Skip to main content

New Year in Goa

The New Year has just arrived and probably by now all the new year resolutions that were efficiently pursued for the past few days might have started to erode as we give in to our temptations and desires. The one New Year resolution that I managed to keep for the past 2 years is to enter into the New Year away from the land I love, probable the only time so far I do not like to be in Goa. Post Christmas the Lakhs of Party lovers start descending on the shores of Goa to welcome the New Year which means many of  us who frequent to the beaches, restaurants and friendly pubs must surrender our land and retreat to safer heavens.

The coastline of Goa becomes one large party place. The tourists come in hoards but along with it comes accidents, traffic jams, long lines, petty fights, crowded beaches and garbage every where. All the things Goa is not associated with. I wonder how much these aspects of Goa during the peak season the guests enjoy. 

A similar experience from much younger years of schooling - during a picnic to essell world a amusement park in the outskirts of Mumbai the entire class rushed to one of the rides. Our class was a large one with about 85 students the rest of the rides were fairly empty as we were among the only few on a weekday in the morning. The ride was good but some how there was a hype about this ride and fellow students and me including started coming back for a repeat experience, most of us had to wait for about half an hour as almost whole class was focusing on the one ride. After about two times me and my friend decided to move on to the next one. I actually enjoyed the next ride better than the one I had spend more time waiting in line for but felt it difficult to express to my friends who were all in awe of the ride. Today I realize that it was nothing but our desire to follow the crowd. I wonder if it is only Human or an Indian phenomenon to follow the crowd.

In about the past 07 years in the travel industry we have many experiences of our lovely guests wanting to ring in the new year from Goa. There are guests who come every year along with their friends and pays the advance for the next year. There are some, who like me do not probably enjoy the entire experience but still come to be with their group. The demand for the holiday is so high during this period that you spend at least 300% more for everything.

The experience of New Year in Goa is enjoyed by many even though you have to pay a higher for everything and still go through long lines and traffic jams and loose the entire experience of a laid back Goa, I have still not figured out what is the big deal.

Bike during rest of the year                                           Rs.150\-
Bike during New Year                                      Rs.1000\-

Homestay accommodation during rest of the year          Rs.800\-
Homestay accommodation during New-Year                Rs.4000\-

Beer during rest of the year                                           Rs.40\-
Beer during new year                                                    Rs.120\-


Comments

Post a Comment

Please put in your comments here.

Popular posts from this blog

It's About the Bum

Crossing over from Goa to Maharashtra, Crossing the Karli river, had to really convince this guy. My ride on the boat on the river Karli Wadantar Back waters, near Vijaydurg Vijaydurg fort, it was a relief to reach here, the ride till here was never ending. Can I get a Thums Up please Crossing over from Vijaydurg to Jaitapur  Thank God ! it was low tide. My highest climb, so I thought near Ratnagiri.  from Dhabol to Dhopave. When you are down you just have to look around. A huge ancient Masjid in Dhopave. Just before crossing over to Raigad. The terrain, roads were fairly good !! Crossing over a bridge in Jaitapur Siolim bridge in Goa My journey through Konkan on a cycle Sindhudurg..... "Fear is a good thing." The night before I started my journey was a nervous one. Packing, unpacking, trying to make my backpack lighter, question's all over me - What if I get robbed? What if ...
9 comments
Read more

There is only 1 Goa in India

 Goa first came on the tourist map in the 60's as a hippie haven, probably the golden era of tourism in this tiny state. The tourists were more sensitive towards local culture and the environment. They consumed less and were happy living the life of the locals.  When the benefits of liberalisation started to trickle down and when a new and ambitious middle class started travelling, Goa witnessed mass tourism in the 90's and 2000's. There was a sudden surge of investments, construction and development, the era of unplanned tourism growth. Everyone wanted to be in Goa and everyone wanted to invest here.  The result of this era is what we experience in Goa of today, the relaxed vibe gave way to environmental degradation, overcrowding and cultural commodification, everything that this sunny seaside state was not known for.  Yet there is only 1 Goa in India and tourists still come here in hordes to experience the beaches, architecture, cuisine and the Goan vibe.  Whe...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Rs.10,000\- question?

  There are many distinguishing factors about the Indian traveller. Globally the trend is to travel more like a nuclear unit, your immediate family, with your partner or even solo, but in India we like to travel in a group. The society group, a corporate outing with your colleagues, travelling with your religious group for a pilgrimage or even the extended family coming together for a holiday.  The logistics of planning for a family holiday is immense and can get stressful, family watsaap groups will be buzzing with ideas right from destinations to mode of travel and activities that need to be included, then there is the process of multiple working professionals getting leave, the dates have to match, the schedule of the children travelling together, their schooling, exam’s tuitions and classes get accommodated.  Once this gigantic democratic exercise concludes, the process of selecting the hotel / villa / homestay and planning the daily schedule of your holiday commences...
Post a Comment
Read more