Reunion @ Goa

30 girls passed out together in 1998. And 15yrs later eight met in Goa on November 22, 2013. My first all girl outing after college.

It started with a Whatsapp idea and ended with a Goa trip. Absolute fun & relaxation. Thanks to Guaan for making all the arrangements in advance for us and coordinating whole lot of things at Goa....from our stay at Casa-de-Goa to making arrangements for airport pick-up & drop and our local sight seeing arrangements. Since the gang had a combination of pure veg & non-veg eaters, special research was done in finding out good places for us to eat. And I must say that this was the best veg food I have ever had in Goa.
Six of us met up at Blore airport. Another friend N, from Delhi was to join us, but last minute changes in plan and her seat got filled by Surprise element..C, another Blore friend. So seven of us from Blore. The one hour that we had before we could catch our flight to Goa was used up in making noise and catching up on all the old memories. At Goa 2 Innovas were waiting to pick us up and take us straight to Casa-de-Goa. Situated at a walking distance from Baga beach, this place has is done up well, rooms are comfortable for 2 people stay, complimentary wine bottle and complimentary breakfast. Since we booked it 2 months in advance we got it real cheap (Rs.4850/- for 2 nights on twin sharing basis + innova charges)

Casa-de-Goa

For me personally it was a reunion with my best pal M. Not planned, yet we got to share the room and catch up with all the talking we hadn't done in the last 13-14yrs.

Together again

Just 2 days, yet one could make out that no one has really changed. Each one was still the same person- happy, temperamental, wild and beautiful smiles...nothing has really changed us in the last 15yrs, except for the people around us, husbands, kids. Friday evening is when we reached Goa, decided to do some shopping on our way to the beach and dinner at Souza Lobo. Delicious food by the beach..candle lit place and music playing and sound of waves in the background.

Dinner@Souza Lobo

Saturday morning started with a walk at the beach followed by heavy buffet breakfast at the hotel and then we were off for sight seeing. Five of us chose to see Old Goa and three decided to rest back and enjoy the beach. With just 2 days in hand these were the only places we could see apart from enjoying the Baga Beach & food at Souza Lobo.

• Christian Art Museum,

• St. Augustines Tower

St.Augustine Tower

• Basilica of Bom Jesus

• The Church of our lady of the Rosary

On our way to Our Lady of Rosary

Convent of St.Monica

• Se Cathedral

• Church of St. Francis of Assisi

Tomb of St. Francis Xavier

Each one had its own beauty. December is supposed to be a better season to visit Goa, but at 12:00PM, everything seems hot. Some of us had out caps/ hats on, and some chose to buy woven hats at shopping centers. Panjim Inn is where we stopped for lunch as we were told that those interested in Mario Miranda's work of art at a place below Panjim Inn.

I picked this

Table made of waste wood and tile looked perfect for a green corner. Saw this at another place that we went hunting for close to an hour.

Lunch @Panjim Inn

 

Post all the shopping and sight seeing we went back to our hotel to rest for a while. All of us met up in G&P's room. G had picked up some goan specialities for us..the Coconut cake, Gud cake (made with jaggery), Bebinca, Brownies. After a long day outside we hogged. Cups, tea bags & sugar packets had been smuggled into the room and M made hot tea for all of us. After about 2 hrs of chit chat and laughter went down to have dinner at the hotel. With all the goa guddies inside our tummy, all of us chose to eat light. I went for a short walk with P & C and then straight off to bed at 11.00PM. Although we were tired after all days walk, M & I ended up talking till 2.00AM.

Sunday morning began with a beach walk..all of us wetting our feet, 

Pilate Live

P & C busy with their Pilate session, S searching for Star fishes and helping fishermen pull with their boat, S, R & G searching for shells and M & I searching for pebbles.

S helping the fishermen

Star fish

Last day@the Beach

My favorite shot

Special Mention...Happy G.

Sunday afternoon was our return flight. G helped us with booking our return cabs and we were soon on our return flight.

Planter's Club, Sakleshpur

A last minute trip worked out well.

September 27, 2013- Worked like a dog from 5pm to 10pm- no break. Reached home at 10.15pm and sat back for work at 11pm, worked till 5am. Got up at 9am to find kids awake and playing with their dad.

September 28, 2013- 10.15am we decided we should take a short break away from Blore and Sakleshpur was decided upon. 

And there we were on the NICE road...Blore Hassan road paying at all the toll gates and enjoying the wide highways.



He called up the Planter's club which has affiliation with our club here...and found that they had rooms available. Good weather, quiet and neat place, large room, yummy home made hot food that is what welcomed us when we reached there.
Since it was already evening when we reached, we decided we will visit Sakleshpur town and see some places around it. We visited the Sakleshwara temple later that evening.

Kukke Subramanya

Next day we decided to visit Kukke Subramanya which was just 60kms away from this place. Unfortunately post monsoon, the roads were in terrible condition and we took close to 3hrs to reach kukke..just in time for the last darshan. At the temple, Boys n Men are expected to bare chested, even the baniyans are not allowed. It came as a surprise to me that, my son who is all the time looking at himself in the mirror was all shy to walk around the temple without shirt. :-) Well, we managed a good darshan without much fuss from the kids. 
By the time we returned from Kukke it was already 4pm, but folks from Planter's club had kept hot food ready for us. Post (late) lunch we headed back for Blore. Hot coffee at Oosoor estate and our next break was straight at Blore.

Looking for a quick break out of Bangalore, Sakleshpur works out just fine for a 1 night 2 days break.

Kids having a good time in Car