How Savaari saved my Vacation in Goa
There is a reason or multiple reasons why winters in India make for the best time to travel. This also means there is always a very high demand for hotels, flights, cars etc. especially in the warmer locales. For a traveler like me, I prefer a little less touristy crowd wherever I go have somehow managed to avoid the peak travel seasons.
photo/ Sumit Thukral
But what do you do when your best friend decides to have a destination wedding and you are his best man? Ergo, I had to land in Goa last December. The reason you are hearing this story is that I want my fellow travelers to avoid similar situations and enjoy a hassle-free holiday.
The wedding was in South Goa, which is like another end of the state. From the airport, I had to reach Canacona, which is like a 2-3-hour drive. Thankfully, the wedding ceremony was to be held the next morning, giving me ample time to reach and help my friend with the last minute preps.
A bad start
Unfortunately, my flight got delayed for some technical reason and I reached a couple of hours late. And the car that my friend had booked for me had obviously left. I was somehow confident that being the travel season I would easily find a cab. But, as I came out of the baggage queue and headed towards the counters, it seemed as if the apocalypse had struck. I literally ran outside, only to a few random cabs in waiting, with their drivers calling out with their best offers. The minute they heard South Goa, the prices shot up like blue-chip shares. I tried to give all possible rationales, reasons, and emotional blackmail, feigning some family sickness etc. but nothing worked to get their prices down. Even the radio cab apps on my phone showed no cabs at the moment.
The cab that saved the day
It was past 10.30 in the night, and if anything, I wanted to reach at a graceful time. For those who don’t know, while the party zones in Goa run all night, the other parts of this state shut by 8 pm, and finding anything post 10 pm would be a miracle.
My friend, on the other end of the phone, was getting frantic and frustrated, wondering if I would at all make it to his big day. Desperately looking for an option, I finally found Savaari online and dialed their helpline number, because that was the easiest thing to do. I was promised a car within an hour. And there I saw my savior for the night. I hopped in and almost crashed in the backseat. While on our way, I told him my evening adventure and how I needed to be at the wedding venue ASAP. The middle-aged guy was friendly and amicable and talked me out of the stress that I have been feeling. Finally, we reached around 3 am and I couldn’t thank my cabbie enough for his excellent service at that ungodly hour and saving the day. This experience taught me that I or any traveler should always book a taxi in Goa from a licensed vendor who will not charge you premium rates even during peak tourist season.
Being thankful
Despite all festivities around, this part of Goa is always a little quieter. My friend and his parents seemed happier to see me than they were about the wedding. And it was a good ceremony indeed. After all the celebration and festivities, I and a bunch of other friends decided to go for a drive and relax on the beach. I was so impressed by Savaari and their customer service, I booked another taxi from Goa to Karwar with Savaari and enjoyed a peaceful drive down to Karwar beach and let all the fatigue of travel and wedding wash out by the warm beaches and the refreshing scenery.
Author: Archana Permi
Are you the one who always takes unregistered cab services? Well, it is undeniable that such unregistered cabs are cheaper.
Goa is always beautiful with best beaches. I quite like reading through an article that can make people think about planning a trip!