My trip report.

Saturday 26th January/ Sunday 27th January

Monarch flight to goa was delayed by 2 hours; no problem bought 3 small bottles of wine from duty free and drank them. Slept most of the way there.
Immigration wasn't too bad and took around 15 mins to get through. Then the fun started. We decided to get the coach instead of a taxi and were pleased that we did. Then the fight started for our cases. Couldn't be bothered with the hassle. Then the hand went out with a £2 coin in, not a cat in hells chance, mr wicked handed over a £1 coin for the 2 cases. Not a happy porter sulked off.
The transfer to highland beach was great, taking in all the sights, and the smells of that fish market, everyone on the coach just looked at each other. Mark our rep explained what it was.
Arrived a highland beach and was given a new room, we had a massive living room, with separate dining room, 2 double bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Was very pleased with our hotel, and after visiting a few others, I was more than pleased that we chose this hotel.
Quick unpack and off to the beach to watch the sun set with a kingfisher, 1st sight was the elephant on the main road.
Found the beach and ended up at bobbys shack. Where Sanjay made us very welcome sat with a kingfisher, and watched 5 cows go past, all even ducked under the bobbys shack sign, 1 after the other.
Watched the sun go down and went back to highland beach, taking it all in along the way. Quickly got chanced and went out for tea, noticed that there was quite a few in fishermans cove, on the corner so we ate there. Had a nice meal and a few drinks and watched the world go by. Off to bed for an early night, and slept like a log, with nice soft pillows.

Monday 28th January

Right up and ready and down to the beach, chose bobbys beach, and spent the day here, after all I'd read about swimming I actually went in the sea a few times and enjoyed it. Had a nice snack at bobby in the afternoon. Then finished off with a kingfisher. Back to highland beach for a nap. Went out at night and ended up eating at Casa sea shell, which I have to say was the worse meal I had on the holiday. Had a korma curry not a lot of it and it was luke warm. Thought that the service was poor, especially as there were more waiters than customers.
Came out and turned right walked to the end of the road, to see what was there, and went in the tiger bar and had 2 nice quiet drinks in here. Then on our way back we popped into Bom sucesso and met 6 lovely people, in there who mr wicked had spoke to in the airport. We sat with them and thus started what turned out to be a fantastic friendship with them, and one that will continue now we have returned.

Tuesday 29th January.

Nothing interesting just another day on the beach at bobbys, just chilling and mainly sleeping, was putting it down to the malarone tablets. Had a nice evening meal at bobbys of yes curry. Whilst lying on the beach I wondered where all of the sellers were. I asked sanjay who told me that there is security that stops beggars and sellers from coming on the beach here, and boy was I glad, when I later encountered this for a day.
Jumped a tut tut for the 1st time at night and went to Calangute to meet Pam7 and Hullsmoggy. Had a nice time in a bar opposite the Tibetan market, I can't remember the name of it. All was wearing our wristbands. But got no takers.

Wednesday 30th January

Woke up and decided against a day on the beach. So we jumped a taxi to Calangute and got out at the fish market. Spent a bit of time in here, and it was a bit of time, then walked round the veg market. Decided to take the road to Baga and walked down the main road, right to the end. Got on the beach here and walked back down the beach, to the steps at Calangute to watch all the Indians enjoying themselves. Carried on walking and stopped at fishermans shack for lunch. Carried on walking to Candolim and then decided to walk right to the end down Sinquerim beach. Got of at the end and walked past the fort back to the main road. Turned left and back up to highland beach hotel. This took us about 4 ½ hours in total. On the way back I gave my pop to a little old man working on the road, and his face lit up. That is some work these people do.
Had a kip then went to the bbq at bobbys, enjoyed ourselves and couldn't stop laughing when we played bingo on the beach. Then ended up in Oasis mango for a few last hours drinking.

Thursday 31st January

Decided after all the walking yesterday we would stay round the pool. Had a nice day. Then went for a walk later on down the beach, came across Bonos and decided to eat here, huge mistake, the only good thing about this shack for me is the loos. The food wasn't anything to write home about.
Then the night was spent with mike Richardson, mike sorted us out with a tut tut and we went to the arand bar, which is up in nerul, we had a good time here, with mike, carol and there neighbours. But we had the cheapest drinks we had all holiday here. 6 bottles of bud, a bottle of water 2 vodka tonics and a bill of 266.
Oh forgot to say that our team came last, may have been something to do with Beau.

Friday 1st February

Another lazy day on bobbys beach, with plenty of sunbathing, swimming eating and drinking.
Met up with pam7 in the afternoon for a drink at bobbys.
Back to highland for an afternoon sleep.
Then we jumped a tut tut and had tea at Soumens Kitchen. Oh this place is heaven. The food is to die for.
Then we came back to candolim and had a drink at t&ts bar, this is opposite the oasis mango and above a shop. Very cheap drinks here.

Saturday 2nd February

Had another lazy day on bobbys beach, decided today that we really needed to get out of this habit.
Had tea at bobbys, was working our way through his menu.
Then it was off to Ingos market, which was interesting and mr wicked loved all of the food stalls. Met up with Hullsmoggy and got seats at the back and had a few drinks.

Sunday 3rd February

Got up and decided to get the bus to panjim, really enjoyed this experience. Got of the bus then got on the ferry over to panjim. Had a nice walk round, there was a lot of cleaning up going on, as the carnival was here the night before. Ended up in the market, another fish one, but a few more meat stalls. I'm saying no more about these. Had a look around the locals market. Then outside for some fresh air, and taking in all of the sights.
Had lunch in the Delia Darbah, well you just had to didn't you.
Back on the ferry and bus.
Spend the night in bom sucesso with our new friends. And made arrangements to go up north with them the next day. Mr wicked and I decided to stay over.

Monday 4th February

Taxi up to Mandrem beach with our friends. Who said there were some nice beach huts here. There was but I wanted on right on the beach, and these here were lovely but not on the beach. Whilst having breakfast at a restaurant mr wicked walked up the beach and came back. He'd found us a beach hut right on the front for 600 a night. So off we went and I decided I like the look of the hut, it was at the horizon shacks at Arambol. Walked back down to mandrem beach and sunbathed for an hour, then had some nice prawns for lunch. The wind was getting up and we decided to walk down to morjim beach. Then our taxi driver took us to our shack. He couldn't find the horizon car park so we told him to drop us off at Arambol beach and we would walk down. I had my torch and was ready for a nice quiet night in my shack. Our taxi driver couldn't get down to the beach, so we walked down the road. As we got on the beach I noticed a lot of mopeds here. We looked to the left as we was right at the end of the beach. Waiting to see our nice quiet beach. And shock there must have been 2000 hippies and Indians on the beach. Most in fancy dress, walked along next to a lad who was covered from head to foot in red paint and dressed as a red devil. He told me that it was a fishermans festival, and there was loads of monuments up on the beach. Well the biggest of the festival was right outside of our beach shack. We dumped our stuff and joined in with the festival and the crowds. Walked back to Arambol and watched the sun go down. Off to our shack for an hours kip, not a cat in hells chance. Went out and ate at Greko, who I have voted the worse toilets in the world.
The bar a few down had a live group on and we could hear from our restaurant. Then we went and watched the fireworks, and stood on the beach with the hippies round a camp fire, and watched them singing.
Off to our beach shack, which had a sloping floor, but mr wicked looked at me and said that he was happy with the amenities, and we both started laughing. Poured myself a old monk and continued to laugh.
Had not to bad of a nights sleep.

Tuesday 5th February

Taxi driver picked us up, and we had a few hours round our pool. Decided to go shopping, and we walked down the building site at the side of our apts. There is building work going on at highland beach, but it isn't a problem. Well there are 5 kids who are on the building site everyday. There parents work here and they just entertain themselves. They were lovely kids and said hello everytime we saw them. We decided to get them some sweets from newtons. And on the way back we gave them out. As I'd decided that I wasn't' going to give to beggars I didn't mind giving to these kids. As there parents were on the site all day long working hard.
Well there little faces when I gave each of them a small tube of sweets.

The carnival was in Mapusa that night, so we got a taxi up there and watched some of the carnival. I really enjoyed this, seeing the enjoyment on the locals faces and dancing in the street.
We got a tut tut back to Calangute, the fastest tut tut driver in the world actually.
We had tea at over the flames on the Calangute/Candolim road, again this was a good choice. Both were very pleased with our meals.
Then we jumped a taxi to the jungle bar where mark was playing pool with mike Richardson. But half way through I got a text off our new friends to say that another friend was waiting for us in Bom Sucesso, mike didn't mind so we jumped a taxi and had a great night out, with a big gang of us.

Wednesday 6th February

Day on the beach with our friends at Rouples shack, thank god I didn't spend anymore time here. From the min I put my bum on the sunlounger it was buy this, do you want this, watch this tightrope act, feed my child, do you want fruit, manicure, pedicure, massage. Now I know why I was happy when I was at bobbys shack.
Had a meal at this shack not very nice, and the toilets are well bad.
The sea was very rough and the wind up, the sea was right up the beach.
Jumped a taxi to east meets west, meal wasn't to bad, entertainment well the girl is a good singer, but that fella what is all that about, he can't sing, when he does it is the wrong words or he just misses them out. Then at 10.10pm the music stopped and the lights went out very quickly. And the police came up on stage, so the people in the restaurant, started to slow hand clap the police then boo them.
There is a doctor who lives next door and complains about the music. So we made a swift exit and jumped our taxi back to Candolim. Ended up having a brilliant night in Bom Sucesso with our friends.

Thursday 7th February.

Decided to go for a long walk. Went down to the prazereas hotel and walked over the bridge up to nerul. Walked through the local village and was amazed at all the sights. Locals getting water out of the well, the old ladies washing there clother, the children waving from school.
Then we ended up on a beach, and followed it round, and then realised that we wanted to be on the other side of the river. And it mean't that we had to walk all the way back that we had come.
So were sat there looking at the river, and there were 3 indian lads there laughing at us. And told us that the only way over was, well to swim.
Then one of them told us that there friend would take us over in his boat. No sign of any boat, and then a jeep turns up and 10 indian lads get out. There on holiday in goa and are going for a afternoons boat ride. So were all stood there, and no boat. Then this boat turns up, one of the Indian lad talks to the boat driver and he says yes he will take us over the river. Mr wicked asks how much and we get a strange look and the answer ‘nothing', well what an experience this was. We had to jump into this boat, then when getting out on the other side, had to climb over 2 other boats and walk a jetty made of 3 pieces of bamboo. No mean feat. And I nearly fell in, both boats started to move and I was outstretched and gripping my flip flops for dear life. And mr wicked was laughing his head off.
Walked back to Sinquerim beach and got on, well what was left of the beach and with the heavy waves, it had ruined the beach. Bought a fresh coconut and enjoyed drinking it.
Had lunch at calamari beach shack, it was ashame as the tide had damaged the shack, but they were trying to repair it.
Walked back up the beach and went to newtons and bought our kids some small kit kat bars. So mr wicked, who we now called the candy man gave his chocolate out to the kids, again there little faces, and the handshakes from the parents make this worth it.
Had our evening meal at After seven. And was talking to leo who owns it. Was talking about how word of mouth made restaurants good. Well I had my blue band on, as I had done all holiday. And Leo told me that he knew all about the blue wrist bands as he goes on the internet. He also told me that he'd seen quite a few of them in his restaurant this week.
Jumped a taxi to Tonys place for the meet and there was only me and pam 7 there. We had a drink with them, and then off to Bom sucesso for a few games of pool with our friends.

Friday 8th February

Spent the day on the beach at Bobbys shack, again the wind was up, and the waves were very rough, so just sunbathing for us.
Had lunch at bobbys, which again was a nice meal.
Then on the night, my 6 new friends who I'd spent a bit of time with, and mike Richardson, carol and her daughter and son in law, were meeting us at Soumens kitchen for a meal. We had a great meal, but boy was it cold again, as the wind had got up.
Then we jumped our taxis back and had a few drinks at oasis mango till 3.00am. met some great irish lads in here.

Saturday 9th February

Last day spent at Bobbys shack well it would be wrong not to. Last meal here, and then off to do some shopping.
Night time we got a taxi to ingos with our friends. And this is when the problems with mr wicked started he began to feel ill. With hot sweats and shivers. So we left early and I got him into bed. He told me to go out and have a last drink with our friends, so I did, as he just wanted to sleep. So I spent my last night at bom sucesso having a few old monks with my friends.

Sunday 10th February

Up for 7.00am and mr wicked was really ill, but he just wanted to get home. Got a taxi to the airport, and then waited to be checked and re-checked. The funniest part of this was when my boarding card was being checked, before you put your hand luggage throught securtity. I handed my boarding card to the girl, and she read it, but as she was doing this someone was watching over her shoulder, I'm guessing that she was new at the job. Well she read my baoarding card with her finger along each line. And I was dying not to laugh, as the flipping boarding card was upside down, she handed it back to me and off I went. Well that's security for you.
The flight home was a nightmare, because of mr wickeds upset stomach.

He is still ill and can't keep anyting down.

Well that is what I did in Goa in my 2 weeks there.

I'll give my opinions on it in the would you visit goa again thread if that's ok.