Birthday By The Beach

"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things"

-Henry Miller.

The birthday girl wished for a birthday by the beach and I being the travel-granting fairy took matters into my own hands. As I many times say all I need to make things happen is the name of my next destination. I had two beach resorts near Mangalore which were begging to be explored. I honestly can't even remember where I came across the Turtle Beach Bay in Trasi. Much like the infamous Goa trip, our beach trip was almost over before it begun. After celebrating my friend Fatema's birthday at midnight it was almost impossible for our group of five to be up and ready at seven in the morning. I obviously ironed my clothes in the middle of the night and had my beach wardrobe all set but this day was not about me. And so I went back to sleep when no one woke up at seven in the morning thinking of all the chores I could accomplish that Sunday *Inner Monica rejoicing* The heavens had other plans however and who was I to deny them :p Over breakfast at the mess it was decided to go to the beach anyway. Like they say better late than never! We quickly grabbed our bags and begun our journey to the beach.

It took us around one and a half hour to reach the beach resort. We had the beach to ourselves. Yes, that's right! Just the five of us. There were a few guests staying in the rooms at the resort but they did not swim. After admiring the beautiful beach and taking a few photos we changed into our swimsuits and jumped right into the water. It was the perfect temperature at around one in the afternoon. As it was a rather sunny day, we applied generous amounts of sunscreen. After some swimming where we played piggyback water fight we took a break for some well-deserved lunch. The resort has a restaurant with a decent menu.

Post-lunch we went swimming one more time. Turtle Beach also had beach volleyball and other activities. As we were on a tight schedule due to some pending nursing assignments we had to leave before the sunset. But here's the secret scoop only for my readers. The direction of this beach does offer a sunset at the beach! So in case, you plan to follow my lead and go check out this place for yourself you must stay back for sunset and send me those photos!

The beach has showers and changing facilities so one can easily freshen up after swimming. I luckily carried my shampoo and managed to wash my hair saving me from doing it later at night when I would be exhausted.We made our return journey while listening to tunes and chatting away. At one point we even stopped to buy fruits from the bus stop for the week ahead. Before parting ways we enjoyed some hot ginger tea and then said our goodbyes. This trip was over but the memories we had collected were going to last us a lifetime. Also, I am certain that I will be going back to Turtle Bay Beach Resort.

Seeing Is Believing

Travel Vlog: Birthday By The Beach

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Everything You Want To Know About Turtle Bay Beach Resort

How to reach?

Take a bus/train to Kundapur in Karnataka. From Manipal a bus to Udupi and a connecting bus to Kundapur. From Kundapur take a bus to Trasi. If you have a private vehicle you are sorted!

How much cash to carry?
I would say about 1000 rupees.
Food: 200-300
Entrance: 250
Transport to and fro by bus: 150
It's always good to have extra cash in hand. Also in case you want to try out any water sports, you may need extra cash.

How long to stay?A day trip would be recommended. The shower facility is sufficient for all your daytime needs.The rooms available are expensive from a budget travel point of view costing around 2500+ per night.

What to carry?
You can carry your own food if you wish!
1) Sunscreen
2) Towel
3) Sunglasses/Hat
4) Swimwear
5) Extra pair of clothes
6) Cards, beach ball or other games.
7) Sunglasses
8) Music and speakers
9) Shampoo and toiletries.
10) A plastic bag for your wet clothes!

For other Beach Destination ideas you can check my other blog posts:
1. Goa After Graduation

2. St.Mary's Island

3. Beach Therapy: Murudeshwara

4. Gokarna Girls Trip

You can stay up to date with all my travel stories and photos by following me on my very active My Instagram Account
That's all for this blog post. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I loved experiencing it. But don't stop there go ahead and see it for yourself! Thank you for reading. All comments and feedback is appreciated in the comments section below.

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.

Lost In The Forest With No Network: Exploring Yana Caves

"Travel brings power and love back into your life"     

-Rumi. 

If you are reading this then that means I have obviously survived and found my way back to civilization. The title may sound like an exaggeration but trust me when I say this, it is not. This will go down in history as the day I got lost in the forest and walked 17 kilometers! However to know exactly how I got to this point and how I found my way back I need to start from the beginning. Two years ago, I saw photos which some of my faculty had posted of visiting this place. And of course, since then it was on my bucket list to check it out for myself. The trouble was that it was relatively far and I would need enough time to fully explore it. I also need to learn how to properly drive a car and learn how to ride a scooty. This December, I had all the time in the world as I was clearly not going back to Dar-es-salaam neither was I going to Gujarat or anywhere else.

The trip was initially planned with a bigger group in mind but as all group plans go in the end it was only the two of us. My friend Tridib and I decided to take the trip anyway and so we started at Udupi Railway Station early in the morning waiting for the 7.30 am train to Kumta. Naturally, the train was late. In our case, it was one and half hours later and arrived at 9 am. That was the first set back we faced which would later go on to delay our entire day's plan. We reached Kumta at around noon and from the bus stop took a local bus to Yana Caves. This journey was uphill and passed through mountain roads, very slowly and therefore took us longer than I had anticipated.

Yana caves is not a commercialized tourist spot. You will find very few visitors and no guides whatsoever. I was aware of this before starting the journey but obviously, in no possible future outcomes did I expect myself to end up getting lost because of this. From the place where the bus dropped there was a three-kilometer climb uphill which was okay. We were super excited to see the caves. While making our way up we even came across a bunch of butterfly nests in the forest by a waterfall. It was truly magical to be alive and surrounded by nature away from hustle of the monotonous everyday life. On reaching the caves we were tired and it was about 2.30 pm. We explored the inside of the caves which was alive with bats and other creatures of the dark. 

The trouble began on the return journey. It should have been a simple three kilometer walk downhill to catch the 4 pm bus (there was one every hour, the last one at 5 pm) but the road to exit the caves was different from the entry route and it had no signs or arrows to lead the way to the bus stop. We had even asked a guard for the direction initially and followed what we were told but somehow unfortunately we were in the middle of no where. We did not know what to do. We kept walking around and there was no sign of people around us who we could ask on the way. It was close to 5 pm and it was getting dark. I prayed silently, dehydrated and starving. I had eaten a samosa and tea on the train and my stomach needed food to keep going. Drenched in our own sweat as we walked further on the road to nowhere, we heard some screams and one minute later a bus full of school kids passed on the road. We stopped it and it luckily gave us a ride. Usually buses did not come that way but they were trying to avoid the main road as they did not have proper permission for that bus. God, we were saved.

The bus dropped us off in Gokarna and we headed to Namaste Cafe at Om Beach to grab some dinner. I had some spinach-mushroom lasagna which was quite filling and delicious. I was exhausted but thankful at the same time. I had got my high dose of adrenaline and adventure to last me for quite some time. We had to catch a train back from Kumta to Udupi but it looked like the train was going to get delayed again and so we took a 9 pm bus back and I was back home by 1 am. The next day was another story. I thought my feet would hurt and turn to stone but instead what hurt was my back and shoulders probably due to carrying around my camera for the whole day and the bumpy bus journey where my giraffe-of-a-neck was too long to get any back support from the seats.

All's well that ends well. With that spirit, no matter how bad this year might have been, just like this trip let's remember all the good moments and move forward with an optimistic look for the coming year which may be filled with more adventures!

Five Tips For Planning A Trip To Yana Caves:

1. The mode of transport.
Do not rely on the train-bus combination because you are bound to get late if either of these get delayed. If you must use them try to catch a night train so you find yourself at Kumta by early morning and start your journey to the caves then ensuring you do not have to spend the night in the forest. The best would be to book a car/van/bus or go by bikes or private transport.

2. Go with a big group.
I am all about solo travel but if you are new at exploring or do not know the common language of the area it is best to travel in a group. Not only will you save money as the cost of a lot of items can be split but it will also be fun and more memorable.

3. Take some food with you.
It is wise to carry some food as it is a long journey and you might get hungry on the way. The best is some bananas as it will keep you full and give you the energy you need.

4.Start early in the day.
Try to start your trip as early in the day as possible or if you are doubtful start it the night before or stay over somewhere near Kumta that way you do not have to worry about travelling time being a problem.

5. Explore the surrounding places.
Now if you have found some extra time on your hands you can easily visit Mirjan Fort which is also in Kumta (next blog coming up). On the same train route you also have Gokarna and it's beaches, Murudeshwara temple and the beach next to it and of course Goa. So don't miss out on these!

There you have it. I hope you enjoyed reading the way I enjoyed writing it for all of you. If you have any questions or comments please post them below.  Stay curious and keep exploring! 

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.

Two Lovers: Journey Via Heaven and Hell

Two young blood. we were both from a different place, culture, caste, education, speaking different languages but we were united by one thing called LOVE. We got to know each other through a mutual friend in a party. Later while chatting, we found a common interest which was the love for chess. We loved playing chess with each other every other day since then. Playing chess made us grow closer to each other. I used to purposefully lose games to bring enthusiasm in her so that she played more and more games. I started loving her more with each day.

One fine day I had some urgent work near her college. I finished my work mid afternoon and called her over the phone. Her phone was out of network area. How can I forget, her hostel place is still a virgin of mobile towers. She told me once that her hostel mates used to climb windows to get a network. After trying for one hour, at last, the call got connected. We made a plan to meet at the nearest restaurant. Both of us met in the restaurant to have tea. I was thinking about more ways to meet her. I knew about her liking towards trekking. That was one of the other things that we had in common. Suddenly, I remembered a place nearby I read about and told her about that place- Konajekallu. It was around 8km from her college in Moodbidri.

We decided to go there and reached the place at 4 pm. We could see three huge rocks on the top of a hill. As we were adventurous, we decided to reach the top of the highest rock. It seemed like the route to the cliff was not as easy as we thought. We were wondering about which path to take. Our target was to reach top and back by 7 pm. The path was kind of sloppy curves and it was wet as if it had rained in the afternoon. The route was in midst of a dense rain forest. We could hear chirping sounds of birds, sounds of insects and some unrecognized sounds. We even spotted some unrecognized creatures. But we subdued all our fears to reach our destination. Walking on those slippery hills in the midst of dense forest and with the entire struggle, we reached the bottom of the rock. The bottom of the rock had a cave temple of Lord Shiva. This temple was a miracle of nature. It looked so extraordinary. We prayed and sat there for a while. The scene was serene with full of greenery, fog all around and breeze of cool air. This made us feel like it was heaven up there. We could call it the nature untouched.

The top of the rock was few feet above from the bottom. So we decided to climb it up. While enjoying the moment and each other’s company, we lost track of time. The curvy path leading to the top is a different and difficult one, not as we expected initially. It was slippery and we fell a couple of times. The twilight started emerging, the sun gave us a few warning calls. Yet we decided to fulfill our aim to reach the top. After a couple of time and with all our efforts, we finally reached the top and it was like a eureka moment for us. We were so happy as if we were on the top of the world. She pointed out to a building saying that it was her college. We could see whole of her college from the top. But little we knew was that darkness was emerging sooner and faster. That very moment, we decided to go back. But we lost the way because of darkness. We called out loudly so that villagers or someone might hear our sound and will come for our help. We tried to find out human footprints so that we can follow the path. But everything went in vain. We were searching all the alternate possible routes to go down, but most of the routes made us go further up. Lost in this forest in the dark felt like deadly for sure. Now, seriously this place has become a hell for us. Suddenly some voice shook us up.

We felt like something was approaching us. She said some wild animal was coming towards us. We were definitely afraid of snakes as we were moving through grass bushes. We started moving forward with all our energy and vigor. We struggled till darkness spread its wings and we were left with only two options–one was to continue the mission downwards which was surely a gate pass to death in that dense and dark forest, and second was to move to a safer and open place to pass the night unharmed staying steady at a place. We lost all our energy in the struggle to get downwards and we got fully exhausted. We could hear a whole lot of noises from all around. Everything put together, we decided to stick to the second plan with no other options left. We started moving forward using mobile flash. But in the mid, our only connection to the external world i.e. my mobile got switched off. We went upwards to finally reach a flat rock to sit and rest.

To kill time sitting on these rocks, kill our fear, keep the hope alive was our new struggle now. The sounds of wild birds and animals, darkness all around, fear of snakes, lost in midst of jungle made us feel like spending the whole night here was a Herculean task. We both decided to live these moments to the fullest like this was the last day of our life. This gave us the confidence to break our new enemy i.e. fear. Slowly our tensions faded away. We started to observe good things of nature – the open sky, twinkling stars above and the cool breeze flowing around. We started talking on various topics to spend time. We even talked about life after death. We played dumb charades, antakshari, word games etc. We both got more close to each other and understood each other more deeply. We both were equally hungry but had nothing to eat or drink. That day I understood that even I can fast. The climate was too cold, we were shivering without blankets. The scenario was reminding us of some movies. Each others support and company made all the odds bearable, but not for long, after a while cloud rose eating all the stars in the sky finally evaporating into the rain. God was testing our patience indeed, but luckily I had an umbrella in my bag. Since water was flowing around the rocks, we had to stand up for hours now beneath the umbrella. She started singing songs to keep the mood alive and it made me more active. I too joined her in that flow. With God’s grace, rain stopped after few hours. We again sat on the rocks conversing with each other. The climate was cooler than before and it was chilling. I don’t remember when I slept but was waked up by her call pointing towards the sun which gave us a ray of hope.

Monsoon & Trekking: Get The Right Gear

We started our journey downwards. We were not getting the right paths which can lead us to a safe destination. We went through one route after the other searching the way but everything was in vain. Suddenly torch lit in my brains and I thought what if we follow the water flowing through the forest. We started following it. The route in which water was flowing was a tough one because it was full of boulders, pits, tree branches and water streams. My hand got cuts and bruises because of the thorny plants. She fell many a time in the pit and hurt herself on the leg. Our bad luck, rain started pouring again all the way. We didn’t care about anything nor were we afraid of the snakes which might have been there in those streams of water. After an hour and half of journey, we finally reached a place where we could see the broad daylight. The houses nearby boosted our confidence level. Our happiness at that moment could not be expressed in words. We were totally wet in rain water and our dress messy with mud and bits of branches and leaves on us. Happily, I kissed her forehead because I knew that we would be okay. A villager stopped by and asked about us. We told the whole story. He told us that the forest had tigers and cobras and it was lucky that we survived the night. He took us to his home, gave us food and clothes. As my pant was muddy and torn, he gave me his pants to wear. He even called us an auto to reach the town. These people with a golden heart which made me believe in humanity. We thanked him and bid a farewell. We went along with his daughter and son in an auto to reach the nearest town. It was a journey never to be forgotten in our lives. It was a journey via heaven and hell.

About the Author: 

Prahalad K.R has done M.Tech in Control Systems from MIT Manipal. He loves travelling,trekking,writing,chess,table tennis,badminton,reading novels,quizzing.His dream is to start a socially innovative company.You can find him on Facebook.

Contact number: 9048957975

Email: prah007@gmail.com

Thank you for your guest blog post! I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. May you continue supporting Time Travelling Shutterbug.

The Ultimate Guide To Hampi

"The only thing I own, which are still worth what they have cost me are my travel memories...the mind-pictures of places that I have been hoarding like a happy miser"-Burton Homes.

Two sisters, two days, one trip, memories to last a lifetime that was Hampi for me. I traveled to this beautiful town of old kingdoms, beautiful temples and gigantic ruins in December 2016 with my sister Sonali Khetia. Located alongside the Tungabhadra river, Hampi is a top tourist destination for both Indians and foreigners alike. It is recognized as the group of monuments at Hampi in the UNESCO- world heritage site. Want to know more of my journey and experience then keep on reading:

TEMPLES

Old temples, big and small alike. Hampi is home to a lot of beautiful temples. From the main and the most visited Shiva temple (Virupaksha temple) to the abandoned Krishna temple, the famous Vittala temple complex, and the Jain temples, each of them has its own unique history bound to the famous Vijayanagar Empire. Many of these temples were used for worship back during the time of the Kings but have now been preserved as a monument.

Virupaksha Temple

Temple in Vittala Complex

Krishna Temple

Temple at Hemakuta Hill

FOOD

Hampi is a paradise for food lovers. There are more than a dozen restaurants within the main center offering a variety of cuisines. We picked a different restaurant from each meal so we could enjoy a little bit of everything. The pasta, pizza, fries, falafel, momos were finger-licking delicious. All the restaurants have a cozy vibe, some with rooftop setting while others with a river view.

Breakfast at Moon Light Restaurant.

Falafel <3

River View Restaurant

Moon Light Restaurant

ROYAL MONUMENTS

Hampi was the operation center of the entire Vijayanagar Empire. In order for things to operate smoothly, it was obvious that it had marvelous structures built up to serve the royal family. From water tanks to royal baths, gardens, other monuments of historical importance and some of the military significance like the elephant stables. 

Lotus Temple

Royal Pool

Water Tank At Royal Enclosure

Stone Chariot

HAMPI TRAVEL VLOG

Top Ten Tips For Your Hampi Trip:

1. Accommodation In Hampi: 

Unless you are planning a luxury stay, I would suggest not to spend a lot on your accommodation. We easily got a guest house for 450 Rupees per night! Our trip was two days and one night. We checked out at 10 am in the morning and asked the reception to take care of our luggage as we went exploring on the second day. You can collect it in the evening before catching your bus.

We stayed at the Manju Guest House.

2. How To Reach Hampi:

If you are flying in, the nearest airport is Hubli and then a three-hour taxi would bring you to Hampi or a bus from Bangalore. All of those are bound to leave you tired and you would need some good rest. In that case, you can extend your trip to two or three nights. In my case, I took an overnight bus to Hospet (12 km from Hampi) and then a connecting bus.

3. The Hardest Question: What Should You Eat?

Have a heavy breakfast so you can explore throughout the day without having to a long lunch break which will not only take away time but also make you lazy and sleepy. All restaurants on the main side of Hampi (near the temple) serve only vegetarian food. Yes! So if you want to indulge in non-veg options you can easily cross the river. Hampi also does not serve alcohol to respect the religious views of the area and the people. That is also available on the other side of the river.

-Must Try Restaurants: Moon Light, Mango Tree, Funky Monkey and River View Restaurant.

4. Out And About Hampi.

If you absolutely love exploring then get yourself a bicycle on rent. Map of Hampi is sold at 20 rupees and you can easily find your way about on your own. Every morning at 9 am a government tourist group also leaves from Virupaksha temple on bicycles. A bicycle for the whole day would cost you somewhere between 200-400 rupees. You could also get a guide if you wish. The Royal enclosure and sunset points are far from the center but a lot of places are at walkable distance.

-Must Visit Places: Vittala Complex, Matunga Hill, The Royal Enclosure, Virupaksha Temple.

You can also try a ride across the river in the handmade boats!

Tungabhadra River, Hampi.

5. Network & Communication In Hampi.

Let me assure you, there is none. No phone network. Only Wifi. This was the main reason why all the restaurants and guest houses have their own wifi. It is very hard to get a network on your phone while in Hampi so inform your loved ones prior to your travel so that they do not get worried.

6. What To Wear In Hampi.

As Hampi is a religious town, I would suggest dressing modestly. Go for long cotton skirts or trousers, maxi dresses. For men, long trousers, joggers or pants would be appropriate. Avoid shorts as it would be disrespectful especially in temples. It is always hot in Hampi so be sure to wear comfortable clothing that you can manage for an entire day. Wear walking shoes or comfortable sandals as Hampi is full of big boulders and rocks and there would be a lot of walking.

7. What To Pack For Hampi.

Pack light, if you are backpacking.  

Essentials include: Camera, Water bottle, ID Card, Chargers, Sun Protection (Cream, Sunglasses, Hat). See the video for more inspiration.

8.Shopping In Hampi.

Hampi has a few shops run by tourists and locals alike. They sell the most unique items from handicraft to clothes, shoes, show piece collections, jewelry and more. If it is in your budget do get yourself a souvenir to take back home.

9.The Other Side Of the River.

This is a beautiful place, which I discovered a little late during my trip. Make your way across the river in the ferry boat which will cost around 12 rupees per person. The other side has lush green fields, is much cooler and has a lot of fun places to be explored.

10. Enjoy Yourself!

Have an awesome time. Do not let the heat or the walking drain your down or get to you! Let yourself loose in the ruins, get crazy and have fun! 

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post. Feel free to leave your comments, questions, and suggestions below. Follow my blog to stay updated on my endeavors and be sure to share it with your friends. Thank you.

Disclaimer: All the photos, reviews, and opinions in this blog post are my own. Do not copy or replicate without permission. 

Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.

Mandatory Goa Trip After Graduation.

"Life is like that Goa Trip. Either you show it who's the boss or it takes you for a ride"

-Nishma Khetia.

If someone told you a Goa story without high-level drama in it, they would be lying to you. Take my word for it. There is a reason behind all the memes on the internet surrounding Goa plans that fail and they are there for a reason. I am sitting on the train back from Goa as I write this blog post because a lot of my research on travel blogs have told me to journal my experiences as soon as possible as the details are crucial but they are also volatile! After a lot of planning a few of my friends agreed to go Goa the day after the completion of our final exams. We were graduates! Yeah, the ceremony is in November and the results are not out yet *phew* so this was the perfect time to travel for us, take one last trip before we parted ways.

Manipal is 4.5hours away from Goa by train. The Madgaon station, however, is also a good 1.5hours away from the famous Baga Beach. Our hotel was a walking distance from Baga in an area called Calangute. Our journey began at 7.30am from Udupi station and by the time we reached our hotel freshened up it was 4 pm. We were all exhausted but we had no time to waste on rest or sleep which were a rare luxury. We had not been having any sleep for the past two months due to hectic exams so were pretty much used to the idea of sleep deprivation.

After getting some much needed late lunch, we hit Baga beach. The beach is lined with dozens of shacks serving food and drinks. The crowd on the beach was pretty decent. We were told that this was 'off season' ( I traveled in May end). The waves were huge and the water sports were going on in high swing. Latest music blasted from the shacks and we ordered ourselves some drinks. Every shack had a variety of options to choose from. You would have to look at a few places and decide where you would like to sit. We watched the sunset and I clicked a few photos.

The walk to and fro from our hotel was pretty much a routine in Goa. We walked through Tito's lane which is Goa's famous street that has clubs and pubs on one side and local shopping on the other. We strolled through the shops and clubs weighing our options so we could get the best deal to party the night away. Getting ready was the next task and putting on our best party wear because a lot of clubs in Goa require formal wear. After getting delicious dinner we decided to head to Tito's. The other strong option we had was Club Cabana but as our transport back from the club was debatable we decided to go with Tito's. After all the club had an entire lane named after it and all the advertisements hyped it up. Spoiler alert: it was worth it AF.

Tito's lane at midnight was like a carnival full of people enjoying themselves and dancing to upbeat music. The couple entry was thousand rupees and ladies had free entry and drinks at Tito's. Five of us got in at midnight and got ourselves a nice table. Tito's was divided into a drinks only section, a Sheesha place, restaurant and the dance floor area. As we experimented with drinks, a magician came to entertain us and it was absolutely delightful. Another group of friends from my batch were also in Goa and later came to Tito's. I was on the dance floor till four in the morning celebrating the end of four years of hard work! It seemed to fit perfectly.

Goa had some power problem as they were changing the power lines. We got some disturbed sleep and checked out of our hotel at eleven in the morning. We had hired a driver to take us sightseeing. Cars are not the recommended choice of vehicle for Goa! A scooter is perfect but we didn't know how to ride one or didn't have the license. First on the list was Candolim and we got into boats to see some Dolphins. The boat took us into deep waters where we spotted Dolphins. However, they were quick and unexpected sightings so I could not photograph that.

Next up we headed to the famous Dil Chata Hai fort- Aguada Fort. Okay, I have not watched that movie. Sue me! I shall watch in the holidays. The fort was beautifully located on a hill. It was made by the Portuguese and had a lighthouse. It was very sunny and one could easily get dehydrated. We had lemonade to replenish lost electrolytes and continued our sightseeing post lunch. The boys had Goan fish which they said was delicious.

The last location we visited was Basicila of Bom Jesus. I have seen quite a few churches but this one stood out to me. If you watch the video of the ongoing mass you will get the idea of what I am talking about. It is so beautiful and the mass going on was in-tune and it created a holy atmosphere. I don't know what it was but I have only felt this moving feeling twice in my life. Once when I visited the ISKCON temple in Bangalore on my own and now in Goa. We lit candles at the church and said our prayers.

Our taxi driver then dropped us to the railway station for our train back home. A lot of drama unfolded prior to our settling in the hotel but I choose to not highlight the negativity in my blog posts and instead leave my readers with all my fun experiences with caution tips wherever required. When booking a hotel ensure that the check-in and check-out timings and rules are crystal clear because small hotel owners can take you for a ride! Also, do not depend on your friends to take any sort of travel responsibility, just do it yourself even if that means coming off as rude or just solo travel! Which reminds me,  I'm going to write about the trip that sparked the traveler in me very soon so watch out for that one to be inspired to travel solo.

TOP SEVEN TIPS FOR TRAVELLING IN GOA

1.Carry enough cash! Goa can be expensive. We went during off season but the prices of food and accommodation are pretty high. It does have very cheap alcohol when compared to other Indian states but everything else is costly. I spent 5000 rupees in two days. This is when I traveled to Goa in General class train ticket so if you are coming in by bus/flight you have to consider the cost of that as well.

2.Stay hydrated. As Goa is humid and sunny you could easily loose track of your water intake and the if you are drinking alcohol, it will leave you dehydrated even more. Have a lot of fresh juice and water at all times.

3.Confirm and re-confirm your bookings to make sure you know exactly how things are about to go down. Goa is huge so I suggest booking one hotel in North Goa and then another one for the next day towards Old Goa or South Goa. This would let you explore easily. According to me to fully explore Goa 2 nights and three days would be sufficient.

4. Traveling on a scooter is recommended but I realized that if you are 4-6 people you can hire a car as well because scooter can get uncomfortable and long distances on GPS can leave you exhausted.

5.Watch out for all shady people because there will be a lot of people trying to offer you stuff. You do not want to get yourself into trouble. Also, make sure you have proper transport arrangements after you are done partying. DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.

6. There are many beaches in Goa. If you want to go to a laid back one you can discover one for yourself and you do not need to be on a crowded beach if you are looking for a more relaxing vibe.

7. Last but not the list, just keep your calm while traveling to Goa. Things are bound to get a bit out of schedule as everyone is just looking to have fun in their own way. 

That's all for this blog post. Oh, what's that you want more?...Hmm Okay! I made a proper Goa Vlog for you guys. Have fun. Leave your comments below. Thank you for reading.

All photos/videos are owned by me or my friends.

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Signing off,

Nishma Khetia.