Authentic Goa 2014- All you need to do is get lost

Day 0

My Jet Airways flight landed at Dabolim airport before time and this is where all the excitement started building up for Authentic Goa 2014.This airport is a commercial establishment but is also used by the Indian Air Force. So you will see the IAF hangar on the north end of the runway and if you are lucky, you will see the mighty Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets parked outside. And yes, I was lucky that day as I saw two of them. A regular citizen like me doesn’t get to see something like this, so it was worth it. 

After an hour, I saw myself relaxing in a hotel with a breath taking view of the Uttorda beach. And yes, I am not ashamed to admit that this is my first time in South Goa.  After a break, I went for a walk which turned out to be pretty long, due to the vast property of the  Kennilworth resort.  The rest of the day was spent lazing around the beach.  We were asked to meet at the hotel lounge at 7pm for the welcoming party and briefing session.  The session started with a welcome speech by Ashwin Pandit, who was the chief Steward and also heads the Western India Sports Association (WISA). WISA along with Mahindra Adventure organises such adventurous events across the region. This was followed by some briefing session by the Mahindra Adventure officials. They laid out the itinerary for the next three days and also explained the concept of time distance rally (TSD) which was scheduled for the second day. Once the official sessions got over, it was time to know the rest of the participants who had come from states like Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. I had a nice time knowing these car enthusiasts and their family and yes, there were few kids who attended Authentic Goa 2014.

Day 1

Reporting time was 8 am and yes, everyone was on time – call it the excitement to get lost in Goa.  Chits were drawn and cars were allotted to everyone.  Mahindra got a nice mix of vehicles to this event- the Scorpio, Thar, Bolero, Verito Vibe and even the Invader which acted as a backup and other spare vehicle  as well. I got the mighty Bolero but my eyes were on the Invader for reasons only known to me. The flag-off happened on time and the convoy of 18 vehicles proceeded towards Earthern Pots –a Goan restaurant, situated in a small town of Valpoi. This town shares its boundary with the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary where our first adventure lies.

After a lovely two-hour  drive from the hotel, we stopped at Earthen Pots for a quick breakfast. With a nice cup of tea in hand, I paid my attention to John Pollard. He is a British professional rafter who spends half his time in the Himalayas training people in river rafting and then comes to Goa for another season. After a quick briefing session, everyone signed the indemnity form and proceeded towards the bank of Mhadei River for white water rafting. This is where we were divided into four groups with six members each, except my group of seven- thanks to the bigger raft. We were trained to use the paddle and also informed about the dos and don’ts once we were in the water. John asked not us to panic in case someone falls in the water. This was my first ever white water rafting experience and it was one I will not forget in a hurry.

The rafting session lasted for almost an hour, where we covered 10 kms and passed through some breath-takingbreathtaking  views of the forest.  For a first timer, it is little tough to do what the expert on the raft says because you need lots of stamina and strength to manage your paddle on the rough river. We passed through some incredibly dangerous parts of the river, famously referred to as “big daddy” by the rafters. No one fell off their rafts during this activity but once we found the most calm section of the river, the experts encouraged few rafters to jump into the river and experience what you normally can’t experience in your day to day life. I decided to stay back and act as the “puller”.  

Exhausted, I proceeded towards my Bolero, changed into dry clothes and we were off to Earthen Pots again, this time for Goan lunch which turned out to be the most delicious food during the entire stay at Authentic Goa 2014. Next stop was the famous Tambdi Surla temple. With the convoy in place, we drove towards this 12th- century Shaivite temple of the Lord Mahadeva. What makes this temple special is its location. It lies between a wildlife sanctuary and is surrounded by a rough river, making it look incredibly stunning.

I tried to spend as much time as I could  in this temple but I had to follow the rest of the convoy which was readying itself to drive Colva market for some shopping session. Well, I decided to skip the shopping and ended up exploring Colva beach, which was crowded with tourists. After a quick walk, I took out my Bolero and drove towards the hotel, where a nice dip in the pool was awaiting me. But I ended up resting my eyes for some time and got up only to hog some yummy dinner buffet.  

Day 2

It was TSD day. This was the second most highlighted activity during the entire event. It’s a combination of precision driving and navigation and also a, very enjoyable activity. Each car was given a road book just before flag off. TSD rally is not about how fast you reach a checkpoint or how soon you pass one; it’s all about reaching a checkpoint on time – not before and not after. I decided to navigate and Piyush from Car India was on the driver’s seat. Indraneel –our PR contact tagged along with us as well. TSD rally was a first for me, but I had done my homework. I figured how to navigate using the road signs on the book, calculations were on my tip and we were seen cruising on Goa roads for almost four hours. I made sure not to miss a turn, because if I do, we were almost out of the game. 

Honestly, I had a nice time during this rally. We were averaging at around 30kmph on the city roads as well as on the national highways. And this is where the Bolero shocked me. Fuel efficiency during the entire TSD rally averaged at around 20 kmpl. Yes,  you heard it right. A 2.5-litre m2DiCR engine was giving us 20kmpl. We were one of the last vehicles to reach Martins Corner but hoped, not to be the last one. Post lunch, it was leisure time for everyone but I decided to hang out with Vinay Thomas, the off-road expert. He knew my eagerness to drive the Invader and he happily agreed for a long drive to the famous Infantaria café at Calangute. The drive lasted for almost three hours but he could easily say I had a great time. 

Day 3

It was off-roading day- The most awaited event at the Authentic Goa 2014. Just like the other days, participants were on time. The Verito Vibe didn’t make its way to the event area for obvious reasons – ground clearance. Participants were asked to share vehicles for this and everyday gladly accepted. I took the Invader for its amazing 4x4 capabilities. The venue was spread across South Goa, with the first activity taking place in the middle of a forest. Doughnuts – was the word of the hour. Participants were asked to take the legendary Thar and do a doughnut. First few participants didn’t have problem but heavy rains and bad forest land created problems for the rest of us. Burning clutch was evident but that didn’t stop Mahindra Adventure folks in getting the second Thar. Some participants got stuck between the uneven surfaces, while some figured out the art of making a doughnut.

The next off-roading activity was quite far and the route to reach the place runs parallel to a water canal and dense forest. After few metres, we found out we had to get through an obstacle. At first I thought, this could be a planned activity by Mahindra guys, but when they took out the winches, I figured out the uprooted tree was planned by nature. Vinay and his team did a great job of clearing the road but Mahindra had to cancel the last two activities due to time constraints. So the last and the final obstacle included a big water pit, few corners and some really bad surface. We had to complete the circuit in the Thar with as little time as possible. The first few participants had the same advantage. For me it was worse, because I was the last one to experience this obstacle. I somehow managed to stay on course and finish it without crashing into the woods. 

The day ended with a prize distribution ceremony, where winners in various obstacles and activities were awarded with certificates and trophies. WISA had called a Goan band for the last day that played amazing music and ended Authentic Goa 2014 in a very positive note. The whole idea of experiencing nature with various adventure activities is a very good initiative by Mahindra Adventure. The best part is you don’t need to own a Mahindra vehicle to participate; everything will be taken care by  Mahindra Adventure. Before I conclude this article, I would recommend all adventure and car enthusiasts to experience Authentic Goa because you will get to experience Goa like never before.