Goa. To an average Indian the name is synonymous with holiday. Images of blue sea, broad beaches with half or full nude fair-skinned women flash through everyone's mind. To me, however, going to Goa on work for four days meant an opportunity to explore the Malabar endemics in Goa's wildlife sanctuary. At 48 one seeks birds away from the beaches of Baga and Anjuna (something that I had done at 25 already).
I spoke to Backwoods' Leo and Loven (9822144939) for booking their resort near Tambdi Surla. Verbally they told me yes you are booked and will send you a confirmatory email. This email confirmation never came - and I realised much later why it is so. The place is outside the mobile or internet network. Communication for them is not as easy as it is for us.
However, every time I spoke to them they said it was all fixed and there is no need to worry. They would pick me up from my hotel in Panjim. Cost is a flat Rs 3000 per day per head (for two nights and three days I paid Rs 7600).
Things moved absolutely as per plans and there was not a single step outside what was planned. On the night before my travel I got a call on my mobile from Pramod who said in crisp English that he will come at 5.30 am to pick me up from my hotel. He did exactly that. Incidentally, 5.30 in Goa is like mid-night to us. It's pitch dark. Sun rises there at around 7 am. In a couple of hours we reached
