Anonymous said...

wow!! thats sounds like an amazing trip.....it is so cool that you get to visit Goa and do all these crazy things.....good for you! I just noticed something.....almost every post of yours will have a food section. I guess somethings never change. I remember whenever I would talk about a date, or an evening out, your first question was ALWAYS...'So what did you eat?'

SwB said...

It s taken you a month to get over Goa!?! :) ... yeah I guess Goa can do that to a person. Good to see you again AB.

AB said...

moth: a) You are a busy madam;)
b) Now I thought everything was proceeding smoothly.
c) Hmmpphhh...what about me????
d) Need you say!Time and date lady...

codey: A friend of mine is doing the same. Calcutta's calling it seems.

amy: Bitch;) Oh amy I suddenly remember those fun days. As I was coming to office I saw a group of four schoolboys probably bunking school and sitting in the lawns at the zoo. Though we never did that, it somehow made me feel so nostalgic. Where did those days go?

saltwaterblues: Hey I haven't yet got over it. I am actually contemplating doing the things I wrote in my post for six months there. Now living the Goa life wouldn't be bad would it? And it's good to have you here too:-)

shyam said...

hehe.. well.. consider it a part of my devious plan to rid del of all the bongs; us evil mallus shall rule the capital shitty ;-)

AB said...

codey: No such luck mate:-)

Rat said...

Hey welcome back babe... Your Goa trip sounds like awesome fun. Its quite cool that you did all that on your own. Im coming to delhi soon. Hope to catch up.

AB said...

Rat: Ya do let's meet up. It's high time now. I hope you are coming soon though. I am going to Calcutta mid-March.

Parna: The ayurvedic massage made me feel like a gauche village belle. Seriously the amount of nakhras I did, made my masseur (a Mallu girl) feel shy. At the end though I felt like an oil tanker on the move.

Now that I am going to Calcutta for S's wedding, I know I will need to hang on with all my life.

Rat said...

Im there from the 28th of feb till the 5th of March. I dont have your email id so pls mail me - that.only@gmail.com.

AB said...

rat: Hokie dokie. By the way, mine is its_wax@rediffmail.com

AB said...

rat: Hokie dokie. By the way, mine is its_wax@rediffmail.com

Jay said...

Your holiday sounds fabulous. Not sure I'd enjoy walking underwater though. Now tell us more about the oily massages!

Ron said...

I have never been to Goa *a very sad face*. Also, beaches and sand and sun and salt water usually results in my face turning purple while my nose turns red (much like Rudolph), so I think its not a good idea for me to go there ever. *Siiiighs*. But your holiday sounds like sooo much fun!! Welcome back to the blogworld btw.

AB said...

Jay: Sigh. I just want to go back. Underwater walks are not bad at all. It seems you are as fond of the water as me;) Oily massages ha? You pervert...

Ron: Hey Rudolph, please do:-) You cannot miss out on Goa. If you want you can park yourself under the cabanas!

Sonia said...

AB,you're blog is lovely! and i do mean "lovely". i feel like i can relate to everything you say. and reading ure posts make me feel so nice!
Goa seems wonderful!
and you're right, everyone i know is getting married too! :o( it worries my parents like crazy, which is in turn stressiung me out!