Figuring Out a Way
Light dawned and seeped in through the blinds of our windows. I lazily opened an eye and shut it.
I don't want to go anywhere! Just stay in bed all day, after all that has happened yesterday. Nothing can make me move from here! Nothing!
But... this was a trip. Grooooaaan!
Day 2 in Goa.
We had a long list of places to go to. And no car. This would definitely be an adventure.
I dragged myself out of the bed to see DT awake with no energy as well.
We both got ready and went for the complimentary breakfast. It had a limited set of items but it was good enough for us. I took a sip of the kokum juice. A bit sour but very refreshing - highly recommended by a friend of ours. Once we were done with the food, we got out and walked towards the bus stop.
As per the map, buses should go via Calangute to Chapora Fort - famous in our circle for the scenes shot here for Dil Chahta Hai.
The bus stop was another circle - a junction with a pole in between for the cars to take a round. We walked over to a store and checked with an old guy sitting idly, about the frequency of buses to our destination. According to his schedule, the bus to Chapora would come only at 11 a.m. I checked my watch - it was 10 o clock. 1 hour? No way! We couldn't wait that long. It was decided to take the bus from Panjim.
At the stop, a young lady dressed smartly in a white shirt and black pants stood pouting. She seems smart. Let's start an intelligent conversation till the next bus comes.
I asked if the bus to Panjim stopped there. She said, "Yes." And the intelligent conversation ended there.
We waited and waited. No sign of a bus.
Just to confirm, we asked the girl, again, if there was a bus to Panjim at that time. The girl replied even more irritated, "Yea, there is! Not sure why it is late." Sorry I asked. Well, at least this conversation is longer than the previous one.
Great! Time was short. We had a lot of places to cover. And we were going to be late.
Suddenly, the girl pointed to our right and exclaimed, "This bus goes to Panjim!" We turned around to see a bus coming from far in slow motion.
As soon as it stopped in front of us, we got in. Another girl in black t-shirt and black jeans got in behind and sat next to us.
The bus started moving and we slowly took in the sights.
It was so calm and green. So relaxing! Time was moving at a slow pace. I relished the view around us only to realize - time wasn't the one moving slowly, the bus was. I bet bullock carts could have taken us faster.
The girl in black, next to us, took her phone out and rambled on about how it was raining so she could not go in the two-wheeler, that she had rented. And how she was able to cover more in a rental bike the previous day than she could ever by moving around in a bus.
After around 40 min, we reached Panjim. Over there, we asked the people how to get to Chapora Fort. Some of them didn't have an idea what we were talking about. Daivame, eneem ee Chapora Fort ee state il alle?
One guy said, "That bus goes to Chapora." We turned around to the direction he was pointing. And it was the very same Calangute bus - the one that we just came in. That would take us back to Calangute and then to Chapora.
Nahiiiiiiin! I'd rather walk than die of shame. The driver and conductor would definitely know we have no clue about this place.
We checked for other options. One guy said to go to Vagator (close to Chapora), we had to get down at Mapusa. Mapusa? Nice name. It seemed there would be buses from there at all times.
Sounded like a good plan. Anything other than the same bus back via Calangute was a good plan.
We got in the bus to Mapusa. There was no seat. The conductor made some space for me opposite side to the driver. One thing I must tell is that, the bus drivers and conductors are very friendly to the tourists and very helpful.
Mapusa was just 5 min from there. That's what the conductor said, when I checked with him. (I timed the journey and it took us 10 min!)
We reached Mapusa. There were buses to Anjuna beach, another stop we planned to go if time permitted. But we wanted to go farthest first and then slowly trail down towards Calangute. So that when it would be evening, we would be close to our hotel. If we were to take the bus to Anjuna, then the whole plan would go for a toss.
On enquiring, the conductor of the bus to Anjuna said the buses to Vagator are rare and it would be better to go to Anjuna. Hmm. Let's see.
"When is the next bus to Vagator?"
It seemed there was a bus after 40 min or so. Okaay. We thought to get some water and be ready.
We walked over to a store, bought a water bottle and walked back slowly.
Lo and behold! At that very moment, a bus to Vagator came into the bus stand. We couldn't believe our eyes. Gladly, we ran and hopped onto the bus.
We would have missed this, had we taken that conductor's word and spent more time checking out the shops around.
3 smart girls hopped on too. They looked fashionable in their cool tops and pairs of shorts, with their backpacks on. Next to them, we both looked a bit outdated. Save for these fashionistas, the rest of passengers looked very much to be the locals and compared to them, we were more hip and happening.
The conductor was friendly to all of us and explained how to get to different places. Chapora Fort would be a 5 min walk from the bus stop. It is located in the midst of the Chapora village. We asked how to get to Vagator from Chapora Fort. Was there any bus available? He said Vagator is what you see from Chapora Fort. There was a shortcut from the fort to the sea. But we should be a bit careful because it is a bit steep. Hearing that, I decided we would not take the shortcut. But the longer route would be a 10 min walk. Sigh! Let's see then.
The smart girls got down at Vagator. And ours was the next stop.
As soon as we reached, we got down and the bus left. We turned around to see nobody.
Gulp! Where are we?
I don't want to go anywhere! Just stay in bed all day, after all that has happened yesterday. Nothing can make me move from here! Nothing!
But... this was a trip. Grooooaaan!
Day 2 in Goa.
We had a long list of places to go to. And no car. This would definitely be an adventure.
 |
| Pancakes with Chocolate Sauce & Maple Syrup. |
We both got ready and went for the complimentary breakfast. It had a limited set of items but it was good enough for us. I took a sip of the kokum juice. A bit sour but very refreshing - highly recommended by a friend of ours. Once we were done with the food, we got out and walked towards the bus stop.
As per the map, buses should go via Calangute to Chapora Fort - famous in our circle for the scenes shot here for Dil Chahta Hai.
 |
| "You know, what? Hamein har saal kam se kam ek hafte ke liye Goa aana chahiye." (We need to come to Goa every year, at least for a week.) Chapora Fort, overlooking Vagator Beach |
At the stop, a young lady dressed smartly in a white shirt and black pants stood pouting. She seems smart. Let's start an intelligent conversation till the next bus comes.
I asked if the bus to Panjim stopped there. She said, "Yes." And the intelligent conversation ended there.
We waited and waited. No sign of a bus.
Just to confirm, we asked the girl, again, if there was a bus to Panjim at that time. The girl replied even more irritated, "Yea, there is! Not sure why it is late." Sorry I asked. Well, at least this conversation is longer than the previous one.
Great! Time was short. We had a lot of places to cover. And we were going to be late.
Suddenly, the girl pointed to our right and exclaimed, "This bus goes to Panjim!" We turned around to see a bus coming from far in slow motion.
As soon as it stopped in front of us, we got in. Another girl in black t-shirt and black jeans got in behind and sat next to us.
The bus started moving and we slowly took in the sights.
 |
| I'm - oh! so happy that I don't have to drive! |
The girl in black, next to us, took her phone out and rambled on about how it was raining so she could not go in the two-wheeler, that she had rented. And how she was able to cover more in a rental bike the previous day than she could ever by moving around in a bus.
After around 40 min, we reached Panjim. Over there, we asked the people how to get to Chapora Fort. Some of them didn't have an idea what we were talking about. Daivame, eneem ee Chapora Fort ee state il alle?
One guy said, "That bus goes to Chapora." We turned around to the direction he was pointing. And it was the very same Calangute bus - the one that we just came in. That would take us back to Calangute and then to Chapora.
Nahiiiiiiin! I'd rather walk than die of shame. The driver and conductor would definitely know we have no clue about this place.
We checked for other options. One guy said to go to Vagator (close to Chapora), we had to get down at Mapusa. Mapusa? Nice name. It seemed there would be buses from there at all times.
Sounded like a good plan. Anything other than the same bus back via Calangute was a good plan.
We got in the bus to Mapusa. There was no seat. The conductor made some space for me opposite side to the driver. One thing I must tell is that, the bus drivers and conductors are very friendly to the tourists and very helpful.
Mapusa was just 5 min from there. That's what the conductor said, when I checked with him. (I timed the journey and it took us 10 min!)
We reached Mapusa. There were buses to Anjuna beach, another stop we planned to go if time permitted. But we wanted to go farthest first and then slowly trail down towards Calangute. So that when it would be evening, we would be close to our hotel. If we were to take the bus to Anjuna, then the whole plan would go for a toss.
On enquiring, the conductor of the bus to Anjuna said the buses to Vagator are rare and it would be better to go to Anjuna. Hmm. Let's see.
"When is the next bus to Vagator?"
It seemed there was a bus after 40 min or so. Okaay. We thought to get some water and be ready.
We walked over to a store, bought a water bottle and walked back slowly.
 |
| Eda kalla Anjuna bus conductor. Ippo oru bus undayittaano, mahaapaapi? |
3 smart girls hopped on too. They looked fashionable in their cool tops and pairs of shorts, with their backpacks on. Next to them, we both looked a bit outdated. Save for these fashionistas, the rest of passengers looked very much to be the locals and compared to them, we were more hip and happening.
The conductor was friendly to all of us and explained how to get to different places. Chapora Fort would be a 5 min walk from the bus stop. It is located in the midst of the Chapora village. We asked how to get to Vagator from Chapora Fort. Was there any bus available? He said Vagator is what you see from Chapora Fort. There was a shortcut from the fort to the sea. But we should be a bit careful because it is a bit steep. Hearing that, I decided we would not take the shortcut. But the longer route would be a 10 min walk. Sigh! Let's see then.
The smart girls got down at Vagator. And ours was the next stop.
As soon as we reached, we got down and the bus left. We turned around to see nobody.
Gulp! Where are we?
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