Knock Knock Knockin' on Heaven's door

Okay, I know it's way past the new year but, people, you've got to give me time to get over the hangover (euphoria!).

My new year parties have always been less than glorious. When the world was holding it's collective breath for the new millenium, I was stuck in my grandmother's house watching a tamil movie at midnight. (Seriously!) And when the rest of my family was partying hard in Bangalore a few years after that, I was getting drunk on the terrace of my college mate's house, with five other guys!!!

But this time, I think I have sufficiently made up for all that by being in Goa!!

GOAAAAAAAAA!!!! Right up there with island of the lesbos in my mind! And I will settle for goa for the time being.

Drove all the way and back. That in itself must account for something. The road was...well...interesting. And the company was phenomenal. The music was great! Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison and John Denver and Billy Joel and Bob Marley! Rich company indeed!!

And then, of course, Goa...

Where should I start? How about the sun-kissed beaches? White sands? Breath-taking sunsets? Equally breath-taking and equally kissed babes? The endless parties? Oh, I could go on and on.

But the one amazing thing about Goa is anything, absolutely anything goes! My first day at Goa, sitting in a shack, sipping beer, and the bartender comes up to me and lowers his voice in a conspiratorial tone.

"Boss, aur koi mangtha hai? Weed? Smoke up?"

I looked at him! That was first time someone offered to get me weed in such a blatant fashion!

Anjuna Beach. The place where I have seen the best sunset so far. The sun seemed to gently settle down on the waters and suddenly explode! The sea was awash with crimson and azure. Wow! As I was looking at it, drinking the scene fully, the waiter of the shack came and stood next to me, looking at the sunset in a dispassionate way. He had his cellphone to his ear and was apparently speaking to someone. He suddenly leaned close to me.

"Boss, ecstasy mangtha hai? Ecstasy?"

I grinned at him in a stupid way. Nope. I had already found my ecstasy.

Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door.......