Goa Getaway

This past weekend, Louise and I treated ourselves to a romantic, inexpensive getaway to Goa. This was thanks to the all of the Marriott points I've acquired by living out of a suitcase for the past few years. Our room offered a spectacular view of the ocean (which turned out to be just a river). We arrived on Friday evening and enjoyed one of the most spectacular meals of my time in India. We selected our red snapper and tiger prawns straight from the fresh seafood bar and enjoyed them by the waterside.

We spent the bulk of our days lying by the pool which was right on the water. The highlight for Louise was the pool bar, where you could enjoy your cocktails in the water. The highlight for me was the little flag on the side of our beach chairs. When you put the flag up, a pool boy would come running over to attend to you within seconds. Absolutely wonderful.

On Saturday night, we teamed up with two other foreigners we met in the hotel. Marco, from Switzerland, and Gilberto, from Italy, were also enjoying a weekend away from their work in Lucknow. Only their company was paying all of their expenses, and some of ours as a result. Together we explored the night market, where I literally spent all the money in my wallet and had to stop by an ATM to get more money for the rest of the night. Then we had dinner at a restaurant on Calangute Beach and we ended the night at Club Cabana, a huge club on the top of a hill with incredible views.

Proving just how small the world is, Louise bumped into a girl she knew from Delhi. She was also in Goa for the weekend with two friends. One of these friends was Mark, a guy from Vienna, Virginia, a town just next to Reston. It's funny that you can travel half way around the world and meet someone who lives next door.

The weekend in going was short, but very relaxing. While I've already checked this off of my Things To Do List, I'm already planning a return trip for New Year's. And that time, I will stay much longer.