Just back from 4 weeks of sun worshipping.
Flew out on qatar from manchester jan 23 rd.
Flight was excellent and the transfer in Doha was easy peasy with very little hanging about.
Meals on the flight were better than expected but not as good as hoped for.
A bit early into dabolim but straight through the formalities (why is it that when 2 or 3 flights land together they only open a few desks but when a single flight comes in they open all desks?)
Martin was waiting for us and whisked us off to candolim, arriving at 4.45 and had to waken the boy to open the gate!
We had booked for Alexandras, Beach Rd after looking at the rooms there last year.
We were shown to our room and were a bit dissapointed that it wasn't the one we thought that we had arranged.
However the room was clean and reasonably large ( but nowhere as big as Silver sands superior rooms that we normally use)and after a hiccup with the air conditioning we decided that we were happy enough.
So, a quick shower etc and down to the beach to orgaise sunbeds for the next day and to catch up with friends.
Went to Bonos which is the shack we normally use, as SWMBO is very partial to the clean toilets there.
I was not so partial to the prices though, 50 rps per sunbed (which i can live with) but a bottle of Fosters/Kingfishers was 120 rps :yikes. This was around 35/40 rps more than some other shacks.
Anyway , the Iron Lady got her way and we used this shack most of the time.
The staff, as usual , were welcoming so we soon were back in the old routine.
"out of bed, shower, onto a sunbed, sleep, lunch , beer, sleep, back for another beer, sleep back to the hotel for a nap before evening meal.
And the same again the next day ,,, and the next etc etc.
tried several old friends in the restaurants, soem disappointed but some were very good.
Coyotes we found to be not as good as it used to be, ditto 21 cocos.
Inferno very good, Alexandras also very good. Gato Loco seemed to have lost it a bit as did Mughal Durbar.
I was quite ill after eating at Pizza Roma but am reluctants to say that it was their food that caused it.

having done all the usual trips previous years we didn't bother this time with the exception of having a taxi down to the southern beaches to have a look.
Some lovely beaches but not much to do apart from watch the sea and sleep.
Also visited Colva....YUCK!
If that had been my first visit to India there would not have been a second visit.
I got the taxi driver to come back vis Vasco de gamma so I could have a look at the docks etc, which I enjoyed but "the trouble and strife" didn't and told me so!

So, after two weeks of doing virtually nothing we decided that we should make an effort and do SOMETHING
This turned out to be booking two nights at the Wildernest. For those not in the know this is an eco- resort in the mountains/jungle/ forest on the border 'tween Goa Maharashtra and Karnataka. (it depends on which guide book you read)
Just 18 cabins , all hidden from each other. No noise except wildlife.
We had booked a waterfall view and had a fantastic view from out balcony/patio, but the waterfall wasn't running.
Walking around there is hard as the ground is rocky and uneven. At night time I was gobsmacked by the number of stars in the sky, with no light pollution the sky was amazing, I don't get to see that in Britain nowadays.
Sadly the food let the Wildernest down.
Described as Village food. There was no alternative if you didn't want something currified and although I enjoy curries I found some of the ones on offer to be "challenging".
I assume that in the village a chicken curry is made by slaughterng a chicken and putting it all in the curry, beak, legs, claws and everything but the feathers!
Not to my taste.
At breakfast we were offered (among other things) masala omlettes.
Now this is good, I like those...but Hyacinth Bucket doesn't. So , feeling chivalrous i asked if they could make her some plain omlette...."no sir, sorry only masala"
Now how difficult can it be to LEAVE OUT the masala?
Last day the bossman turned up........ plain omlettes for brekkie!
All in all a good experience but not one I would repeat unless food was improved a lot.

Back to the resort.
Talking to two ladies from Durham on their first visit to Goa.
One of them , whilst walking past the huts behind the shacks, decided to have a nosy.
And what did she see, but a man (cover your eyes if easily offended) playing with himself (how can I say that more politely?)
Rather than being abashed he invited them in, which offer they declined and scarpered quickly.
Amusing, maybe, but a couple of days later I was told that another lady had been approached by a man in a similar area and invited to go for "yoga lesson" and when declining he showed her his yoga equipment!
First time I have heard of anything like this in goa but perhapsI have led a sherltered life.

Moving on to the rest of the holiday, which basically followe the first part. Lots of sun sea and sand.

Flight home with Qatar was not as goos as outbound.
Transitting Doha entailed a scramble to go through security (ony been on the flipping plane since security at Dabolim so what do they think I have acquired) which meant I missed out on duty free.
Food on return flight was also poor and didn't get duty free on flight despite asking twice.
Roll on next year so I can do it all again!