Old Goa thoroughly explored and the pangs of hunger began to rear their ugly heads once again. There’s so much great food to be had in Goa, especially in the north, so I headed towards the Calangute-Baga road and one of my favourite eateries: Infantaria. Lip-smacking grub was wolfed down in a hurry and, hunger satiated, I headed out again. The next port of call was Panaji or Panjim. By this time, the heat and humidity of Goa had started to get to me. The Yaris’ capable air-con system was a welcome respite, and our resident photography wizard Saurabh was have an absolute ball riding in the back, enjoying the full blast from the conveniently placed roof-mounted air-vents.
The capital of Goa, Panjim is a tourist hotspot thanks to its proximity to the Miramar beach and the litany of luxurious, high-stake casinos floating along its coast. I made my way towards Miramar because no visit to Goa is complete without taking in the waves. However, I gave the typically crowded beach a pass and instead headed for a tiny alcove nearby which offers the same captivating view, but with servings of serenity on the side. It was immensely enjoyable to watch the lights wink into existence on the opposite coast as the sun began to set and thunder clouds rolled overhead, hastening the coming of nightfall. While I was in the area, I also checked out the casino strip, watching the twinkling neon signs and sharply dressed guests make their way to the jetties and take little ferry boats to the affluent yachts that house these world-renowned casinos.
