Have been using the forum for some up-to-date research and felt compelled to register just to respond to some of the comments on this post - principally about travelling with children. (Fiona - Please move to a more appropriate place if this is wrong). Must also firstly say I enjoyed the report Papa.

I have 5 kids ranging from 22 down to 8yrs and try to travel (mainly long haul) with them as often as possible - often twice a year.

Like Papa and others on here, nothing winds me up more than parents who completely ignore their parental responsibilities. Unfortunately, it is very much a British trait and is evident both abroad AND at home. Take a look in your local pub beer garden on a sunny Sunday afternoon if you need a reminder.

My youngest sons 1st visit to Goa was when only 8 months (took all 5 kids that year) and my daughter (now 13) had been to Goa/Kerala 3 times by the time she was 6 (3rd birthday with a cake courtesy of the Primrose Cafe). We have previously always stayed in Vagator - most recently at the Leoney Resort but our 1st Goan visit was in '98. Won't bore you with every destination but for further background the youngest has already been on two full-on 7-day Kenyan safaris, a Nile cruise/Cairo trip (no beaches), Australia (Sydney, Blue Mts & Heron Island), Costa Rica, Venezuela, Hawaii, US.

Some of these trips may not be considered "normal" family holidays in some peoples opinions. It goes without saying that their safety, well-being & enjoyment of the holiday is as, if not more important, than ours. For background, they have never been in a kids club at any destination - their choice - but with up to 5 of them they are almost a "club" in their own right.

My main point is, that travel is very much a part of their education and has a directly positive effect on a number of levels.

Their knowledge, awareness & understanding of other cultures is already way in advance of many adults you will encounter here at home. The could certainly set examples to some of us (on & off this forum) about tolerance. Add to that the diversity of nature they have already experienced (Gt. Barrier Reef, the Mara, inside the Great Pyramid, Kilauea in eruption, Cloud Forest etc....). Also because of travel we are now lucky enough to have a family who have a totally open mind when it comes to food, willing to try everything and anything - at least until they establish they don't like it.

So in this 'adult' destination - what did they do in Goa?... They swam, ran on the Vagator beaches early mornings, played cricket with the local boys on wasteland for hours, worked their way through as many Dhal variants as possible, laughed watching my efforts to eat two loads of Sorpitel cooked for me by different people on the same day....

We set off tomorrow for Delhi and will arrive in Goa in a week or so's time via Agra, Ranthambore & Jaipur. Not been since 2000 and sounds like there have been some changes.

Are we worried about the dangers mentioned above of traffic, food hygiene, sea currents etc...? Yes of course we are. But we have been lucky so far and find that a combination of caution, common sense and an adherance to basic parenting skills has held us in good stead so far.

Hopefully the kids will not "bother" anyone this time around (locals or holday-makers) and maybe their visits now will inspire them to take their own families to Goa in the future - assuming the doom/gloom scenario doesn't come true.

Apologies for ranting on but it is a subject I feel strongly about.

Finally, thanks all for the helpful stuff posted here.

Good on you happyangler, nothing broadens the mind like travel, just because you have kids it doesn't mean you have to stick to places like Butlins or Centreparcs........I think you've proved that!!!! Not sure I'd be so adventerous with FIVE
I understand that some people get upset (me included) when BRATS are running around causing chaos, actually I don't have any patience at all when it comes to kids, but lets not tar all families with the same brush, people with kids deserve a holiday too!! (just keep them away from my sunbed
Goa is getting bad press at the moment but it's still a great place for a holiday and I'm sure you'll have a fab time!!!
GFF xx

welcome to our forum . I'd love to hear how you get on. sounds a really interesting trip

Thanks happyangler for a thoughtful and well balanced post.Sounds like it would have been a pleasure to have your kids around....hang on did I really just write that.Seriously it is nice to see that you obviously took the time to read the whole report and did not just pick the parts that annoyed you.

Enjoy Goa

Regards

Papa

Fantastic reply happyangler, what a breath of fresh air.
No generalisation and no having opinions of something you havent experpeinced i.e. kids.

Awesome locations and im sure this will reflect in the gang.

Hats off for travelling with the full squad, you must have a close and loving family

I totally concur with what happyangler has said The youngest of my three children (who is now nearly13) is well travelled ,well behaved and totally tolerant and open minded to other cultures, races and religions and we incorporate education into as many trips as we can. On our recent trip to Goa we were invited into the house of a young boy who sold items on the beach. This was a very humbling experience for us all to see how 8 people lived in such a small hut, with no windows and just mats for them to sleep on. Both my son and my friends sons, were close to tears when they came out and we were all overwhelmed by the generosity of these people, sending for drinks for us, when they obviously lived on the earnings of the children (rightly or wrongly ) as the parents spoke no English.

If children are excluded from the opportunity of benefiting from these experiences, then maybe there would be an even bleaker outlook for future generations, remembering the children of today are the adults of tomorrow

Loved your report and reading all the posts after it. Football, children, tattoos, lots of debates, but still great reading.
(I also love football, own football shirts but I dont have any tattoos and definitely not a yob )

Thanks Gemma,

I enjoy writing about our experiences warts and all but I must admit to being a bit surprised at some of the reaction.I have re-read it and still think I tried to be balanced in my views of goa this year.

Glad I got at least some positive responses and I look forward to contributing when I can.

Regards

Papa