This post is dedicated to all the youngsters whose list of must-do includes a mandatory trip to Goa with friends. After all, you are not really best friends until you can claim to have a few drunken memories (or for that matter, forgotten memories?) from a Goa trip with your buddies, right?
So here goes a story from one such wild and crazy trip I had with my mad gang...
Chapter 1: Never Have I Ever...
Let's set some context first. This story is about seven friends, and is set in March 2014, the Holi weekend to be specific. A little more about these friends before we begin. They were four guys and three girls, MBA batchmates in their mid-twenties, who had finally managed to plan a weekend getaway after a loooot of cancelled plans. The getaway was meant for a serene beach of Ganpatiphule along the Konkan coast of Maharashtra - about 7 odd hours drive from Mumbai.
Why Ganpatiphule? Because it guaranteed a long drive, lay along the Konkan coast and promised a beautiful beach and some water sports popular among Mumbaikars - basically a younger, sober sibling of Goa. Now, sober was important mind you. A sober place also helped getting permission from their parents easier. A more important reason was that all seven of them were still relatively "uninitiated", so to speak, to the world of intoxication. And so, Ganpatiphule it was.
There was one problem though. Secretly, they all wished they were going to Goa instead.
Especially Sanvi, for she had never been there before. In fact, she wanted to go there so bad that all her recommendations for a meetup started with Goa. And of course, there for Ritu, who said she had already been to Goa before and failed to understand the big deal about it. Upon probing it was discovered that her visit to Goa had been with her parents (big straight face). So let us put her in the "never have I ever been to Goa before" category as well. As such, even Noel fell in the same category, but the only difference was that he did not care about changing this status. He was the unadventurous one, preferring to play it safe, the quintessential "good boy" of the lot.
And then there were the "been there, done there" lot of the group. This included, DJ (nickname, of course), who was also a "good boy" by standard definition. However, DJ had this hidden persona about him - a crazy, wild side that emerged only on occasions, among close friends. But boy, how he managed to flip the entire gameplan on those rare occasions when his alter ego surfaced!
This category also included Anya, who had visited Goa in the final year of her engineering course. Albeit, she had been too goody-good at the time to taste the real essence of the place, and so had this desire left in her to revisit - this time determined to make the most of it in the true sense. Also part of this category were Jenish and Sukesh, again engineers who had had the mandatory factory visit to Goa during their respective courses. Having had tonnes of fun the first time along, they were keen on going once again and recreating some special memories with their best buddies. Sukesh was the more conservative one though, needing a little convincing, debating and pushing before he opened up. But he was also the reliable one, the one who could find a jugaad to a situation if it came to that. For that matter, Jenish wasn't any less of a jugaadu. Except, he was likely to show more enthusiasm to a plan most times. Always sporty and taking the lead, he was the official "organizer" of the gang. So basically, if you wanted make Goa happen, you had to leave matters in the hands of his truly!
Chapter 2: Aaj Kuchh Toofaani Karte Hai
The day of the trip was here. It was Saturday morning, 6 a.m. was the decided time to meet at Dadar, where the car that Jenish had already booked was to pick them up from. When they all arrived, the checklist of all things they were to carry along was quickly checked off - playing cards, USBs with all the latest songs added, camera, speakers, snacks for the drive and a new addition by the girls this time - beach shorts (new because they hadn't dressed sexy with the guys before this - true story). After the mandatory South Indian breakfast at an Udipi restaurant near station, they were all set to go. Car meter readings were checked and nuances on the estimated distance and duration discussed with the driver. The silly chap wanted to confirm if they wanted to go to Ganpatiphule after all, and not Goa. Strange that he would ask this, no? Anyway, the USB was plugged in and speakers tested. The car was put into gear, and it was finally get set go!
Like any other drive with friends, this one too started with high energy and a lot of excitement and cheering. A quick plan was drafted - they were expecting to reach Ganpatiphule by early evening. So they decided on having two halts, a short one near Mumbai exit and one longer break for lunch. The driver - a young chap by the name of Santosh - who was himself also having fun on the drive, was quite chatty at too. Jenish was seated in the front seat (and by default acting as the default DJ), was also having a good time having small talk with him. He had found a new topic of conversation - distance to Ganpatiphule versus distance to Goa. His justification was - so what if we aren't going to Goa now, we can always check the details for next time. Well, he had a point, and we all joined him in this. Optimism at its best.
So apparently, Goa was twice as far as Ganpatiphule. Every now and then, everyone would calculate the ETA to Ganpatiphule and then derive the ETA for Goa. For some reason, they kept feeling dejected every time the ETA to Goa was post 10 pm. That would mean a wasted day, and with just 1 day to spare in Goa (considering the return drive on Monday), the plan just didn't seem to be fitting in. But wait, there WAS no plan for Goa in the first place! Silly gang, I tell you.
More silliness ensued, followed with mad humor and some tuneless, chorus singing at the top of their voices. Exhausted, they reached their first halt, just outside the city limits of Mumbai. Here, they hogged on delicious wada pav, kanda poha and misal pav. Incidentally, they also bumped into Anya's ex-boss, who was himself planning a trip to one other beach in Konkan with his family - how the entire city just waits to capitalize on a long weekend! Anyhow, a little small talk followed, and without much ado they were back on the road.
This time, the energy levels dropped a little quicker than before - hunger was kicking in fast. But on the other hand, the excitement level was increasing for some reason. The reason was this - the drive had picked up speed, and as a result the ETA to Goa was starting to seem more achievable. The more they discussed, the more feasible the plan seemed. To the extent that, soon enough, the driver proactively started updating them about the ETA every few minutes. But why get excited? It was too late to change plans now. Or was it?
The topic of Goa was slowly becoming an obsession. The lunch break was spent discussing possibilities and impossibilities. Not that they were changing the destination as such. And this was why this discussion was not healthy anymore - Ganpatiphule was starting to seem too dry already. How would they put their hearts into enjoying wholeheartedly if they kept thinking of Goa subconsciously all the time?
But who was going to explain this simple fact to this silly bunch? And so, the topic: "to go or not to go Goa" took over the remaining of the drive. All the merriment they had set out with - the singing, joking, playing - went out the window to be replaced by a singular objective - to decide on whether they needed to change their destination after all. Most still found it impractical. But yet, every time they saw a signboard to Goa, their hearts just skipped a beat - hoping against hope to make it happen. But how?
Jenish and Sukesh to the rescue. They started - just for the heck of it - checking stay options available in Goa, and charting out a clearer plan. A couple of agents promised to show them affordable service apartments to fit seven people. On the other hand, the gang also decided to live with bare-minimum fun just so they could make Goa happen. this meant, they were okay with just one night at the beach, one day clubbing, one day-time chill and a rushed and tiring drive of over ten hours each in a span of 3 days. Desperate, I tell you.
As the possibilities of finding an accommodation improved, the earlier dejection was starting to be slowly replaced with excitement once again. Jenish and Sukesh were ready to go ahead with the super-packed itinerary, however, Sukesh was a little more neutral. So was Sanvi - after all, this was the moment she had been waiting for all along! Anya was always a sport, as long as she was able to win her mom-dad's confidence. Ritu was a little confused, but after being told fun stories about Goa, she was also tilted in the positive direction. In fact, she was willing to lie at home to make this happen. So much for "decency"!
Now there were just two people remaining to be convinced - Noel and DJ. Noel was strictly against the plan. He did not like last minute changes, and found it too risky to go there without a confirmed booking for stay. DJ was also tilted towards no, for a more practical reason, that there was no point visiting Goa with such a packed itinerary. The whole point of "chilling" would be lost. He was of the view that there can always be a next time which could be better planned.
Time was running out now. The driver had just informed them that they would soon reach a junction from where the roads to Ganpatiphule and Goa would diverge. If they wanted to change the destination, this was the time to do it, else forget Goa for the rest of the trip (and perhaps, many more to come?).
Now what? the pros and cons were discussed quickly, without reaching an agreement. At last, they decided to put the decision to vote.
Jenish and Sanvi - IN!
Sukesh, Anya and Ritu - Neutral
Noel - NO!
It was all upto DJ now. If he did not favour the decision, they would all have to live with Ganpatiphule and the trip would be forever labelled as - the time we almost went to Goa.
At last, DJ uttered the words that would be etched in the gang's "DJ's famous quotes" directory forever.
He said, "Jab sabne decide hi kar liya hai ki aaj kuchh toofani karna hai, toh chalo Goa!"
A shrill of screams followed this epic statement. The driver was quickly informed to change the route, which according to the gang, was just over five minutes away.
The driver, however, was a smart chap. He declared he had already rerouted towards Goa sometime back - that's how well he had figured out the group dynamics in such a short time. Well, so much for the voting!
And that, my friends, is how my gang managed to finally create a most memorable trip to GOAAAAA.
Chapter 3: Fun, Frolic and Faux pas
Although the decision to head to Goa was a done deal, all was not smooth for the girls of the gang. They had yet to inform at their respective homes and more importantly, seek their permission in order to be able to happily enjoy the next 2 days. Now, this part might seem like no big deal to most of you, but for girls coming from simple, middle class, moderately conservative families, seeking permission for a Goa trip with friends (which also includes boys) is as stressful as an India-Pakistan final in cricket world cup. It is high stakes and high emotions. Every sentence they must say to their parents must be well thought, because one wrong move and it is game over! So, all three of them discussed the strategy first.
Anya decided that if she makes it look like a risky affair, her mom will sense her emotions and panic as well. So she needed to play it cool, and make it sound just another casual, routine trip with friends. She also thought she will use Sanvi as an excuse - even her mom knew Sanvi wanted to go to Goa so bad! Maybe, just maybe it might work?
Sanvi herself decided to talk to her sister instead. Being young herself, maybe she will see her perspective and be kind? The risk was that it was her sister who was more protective (read: strict) about matters concerning Sanvi, and so seeking permission from her was a risky gamble.
Ritu kept it simple. She would avoid informing her parents until she really needed to (read: until they actually reached Goa), because well, she had neither any good excuse nor the guts to tell at home at this point. Maybe, sometimes having no plan is a good plan?
And so, they all halted for a cuppa tea to make quick calls at respective homes, informing respective elders about change in plan. Anya's call went quite smooth - her mom in fact was cheering that Sanvi was finally going Goa! Sanvi got a bit of a warning, but she dodged the bullet this time. The boys just acted like boys and "informed" rather than "asked" at home. So now, it was only Ritu who was left. This is where the epic part comes in...newbies: watch and learn...
She called her dad much later in the evening. As such, it was merely a formality now, since they were in Goa already, and not like a denied permission would make them all go back! So here's how one of the most interesting permission-seeking-cum-informing conversations went:
M: Dad, so here's the thing. There has been a slight change in our plans. Actually, we reached Ganpatiphule earlier in the evening today, but it was very empty, nothing to do and we could not even get a good location to stay. So we just drove further in search of a better place. And now we have reached Goa. I will be back on Monday as planned.
(Confidence defined)
M's D: Oh! So if there was nothing to do there, then why did you not just take a nice, long drive and come back?
(Confidence destroyed)
Well, nothing he could do about it now. So her dad eventually accepted the fate, and the strategy worked like the magic of a sixer in the last over!
NOW the party was on! But first, house hunting...
Immediately upon reaching Goa, which was at around 11 pm, Sukesh and Jenish met up with the agents they had called on the way, and the boys headed out to check the apartments. The girls stayed back in the car (which was when Ritu made the call to her dad) and basically hoped the guys would find something soon. And find something good.
(Confidence defined)
M's D: Oh! So if there was nothing to do there, then why did you not just take a nice, long drive and come back?
(Confidence destroyed)
Well, nothing he could do about it now. So her dad eventually accepted the fate, and the strategy worked like the magic of a sixer in the last over!
NOW the party was on! But first, house hunting...
Immediately upon reaching Goa, which was at around 11 pm, Sukesh and Jenish met up with the agents they had called on the way, and the boys headed out to check the apartments. The girls stayed back in the car (which was when Ritu made the call to her dad) and basically hoped the guys would find something soon. And find something good.
After a lot of search, at midnight, the gang finally entered their service apartment in Calangute, North Goa. The building complex was this cute C-shaped 3-storied affair with a swimming pool in the centre. Their apartment itself was a 1-BHK, and needless to mention the girls claimed the bedroom while the guys crashed in the living room. There was 1 washroom, so getting ready was going to be a veryyy time consuming affair. But hey, they made it after all, and that's all that mattered! Quickly they freshened up and headed out to the Calangute beach to grab a bite at one of the shacks.
It was post midnight. The cool night breeze blew over the calm water of the Calangute beach. The near-full moon gave a silver glow to the playful waves that gently lapped the now cold sand. Walking bare-feet on this sand appeared a pretty damsel in the distance. Dressed in a low back, black dress, she completed the beautiful vision the night was drawing.
Enticed by this stunning vision was none other than Mr. Sukesh. It was obvious he was smitten, for he could barely take his gaze away. While the rest of them enjoyed teasing him about it, all he could wish for was for her to turn around, so their eyes could meet, and then...who knows!
And turn she did. But wait, this was...ahem...not quite the vision he was hoping for...
Why did the face not live upto the expectations her bare back had set? Such an anticlimax, after so much build up. Obviously, a laugh riot ensued looking at Sukesh's fallen face and open mouth. Poor guy, jokes about his "almost" black-beauty would not leave him alone for the rest of his life!
Several good laughs, a scrumptious meal and a few hookah-drags later, it was time to call it a night - or day, as it was close to 4 am now.
The next morning brought with it tonnes of adventure. First off, it was time to head to the beach for some water sports. First off was parasailing. It was Sanvi's first time, and she couldn't be any less thrilled. DJ enjoyed the banana boat ride the most. This was followed by a few catch-and-cook and form-a-chain games in the water, while Sanvi laid back on the beach chair, lazily clicking embarrassing pictures of everyone. This was why beaches are always so much fun.
Come evening, and the girls were ready to step out in their much-hyped short dresses. A warning was given to the guys to not give awkward reactions when they step out of the room. And hence, when Sanvi and Ritu adorned their shorts and Anya decked up in a floral mini-dress, the boys simply pretended to look away. They tried to act so extra-normal that the girls had to literally fish out compliments from them - not being awkward does not mean not complimenting, duh!
The plan was to grab a bite on the way - so they had some cheesy Domino's pizzas - and head to the casinos of South Goa. Sanvi was most excited about this part, and the moment she set eyes on the majestic looking Deltin Goa, she knew she was destined to go in!
Jenish was excited too, as was Noel. After all, who wouldn't want to make try their luck and make ome quick bucks, right? But going inside the casino would mean giving a miss to clubbing. This trade-off made the option of gambling appear a little less appealing to Anya and Ritu. On the other hand, Noel was not at all keen on the clubbing scene. Some mixed reactions from Sukesh and DJ meant the group in a state of confusion once again. Fortunately, this time they were quick to go in for a vote, and clubbing won with flying colours!!!
But, of course, there had to be a catch. Clubbing in Cubana required a formal attire, or atleast "closed-toe-shoes" for the guys, and Jenish did not have those. For that matter, Anya's floral, flowy dress wouldn't make the cut either. This meant they needed to go shopping, NOW!
A rush visit was made to the street market of Goa. After a tiring two hours, Anya spotted a smart green dress, but even after searching every shop - big and small - Jenish was unable to find one that sold a proper pair of shoes (all of them seemed to be having only beach-slippers for some reason). Disheartened, they decided to take their chances with whatever boots they had with them, and went back to their apartment to get dressed. Maybe as a last resort, he will borrow the driver's shoes. Desperate, right? But then, desperate times call for desperate measure.
There was one more challenge, though. Cubana allowed only couple entries. The group had 4 boys and 3 girls, that is, they had one stag guy who was likely to be refused entry altogether. If this happened, the entire night would be spoilt, not to mention, a missed chance to atleast visit the casino instead.
So they had a few options they could try. They could use the Indian jugaad - the standard resolution for any stag guy to gain entry into a club: find a single girl to tag along with. Or maybe this time Sukesh would find his real black-beauty and use his charisma to get in? Or maybe they could bribe the gatekeeper. Or maybe they could just sneak one of them in? And if nothing worked, maybe they could just beg and beg and beg until they were let in?
Or maybe, even after all their attempts and jugaads, they could still be refused entry.
Will the gang be able to gain entry into Cubana? Or will their dreams of experiencing the true Goa spirit be dampened after coming all this way?
Chapter 4: Drinking in the Goa Spirit, Literally
It was time. The girls put on their fancy party-wear, applied some fancy make-up, wore the best pair of shoes of the lot they were carrying. They stepped out of the room, assuming the guys would be ready as well. But a surprise awaited them.
They noticed that Noel was lying down on the bed, while the others were ready.
"What happened?" they asked in chorus.
"I'm not coming" replied Noel.
What?!
Apparently, he had made up his mind about abstaining and had no interest in clubbing. No amount of persuading seemed to change his mind, not even the agreeing to skip clubbing altogether to do something he would enjoy as well. So unfortunately, that was how it had to be.
However, here was a brighter side to it - if Noel wouldn't come, then they would be 3 guys and 3 girls...no more stags! Not just that, Noel insisted Jenish to use his shoes. Miraculously, they were also a perfect fit. The stars seemed to have suddenly aligned themselves to make a memorable night happen. Now it was time for some magic...
The club Cubana exceeded all of their expectations. A multi-level structure, with several segregated zones for dancing, dining, drinking and just chilling. There was a swimming pool at the lowest level; a large seating area with several wooden benches in one section of the first level, a bar in another and a lounge area with some cozy couches laying around; second level had a dance floor, another seating area and washrooms. The rustic stairway between each level was brightly lit, giving a youthful, peppy vibe to the entire place. The deejay was playing loud party music in the background. The crowd seemed fairly sophisticated (barring a few, as is with any place) and provided ample eye candy to the boys. Party mode was on, and Jenish offered to start with some shots!
So off went Anya, Jenish and DJ to get some for everyone. However, they seemed to be a very long queue. So Jenish suggested that they make the most of the waiting time, and have a couple of them at the bar itself. So they had a couple of them at the bar, a couple of them with everyone else. But it still seemed they were running out of shots very quickly. They needed something to last longer. So they went back a second time, this time Sanvi also came along, and got some vodka with sprite and Coke in addition to the shots. Of course, this time too, all of them had a couple of shots on the way to make the most of the waiting time...
One shot led to another, which in turn led to yet another. Before they knew it, they had each had for to five shots, topped with a drink or two here and there. Very soon, the atmosphere lightened and their mind and bodies loosened up. They headed to the dance floor now, and had a gala time swaying to the peppy beats the deejay played. And then...
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The girls were now in the girls' washroom, after having waited a long time for their turn. Anya had been in for quite a while now and Sanvi knocked every couple of minutes on her cubicle checking if everything was okay. After what seemed like ages, she finally emerged, washed her face, and "appeared" to have recovered, but then...
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They were seated at the couch on the first level, discussing DJ's injured hand. They tried to recall what had exactly happened, but then...
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Anya was clearly dizzy now. The others made her sit in the corner bench so she could be more comfortable. A girl - stranger - was trying to comfort her, handing some water as she spoke. When DJ tried to check in on Anya, she kept repeating that she was fine, only a little "tipsy", about fifty times over. She seemed to be getting a little better, but then...
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Sanvi was crying ceaselessly and Sukesh was trying to console her. Something had happened in the last few minutes that had made her cry. Wait, hadn't she been on a call with her sister? Maybe she got scolded bad for partying. They tried to make her understand as to not worry so much, but then...
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Ritu had just started running downstairs, and Jenish was following her. Did she just reach the swimming pool?
"Wait!" Jenish screamed out to her as he tried to catch up, but then...
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They were all now heading back to the car, including Jenish and Ritu. Anya was clearly unsteady, but not yet ready to accept it. She confidently repeated, "I am not high, I am tipsy. I don't know what I am talking, but I know where I am walking."
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Were those some hookers they just saw on their way back?
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They had reached their apartment, and were subjected to shocking looks from Noel. The girls finished helping Anya change and everyone seemed to be back in their senses now. However, they were too exhausted with the day's events to discuss anything. So off they went to their beds, leaving a scandalized Noel to tend to himself.
What had happened that evening after all? Will they at all be able to piece the jigsaw puzzle together?
Well, whatever had or had not happened that evening, will need to wait the night out to sort itself.
Chapter 5: The Incomplete Jigsaw Puzzle...
Around 9 am Monday morning.
It was the last day of their trip. However, the atmostphere was strange today. The group had freshened up quietly and quickly. This was their check-out day and if they at all wanted to get back to office the next day, they had to get going fast. But first, they had to face the repercussions of yesterday.
Noel was smirking to himself, having witnessed his closest friends at their embarrassing best. The girls, particularly Anya, were feeling the most awkward, and avoided the topic of last night as much as possible. DJ was sporting a dressing on his hand, and a broken watch. Sukesh was trying to make small of whatever had happened, but Jenish was the one most interested in fixing the jigsaw pieces from last night together. Sanvi started helping him out with whatever little she could recall. Gradually, everyone joined in the conversation, filling in lost bits from their leftover memory flashes.
The conversation picked up at breakfast (South Indian, of course) at a nearby restaurant. It was Holi, and looking up from the first floor glass window of the restaurant, they could see passersby with colours on their faces. Some foreigners were enjoying a chilled morning beer. How could they have beer such early in the morning, they wondered, for all their heads were throbbing with hangover from the previous night!
"I think it were the Vodka shots" Jenish muttered.
"What do you mean Vodka? I thought they were Tequila..." Anya was surprised.
"Haha! Tequila was expensive, Vodka was covered" Jenish laughed at his little secret.
"And you didn't bother to tell us! No wonder we landed up here!" Anya exclaimed.
Noel had just given a brief download to the others about the state they had arrived in from the party the previous night. Sukesh had entered the apartment, followed by DJ who barely dragged himself in. Ritu and Sanvi were half dizzy and barely able to walk in, yet supported Anya who was completely out of her senses, it seemed. Jenish had entered last, fairly dazed himself, and was muttering about how their driver had tried to keep a neutral expression after looking at the state their seemingly "decent" passengers had been in. After changing, everyone seemed to be returning gradually back in their senses, but were too exhausted with the day's events to discuss anything. So off they had gone to their beds, leaving a scandalized Noel to tend to himself.
"Forget all this, first tell me, DJ how did you get this cut on your hand?" Ritu diverted the topic...
"I think it was when we broke the glass while dancing..." DJ replied.
"Dude, your watch is broken as well" Sanvi noticed.
"Yes, even I noticed it only this morning. Must have been when Anya broke the glass..."
"I broke a glass!!!" Anya exclaimed, clearly not having the slightest recall of her previous nights' endeavors.
"Yes ma'am, and that was followed by the washroom fiasco.." Sukesh recalled.
"Do you girls remember how long you all took in there? At one point I tried coming in myself to check if everything was okay. But then someone stopped me, so we had to send in those girls to ask about you...how we had to describe you all to them!" Jenish said confidently.
"But then when was Ritu's chase sequence? You know I almost thought you would jump into the pool!"
"I think that was after Anya's fifty repetitions of her rhyme - I'm not high, I'm tipsy...I don't know what I'm talking, but I know where I'm walking..."
"Now that rhyme I remember vividly..." She laughed this time, and the others joined in.
An hour of scrumptious meal later, they were no closer to fixing the order of events of the previous night, or even recalling all the events, for that matter. Little did they know that it was going to be a long, long time before the pieces could finally fit in together...
What had happened that evening after all?
***
Their bags were now packed and loaded. This time round, they were going to take the new Mumbai-Goa highway so they could reach back in time - given it was close to noon when they left. Jenish had been desperate to see the much acclaimed "scenic" route the old highway was hyped for, but that had been a rather disappointment. So now he claimed he had confused the two highways, and the new highway was actually the scenic one, and not the old one. He hoped for the best and got ready to get the front seat view. Music was on, and the car was once again on its way. This time though, more important than the music was the task of assembling the jigsaw puzzle.
"So here's what I remember..." Sukesh initiated.
"We went in and the three of you got shots for everyone, having a couple of them on your way. After two or three rounds, we went towards the dance floor. On the way, next to the bar we also saw some girls dancing on top of the tables."
"Oh yes! I had almost forgotten this part..." DJ muttered, "But the main story starts on the dance floor. Anya - you had no idea the shots you were having all this while was vodka and not tequila. So clearly, you were the first one to be out. And Ritu who, as you will see in all the pictures, was completely high too by this time."
"I remember the dance clearly, okay?" Anya tried defending herself, but was cut short by Jenish.
"So do you remember your sensual moves? And that while dancing your hand bumped into a waiter carrying the tray of full glasses and you broke one of them?" This time, Anya looked away.
"Apparently, a piece of that glass hurt DJ, and that is when his watch must have broken as well," Sukesh added, "and so we had to get the dressing done by some staff over there."
"Where were we in the meantime?" Ritu asked.
"Wow, you don't remember, do you? You went out of the dance room at one point, and Sanvi went after you. We joined you all after the broken glass fiasco, and that is when Anya felt like using the washroom" DJ explained.
"No, no. Anya left with the girls" Sukesh remarked.
"No, no. We all went with Anya, but it was before getting the dressing done," Jenish poured in his point of view.
"Basically, you guys do not recall either. So stop acting like we girls were the only ones acting out" Sanvi teased them.
"Haha! That much, I definitely agree! Looking at you girls' state, I had asked DJ if he was fine. And I remember clearly, he had said that he was in enough senses to handle himself, and the rest Sukesh and I need to manage."
A good laugh followed this. A few more details were recalled, before the topic turned to Sanvi's outburst.
"Why were you crying, after all? Was it your sister scolding you over the call?" DJ inquired.
"Yes, mostly that, and some other things. Everything was just so overwhelming in that moment and I don't know what overcame me but I could not control myself..." Sanvi said with a mix of emotions.
"It's okay. We get it. But the hilarious bit was that everything seemed to be happening all at once!" Jenish went about detailing the entire incident.
"So it was something like this - Anya was high and out, muttering that she's okay all the while, when clearly she was anything but okay. While everyone is trying to control her, Sanvi gets on a call, and within a minute bursts out crying. Now Sukesh and I divert our attention to pacify Sanvi, while DJ tries to help Anya with some water, having a few sips himself in between, trying to recover from his own high. We are about to get the story out of you, but before that, all out of the blue, Ritu breaks into a sprint and starts running. So now, I leave you two and start following her instead, running after her. I try to call out to her, but the more I chase her, the faster she elopes. Within moments, she was at the lower level, with the swimming pool right in front of her, and she was showing no signs of slowing down. I almost thought she will jump in, but then, just at the edge, Bang, she takes a turn! Finally, I thought, she will come back. But instead, madam chooses to run in the opposite direction - the club exit!"
More laughs ensue, leaving a stunned Noel even more confused in trying to make sense of everything that was still clearly messed up for him, and everyone else!
"Oh please, I knew pretty where I was running" Ritu defended.
Yeah right," Sukesh ignored her defense, and instead picked up from where Jenish left off, "So anyways, finally I managed to calm Sanvi down. But the next thing I see is Ritu and Jenish heading towards the exit. So I ask everyone to call it a night and return back to our car. I tried to support Sanvi, although she seemed to have fairly recovered from her earlier "moment". At this point, Sanvi wanted to leave so urgently, she started dragging Anya, who apparently had not had enough of the night and wanted to stay some more! At last, we together got Anya to walk down the stairs to reach the Gypsy that was ferrying people to and from their cabs. Even then, our dear Ms. Anya - though it was evident that she was tripping over at every second step she took - was confident to claim she knew where she was walking. And then began her endless rhyme!"
A chorus of her now famous rhyme was sung by the group, before Noel concluded with a question, "Does even one of you remember the entire night completely?"
Their blank looks said it all.
As they mulled over a few more details, the car turned onto the ghat. One look outside their windows made them collectively gasp. Jenish's famous "scenic" highway was finally here, and boy, was it beautiful!
On one side were the mighty Sahyadri mountains, arching away into the clear, blue sky. The road curved around their base to lead into a short tunnel. Exiting the tunnel, they landed on a cliff that overlooked the voracious Arabian Sea.
Everyone seemed to momentarily forget their conversation, and simply took in the beauty they had been bestowed with. Nature had its own mysterious way of demystifying everything. It did not matter anymore whether the pieces of the memorable night were ever put together. It did not matter whether they could ever live such a night again. What mattered was, that somewhere in the midst of all the chaos, they had learned to explore their vulnerabilities, to shun it in front of those who mattered, to trust their close ones in their weakest moments. It no longer mattered whether they will get to recreate such a magical night again. What mattered was, that through among all the scattered pieces of the puzzle, one piece stood out; this piece was that of a bond - a deep, strong bond - that was to last a lifetime.
As the sun set beyond the sparkling waters, the March moon rose to shine its yellow glow over the winding road ahead. Musing about their magical three days, the gang bid goodbye to a most memorable journey; and greeted a warm welcome to a lifelong of friendship.
It was post midnight. The cool night breeze blew over the calm water of the Calangute beach. The near-full moon gave a silver glow to the playful waves that gently lapped the now cold sand. Walking bare-feet on this sand appeared a pretty damsel in the distance. Dressed in a low back, black dress, she completed the beautiful vision the night was drawing.
Enticed by this stunning vision was none other than Mr. Sukesh. It was obvious he was smitten, for he could barely take his gaze away. While the rest of them enjoyed teasing him about it, all he could wish for was for her to turn around, so their eyes could meet, and then...who knows!
And turn she did. But wait, this was...ahem...not quite the vision he was hoping for...
Why did the face not live upto the expectations her bare back had set? Such an anticlimax, after so much build up. Obviously, a laugh riot ensued looking at Sukesh's fallen face and open mouth. Poor guy, jokes about his "almost" black-beauty would not leave him alone for the rest of his life!
Several good laughs, a scrumptious meal and a few hookah-drags later, it was time to call it a night - or day, as it was close to 4 am now.
The next morning brought with it tonnes of adventure. First off, it was time to head to the beach for some water sports. First off was parasailing. It was Sanvi's first time, and she couldn't be any less thrilled. DJ enjoyed the banana boat ride the most. This was followed by a few catch-and-cook and form-a-chain games in the water, while Sanvi laid back on the beach chair, lazily clicking embarrassing pictures of everyone. This was why beaches are always so much fun.
Come evening, and the girls were ready to step out in their much-hyped short dresses. A warning was given to the guys to not give awkward reactions when they step out of the room. And hence, when Sanvi and Ritu adorned their shorts and Anya decked up in a floral mini-dress, the boys simply pretended to look away. They tried to act so extra-normal that the girls had to literally fish out compliments from them - not being awkward does not mean not complimenting, duh!
The plan was to grab a bite on the way - so they had some cheesy Domino's pizzas - and head to the casinos of South Goa. Sanvi was most excited about this part, and the moment she set eyes on the majestic looking Deltin Goa, she knew she was destined to go in!
Jenish was excited too, as was Noel. After all, who wouldn't want to make try their luck and make ome quick bucks, right? But going inside the casino would mean giving a miss to clubbing. This trade-off made the option of gambling appear a little less appealing to Anya and Ritu. On the other hand, Noel was not at all keen on the clubbing scene. Some mixed reactions from Sukesh and DJ meant the group in a state of confusion once again. Fortunately, this time they were quick to go in for a vote, and clubbing won with flying colours!!!
But, of course, there had to be a catch. Clubbing in Cubana required a formal attire, or atleast "closed-toe-shoes" for the guys, and Jenish did not have those. For that matter, Anya's floral, flowy dress wouldn't make the cut either. This meant they needed to go shopping, NOW!
A rush visit was made to the street market of Goa. After a tiring two hours, Anya spotted a smart green dress, but even after searching every shop - big and small - Jenish was unable to find one that sold a proper pair of shoes (all of them seemed to be having only beach-slippers for some reason). Disheartened, they decided to take their chances with whatever boots they had with them, and went back to their apartment to get dressed. Maybe as a last resort, he will borrow the driver's shoes. Desperate, right? But then, desperate times call for desperate measure.
There was one more challenge, though. Cubana allowed only couple entries. The group had 4 boys and 3 girls, that is, they had one stag guy who was likely to be refused entry altogether. If this happened, the entire night would be spoilt, not to mention, a missed chance to atleast visit the casino instead.
So they had a few options they could try. They could use the Indian jugaad - the standard resolution for any stag guy to gain entry into a club: find a single girl to tag along with. Or maybe this time Sukesh would find his real black-beauty and use his charisma to get in? Or maybe they could bribe the gatekeeper. Or maybe they could just sneak one of them in? And if nothing worked, maybe they could just beg and beg and beg until they were let in?
Or maybe, even after all their attempts and jugaads, they could still be refused entry.
Will the gang be able to gain entry into Cubana? Or will their dreams of experiencing the true Goa spirit be dampened after coming all this way?
Chapter 4: Drinking in the Goa Spirit, Literally
It was time. The girls put on their fancy party-wear, applied some fancy make-up, wore the best pair of shoes of the lot they were carrying. They stepped out of the room, assuming the guys would be ready as well. But a surprise awaited them.
They noticed that Noel was lying down on the bed, while the others were ready.
"What happened?" they asked in chorus.
"I'm not coming" replied Noel.
What?!
Apparently, he had made up his mind about abstaining and had no interest in clubbing. No amount of persuading seemed to change his mind, not even the agreeing to skip clubbing altogether to do something he would enjoy as well. So unfortunately, that was how it had to be.
However, here was a brighter side to it - if Noel wouldn't come, then they would be 3 guys and 3 girls...no more stags! Not just that, Noel insisted Jenish to use his shoes. Miraculously, they were also a perfect fit. The stars seemed to have suddenly aligned themselves to make a memorable night happen. Now it was time for some magic...
The club Cubana exceeded all of their expectations. A multi-level structure, with several segregated zones for dancing, dining, drinking and just chilling. There was a swimming pool at the lowest level; a large seating area with several wooden benches in one section of the first level, a bar in another and a lounge area with some cozy couches laying around; second level had a dance floor, another seating area and washrooms. The rustic stairway between each level was brightly lit, giving a youthful, peppy vibe to the entire place. The deejay was playing loud party music in the background. The crowd seemed fairly sophisticated (barring a few, as is with any place) and provided ample eye candy to the boys. Party mode was on, and Jenish offered to start with some shots!
So off went Anya, Jenish and DJ to get some for everyone. However, they seemed to be a very long queue. So Jenish suggested that they make the most of the waiting time, and have a couple of them at the bar itself. So they had a couple of them at the bar, a couple of them with everyone else. But it still seemed they were running out of shots very quickly. They needed something to last longer. So they went back a second time, this time Sanvi also came along, and got some vodka with sprite and Coke in addition to the shots. Of course, this time too, all of them had a couple of shots on the way to make the most of the waiting time...
One shot led to another, which in turn led to yet another. Before they knew it, they had each had for to five shots, topped with a drink or two here and there. Very soon, the atmosphere lightened and their mind and bodies loosened up. They headed to the dance floor now, and had a gala time swaying to the peppy beats the deejay played. And then...
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The girls were now in the girls' washroom, after having waited a long time for their turn. Anya had been in for quite a while now and Sanvi knocked every couple of minutes on her cubicle checking if everything was okay. After what seemed like ages, she finally emerged, washed her face, and "appeared" to have recovered, but then...
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They were seated at the couch on the first level, discussing DJ's injured hand. They tried to recall what had exactly happened, but then...
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Anya was clearly dizzy now. The others made her sit in the corner bench so she could be more comfortable. A girl - stranger - was trying to comfort her, handing some water as she spoke. When DJ tried to check in on Anya, she kept repeating that she was fine, only a little "tipsy", about fifty times over. She seemed to be getting a little better, but then...
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Sanvi was crying ceaselessly and Sukesh was trying to console her. Something had happened in the last few minutes that had made her cry. Wait, hadn't she been on a call with her sister? Maybe she got scolded bad for partying. They tried to make her understand as to not worry so much, but then...
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Ritu had just started running downstairs, and Jenish was following her. Did she just reach the swimming pool?
"Wait!" Jenish screamed out to her as he tried to catch up, but then...
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They were all now heading back to the car, including Jenish and Ritu. Anya was clearly unsteady, but not yet ready to accept it. She confidently repeated, "I am not high, I am tipsy. I don't know what I am talking, but I know where I am walking."
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Were those some hookers they just saw on their way back?
_____BLANK______
They had reached their apartment, and were subjected to shocking looks from Noel. The girls finished helping Anya change and everyone seemed to be back in their senses now. However, they were too exhausted with the day's events to discuss anything. So off they went to their beds, leaving a scandalized Noel to tend to himself.
What had happened that evening after all? Will they at all be able to piece the jigsaw puzzle together?
Well, whatever had or had not happened that evening, will need to wait the night out to sort itself.
Chapter 5: The Incomplete Jigsaw Puzzle...
Around 9 am Monday morning.
It was the last day of their trip. However, the atmostphere was strange today. The group had freshened up quietly and quickly. This was their check-out day and if they at all wanted to get back to office the next day, they had to get going fast. But first, they had to face the repercussions of yesterday.
Noel was smirking to himself, having witnessed his closest friends at their embarrassing best. The girls, particularly Anya, were feeling the most awkward, and avoided the topic of last night as much as possible. DJ was sporting a dressing on his hand, and a broken watch. Sukesh was trying to make small of whatever had happened, but Jenish was the one most interested in fixing the jigsaw pieces from last night together. Sanvi started helping him out with whatever little she could recall. Gradually, everyone joined in the conversation, filling in lost bits from their leftover memory flashes.
The conversation picked up at breakfast (South Indian, of course) at a nearby restaurant. It was Holi, and looking up from the first floor glass window of the restaurant, they could see passersby with colours on their faces. Some foreigners were enjoying a chilled morning beer. How could they have beer such early in the morning, they wondered, for all their heads were throbbing with hangover from the previous night!
"I think it were the Vodka shots" Jenish muttered.
"What do you mean Vodka? I thought they were Tequila..." Anya was surprised.
"Haha! Tequila was expensive, Vodka was covered" Jenish laughed at his little secret.
"And you didn't bother to tell us! No wonder we landed up here!" Anya exclaimed.
Noel had just given a brief download to the others about the state they had arrived in from the party the previous night. Sukesh had entered the apartment, followed by DJ who barely dragged himself in. Ritu and Sanvi were half dizzy and barely able to walk in, yet supported Anya who was completely out of her senses, it seemed. Jenish had entered last, fairly dazed himself, and was muttering about how their driver had tried to keep a neutral expression after looking at the state their seemingly "decent" passengers had been in. After changing, everyone seemed to be returning gradually back in their senses, but were too exhausted with the day's events to discuss anything. So off they had gone to their beds, leaving a scandalized Noel to tend to himself.
"Forget all this, first tell me, DJ how did you get this cut on your hand?" Ritu diverted the topic...
"I think it was when we broke the glass while dancing..." DJ replied.
"Dude, your watch is broken as well" Sanvi noticed.
"Yes, even I noticed it only this morning. Must have been when Anya broke the glass..."
"I broke a glass!!!" Anya exclaimed, clearly not having the slightest recall of her previous nights' endeavors.
"Yes ma'am, and that was followed by the washroom fiasco.." Sukesh recalled.
"Do you girls remember how long you all took in there? At one point I tried coming in myself to check if everything was okay. But then someone stopped me, so we had to send in those girls to ask about you...how we had to describe you all to them!" Jenish said confidently.
"But then when was Ritu's chase sequence? You know I almost thought you would jump into the pool!"
"I think that was after Anya's fifty repetitions of her rhyme - I'm not high, I'm tipsy...I don't know what I'm talking, but I know where I'm walking..."
"Now that rhyme I remember vividly..." She laughed this time, and the others joined in.
An hour of scrumptious meal later, they were no closer to fixing the order of events of the previous night, or even recalling all the events, for that matter. Little did they know that it was going to be a long, long time before the pieces could finally fit in together...
What had happened that evening after all?
***
Their bags were now packed and loaded. This time round, they were going to take the new Mumbai-Goa highway so they could reach back in time - given it was close to noon when they left. Jenish had been desperate to see the much acclaimed "scenic" route the old highway was hyped for, but that had been a rather disappointment. So now he claimed he had confused the two highways, and the new highway was actually the scenic one, and not the old one. He hoped for the best and got ready to get the front seat view. Music was on, and the car was once again on its way. This time though, more important than the music was the task of assembling the jigsaw puzzle.
"So here's what I remember..." Sukesh initiated.
"We went in and the three of you got shots for everyone, having a couple of them on your way. After two or three rounds, we went towards the dance floor. On the way, next to the bar we also saw some girls dancing on top of the tables."
"Oh yes! I had almost forgotten this part..." DJ muttered, "But the main story starts on the dance floor. Anya - you had no idea the shots you were having all this while was vodka and not tequila. So clearly, you were the first one to be out. And Ritu who, as you will see in all the pictures, was completely high too by this time."
"I remember the dance clearly, okay?" Anya tried defending herself, but was cut short by Jenish.
"So do you remember your sensual moves? And that while dancing your hand bumped into a waiter carrying the tray of full glasses and you broke one of them?" This time, Anya looked away.
"Apparently, a piece of that glass hurt DJ, and that is when his watch must have broken as well," Sukesh added, "and so we had to get the dressing done by some staff over there."
"Where were we in the meantime?" Ritu asked.
"Wow, you don't remember, do you? You went out of the dance room at one point, and Sanvi went after you. We joined you all after the broken glass fiasco, and that is when Anya felt like using the washroom" DJ explained.
"No, no. Anya left with the girls" Sukesh remarked.
"No, no. We all went with Anya, but it was before getting the dressing done," Jenish poured in his point of view.
"Basically, you guys do not recall either. So stop acting like we girls were the only ones acting out" Sanvi teased them.
"Haha! That much, I definitely agree! Looking at you girls' state, I had asked DJ if he was fine. And I remember clearly, he had said that he was in enough senses to handle himself, and the rest Sukesh and I need to manage."
A good laugh followed this. A few more details were recalled, before the topic turned to Sanvi's outburst.
"Why were you crying, after all? Was it your sister scolding you over the call?" DJ inquired.
"Yes, mostly that, and some other things. Everything was just so overwhelming in that moment and I don't know what overcame me but I could not control myself..." Sanvi said with a mix of emotions.
"It's okay. We get it. But the hilarious bit was that everything seemed to be happening all at once!" Jenish went about detailing the entire incident.
"So it was something like this - Anya was high and out, muttering that she's okay all the while, when clearly she was anything but okay. While everyone is trying to control her, Sanvi gets on a call, and within a minute bursts out crying. Now Sukesh and I divert our attention to pacify Sanvi, while DJ tries to help Anya with some water, having a few sips himself in between, trying to recover from his own high. We are about to get the story out of you, but before that, all out of the blue, Ritu breaks into a sprint and starts running. So now, I leave you two and start following her instead, running after her. I try to call out to her, but the more I chase her, the faster she elopes. Within moments, she was at the lower level, with the swimming pool right in front of her, and she was showing no signs of slowing down. I almost thought she will jump in, but then, just at the edge, Bang, she takes a turn! Finally, I thought, she will come back. But instead, madam chooses to run in the opposite direction - the club exit!"
More laughs ensue, leaving a stunned Noel even more confused in trying to make sense of everything that was still clearly messed up for him, and everyone else!
"Oh please, I knew pretty where I was running" Ritu defended.
Yeah right," Sukesh ignored her defense, and instead picked up from where Jenish left off, "So anyways, finally I managed to calm Sanvi down. But the next thing I see is Ritu and Jenish heading towards the exit. So I ask everyone to call it a night and return back to our car. I tried to support Sanvi, although she seemed to have fairly recovered from her earlier "moment". At this point, Sanvi wanted to leave so urgently, she started dragging Anya, who apparently had not had enough of the night and wanted to stay some more! At last, we together got Anya to walk down the stairs to reach the Gypsy that was ferrying people to and from their cabs. Even then, our dear Ms. Anya - though it was evident that she was tripping over at every second step she took - was confident to claim she knew where she was walking. And then began her endless rhyme!"
A chorus of her now famous rhyme was sung by the group, before Noel concluded with a question, "Does even one of you remember the entire night completely?"
Their blank looks said it all.
As they mulled over a few more details, the car turned onto the ghat. One look outside their windows made them collectively gasp. Jenish's famous "scenic" highway was finally here, and boy, was it beautiful!
On one side were the mighty Sahyadri mountains, arching away into the clear, blue sky. The road curved around their base to lead into a short tunnel. Exiting the tunnel, they landed on a cliff that overlooked the voracious Arabian Sea.
Everyone seemed to momentarily forget their conversation, and simply took in the beauty they had been bestowed with. Nature had its own mysterious way of demystifying everything. It did not matter anymore whether the pieces of the memorable night were ever put together. It did not matter whether they could ever live such a night again. What mattered was, that somewhere in the midst of all the chaos, they had learned to explore their vulnerabilities, to shun it in front of those who mattered, to trust their close ones in their weakest moments. It no longer mattered whether they will get to recreate such a magical night again. What mattered was, that through among all the scattered pieces of the puzzle, one piece stood out; this piece was that of a bond - a deep, strong bond - that was to last a lifetime.
As the sun set beyond the sparkling waters, the March moon rose to shine its yellow glow over the winding road ahead. Musing about their magical three days, the gang bid goodbye to a most memorable journey; and greeted a warm welcome to a lifelong of friendship.
********* THE END *******
