Let’s be honest. TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) doesn’t make sense to most of the working
professionals in India. Contrary to our European or American counterparts,
those in India, at least a majority of them, have only one weekly off as
opposed to having a 48- hour weekend. And when you have only a Sunday for
yourself, you’ll be forgiven for being tempted to spend it doing nothing at
home other than perhaps binge watching the latest TV series or doing a
movie-marathon.
But
those wanting to extract every little bit that life has to offer spend their
Sundays mostly outdoors, doing what they love the most. At least this is what
the trend in Goa suggests.
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WEEKEND BIKE RIDES
Ask anyone who calls themselves a biker and they will tell you, riding is
much more than just a passion for them. For many, it is a way of life and this
immense interest has led to the formation of thousands of biking clubs all
across the world. And for these bikers, Sundays are a preferred occasion to
meet and spent quality time discussing all things biking and riding together.
Siddesh Chodankar from Marcela, owner of Harley Davison Roadking – a machine
that costs north of 35 lakh INR, has done many interstate rides, exploring the
length and breadth of the country. Siddesh spends his Sundays meeting his
fellow bikers from the Harley Owners’ Group (HOG), riding to places within the
state. Siddesh says, “We at HOG make it a point to ride every Sunday. While
most of our rides are breakfast rides, at least once a month we do a lunch
ride, where we identify a restaurant with good parking space and ride to that
place, while covering other destinations on the way. It’s a great feeling –
riding together and spending time with people who share your passion for
biking.”
Apart
from HOG, there are several other biking groups in Goa that prefer to spend
their Sundays riding to unexplored places. Goan Enthusiasts And RiderS (GEARS),
another active biking group in the state, often does interstate biking trips
within a day and allows its members to take their prized possessions out for a
spin.
WATER SPORTS
Waterbabies do not
need Sundays to feel at home in water. But if Sunday is your preferred day for unleashing the
otherwise dormant adrenaline junkie in you, then there’s lots that one can do
in Goa. Indulging in watersports without feeling touristy is possible and from
kayaking in the sea, to paddleboarding and kitesurfing, there’s plenty to do
and learn along the northern and southern coast of Goa. For kayaking, we
suggest Palolem-Patnem. Available for a measly Rs 200/hour, kayaks are easily
available on rent at Palolem and Patnem. Apoorv Naik, who does this on a
relatively regular basis, says, “Kayaking your way from one beach to another,
parking your kayaks on the beach, getting in a shack, having a chilled pint of
beer before making your way back to your source, is an ‘exercise’ (pun
intended) that can be really soothing and extremely fulfilling. The calm waters
of Patnem and relatively rough waters of Palolem make for a great contrast for
even amateur kayakers.” Up north, along the Mandrem-Ashvem belt, a few
watersport training schools have been functioning for the last few years. The
reputed ones have international certified trainers that teach kitesurfing,
wakeboarding, windsurfing and a host of other water sports that need some
training and practice before you’re comfortable with it.
SUNDAY BRUNCHES
We’re slightly partial
towards this because this writer is a big fan of day-parties. And who can deny that
brunches make for a great excuse for day drinking, especially when clubbing on
a Sunday is not a very good idea, considering Monday marks the start of the
work week. Add to that the convenience of being in Goa, where a host of star
properties or stand-alone restaurants have great brunch packages to offer.
Grand Hyatt Goa’s Wicked Liquid Brunch has been a runaway hit with people
increasingly making the most of an extensive food spread and spirits on offer,
making for a great Sunday to-do activity with your friends. Down South in
Utorda, The Kenilworth Resort and Spa has also been attracting brunch-lovers in
huge numbers, courtesy their 11:11 brunch spread and a host of other activities
that the resort property has to offer. Basking in the sun in the inviting pools
at these resorts can be a good prelude to the endless hogging that follows.
Those looking at a cure for their Saturday-night hangover at a more intimate
and smaller venue along the northern beach belt can perhaps head to Anjuna for
a sumptuous breakfast in a beautiful garden setting. Niranjan Singh Purohit, an
entrepreneur who was at one of the five-star properties with his friends for
the Sunday brunch a few days ago, says, “A hectic work-filled week leaves no
scope to spend quality time with your friends and Sundays can be a great
occasion to do just that. A full day spent laughing, chatting and creating
memories also qualifies to be a day spent pampering yourself.”
