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Sometimes the world feels busy and you feel left out Sometimes everyone seems happy and you are sad, Times when nothing seems to go all right  Those are times to hold on to Hope and Light Sometimes everybody has purpose but you, Sometimes everything has meaning but what you do, Times when things can seem unbearably dull Those are times to reconnect with people Reach out and talk Lend your hand You will regain your faith And find meaning in life

Visited Goa recently on vacation. Expected verdant beaches and laid-back enjoyment, that is so typical of the place. Also expected to glimpse Goa's colourful folk culture and experience first hand the warm hospitality of the locals. Barring the last, i.e. the warmth and friendliness of the locals, all the other experiences remained elusive. The popular beaches were overcrowded and shockingly dirty (for which we tourists are solely to blame). Coconut and palm trees have almost disappeared from most beaches. The plethora of shops selling cola and chips have elbowed out the cocum and green coconut sellers. The refreshing natural drinks are way better than the synthetic soft drinks, but obviously the vendors of the latter have more muscle power. It was also a shock to learn that most seafood was overpriced and unavailable. I was looking forward to sampling local seafood fare, but almost fell off my table to see the prices of the pomphret at INR 550+! Now that's an exorbita...