Travelling is said to open the mind-it broadens the thinking process of the mind, channelizes energies in a positive way and tends to transform us into better individuals as we come to know about the different aspects, cultures, people and tend to blend them together. And travelling has always fascinated me.
When I was a little younger, I used to browse through the pages of travel magazines and admire the pictures which set my mind to wander about discovering or visiting the places. I aspired to become a travel writer. Travelling instills an inexplicable feeling. And travelling across a country as vast as India means going through the pages of flip book…..you flip across and the scene changes. Like the US, India, too, has many states which offer great, revealing attractions. And one such state is Goa.
I haven’t travelled much but the places where I have had certainly left great impact on my mind. The smallest state of Indian territory, Goa is very well connected to the city of Mumbai( where I reside) by all the four modes of travel- air, rail, road and even water that is, by cruise. And I had been to the state with my family by the train.
It was indeed a wonderful experience of travelling through the railways, one of the most priced and celebrated possessions of India. The Indian railways are said to be one of the largest employers of the world, for they hire more than ten lakh people. Frankly speaking, I was a little apprehensive about the travel since I had never ever travelled by the train. But still, I thought it was always better to experience something new. And little did I know that my ‘apprehensiveness’ would soon fade out and I would soon be thrilled by such a journey. As soon as we boarded our express train, I was filled with great amazement- the train was above my expectations for it was neat and had bed sheets and cushions neatly tucked into the berths(it was night), clean ambience and else. Wow! I could not sleep the entire night!
Our train rustled through several stations, across paddy fields, sunflower farms, hectares full of cashew crops, mango trees and other plantations which gave a scenic appeal to the entire landscape. We also came across the famous and the much-hyped Dudhsagar waterfalls, the most amazing feature of the Mumbai-Goa rail route. I could actually sense my adrenaline gushing because of all such excitement. I yearned for more of these.
Finally after one such exciting and sleepless night as well as an entire morning, we made it to our destination of the Goan railway station, Margoa or Madgaon(the d is pronounced as r) and it was noon by the time we reached there. We were cordially received by the hotel staff and guided through our course to the hotel where we intended to stay, Heritage. It was a four-star hotel or an A+ rated(as used in some countries) situated just near the renowned Arosim beach. I could hardly eat a thing- but let me tell you, there were great, scrumptious, finger-licking delicacies on the menu ranging from Goan cuisine to Chinese, continental and much more that it could even a lure a saint who has renounced the luxuries of life!
We then made our way to the Arosim beach but were actually pretty exhausted as the day had been too tiring. We returned back, promising ourselves to come back the next morning. And then back at the hotel, though lethargic, we had immense fun- it was also the first time for me when I sang with the help of a karaoke, danced a lot to the tune popular Hindi songs. We returned back to our luxurious rooms and the moment we saw our beds, we seemed to be attracted towards them and were flat on them! It was only the next noon when we woke up. Again, we quickly filled our bellies and as promised the other day, we first went to the beach and then had a look to the nearby attractions. And oh my, my, my! The sights were revealing. It could be said as if some travel agent had dreamed up of such locations- the pristine beaches of Kolwa and Calangute, breath-taking vistas, the Basilica of Bom Jesus, many more of such Portuguese attractions, temples and so on.
And then we purchased heaps of cashew nuts- Goa’s delight, cruised over the serene Mandovi River, played cards, interacted with others and so on. Finally, our one night-two day’s trip came to an end and we settled down to our usual, monotonous routine. I am not publicizing but speaking very frankly, if you ever plan to visit India, do have a look to Goa. You’ll fall in love with it; over and over again. And now I have finally decided, I will surely be a travel writer!