So, today we said
goodbye after spending the most memorable four days in Goa..'Me' time (as
promised,) was spent eating, drinking, dancing with thirty two single women. (er..not
single actually, some of them have large demanding family at home, but they
decided to spend some ‘Me’ time with friends whom they had not met for a very
long time) They all lived in Mumbai (once upon a time) when they were in school
but now scattered all over the world, North, South, East ,West of India and
also far away places like USA and Canada. There was not a moment of silence
(how could that be.??.Women always have much to share)
Most of the women I was
meeting for the first time, although I had interacted with many of them on
social media and on private chat. I had climbed into a cabin of close knit
friends, (who were class mates some forty odd years) and were celebrating their
class reunion. But, although I was odd person out, the love and warmth that I
received was monumental.
The friendship started
two years ago, when I was invited by a close friend for a short trip to
Lonavala with her small group of school-friends. Some people are destined to be
the part of your life, so although, I was a stranger,(a student from another
school, with no friends of my own ) I was able to squeeze in (they were very generous) and I found a comfortable corner for myself. I became a part of their group
(pretending to be their classmate) and started attending their parties. I was
invited once again for a bigger trip to Goa with a larger group of friends from
different parts of country. (I was hesitant at first, since it was their class
reunion, but many had become my good friends too and insisted that I join them,
so I checked in on their last call)
It is not easy to
organise such a big event single-handedly, thus the most talented persons in the
group, took upon themselves to come forward and work in the interest of
everyone. It was excellent arrangement and they have to be applauded for the
efforts they had put in to make this the most memorable trip for all.
The days were planned
meticulously, attention paid to every detail, so as to get the best deals with
maximum comfort. The team took trips to Goa (at their own cost) and explored
the city for best deals for place to stay, eating places to dine and places for
shopping and entertainment. The air and train tickets were booked in advance,
few months ahead, knowing not if the trip would materialise (some doubts about
health problems and family responsibilities are likely to arise). Luckily, everybody
was able to come, and surprisingly, many of them, finding a helper to do their
chore, stole time to spend their ‘Me’ time with their friends.
The fun started at the
train journey itself. We were separated into smaller compartments, scattered
all over, but that was resolved as soon as the ticket-checker
arrived. Some shuffling with other passengers seats, and we huddled together
again. It was a night journey, but most part of it was spent chatting, eating
and celebrating (birthday of our team member).
Aguada Anchorage, a
beautiful resort was chosen for our comfortable stay. Surrounded by lush
greenery and neatly paved path, I was happy with my 3-bedroom villa, that was
closer to the dining area and to the main large 4-bedroom villa with attached
swimming pool, where we assembled during our lazy hours for chitchatting,
swimming and for interacting with each other.
First evening was spend
at Chalston, a restaurant closer to the beach. After a light snack of
sandwiches, cakes, puffs and a cup of coffee, I found a comfortable seat closer
to the beach to spend the rest of the evening. Many of the girls went for a
long walk closer to the sea shore to wet their feet in water, I just basked in
cool breeze, laying stretched on an easy chair, watching the sunset.
The darkness set in,
the whole place lit up with hundreds of twinkling bulbs hanging down the
branches of the trees in the large garden, and the live music started, clear
and loud. The girls hopped on to an uneven floor and swayed with fun and laughter. There
was dance, drinks and dinner. Everything
was forgotten, family, home, pets, the friendship reached its peak.
Second day, morning was
planned purely for individual entertainment and outdoor activities. Some chose to
tour around the city, some for a swim at the resort pool and then go for local
food (Fish Curry is the the speciality of Goa and everybody loved it) and some went for shopping. Due to the pain in
my ankle, I had limited movements, but I was so grateful to a friend, who drove
me in her car through this shorter distances while rest of the girls walked.
Thank you Universe for blessing me with good people!!
Second day, evening was
dinner at Chinese, (with menu previously planned) vegetarians dined at separate
tables to avoid the confusion by the waiters. It was the best meal we had, I
loved the TomYum soup and after a satisfying dinner, I walked over to an open
kitchen to watch the chef fry ice-cream.
Third day, morning was
a Sunshine day. All the girls planned to dress in yellow, we had a photo-shoot
and then went for a boat ride to watch dolphins. There was so much excitement
during this morning, the yellow color reflecting on all faces with pleasant
smile that was so infectious. The cameras must have clicked thousand times and
moments captured in every mobile.
Third day, evening was
to mark the closure of the trip. We walked few blocks away(some shuttled in a buggy)
to the large general bar by the pool at the centre of the resort. We feasted on
drinks and snacks (and another birthday celebration of our team member).
Together we played entertaining games like DumbShera, passing the parcel (each one of us had brought a secret gift for a person wrapped in brown paper with a punishment inside) and
opening our hearts (all of us had sewed a heart on a patch of cloth, that would
further be joined to form a warm rug, and these hearts were presented to the
moderator of the Watsapp group, it was a thoughtful show of appreciation to
one, whose sincere efforts had brought all school friends from different parts
of the world together)
During our moments
together, we chatted freely, picking up the missed moments, sharing our ideas.
We learnt the beauty tips, the cooking tricks, the sewing techniques, all women
from different walks of life came under one roof and they shared their talents. There was laughter,
joy, companionship and a promise that there would be lonely moments no more.
It was the most
memorable trip of our lifetime. Here was the group of matured women, who
listened attentively, talked freely and extended their friendship joyfully. This
week there has been much excitement over Powerball in America (I kept getting
messages from my cousins telling me that I would get a share if they won) and
that had raised their expectation to win and become millionaires, BUT, here I
was, already RICH with most lovely friends that I had been blessed with. Truly
grateful to the persons behind the scene, the most talented organising team
amongst us, who had spent nine months planning and bringing us all together...
Thank you Universe for
providing me with such happiness………
PS: See the Video of this trip on U_TUBE at Memories Of Another Day
