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| End of the world and two best friends! |
The problem with the most amazing moments you have in your life is that they can’t ever be told in the exact same way. Such was a trip I took with my friend Namit some 5 years back to Pune and Goa. Basically some 10 guys planned the trip, but after every other friend of ours dumped the plan, I and Namit still decided to go for it. The very best trips are the ones which are unplanned and this trip was no exception. 19 year olds, best friends and planning to have an awesome time, it looked perfect. There was just one thing - we had some surprises on the way!
We’re going, no matter what!
I had informed my family (I didn’t ask for permission) that I’ll be going to Goa, but I didn’t tell them when. After we decided on the day, I told my dad that I’m going on the very same evening. I suffered hell for it and heard sentences like, “Am I your dad, or you are mine?” But I survived it. Namit’s boss gave him a choice: “If you work, it’ll be good. If you go on a holiday now, don’t come to the office again!” He chose the later one and we were on our way.
Roadie Ranvijay
Touchdown Pune and we felt like the Dil Chahta Hai guys, there was just one difference – They had the Merc and we were walking! It was one of our friends birthday, So we went to a pub named, ‘Sohos’ And just when we were some pints down, I heard some girls screaming. I looked back to realize, it was MTV VJ Ranvijay who had come in to party! I told Namit (who was really high) “Abey woh dekh, Ranvijay!”, but he just wasn’t in a mood to give a damn. When he realized, we not only got a picture but we got a chance to share the dance floor with him for a while.
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| King of good times! |
We got robbed
Well not literally. We went to a mall with some of our friends. A tarot card lady in the mall claimed to tell the future in 250 buck per person. I went for it and so did 4 of our friends. I had to pay all 1250 Rs for it. Reason – I can’t say a freaking no!
Destination Goa
Destination Goa and we made it. After falling prey to a guy who rented us a place for a bit higher, we were in the best of our moods. We needed a bike now to repeat what had been done in DCH. I could have settled for any but my dear pal wanted something different as he said, “We should get a CBR, I’m sure somebody will rent us that.”
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| Goa at last! |
Bus ride
Never take a city tour in a bus when you’re in Goa. We got on a bus, just to realize, we were the only ones what one may call, ‘Youngsters.’ Middle aged men, crying kids and over caring aunties surrounded us on the Bus. The guide told us stories about how several films have been shot in Goa which bored us to death and the bus driver seemed to be the busiest man as he would never let us finish our drink whenever we stopped at a place. It was only when we took the uncles on the bus on our side by the jokes we are ashamed of today, we were relieved. Then, we kept drinking and the uncles kept threatening the driver whenever he tried to hurry up!
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| He wanted to eat it like Aamir Khan but the fish didn't allow it, as it stinked a lot! |
We got robbed again
This time, literally! Remember how Namit wanted a CBR? Well we got a guy named ‘Rafique’ who promised us to rent it. Looking at the guy, one can tell for sure that he can’t rent a bicycle for sure! But we trusted this heavenly angel. He asked for 300 bucks and told us that he’ll give us the mean machine in the evening and we’ll have to give him another 300. We agreed and he gave us his phone number and he showed us a house what he claimed to be his house. The number is not reachable till date. When we realized, that we have been fooled, we were drunk and shouting ‘Rafique’ again and again standing near his house, till some monster looking man came out and shouted back at his, which made us to escape!
Narrow Escape
After we got a bike (we got a red coloured Pulsar on rent from somewhere else which kept making weird noises), we headed towards the Tito’s pub where we thought we could get a date. A guy apparently told us, “You just gotta pay their bill too and they will come with you and dance with you!” Desperate, we went there just to find many other guys like us trying to do the same! We drank till death and then Namit did what he always does after drinking, “Gadi main chalunga!” I had to surrender! On our way back home, we came across some traffic cops who tried stopping us, just to hear some abuses from my dear friend! Within a fraction of second, the cop tried hitting us with his wooden stick, it went some one inch away from my butt and I heard the noise, ‘Zzzuppp!’ Shit scared, we drove back to the guest house even as Namit kept saying, “Abe kya fattu hain be tu!”
Way back to Nagpur!
After endless drinking and unexpected surprises, it was time to go home. We got a guy who booked our train tickets and we were on our way to the railway station, the four wheeler got punctured. Somehow we made it to the station. We had train which would take us to Thane and then a train from there which would take us to Nagpur. On our way to thane, I told Namit to rest for a while, he replied back, “You’re such boring person man, I want to see the beautiful scenes of Goa!” I respected his wish and went to sleep! We reached Thane, just to realize that the ticket guy forgot to give us the ticket from Thane to Nagpur! Short on cash, we wondered what we would do next!
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| I was happy even when the four wheeler got punctured! |
We got beaten in every way!
After hopping on a few trains, we realized that Howrah express is the one we should be on and which the ticket guy must have chosen for us. Thinking that our name must be on the list of the TTE we sat in the train just to realize it was the wrong train! Now we told the TTE our sad story and he allowed us to stand near the window on one condition as he said, “Don’t open the door, the general class people will hop into this compartment then I’ll have to kick you guys out with them!” We abided by it on the next station when someone kept knocking on the door, just to know after a minute that it was the railway police! An old police cop came in and hurled abuses at Namit. Meanwhile a young one came from another door and started beating him while I stood in a casual way and acted as if, ‘This shit happens the entire time mate!’ I think the young cop sensed it and gave me a tight slap too! After they went away, we decided to sit near the wash basin and continue our journey! Namit who wanted to see the beautiful scenes was now very sleepy. The night was a nightmare. Every half an hour people used to come and wash their hands, sniffed their filthy noses and dropped water drops on us. Every two hours, a particular Bengali guy came in and asked us in a rather taunting way, “Thandi bahut hain na?” In the morning, we thought we were saved knowing we have survived the night! For a kid it was poop time and since both the toilets were occupied, his mother chose to put a newspaper right in front of us and make him shit there!
Home at last!
We were home! Tired, exhausted and out of money! We didn’t even have the money to go home. We spent 21000 bucks in 6 days and were penniless now! But, we were filled in with a certain feeling – a feeling of happiness! We lived those 6 days completely, every moment of it! Unplanned, full of surprises, goof-ups, it many not a perfect trip for other people, but for two close friends, it was something special! That trip brings a smile to my face whenever I think of it and I vividly remember every bit of it. It made me more close to the person who was and who is one of the best buddies I have! It changed my life, for good, for I realized that the best of things come unexpected!
This post is a dedication to that buddy of mine whom I certainly can’t do without – Namit Verma!
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| Keep smiling and cherish your friends! |
(This post has been submitted as entry for the incredible stories contest sponsored by Mahindra and Mahindra on Indiblogger.http://www.mahindraxuv500.com/)
