How destiny brought two friends together in Goa
Chapter 14: The chance meeting that made my final days unforgettable
This is chapter 14 of Love at First Flight, my memoir about finding connection while travelling solo around the world.
It’s March 2013, and after a transformative month in Goa, India, I’m ready to spend my last few days here alone before I fly to the next country on my list.
Little did I know, I'm about to bump into a familiar face in the most unlikely of places.
I woke to the sound of laughter and chatter drifting through the thin walls of my ground floor guesthouse room. Glancing at my phone, the glowing screen revealed it was 2am.
Must be the silent disco I’d seen signs for yesterday. Pulling on some clothes, I wasn’t going to miss this party, even if I was nervous to go alone.
The silent disco
As I got closer, I could hear people shout-singing 'Sex on Fire' by Kings of Leon. Clearly, the party wasn't that silent.
In the early hours of the morning, Goa's vivid colours had faded to black. Flashing disco lights briefly lit up the bar, the DJ booth and the small crowd.
When an attendant handed me headphones, I discovered two DJ feeds: house music and indie songs. I chose indie to join in with the singers.
Between songs, friendly strangers chatted with me at the bar, making me glad I'd come.
Then, among the lights and shadows, I saw a familiar face.
Could it be? It was Sarah!
An unexpected message
The previous day, Sarah had messaged to say she'd just landed in India’s largest city - Mumbai.
We'd met at a workshop in London last summer, where we discovered we'd both booked round-the-world trips with overlapping travel dates.
I'd replied that I was in Palolem, but with the patchy WiFi, I didn't know if she'd received it. I had no idea she'd hop on a quick flight down to Goa on the off-chance of finding me.
Now, hugging her in the early hours at this silent disco felt like destiny. We'd found each other in person without the power of electronic messaging.
Having another solo traveller from home here was so comforting. We danced, we talked, we laughed until late. To Sarah, flying 300 miles on a whim was just part of the adventure and I loved that about her.
After a fun night, I returned to bed, elated. Despite this, something was stirring in my consciousness. A sensation I'd now learned to trust.
Time to go
My time in Goa had taught me to listen to my instincts instead of my overactive mind.
After years of anxiety back home, I was finally learning to trust my intuition. So when I felt a persistent urge to move on from Palolem, I knew I had to listen - even though it could mean leaving my friend who'd just flown all this way to join me.
I didn't even know where I wanted to go. The only place that called to me was Arambol. I'd loved it there, plus it was close to the bus station for my flight in a few days.
The journey wouldn't be fun - there was a heatwave in Goa and I'd have to squash into three sweaty local buses to get there.
But I was determined to follow my intuition, whatever it took.
Breaking the news
The morning after the silent disco, I broke the news to Francisco that I’d be checking out of his guesthouse. He hugged me - we'd grown fond of our breakfast chats.
While I was packing, Sarah called about lunch plans. Apologising, I told her I was moving on, suggesting she could join me, yet doubting she would want to, since she'd only just arrived. But she wasn't fazed:
“I’ll come with you!”
Relief rushed through me. I was delighted we'd get to travel together.
“I thought I'd head back to Arambol - I liked it there.”
“Sounds good! I’ll start packing.”
I'd been dreading the hot and sweaty bus journey, but with Sarah coming along, we could split the price of an air-conditioned taxi. Bliss.
Return to Arambol
Looking out of the taxi window as we arrived, it seemed like a long time had passed. But it had only been a week.
Everything was exactly as I'd left it - my favourite cafés, yoga centres, the beach - but different somehow. Maybe I was seeing it fresh through Sarah's eyes.
We found adjoining rooms in a comfy guesthouse and I couldn't wait to share my Arambol experiences.
Together we went to the sunset beach parties, which Sarah loved as much as I did. We indulged at the hippie vegetarian restaurants and joined healing workshops at Magic Park.
Having a friend to explore with meant I ventured out more in the evenings than I had when I was here solo, discovering new bars and live music. We'd talk into the night about life and love.
Being here, in this place that had become so special to me, with my friend, was magical. Like everything was falling into place.
Orange-tinted memories
When we bought jewellery from a beach trader, something drew me to the warm-hued stones. I chose an amber bracelet and an orange pendant necklace with a flower.
Their colours reminded me of the wonderful Goa sunsets - perfect souvenirs of this transformative month. They symbolised everything I'd discovered here: how to reconnect with my creativity and passion after feeling lost for so long; how to trust my body's wisdom instead of over-thinking; how to connect deeply with people again.
Sarah's unflappable presence had shown me another side to travelling. With her, I felt safer to explore and try new things. We supported each other's choices while staying true to ourselves - no more shaping myself around others' expectations, as I'd done back home.
Like the orange glow of sunset, I felt warmer and more alive than I had in years.
End of the season
One day, I was excited to take Sarah to one of my favourite beach bars in Arambol. Instead we found a mound of wooden planks and wires.
It was gone, and nearby places were being demolished too. I watched, stunned, as places that had meant so much to me were taken apart piece by piece.
Just days earlier I'd been writing there, content among the chillout music and crashing waves. But it was the end of tourist season, and these temporary venues were now being dismantled, their licenses expired.
As my flight date approached, the Goa I knew was disintegrating before my eyes. It would be rebuilt though when the new season came, maybe even stronger than before.
That final evening, watching the sunset from the beach party, Sarah and I toasted to our Goa adventure. The venues might be coming down, but we'd made the most of every moment.
Leaving Goa
As my taxi departed Arambol, hot tears streamed down my cheeks. I watched the countryside fade, the same landscape I'd explored just days ago.
While Sarah continued to discover India, I was heading to Mumbai to catch my flight to Malaysia.
Leaving Goa stirred up a whirlwind of emotions. Excitement for what lay ahead sat alongside a deep sentimentality for the place that had been a sanctuary of healing, growth and a new approach to travel.
I was leaving behind a piece of my heart here.
The woman about to board that flight was renewed—braver, stronger, more creative and passionate. Open to the world's possibilities, I could trust myself and my intuition.
While everything would change, I knew now that every ending was just the beginning of something even more beautiful.
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One time I was in Guadalajara with a friend from Spain. We signed up for a tour early in the morning and when we got there, she recognized a fellow Spaniard friend who she did a silent retreat with 5 years earlier. LIKE, WHAT?!?!?! The crazy coincidences that happen while traveling are insane. 😆
Amazing how quickly it all changed, but good you could experience even the ending. It must have brought some kind of full circle moment to you.