BIRD WATCHING IN GOA ON A RIVER CRUISE

There is always a sense of intrigue when you begin a journey in the dark. There is a certain rawness, a dense silence that you can feel in the wild. The bushes crowd around you; it is cold and dark .  I shiver a bit, reaching out to a cup of chai to keep me warm and reassured. For a moment, my senses are lulled by the chill morning breeze. I look around and see the shadowy outlines of the coconut trees standing tall, lit by the moonlight. It takes a moment to sink in. I am in the jungles of South Goa, waiting for the drama to enfold as another day dawns in the wild. It is the wee hours of the morning and I have an early morning date with the birds, not in the forests, but in a river. I am not a morning person, but the lure of catching a day-break on the river bed was motivation enough to drag me out of bed in the wee hours of the morning. River Zuari bathed in dawn We begin our journey, as the moon steps out of her closet and shows us the way. It is still dark as we cross many a forest