How quickly 3 months can pass and even more so how abruptly it can all come to a close. To experience the magic of Goa has been a dream for me that I thought I may never have the opportunity to realize. A culture that has influenced and inspired so much of myself that seemed to have almost flickered out of existence, is contrarily still burning deep within the ancient, holy land of southern India’s beach fringed coastline. My hopes for a balance of adventure and productivity were undeniably high and while neither fell short of fulfilled, the picture painted was altogether different than what I anticipated. Sharon and I had high hopes for accomplishment and where we may feel we felt short in practical research and development in designing our new future, we believe we gained in personal development. Days that weren’t filled with research, were filled with a large amount of yoga, reading, and meditation. In our final weeks in Goa we did manage to speak with a good handful of experienced individuals who offered many insights into the potential directions we may consider taking for creating a new business. Perhaps the greatest lesson I’ve learned is to have no expectation when surrendering to the flow and while you can have goals for what you want to achieve on an unknown journey, ultimately you are at the will and malleability of the canvas on which you paint.

The world of travelers never stretches out of reach, especially when you run into a good German friend of Caryolyn’s (with whom I traveled through Africa last year) from the Soulclipse Festival in Turkey or her temporary travel buddies that were from Aspen, Colorado. With only one week left in Goa, we enjoyed a visit from Milana and her daughter Bella—two extremely brave friends from Boulder, CO who had only days before moved to India to stay in Amma’s Ashram indefinitely. Admitting that we had reached the limit of productivity able in Goa with only a week to pack and tie up loose ends, Sharon and I decided to squeeze in as much adventure as we could. Milana and Bella immediately took to the easy lifestyle of Goa and we did our best to show them the best finale week possible. The adventure began immediately with a scooter accident where Sharon, carrying 10 year old Bella, hit a stone wall. Frightened, but with all limbs in tact and only a few scrapes and bruises, we set off for the northern beach of Asvem. We swam with a school of mystery fish which felt like eels circling our ankles and enjoyed a nice sunset-beach dinner before joining some friends for their outdoor short-film movie night at a nearby beach hut. They showed independent films they had produced featuring documentaries on India and the like. A late night headlamp hike with no moon illuminated the gallery of sand paintings that high-tide brushed across the beach. It was almost as if in a dream that we actually got lost on the beach as the tide completely transformed the landscape filling swales with lakes masking our coconut hut just inland. The next day we spent at the long, flat, white-sand beach of Arambol in anticipation of a huge gathering that night. With noise complaints before it even started, the party was cancelled and we ended up lounging in the spacey atmosphere of the Russian “Psy-bar” for some juices. We finally caught up with Anjuli, a friend of a friend from Colorado for breakfast at Double Dutch, the local pixie hot-spot. A countryside scooter back down to Anjuna and without reminders from my friends, I probably would’ve completely missed my own birthday. The day was spent sorting out Milana and Bella with some nice beach front property and concluded with our final sunset party at Curlie’s. I had the hardest stomp of the season and a high-energy party that pushed beyond the usual 10pm all the way until 12:15!—all I could really ask for.

After a couple days of packing and sorting, it was time to play, so we all headed to Vagator beach for some hiking and waves. I stumbled across a hidden Shiva cave, perfect for meditation, then joined the rest of the crew in getting tossed by the largest waves of the season. That night atop south Anjuna hill was a proper tribal gathering and the last we’d see for the season. A camp fire, drumming, didges, Indian chanting, fire spinning, moon set, hellos to faces I hadn’t seen yet and goodbyes to those I’d shared joy with all season. The next morning we rose early, packed and hit club Paradiso which was conveniently hosting a 36-hour party for our last sweat-drenched stomp session. We finished our goodbyes and caught the night train to Mumbai to join Ishwar for our last few days in India. A final trip to the market, some awesome Indian food, nearly a full day’s meeting with a large clothing manufacturer in Mumbai, and a quick stop at the local underground dvd shop for some rock-bottom purchases, and we thanked Ishwar and India for all it had given us.

I see now that the magic of Goa lives on even if hidden beneath the worn surface. I went without expectations and left with some of the greatest memories. The overabundance of bad music characterized by anthems and drum rolls was a bit of a shock, but those familiar, smiling faces, that I repeatedly see around the world are a reminder that it’s magic still burns in the hearts of all those it has touched. It always brings a huge smile to my face to see the Indians on the dance floor dancing harder than anyone, fully embracing this transcendental culture. No one is left unwelcome and the arms reach far is this global family. In the end, a perfect day in Goa could best be described by Doctor Seuss’s “A Great Day for Up!” story with a sky filled with kites and parachutes in celebration of life and an embracing of this one great moment worth living. (See my photo for blog entry “Coming Into Being”). “Ooo-kay Ok,” is what they reassuringly say in India, and it is certainly how I feel every time my thoughts drift back to the sunset beaches of Anjuna.