The Gokarna Getaway

Bagpacking random trips are one of my favorites! To explore an unknown place and to travel on an unknown route alone is an experience that remains with you. So its been a long time after college that we (neel and me) hadn't met and what good way to spend our weekend midway between Pune and Bangalore! So Gokarna it was!!

Volvo buses are easily available from Pune and sleeper buses from Bangalore too! Within an hour the plan was made and two hours later we boarded our respective buses! Canara Pinto travels is a good one though heard a lot about SRS Travels too. I reached at the Gokarna bypass at around 5 in the morning and knew no beach or anything, but hey bagpackers!! So six of us, strangers, met on that deserted petrolpump in the middle of nowhere where the bus dropped us, decided to share the half an hour drive, and boy it was fun.

Kurlei beach!! Where there were people from all over and some like us,just finding a place to stay! But extended weekends so no place on the beach. We moved towards the city where HariPriya was our home away from home stay. The room rates are so adorable! 600 bucks a night!! Checked in we just went back to kurlei to just relax on the shacks!! Food is good but somehow booze expectations don't meet up. The whole day we lazed around on the shack and just talked out our hearts. The shacks are priced somewhat similar to Goa... Next was offcorse playing on the beach and boy,the crabs scare the hell out you but their color (green btw) makes u adore nature! The sunset is the best part!!

The night was just chilling in the room talking eating..which reminds me of good food...though the ketchup here feels like jam or more like jelly anyways. We strolled across the streets and by 9.30 10 a large chunk of market closes, so satisfy your stomach first! BTW you might bump into people you just met that morning and have a great conversation too or you might just smile and pass :)

The next morning we explored OM beach which is just a place to die for. It is so beautiful.. Mountains and then this beach with nothing but one restaurant which BTW serves amazing food! (Foodie alert) so the whole day is drooling on hot firang guys and cute dogs and the scenery and basically everything that makes you feel happy! By 6.30 we left to catch the buses back to our regular lives. End of the escape!

That was sudden.

 Well we enjoyed the evening, the view and just felt how the bond of friendship can help one cope so much and make you feel so free that you feel you will fly!
So Oct- Jan there is a lot of foreign traffic since this place let's you unwind...away from the glittering lights and busy roads. It popularily the 'lamer goa' but I feel this place is perfect to just let go...so religious and so open, so back in time still so forward.

Tips to make your life easier-Book tickets in advance since you will save a lotBook a place before so you don't spend the sunrise looking for a place to stay the nightLet go all the worries and enjoy the natureExplore and trek kurlei, om, paradise and North gokarna beaches :)

This trip was just a relaxing one..I'll update you all with the trekking one too!!
So travel along and stay safe!!