Finding New Friends in Goa

The next stop on our India whirlwind tour: Goa! Best known as a beachy vacation destination for Indians and foreigners alike, the state is located on the southwestern coast and was an easy flight from Kerala. We stayed in Panaji, the laid-back capital city, though in retrospect we should have done a bit more research and ventured further north or south where the famous beaches are located. Regardless, we had a blast in Panaji and didn’t mind staying in the city since we tend to get bored at the beach pretty quickly.

We arrived in Goa after midnight, learned that the state doesn’t have Uber, downloaded a local app similar to Uber, and finally made it to our hotel which was 45 minutes from the airport. Upon arrival the hotel forced us to pay extra money for a second guest in the room. We felt totally scammed! Never before—even in India—had we encountered this kind of extra charge, having booked countless private rooms for two people with a flat charge for the room – not per person. Matt later sent an email to Booking.com’s customer service department explaining the situation and they immediately reimbursed us, but the midnight kerfuffle lasted an hour and caused a lot of unnecessary stress.

The next day’s fun made up for the unfortunate check-in scenario. My dad’s grad school buddy, Noel, has a sister-in-law named Vinny who lives in Goa. We were put in touch, and Vinny was so gracious to host me and Matt for a lunch gathering at her house! Joining the meal were three of Vinny’s friends and relatives who also live in Goa as well as her high-school aged son, Eric. We drank feni cocktails comprised of a cashew-based liquor mixed with water, sprite, fresh lime, salt, and a chili pepper. We dined on delicious local salads, fried shrimp and fish, prawn curry, Goan sausage, a creamy cake that tasted like banana mixed with cappuccino, and more. It was truly the best meal we’ve had in India so far and was very specific to the local cuisine! After eating and chatting for a few hours, Vinny took us on a driving tour of Panaji, highlighting many of the beautiful and historic homes in hilly neighborhoods that we probably wouldn’t have been able to see without her guidance. Vinny was a fantastic host and provided us with lots of recommendations for our time in Goa. We loved being able to socialize with people who live in Goa, spending time discussing the local culture and their experiences growing up in India.

Eating and chatting over lunch at Vinny's house.

The incredible spread of Goan food we ate for lunch.

That evening, Matt and I checked out the annual Goa Food and Cultural Festival which coincided with our visit. The popular festival featured over 70 different food stalls and a huge stage for song and dance performances. We watched two cover bands and a Portuguese dance troupe while munching on a spicy fried cauliflower dish.

At the entrance to the Goa Food and Cultural Festival.

Hundreds of people eating and enjoying live music at the festival.

To diversify our experience in Goa, we shifted from the hotel to the Old Quarter Hostel in Panaji’s Latin neighborhood. As the receptionist scanned our passports, we noticed a colorful chalkboard advertising an overnight camping trip for hostellers leaving in just a couple of hours. It included yoga, biking, vegetarian BBQ, swimming, and kayaking – all things we love! On a whim, we signed up for the trip, which ended up being one of the highlights of our India adventure so far. We were joined by travelers from Germany, France, the US, and Israel, and our guide was a Brit who had lived in India for a few years teaching yoga and working for the hostel. The ten campers formed a cohesive group, with lots of interesting conversation and laughter. We even formed a WhatsApp chat group afterwards to exchange photos. The hostel provided bikes, camping gear, and food for the group. First, we took a ferry to a nearby island and biked 10km through villages and farmland to reach the campsite. At sunset, we swam in the river next to our camp, which was super muddy but extremely refreshing. Grimy but happy, the group grilled corn, veggies, and potatoes over coal-burning camping stoves and drank Kingfisher beers late into the evening. Matt and I shared a tent, and the next morning our guide facilitated a yoga class next to the river. It was absolutely wonderful!

We took our bikes on the ferry to reach an island before cycling 10km to our campsite.

Swimming in the river at sunset near our campsite.

Our campsite area was serene and isolated with lots of palm trees!

The rest of our stay in Goa was very low-key as we recovered from the active camping trip. Matt and I played Scrabble at a coffee shop, walked around Panaji, and read our books before catching a super early flight to Mumbai on Saturday morning. If anything, I left wishing we had a couple more days in Goa. We’ll just have to go back someday!