Chp 904. Konkan Trip

So, it’s that time of the year again… Our annual office trip—yayyy!

For those who don’t know, I work from my farm in Neihbawih for this really cool company called Ronin Labs. One of the perks of being part of this awesome team (besides working on exciting VR and AI projects) is our yearly company getaway. Last year, we packed our bags and headed off to the sun-soaked beaches of Goa for four days of pure, unadulterated awesomeness. 

And, as I mentioned in that post [Neihbawih to Goa - office trip], it was an absolute riot! 

We did everything from gorging on the best beach burgers known to mankind to “who can drink the most Feni” challenges—cheered on by hot Russian tourists, of course—plus those unforgettable late-night shenanigans that I may or may not fully recall. Goa had the perfect blend of chaos, sunburn, and non-stop fun.

But this year, the Ronin Labs management wanted to shake things up for a change. They decided our 2024 annual office trip would be held at... drum roll, please… Konkan beach! Woohooooo!

Now, some of you might be thinking, "Konkan what?" because let’s face it, it’s not exactly a popular destination like Goa or Pondi. But that’s the thing—Konkan beaches have this hidden gem vibe, and that’s what makes them special.

Imagine pristine, untouched stretches of sand without the usual crowd of tourists. Palm trees swaying in the breeze, crystal-clear waters where even the fish judge you for your swimming form, and the kind of peaceful solitude that makes you wonder why it’s not more popular.

Oh, and the food… Don’t even get me started on the seafood. Konkan is a seafood lover's paradise. If you haven’t had fresh prawns while lounging on a nearly empty beach, have you really lived?

Here are some of the pros and cons of Konkan beaches, compared to other popular beach destinations in India.

PROS

• Complete privacy, so you pretty much own the beach.
• Hardly any tourists, hence no fighting for a spot to lounge.
• Raw and almost untouched—practically virgin territory.
• Nature at its best, with no over-commercialisation in sight.

CONS

• Far from civilisation, so bring your own stock of booze and smokes.
• You’re stuck with your resort chef’s menu, no other outlets nearby.
• Medical emergency? You're not gonna have a great time.
• Forget about nightlife club beach parties like untz untz untz with a firang crowd; it’s more about just you and your group's private party.

I was sold immediately.

Once again, I booked my flight tickets, left my farm at Neihbawih and prepared for the usual chaos that comes with travelling from Aizawl—the dreaded long layover at Kolkata Airport, where I had to kill time devouring overpriced sandwiches and beer, and landing at Pune way past midnight. 

By the time I landed, I was ready to collapse into a heap of exhaustion. But no time for that! The next morning, at 7 AM, we all gathered at the office, bags packed and eyes still heavy with sleep. I greeted everyone warmly, including the new people I hadn't met before.

Everyone was buzzing with excitement as we loaded into different vehicles, ready to hit the road toward Konkan. And yeah, we definitely made sure to pack enough snacks, cigarettes, and, of course, our own booze stash.

I was in Abhilash's car and couldn't resist making a couple of videos using InShot—check them out below. The challenge was squeezing all the fun into 30 seconds just so I could share it on my WhatsApp status, which was a real pain (and then WhatsApp extended the status limit to 1 minute a month later, arrrgh, lolz).

(By the way, if you are reading this blog from a mobile browser, then blogger platform is not optimised to display YouTube shorts in full screen properly, sometimes it does it correctly, sometimes it doesn't, so you'll have to click the expand [square] button above at the bottom right corner. I know, blogging is dying, nobody is bothered to fix such technical issues today.)

We made a quick pit stop on the way for a simple breakfast—nothing fancy, just some chai, poha, idli, vada, and the eternal question of why vada pav tastes so much better when you're on the road.

We continued our journey after that pit stop, but once we hit the Western Ghats, all our phones had no signal for at least an hour. So, if you’re planning this trip, keep that in mind—no network means you can't check where the others are.

To add some excitement, our boy Abhishek skidded on his bike and went crashing on the road! 

This is why travelling in groups across places with no network coverage is super important. We rushed over, helped him up, and asked if he wanted to head back or visit a hospital. Clutching his horribly shattered bones and bloodied ligaments, he exclaimed, "Nooo, I want to partaayyy!"  Just kidding, he only had a couple of bruises, and after a few minutes, we were back on the road, keeping a close eye on him from behind.

Finally, as we emerged from the Ghats, our phones started lighting up with notifications again, and one by one, everyone popped back up on the shared map. Someone suggested we stop at a nearby dhaba for chai and wait for the others to catch up, but I was starting to feel like I needed to go for number 2 soon, especially with about 2 hours of road still ahead. :D And so, our car continued towards our destination, leaving the others behind us.

We weren't ahead for long though, as Sumeet and Amit on their respective Ninjas overtook us easily. 

Finally, we were nearing our destination. Just look at this stunning video I took—one moment we were driving through tall, swaying palm trees, and then bam! The beach suddenly appeared before us, and it was absolutely breathtaking!

Our resort, White Sand Beach Resort, had been fully booked just for us, thanks to Sumeet, Manasi, and Amit. The place was perfect! There were around 6-7 rooms on a twin-sharing basis, and 3-4 spacious duplexes which could accommodate up to 4 people. In the middle was a gorgeous, expansive lawn with the softest grass, flanked by rows of perfectly symmetrical palm trees that gave it an almost postcard-perfect vibe.

Amit and I bunked together and I rushed into the toilet immediately, giving it my blessings. :D :P

We cracked open a couple of chilled beers while waiting for the rest of the crew to show up. It was scorching under the sun, but sitting in the shade with a cold beer in hand and the cool sea breeze hitting our faces—now that was pure bliss.

Once everyone arrived, the resort had lunch ready for us, and I dove right in like there was no tomorrow.

We had chapati, paratha, pulao, dal, veg curry, alu curry, chicken curry, this curry, that curry, everywhere curry! And every bite was absolutely delicious, resulting in me overeating, lolz.

I wrapped up my grand feast with a chilled Kokum drink. Kokum is a fruit (or is it a veggie?) that grows primarily in the Western Ghats, which is why it's quite popular in the region. It has this wonderfully refreshing and cooling effect when you drink it. As the saying goes, when in Konkan, drink Kokum! :P

After that, we rested a bit, before proceeding to the beach. Check out this video, yo!

Amazing right? (don't forget to click the expand button if you're on a mobile browser)

I captured the video above just before sunset, but we actually made our way to the beach right after lunch. It was absolutely majestic. The vast expanse of glittering white sands stretched out before us, almost empty except for our group, meeting the gentle embrace of the low tide waves as they softly lapped at the shore. It was like stepping into a dream.

Once we had soaked in all the beauty of the beach, it was time for the first activity—an exciting sand sculpting tutorial by Aaditya. Not only is Aaditya a maestro in digital art, but he's also a skilled sculptor in his free time. So naturally, we listened closely to his instructions, eager to create something amazing out of sand.

After his tutorial, it was our turn to craft our own sand sculptures, following his advice. It was hilarious and fun watching everyone come up with different shapes. Some got really creative with their designs, while others… well, let’s just say they made abstract art.

And here’s my masterpiece. I call it "Mother".

It symbolizes the raw, pure love of a mother for her child. In this narrative, you see an evil man attempting to kidnap her daughter, and in a fierce battle, the mother manages to save her child by stabbing the villain. But, in a tragic twist, she sacrifices her own life in the process. So deep, right? It’s an emotional reflection of the eternal bond between parent and child—bold yet fragile, dramatic yet tender, truly an expression of the human condition.

Well, that’s what I said it was about. In reality, I was actually trying to sculpt a hot babe, but HR suddenly appeared and stood right beside me, looking at what I was making with suspicion, so I had to quickly pivot and come up with this deep artistic interpretation. Better than getting summoned for a POSH session, right? :D :P

After the sculpting session, we made our way back to the resort for some light snacks, which included a variety of crispy bhaji fries—perfect fuel for the next round of activities.

Once we were all fueled up, it was time to hit the beach again for some team-based fun. We split into different groups and faced off in a series of hilarious challenges. One of them was when we were all seated in a single line, blindfolded, and had to pass a mug of water backwards to the person behind us. The goal? Fill up a bucket as fast as possible without spilling too much. Spoiler alert: it’s way easier said than done, and most of us ended up thoroughly soaked.

Soon, it was time to bid farewell to the sun. We stood in awe, watching as the fiery golden rays stretched across the vast blue ocean, painting the sky in hues of red and orange.

Once darkness settled in, we headed back to our rooms for a quick shower and to freshen up for the night’s festivities.

And now, the real stars of the evening, thadaaa....

We had a blast sipping on different drinks and chatting about everything under the sun (or rather, under the moon), while the DJs played some seriously kickass beats. Three of our colleagues took turns at the portable DJ table, each armed with their own playlist, offering everything from pop, house, trance, and techno, to Bollywood bangers.

It was an unforgettable night, though the irony is, most of us probably won’t remember much of it, lolz! Some of the guys took back the bottles to their rooms as the party had ended.

I hardly remembered when I went to sleep.

DAY 2.

I woke up the next morning with a slight hangover, 

But it seemed like I wasn’t the only one who managed to get up early—some of my colleagues were already out capturing stunning photos of the sunrise.

I was really pumped for the day ahead because I had volunteered to tag along with Manasi, Purval and Sunny on a trip to the local fish market.

As I mentioned earlier, we didn’t have the luxury of choosing different restaurants. We were entirely dependent on what the resort served us. While their food was delicious, it was mostly the usual veggies and chicken dishes. If we wanted something a bit more exotic, like mutton, pork, or seafood, we had to bring it in ourselves.

And since Konkan is known for its amazing fish markets, we decided to go seafood shopping in the morning, which was something I really wanted to experience firsthand.

Check out my video below!

My Maharashtrian friends were struggling a bit while purchasing the different fishes and prawns, and it was then that I learnt the local folks spoke Konkani, which is a bit different from Marathi. But even though I didn't speak either Marathi or Konkani, they understood the universal language of me asking them if I could pose for a photo with their fish. :D

We returned to our resort by around 10'ish, but not before making a quick stop at this breathtaking viewpoint along the way. The view from the cliff was absolutely stunning—stretching out over the endless ocean, with waves crashing against the rocks below. 

The road itself curved around the cliffside like something straight out of a foreign movie, the kind where you half expect a convertible to zoom by with a couple in sunglasses, wind in their hair. It had that perfect romantic vibe, the kind that makes you want to just stand there and soak in the scenery for hours.

We took a few photos, trying to capture the beauty of the moment (though no photo ever truly does justice to views like these). It was the kind of place where you could easily lose track of time.

After taking in the stunning sights, we finally made our way back to the resort. As soon as we arrived, we handed over all the seafood to the chefs, asking them to prepare the surmai for lunch, while the pomfret, bangda, bombil and prawns were reserved for the night’s partayyy.

I relaxed a bit and soon enough, it was time to eat, and the chefs had worked their magic. The surmai we’d bought that morning were transformed into a mouthwatering dish that lived up to all expectations.

After lunch, we geared up for our next activity—more beach fun, but this time we all had to wear our official Ronin Labs T-shirts, which gave the whole event that "team-building meets beach day" vibe.

We split into teams and kicked off with a series of fun, light-hearted activities. There were games like spinning around a stick 10 times and then doing a dizzy relay race, a hopping-on-one-leg contest, and even a T-shirt relay where you had to pass a shirt down the line after wearing it as fast as possible. 

It was the kind of stuff that was incredibly fun in a group, yet not too physically intense—because let's be real, most of us aren’t exactly in peak fitness. cough cough.

Sumeet captured this cute series of photos of me and Tithi. I think she was telling me about pirates and dolphins at that moment.

As we ended the evening beach events, we made our way back to the resort for some well-deserved snacks. While the evening chill set in, most of the guys wasted no time diving into the pool, where they played all sorts of impromptu games—ranging from water polo to seeing who could hold their breath the longest. The laughter and splashing echoed through the resort, and for a moment, it felt like we were kids again, without a care in the world.

Later that night, it was time for the official party event. I proudly rocked a lungi that I borrowed from Purval, and I have to say, I think I pulled it off pretty well. 

Lungi boys in da houseeee! :D All the Rajini fans - Thalaivar! Don't miss the chance - Thalaivar!

This time, the party was held in the resort’s cosy conference room, which we had transformed into our own little party haven. Drinks flowed generously, and the chefs outdid themselves with delicious starters from our morning's seafood shopping spree. The music was blasting, and we danced like there was no tomorrow—well, at least until our legs gave out.

Once again, I can't quite recall whether I had dinner or not, but I remember munching on the fried prawns, mackerel and pomfret. Seriously, they were dillu!

I also vaguely remember going down to the beach with the guys after midnight where we continued our revelry. The moonlit beach, the sound of the waves, and a group of slightly inebriated friends—it was the perfect recipe for more memories, as we laughed, talked, and carried our revelry into the early hours.

DAY 3.

By the third day, most of us were tired, lolz. 

And then I discovered something terrible—I was badly sunburnt! Yeah, all those activities under the hot beach sun for two straight days without any sunscreen definitely came with a heavy price to pay. I was even afraid to step out of my own room!

Thankfully, the beach events were done, and all the remaining activities were set to take place on the resort's lush green lawn under the shade of the palm trees. I kicked off the day with a hearty breakfast of puri bhaji, upma, and bread omelette, washed down with at least five glasses of fresh lemonade to revive myself.

The guys spent the morning lounging on the lawn, beers in hand, just soaking up the relaxation.

Soon, it was lunchtime, and I happily dove into the usual spread—flaky parathas, fragrant pulao, and a hearty serving of chicken gravy that hit just the right spot. The paneer butter masala was rich and creamy, the kind that makes you want to go back for seconds (or thirds). 

Sure, I was definitely overeating again, but who cares? I was heading back to my farm at Neihbawih soon, where indulging in such delicacies is practically impossible!

After lunch, our talented Art Director, Abhilash, held a portrait drawing session, using Purval as our very willing and ahem dashing model.

We all did our best to capture his likeness, though some of our attempts were more Picasso than Rembrandt, if you catch my drift. :D 

Still, it was great fun, and it made us appreciate the artistic process even more.

Later in the evening, it was time for more games! We split into teams again for the last time and competed in hilarious activities like racing while only stepping on newspapers, running while attached to balloons, and carrying a teammate on a towel while they tried to arrange balls. It was chaotic, messy, and an absolute blast.

As the sun began to set, we wrapped up the games and prepped for the grand finale—the prize distribution ceremony. After freshening up, we all gathered on the lawn at 7 PM for the awards.

The first part was awarding the winning teams from the 3 days' events.

But the real highlight was the special office awards. 

There were categories like "Most Punctual", "Best Multitasker", "Most Artistic", "Best Hacker", and so on. And guess what? Yours truly won the "Most Creative Person in Office" award! Yayyyyy!

We wrapped up the ceremony in true Ronin Labs style—with drinks, music, and one last night of partying that I’m pretty sure none of us will fully remember.

DAY 4.

The next morning, we woke up to the bittersweet feeling of knowing it was our last day at the resort. We gathered for one final breakfast—simple but comforting with bread butter eggs, and some fresh ice tea. 

As we sat there enjoying the food, reminiscing about the fun we had, it was hard to believe the trip was coming to an end. After breakfast, we packed up, said our goodbyes to the beautiful place, and began our journey back to Pune.

I even took a selfie with a very cute calf during our pit stop.

But just when we thought the excitement was over, our boy Abhishek had another mishap! This time, it wasn’t just a minor fall—he met with an accident that resulted in a fracture. We had to make an emergency stop at a hospital to get him treated. Thankfully, it wasn’t too serious, and Abhishek was still shouting, "Woohooo what a partayyy!"

Eventually, I reached Pune and headed straight to my friends Teresa and Nitin's place, where I packed my bags and prepared for my flight back to Neihbawih. It was all going smoothly until I arrived at the airport and noticed everybody staring at me!

Confused, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and realised my sunburnt skin was literally peeling off my face! I looked like a snake shedding its skin—yikes!

Once I landed at Kolkata airport, I bought a hat to hide the damage on my very large forehead, while trying to do various poses with my cap as well, lolz. House Stark FTW!

Finally, after a long day of travel, I made it back to Mizoram and my peaceful farm at Neihbawih. 

All in all, it was an unforgettable trip filled with fun, laughter, a few mishaps, and plenty of memories. Huge thanks to Sumeet, Manasi, Amit, Purval, Aishwarya and the entire team at Ronin Labs for arranging such an amazing getaway and ensuring everything went smoothly. From the beach adventures to the night parties, it was a well-deserved break, and I’m already looking forward to next year’s adventure (minus the sunburn, hopefully!).

Cheers!