What if I am the chillest man in the world?
I reckon the Buddha is the most chilled man of all time, but in terms of living people I must be up there at the moment! As promised I have made it to Goa, with the intention to meander through Kerala afterwards.
After the ‘authentic’ India of Rajasthan, the hippie vibe is very much welcome. It is a beautiful 33 degrees and I have spent the past week dozing on the beach. I have dozed all across northern Goa, at Arambol, at Marem, and at Anjuna. Same, same but marginally different. I have deduced that in the day time there are two activities: chill on the beach or sleep off your drugs. Both revolve around doing as little as possible.
As for the night time activites, I have not really sampled them. On my first proper night in the north I went out to a late night market thing with live music and DJs, but I did not stay late. The highlights being a ropey cover of Zombie and an admittedly courageous cover of Free Bird by what I would describe as an Indian Metallica tribute band. I happened to be with another Kiwi and by the time we were chatting with a dude whose opening bit was a joke about the Christchurch shootings, we realised it was time to go.
As a place to go it was definitely an experience. It left me with many questions. Why is a dreadlocked white man selling handmade wooden bowls with healing properties? How did he end up here? Who buys the glow in the dark pystrance t-shirt? What do Indian people think about all this?
I suspect Indians do not really care, particularly as it feels that this is now a tourist destination for Indians. Outside the hostels I have only met Indian people on holiday. While there is still the expected quota of crusty drealocks, the spiral tribe wooks are rarer than I expected. Regardless, Goa, or at least the north, is still not cool. It is just another tourist spot.
Having said that, it does have a chilled vibe that feels somewhat unique. It is what I imagine Ibizia is like. Sun, sea, bars, and clubs pounding generic techno. Here the sonic weaponry of choice1 is bog-standard, droney progressive techno belted out from every other beach shack. It seems that the only requirement for operation on the beach is to have some serious stacks. It is fine, I am so chilled that I don't really care, but it would be nice if someone put on some reggae for a bit. I am yearning for some Balearic magic.
The 10am pystrance raves do exist, as I have deduced from some drug garbled conversations with people around the hostels, however my intense cynacism and musical snobbery prevents me from experiencing them. No, pystrance is not a unique form of meditation, that is the transportative power latent within all music. Grow up and listen to something better, it's not too late! I'll meet you at the post-industrial drone happening; it is vinyl only.
Nonetheless, my pretentiousness has not ruined anything, as I suspect one would have to be especially hard-boiled to not chill out here. Everyone is very friendly and I have started saying man at the end of every sentence. I should probably leave before the dreadlocks start.
By leave I mean meander down to South Goa and become basically horizontal. Here there isn't even the option to party, so it is straight beach. I can't really complain, however, it has definitely been more expensive here and the food has not been as good as Rajasthan. I have been handling Indian spicy notproblem, which I think is more an indication of the food rather than an endorsement of my gut.
I am pleased to report I have been getting my excercise in with some morning runs along the beach. Honestly I needed it as I was starting to get antsy sitting around all day. I also filled up one day with a devestatingly sweaty cycle to a beach up the coast.
Unlike north Goa there are a lot more western tourists here and a fair number of brits, although the key demographic is Russian. You may get an English menu, you may get a Russian one, it's a fun game!
As a final point, the sunsets here are spectacular as the sun balloons in size and turns a deep crimson on its journey to the horizon. It is a shame it never comes out as well in a photo. On the 1st of Feb I scrambled over the rocks at the northern edge of the beach to see past the headland and bid the sun god Ra farewell. As I was staring contemplatively out to sea, the only other person there struck up a conversation. It turned out he is in the same industry as me and I had worked with a couple of his colleagues throughout 2023. He had likewise worked with my practice in the past. What are the chances…. some would say small world, other may lament how a stupid email job can engulf such a large part of our personality that upon a chance meeting, and with free range of conversation, work remains the binding agent.2
Overall, Goa has been a good time. I have a new appreciation for the Buddha's internal serenity and am fully recharged. I am ready to move back to the cities.
The big wheel keeps turning.
Kochi awaits.
Apart from pystrance of course, which I imagine even the most die hard fan would admit is not especially suited to a beach bar vibe.
Work is obviously important, it is just a shame that so much of it is essentially bullshit. Exchanging emails to solve an artificial problem, avoid legal culpability, or to maximise profit and/or shareholder dividends.