This time, bumming by the beach had different experiences to offer.

The much-promised post on the Goa trip follows. What was different about the four days i spent there: i bummed on the beach in the night, caught the most amazing view of the night sky ever, got insanely angry a number of times, tried out new eating places and totally peaced out. Geek Boy and i got there first, Sister K followed soon enough.

The journey to Goa was the stuff adventures are made of: Geek Boy and i drove down - another first for me. We lost our way and took a state highway - a rubble road that went over and through the Ghats, plonking us bang in the middle of Goa, 25 km away from Calangute. It was one of the most memorable bits of my entire trip. It was also the moment i fell in love with the miracle that is GPS and the gorgeousness that is the iPhone.

The second memorable bit of the trip was our first night on the beach. Geek Boy and i sat under the stars till my legs gave up all sensation, what with being exposed to the chill of the sea in a pair of skimpy shorts, and we had to head back. The sky put up what is undoubtedly one of the most captivating displays of nature's beauty ever: grey clouds like clotted cream crept up to cover a moon that was near-full, as the moon put its spotlight on a patch of waves right in the middle of the sea. It was like the moonlight was creating a stage for the dolphins to perform feats of diving or the mermaids to entice us with their shimmering bodies. I cannot begin to describe how awed i was by the sky that night. It's an image that's going to stay with me for a long, long time.

I went to new places: Bob's Inn for lunch (finger-licking and spicy-as-hell Chicken Vindaloo with Goan Pav, finished off with a luscious, rich, melt-at-a-touch Chocolate Mousse), Curlie's for just-like-that (absolutely yummy Margharita pizzas with a sprinkling of fresh chopped Basil) and Sher-e-Punjab (yeah, i know, but we were driving back to Bangalore and had to stop for a bite at Panjim at 5 p.m to stop Geek Boy from being sick; besides, the food was good).

On our party nights, we saw a fight, a bottle being broken on some big shot's head and his head cracking almost-open; we saw a 'buyer' trying to get some from a bunch of women; we saw the crowds go crazy as some bellydancing chick from some dance show got mauled by men in turbans, uncleji shirts and slipping shorts as their teenage sons, daughters, neices and nephews gawked at her.

Did the trip achieve its purpose? Well, yes and no. My head cleared up a lot, i came back calmer and more normal than i have been these last couple of months. I do wish that i had slept till late in the afternoon every single day that i was there, though. And i wish that i could do something to help Sister K's predicament.

But that's the good thing about Goa, isn't it? There's always a next time.

P.S: Dear Haathi, thanks for suggesting a whole list of places to go to for food and entertainment!