Where The Roads Take Me... Temporal tales of travel and transition

It was the narrowest highway I’d ever seen, flanked by windswept palm trees and lush fields of paddy and austere hills that rose all around like imposing, indisputable custodians of the land.
The bus rattled along, meandering through sharp curves and hairpin bends, clambering up steep inclines and then trundling downhill. The verdant foliage parted every so often to afford tantalizing glimpses of the ocean that lay just beyond, its grey-blue waters undulating under the monsoon wind as if in beckoning.
It was the first day of my first trip to Goa with two best friends, and we’d ditched the famed bikes-and-cars-on-hire to hop onto a local bus en route to Palolem Beach.
I was anxious at first, for buses in India generally have a bad reputation, especially if you’re a woman or women travelling unescorted. But all my apprehensions soon subsided when nobody paid us the least bit of attention, even in our beach-friendly shorts and t-shirts that clearly marked us as the only non-locals on board. In my nine years of living in India, I’d never felt so relaxed or welcome in a public space. Plus, the bus was cheap, which is always a good thing.
My friends and I shared a packet of roasted nuts but didn’t feel the need to chitchat like we usually do while driving. Moreover, for once our cell phones were stowed away out of sight, neither needed nor missed. It felt strangely liberating, to not have to obsess over the GPS or fret about which route to take, to simply sit back and let go.
The breeze from the open windows played across my face, and I breathed in the balmy scents of the forest and the ocean and the dank, fresh earth, recently rained-upon. Behind me, a gaggle of school kids conversed in a raucous mix of Konkani and English, and I heard several snippets over the vibrations of the rickety-rackety metal-box on wheels. It made me smile, the chatter about pending homework and approaching exams and who was dating whom – a clandestine peak into the charming everyday.
The journey was long and roundabout but one that I sincerely recommend. The service is operated by the Kadamba Transport Corporation, and available year-round between 6a.m. and 7p.m. The entire state is fairly well-connected and route maps are available online at http://ktclgoa.com/.
Bear in mind that the buses often get crowded and/or delayed but don’t let this deter you from including a ride in your itinerary – for it’s the ultimate local experience in India’s global beach paradise.