danny. I was surprised tht you wanted to risk any problems that you may have had, after your previous experience. Not critisicing (sp) you for breaking the rules.

Del949.
the only time I felt I was putting myself in a awkward position was when sitting in funnys and a strange smelling ciggie was being passed around the table, jo who had started the fag passing and she did ask me if I minded, which I thought was a respectful thing to do, but I did sit there worried about a police intervention

I wouldn't recognise it if I smelt it, I have led a very sheltered life

I had agreed to meet cocopop at Anita and Donalds place in Tamborim, probably my most favorite place on Gods planet, quiet and beautiful country side, but after all that had gone before me I had made up my mind to move from o'palmar, so after sitting with Anita for 1/2 hour< I decided to go back to Benaulim and look around, I could catch up with cocopop later( sadly not untill my last full day) The places I saw to stay in were the only ones not fully booked over xmas, so they were a bit out of the way, I saw one just back from the beach, 300 rupees, it was of about the same stamp as the o'palmar except it was down a short lane that had no lighting and it was up a flight of stairs, and when you consider that I moved home in May because I could no longer walk upstairs, this was not a good choice to move to, I went back to funnys for a snack, a beach seller tried to sell me some c.d's but I donot fancy indian music, he said he had got english c.d's and he told me they were 200r , so off he run and came back 5 mins later with about 20 c.d's every one of them was a freebee from the daily mail, he couldn't understand why I didn't want a bargain, Bob sat with me and said get up to Maria hall for my digs, I wasn't keen, but keener than sitting drinking with Bob in the middle of the day, so off on my bike again, straight on at maria halland a man waived me down, lift he said,jump on, he took me along lanes that I didn't know even was there, stop he said and got of the bike, my home he said, very nice said I, please come in, I did and met his father and mother, his wife and children and his sister, his dog and a couple of gekkos, they gave me a limpca and a couple of biscuits and we talked for about an hour, the children were fasinated with England and all that was english, they gave me thier address and asked me to write, what a lovely family and it reminded me so much of our first visits to Goa when everyone was as friendly as this family, so why had people nearer the coast changed so much, obviously because they are not goans, they have come from everywere to get our money, in the shortest possible time, o/k the taxi drivers are the greediest but the shack boys selling at the side of the road are pushing them hard.
I loved driving down the lanes of Goa and if I go again I will get a bike, I like the old portugese houses that stand on thier own, in the quietness of thier own little villages, I saw birds that no longer frequent the coast, the paradise flycatcher, drongo, flower peckers, all lovely birds that seem to be lost to the new build on the coast, I made my way to betelbatim( I think,I always call this area little colva) there were rooms by the beach, a lot like I had got already but with no wardrobe, there was a restraunt on the front of the complex beach facing and close to the rooms I went to the restraunt for a beer, they don't sell kings, the rooms are 1000 rupees a night, a bit expensive for what you get, I said, it's xmas,if you can get cheaper, go and get it, I've got cheaper and it's paid for, so it's back to funny's for a few drinks and a meal, then to bed, tommorrow is xmas eve.
up and down to funnys for brekkie, Bob comes inand has a coffee with a honeybee, this was to be the last time for 4 days that i would get any sense out of Bob,he went on a bender,I didn't see him eat or get any real sleep for the next 4 days, Ralph joined us and we arranged to meet for our evening meal at funnys to make up for the fact he couldn't do anything because of the ban, and he had bought a lot of stuff for the now banned barbie, I went off to colva on my bike, I was still looking for gifts and some shell curtains for my new bungalow in England, more bartering and me walking away, I will get the price down, on the way back I went to a jewellers to find something for Fay( daughter) and saw a lovely diamond studded cross, there were 5 small diamonds set iin an indian gold cross,£400 pounds, no thanks I will come back when you realise that nobody is here to spend money,only 4 people ate at funnys, me and Ralph and an English couple who now live in Co mayo, the homeof my mother and father, a really nice meal, ifelt sorry for funny, he said he had been up and down the beach and everywere was the same except for jonseys, he also said the police had put up a road block to stop people in cars coming down to the beach, someone let of a few fireworks on the beach outside funnys shack and he moved them on, he was worried, they let some off outside pedros which bought the army boys scurrying along the beach, that put a stop to the fireworks, Bob and Baz came and sat with us, they were wrecked, it was coming up to 11.30, Ralph and Christian were leaving on xmas day so I wanted to be up to srr them off.
I got up at 7.30, down for brekkie, Bob was asleep on the tables, Christian and his Ladie was just coming off the beach, they said that there was a big influx of goans at about 12.30 who had just left midnight mass and they wanted to party, they reckon that a couple of shots in the air from the army guys cleared the beach, we said our goodbyes and I thanked him again for getting me out of a jam, Iwent and said goodbye to Ralph, exchanged emails and off I went on my bike, my first stop was to have been church but I was waylaid by the nativity they had put up in the middle of Varca, it was superb, and they was playing a mixture of carols and xmas songs white xmas etc, I must have sat there for about 1/2 hour, lord knows how many people shook my hand and wished me a merry xmas while I was sitting there, while sitting there I thought of a xmas night in 2005 while staying at the Paxtya in Benuulim,Geraldine had asked us to stay in for a party, we said o/k and joined 3 other couples outside for the party, 2 german couples and a swiss couple, I had bought the prawns and sat back to enjoy myselfabout an hour after the meal and a few drinks, Geraldine said please come inside for the birdie song, noow I hate the bloody birdie song, whoever wrote it should be struck down with something nasty, and that dance, hands going like a birds beak and your arms going like a demented fledgling, I said to Lynn what the hell are the germans going to make of this, we went in and stood around a small table and in walked Geraldine with a cake singing happy birdie to you, happy birdie dear Jesus, happy birdie to you, I looked at Lynn and gave the birdy dance, now I have always had the nack of making Lynn laugh and in England she used to take a spare pair of Knickers out with her because she used to laugh that much she used to wet herself, we had apiece of cake and went to our so she could change her Knickers, I drove off from the nativity wiith a smile on my face to see friends in tambolim, I went to the Dona san marie to wish purie a merry xmas and to tell her that Lynn had died, unfortunately serafino her husband was thereas well,Lynn had been writing on another forum in answer to the question about his guest house, all true, he took the occassion to call Lynn every thing bar the lady she was, I want bore you with the conversation, but to tell that this man is obnoxious and hateful,I went from there to see Rosy at her little shack outside cjm, and then up th little colva just for the ride, I took a wrong turning and came to a 2 car traffic jam I give a quick blast on the horn(very indian)a man popped his head up and beckoned meto him, at the front of the car there was a man lying in the road, they were throwing water on him but he was quite dead, he had fallen out of a coconut tree, the police came, it was the 2 who had arrested me, O god I do not need this, I had done what I could and got on the bike, who's bike said the one, my mates I said, go he said as though he meant it, I went out xmas night for our meal, I sat by a man named Ian, who sat there for 2 hours and never spoke to me, so it was back to funnys for a couple of honeybee and off to bed, I was quite proud of the fact that I had got through my first xmas without Lynn and not shedding a tear, untill I got into bed.
on Tuesday I will tell you of our bout trip, the fight I inadvertantly coused on new years eve, and conclusion to a trip report that has gone on as long as my holiday, or so it seems

Great reading and certainly a very eventful holiday Danny.
Looking forward to the next bit.

Thanks danny great report roll on tuesday. Gel

I just love reading your reports i wish i could write as good as you can`t wait or the next instalment, keep up the good work, lynn would be so proud off you Danny.

Pip
x

Danny it has been great reading your report Im going to be sorry when you run out of things to write ...colleen

Danny, I have just read your experiences to date in one go, and they are horrific, you have my sympathies. I hadn't even picked up on this thread until a friend told me about it in Mapusa today. You clearly have good memories of earlier years in Goa, and you are quite correct in your remark that they are now just memories. Experiences such as you were made to endure are becoming all too frequent these days.

Goanmad.........your comments about Ex-pats or long-stayers on 14th January were offensive and an apology would be appropriate.
You seemed to think that by clarifying "long-stayers" all was OK? Well with the visa problems these days, all ex-pats should be classed as long-stayers, as we have no security whatsoever. We also have to deal with abuse from the authorities on a daily basis, without needing to receive it from our own countrymen on here!
Derogatory remarks about holidaymakers on this forum are dealt with promptly by the Moderators, and quite rightly too, as this is a "holiday" site. It is stressed, however, that we "long-stayers" are welcome on this forum as we bring a wealth of information. I feel it is appropriate that we are treated with a modicum of respect, then?

Yours
Johnny Five

come on danny its tues cant wait for the next instalment anita

I second that Anita, please can we have next installment Danny, i have to go into hospital on friday for an op and would love to read the rest of you holiday review before then. Gel

I had decided that I wanted the diamond studded cross for fay, so off I went to haggle( I hate this Haggling nonesense) at the end of a waste of half hour, he told me the price I wanted to pay was not possible, he would be losing money, o/k I said I have seen a ring she would like in another shop, and went to leave, no no he said we can do it at your price because you are a good friend( never mey them before in my life) I wanted the cross and a 22" chain in 18 carat gold for £200, and then my first mistake, I paid him for it and would go back the next morning, when I went back, it was not a 22inch, 18 carat gold chain, but an 18 inch, 22 carat gold chain and he wanted more money because 22carat gold is more expensive than 18 carat gold,I told him he hadn't given me what I had paid for, after argueing for a couple of minutes I told him to shove it and could I have my money back, not possible the money is in the bank, i could see this turning quite nasty, he had got my money and the cross, at that point 2 policemen walk passed the shop(yes them 2)so I waved and 1 waved back, they are my mates i said( lying through my teeth) do you mind if I fetch them in to resolve the matter, he did that thing with his head again and gave me the goods, as I was leaving he tried to sell me a ring, they never give up do they.
On the 29th of Dec, it was the day of our boat trip, it was also Toms last day, he was flying back to England the next morning, on the boat was bob, tom, Jo and Adam, Kev and mrs b, plus myself,the boat owner shitthoo and his mate pakki, I had never been to the island nor had I done any sea fishing in Goa ' something to look forward to but I was a little worried,I had known mrs b about 2 weeks now and never seen her sober, I had heared about her taking over the show at Domniks, and her deciding to drive her family home in a tuktuk and neally turning it over, it was quite obvious that we had not taken to each other, so with us leaving the beach at 9.o'clock and her not turning up untill 9.30 drunk I was alittle uneasy, Shitthoo loaded the boat with food and drink, 2 cases of beer, a bottle of honetbee and a bottle of rum, when Kev queeried weather there was enough booze, other people started to worry, because the step up on to the boat was to high for me, the only way to get me on to the boat was for me to lean back, with Bob and Kev supporting meand when my foot was high enough they lifted me and Shitthoo pushed, when practicly upright, Adam and pakki pulled me on to the boat, then ever one else piled on, it took about an hour to the island, dropped anchor and started fishing, every body had a beer,I declined for the moment, we fished for about an hour, catching, blue fish and a bright yellow fish, a lot were thrown back and the rest were to be cooked on the beach, no trouble getting of the boatand then I sat on a rock and watched Adam, he helped push the boat out to deeper waters, then caught a couple of crabs, collected wood started a fire, scrapped and gutted the fish, he was really enjoying his self, I thought of a boy scout after his badges, his partner Jo came and sat with me, she asked why I was on my own and I told her the last thing me and Lynn had done together was a boat trip on Betty's boats, and how much she had enjoyed it, she wanted to go again, just living the memory she said that they were fasinated with my stories of earlier trips to goa, I told her of our 2nd trip to Tambolim, there was only 2 shacks on the beach, as you walked on to the beach on the right was the seabreeze were we had the use of sun beds, we also had met with 2 other couples and a single man who shared the other sun beds, on the left was the other shack that had 4 couples on thier sun beds, after a few days of just good morning or some small talk, a man came over to us, and in broken english said(they were german) that they could throw a coconut further than us, no way sunshine, so off we all go looking for coconuts to throw on the beach, and we had a smashing afternoon, they won and we bought the beers, a couple of days later I walked over to thier sunbeds, came back and said, it's on, Tommorrow we are playing the germans at rounders, and revenge was taken,1-1, that will do I thought, but the next day, they came over again and challenged us to a 3 legged race, on off our ladies couldn't take part so the single man took her place, we would probably have won but I said to Lynn as we stood in line, have you bought any spare knickers, and she couldn't move for laughing, she had to go for a paddle pee, and we lost, Great days in Goa( does this still happen) and at that dinner is served, I'll have my beer now, sorry all gone,Jo and Adam had one each, Tom had 2, and Bob 4, which left 16, Kev and mrs b had drunk those, after dinner she went spark out, Pakki had been mooching in the rocks and came back with 2 sea urchins, about the size of a side plate, they were a dark blue in colour, very spikey, when you turned them over, there was a mouth surrounded by muscles, it was a strange sensation to feel them moving across your hand, Bob put one on mrs bs head, so they could all take a photo, but when it went for a stroll all hell let loose, I saw my first sea eagle of my holiday, and my last one, they used to be all over the place, Jo and Adam came and sat with me and told me of thier stay in Baga before coming south, adam was sitting in a shack when a man approached him and told him he could get him a young girl for money, how young? adam asked, 12 he said, and when Jo got to the shack, Adam was kicking the Hell out of the guy, they had pulled Adam off the Indian guy who was very sorry, he didn't know Adam was Polish, he thought he was english, how sad is that!! what do they think of us? then some one said, whats that out there, about 1/2 a mile off the island there was a submarine, obviously surfaced because the water wasn't deep enough, buut surely, a submarine wasn't there for terrorists, some one suggested it was an American polaris, I really wouldn;t know but with the gun boets and the helicopter, I suddenly didn't feel very safe in India, when it was time to go back to our boat, the tide had gone out, so all the lads had to push it as far as they could towards the shore, so that I could get on,pakki said come and look at these, they called them leeches, we would call them sea slugs, they were about 2 foot long in the water, there was about a dozen of them, pakki picked one up and it shrunnk to about a 1/3rd of its size and spat water at anyone who got near it, in shrinking it's length, it trebled it's width, not a pretty sight, we all touched it, and mrs b declined having her photo with it on her head, back on board fr the 90 mins trip home, which was enough time for Kev and mrs b to drink all the honeybee and all the rum, and of course she wanted to steer us home, I did actually say that if you touch the steering of this boat I was going to throw her over board, at which point she became hysterical, when we got back to Benaulim her 2 daughters were waiting for her, we all went to funnys were they carried on drinking, I had a meal, Tom broke down and cried, he had told me whyhe was in Goa, now it was time for him to go home and face his problem.
I wanted to finish this today, but the pain in my fingers and back have put a stop to that, so to be continued

GEL good luck on friday, I hope all goes well.
Take care, God bless. Danny

WOW A holiday you will remember for the rest of you life
TAKE CARE
Pat

Thankyou so much Danny, i am really sorry if i have made you fill you had to write this when you was not feeling up to it. it was not my intention to bully you into writing today and caused you pain. I look forward to reading the rest of your report.Gel

great report danny really interesting reading thaks anita

Really do enjoy your reports!

A submarine!! Thats crazy!

Beautifully written, and a really interesting holiday report.......Thanks Danny Fizz

Danny, i have thoroughly enjoyed reading your report, it has been an eye opener to say the least.
Glad you managed to get out of prison after a few hours, but you shouldnt have been in prison in the first place. You did nothing wrong at all. Glad you are ok now