I had emailed Rob before we went on holiday to ask if we could visit Mango House. He gave days and times that would be good and we decided upon Monday afternoon at about 3 oclock. We spent until 2pm on the beach where we had glorious sunshine.
We made our way to the hotel and by the time we got a taxi it had suddenly got rather black. A few minutes in to the journey and there was an almighty monsoon downpour.
I couldn't believe how quickly the weather could change.
Unfortunately Rob had emailed the day before and said he wouldn't be there on Monday as he had to go to hospital to collect a girl who had been badly burned. He had asked if we could change to Tuesday but that it was ok if we couldn't. We didn't pick up the email. However, we met Shermina and it was good to put a face to a name. What Rob and Shermina have achieved is incredible and it makes you feel quite humble. The enthusiasm Shermina has just shone through. I had heard so much about Mango House that it was great to see it finally. It is such a happy place. The children are well looked after and the House makes sure that they also have the important pieces of paper that are needed to get on - their date of birth is registered( although for some it is an estimate) and the one that one that says they have been educated. She was telling us that they all have dreams- teachers, doctors and so on. I hope some of them achieve them. They do rely on tourists and the clothes etc they bring during the season. All the children in the House are issued with 3 sets of clothes during the year. They are expected to look after them and some are better at it than others. Children will wash their own clothes. Shermina explained that they tried to keep things as true to Goan life as they could. Children would be expected to wash clothes at home so they need to do the same at the House. She told us of similar things where, although the instinct is to do everything for the children, you have to take account of real life outwith Mango House. I liked the story of the dining area. It was furnished with tables and chairs but they quickly got rid of them when the children wouldn't sit at them. In the end it actually made that area more flexible as it is an empty space. We were shown where the clothes are sorted out into ages etc. This room is also where the little ones go to when they want an afternoon nap. And, right enough, there was a 2 year old curled up on the mat, dead to the world. Visitors are always welcome but you should phone first and if even if it has been arranged- obviously the children come first and you may not get the guided tour we got but you would still be welcome to wander around. We donated our tv fees. Shermina might not like me saying this - but I know they welcome some donations that are just going into the general fund. Projects are always ongoing but they do need money for day to day costs. ( I have to say that I have donated through their website for a specific project as well) A dream of Shermina is to open a similar project outwith Goa. I bet she'll do it too!
Thank you Shermina and Rob for allowing us to see Mango House. The two of you should be very proud of what you have done for the children in Goa( and also the work in the Mumbai slums)
Fantastic Fiona and arent the children at the Mango House fantastic. I can see there happy smiling faces just now. They have so little, but are so grateful for what they have.
Love your report.
Love your report.
yes Gemma. Believe me I have certainly talked to my kids about life in India as a child.
It rained for part of another morning as well. This time I spent it at the hospital. Stanley, the hotel owner, became concerned with the state of my finger and finally managed to bully me into getting it checked out. Something along the lines of Rajeesh will take you to the hospital where you will get it xrayed! The hospital is quite an impressive place. I saw a doctor who then sent me for an xray. The xray showed that I hadn't actually broken my finger, just chipped a bone. However, the cuts were more of a worry as they were looking a bit infected. Would you believe it- the doctor called in a surgeon who decided that I might get away without an operation. ( I won't repeat what my OH said later on when we were talking about it!!)
I then got a long list of things I needed from the chemist, which we duly ignored apart from the first two. They tried to get me to take home the xray and insisted I stayed for the all the paperwork which I needed to put in as a claim to my insurance. And the grand total for all this? £4.50. We stopped off on the way back and got the anti biotics. The second one was not available at the time. Rajeesh was brilliant and without saying anything spent time that afternoon ringing round chemists to see if they had it. Infact he is a real find for Stanley. Some of you may recognise him as he worked at Captain Lobos for years and only recently left there to work at Kingstork.
Final part of my report tomorrow!
I then got a long list of things I needed from the chemist, which we duly ignored apart from the first two. They tried to get me to take home the xray and insisted I stayed for the all the paperwork which I needed to put in as a claim to my insurance. And the grand total for all this? £4.50. We stopped off on the way back and got the anti biotics. The second one was not available at the time. Rajeesh was brilliant and without saying anything spent time that afternoon ringing round chemists to see if they had it. Infact he is a real find for Stanley. Some of you may recognise him as he worked at Captain Lobos for years and only recently left there to work at Kingstork.
Final part of my report tomorrow!
-
Edited by
Fiona
2007-11-09 14:09:12
I don't know how you manage to get up for work in the mornings Fiona, I'm really enjoying reading your posts though. My last visit to India was ten years ago and your trip report is making me rethink my 2008 travels, I think it's time I went back and visited again.
It sounds as though you had a fantastic trip.
It sounds as though you had a fantastic trip.
Fiona, your trip report is fantastic - I usually stay around the Holiday Road area and it's evoking some very happy memories, thank you.
Great reading Fiona, what a journey all in 12 days WOW, a similar trip took me 3 months and I thought that was hard going, even though it was all by coach 
Your right about Mango House, what a place, as I left a tear trickled down my face, not of sadness but of an overwhelming reality check. Like you say Fiona they have nothing but are so happy and smiley and this is what hit me the most, even my Son who was 16 at the time was quiet for a good hour or 2 later (nothing has ever shut him up for that long)
Hope you enoy your next holiday to Goa, we will be there 7th March till 28th if you are there then it would be great to see you and thanks for sharing your experiences
Your right about Mango House, what a place, as I left a tear trickled down my face, not of sadness but of an overwhelming reality check. Like you say Fiona they have nothing but are so happy and smiley and this is what hit me the most, even my Son who was 16 at the time was quiet for a good hour or 2 later (nothing has ever shut him up for that long)Hope you enoy your next holiday to Goa, we will be there 7th March till 28th if you are there then it would be great to see you and thanks for sharing your experiences
thanks everyone for all the comments 
FTV- we arrive into Goa on the 28th I'm afraid.
FINAL PART
As said before, many restaurants just had not opened yet. We were also told After 7 wasn't opening till November although I've since found out that apparently it had been open. We just didn't bother to check. Going into the main part of Calangute we found that although there were ones open most of them were completely empty. We had asked Rajeesh before heading off one night what was open in Candolim and good to go to. He asked all the taxi drivers who are just outside the hotel and I was slightly worried to see them all looking puzzled and no suggestions forthcoming. When taxi drivers who want your trade can't think where we could go then its worrying!! One eventually said Sports Bar but didn't look too hopeful. We decided just to go anyway. And Candolim was empty. We started off at Teama which did have one or two people, but only lasted one drink as the music was really depressing! I was kicking myself as we had forgotten our camera and I'm sure a lot of Goa members will have been fascinated to see an empty Candolim. We then went on to have dinner at Alexandres. We chose it because it was actually open but found the food was beautiful. We looked across at the empty Inferno. It was opening just after the end of our holiday. The Sports Bar was the liveliest place we went to. I counted 48 people and 24 of them were working there. I am not joking by the way! We could not get a taxi in Candolim and had quite a walk along the main road until we eventually got one.
Round about us in Calangute there was A Reverie. We decided to give it a go and then did what we'd seen loads of others do- we walked in and looked at the menu and then walked out. I'm sorry- I'm not willing to pay UK prices in Goa. We overlooked that restaurant from our balcony and the most we had seen in there was 6-most nights it was empty. Roma opened up a couple of days before we left. If we had been there longer and had got fed up of Indian food we may well have given it a go. We ate at Golden Eye one night and were very impressed. The Flying Dolphin is good to visit at night and they have a DJ a couple of nights a week. Probably more often in the season. Nirvana was our place though and we ended up there almost every night at some time.
We did go to Lazy Days. The plan had been to go there and then to find somewhere to eat in Calangute afterwards but we ended up staying on at Lazy Days to eat. I met Adolf. He told me about the meets and how some would nip across to sing karaoke( or to try to anyway!) It's a lovely place and I liked the music there. By the way, he knew I was a member of HT but I didn't say I was mod. Someone looks just like me though and also drinks Bacardi and coke. Adolf was determined that I had been before- I wonder who it is??!
All too soon the holiday was over. We had our last drink in the balcony and talked about when we would get the chance to get back.( It came sooner than we expected!)
We have a week in March. However, we both agreed, if we ever have a clear fortnight we would def combine Goa with somewhere else in India.
Goa is so different from what we'd seen on our Golden Triangle trip. I understand why folks like to spend weeks in Goa - we were like that at one point in our lives. But now I like the type of holiday where we do the hectic sightseeing and then have a beach stay to relax for a while. There are just so many places I want to see in my lifetime! We have visited a fair few and we both agree that India is right up there.
FTV- we arrive into Goa on the 28th I'm afraid.
FINAL PART
As said before, many restaurants just had not opened yet. We were also told After 7 wasn't opening till November although I've since found out that apparently it had been open. We just didn't bother to check. Going into the main part of Calangute we found that although there were ones open most of them were completely empty. We had asked Rajeesh before heading off one night what was open in Candolim and good to go to. He asked all the taxi drivers who are just outside the hotel and I was slightly worried to see them all looking puzzled and no suggestions forthcoming. When taxi drivers who want your trade can't think where we could go then its worrying!! One eventually said Sports Bar but didn't look too hopeful. We decided just to go anyway. And Candolim was empty. We started off at Teama which did have one or two people, but only lasted one drink as the music was really depressing! I was kicking myself as we had forgotten our camera and I'm sure a lot of Goa members will have been fascinated to see an empty Candolim. We then went on to have dinner at Alexandres. We chose it because it was actually open but found the food was beautiful. We looked across at the empty Inferno. It was opening just after the end of our holiday. The Sports Bar was the liveliest place we went to. I counted 48 people and 24 of them were working there. I am not joking by the way! We could not get a taxi in Candolim and had quite a walk along the main road until we eventually got one.
Round about us in Calangute there was A Reverie. We decided to give it a go and then did what we'd seen loads of others do- we walked in and looked at the menu and then walked out. I'm sorry- I'm not willing to pay UK prices in Goa. We overlooked that restaurant from our balcony and the most we had seen in there was 6-most nights it was empty. Roma opened up a couple of days before we left. If we had been there longer and had got fed up of Indian food we may well have given it a go. We ate at Golden Eye one night and were very impressed. The Flying Dolphin is good to visit at night and they have a DJ a couple of nights a week. Probably more often in the season. Nirvana was our place though and we ended up there almost every night at some time.
We did go to Lazy Days. The plan had been to go there and then to find somewhere to eat in Calangute afterwards but we ended up staying on at Lazy Days to eat. I met Adolf. He told me about the meets and how some would nip across to sing karaoke( or to try to anyway!) It's a lovely place and I liked the music there. By the way, he knew I was a member of HT but I didn't say I was mod. Someone looks just like me though and also drinks Bacardi and coke. Adolf was determined that I had been before- I wonder who it is??!
All too soon the holiday was over. We had our last drink in the balcony and talked about when we would get the chance to get back.( It came sooner than we expected!)
We have a week in March. However, we both agreed, if we ever have a clear fortnight we would def combine Goa with somewhere else in India.
Goa is so different from what we'd seen on our Golden Triangle trip. I understand why folks like to spend weeks in Goa - we were like that at one point in our lives. But now I like the type of holiday where we do the hectic sightseeing and then have a beach stay to relax for a while. There are just so many places I want to see in my lifetime! We have visited a fair few and we both agree that India is right up there.
-
Edited by
Fiona
2007-11-09 14:13:06
What a great rip report Fiona. i've really enjoyed it. Thanks so much for sharing.
Hi fiona,
That was a great report loved every word off it, makes me feel even closer to it, only 6 wks to go then i shall be there with lots of others, where did you see the dolphins ? was it off baga beach !
Pip
x :
Fiona,
great report, shame more wasn't open, hopefully everything will be open in March.
By the way Infernos is owned and run by Alexandres.
great report, shame more wasn't open, hopefully everything will be open in March.
By the way Infernos is owned and run by Alexandres.
Fiona your report has been excellent, thank you
thanks all
Pip
the dolphins were just off the beach at Calangute.
Sam
that explains why the owner was so enthusiastic about Inferno about to open I was really impressed with Alexandres food.
Pip
the dolphins were just off the beach at Calangute.
Sam
that explains why the owner was so enthusiastic about Inferno about to open
I was really impressed with Alexandres food.
Brilliant report Fiona, we especially enjoyed reading about Delhi etc.
6 more sleeps then we're off back to Holiday street for the 13th time, in our opinion you definitely picked the best area of Calangute to stay. Had a few nights in Nirvana last Christmas, one went on till 5 in the morning. We start our trip with Namaste on the 23rd, then back to Calangute for the last week. Thanks to your report our minds are a bit more settled about hotels etc on the triangle trip. Namaste seemed too cheap to be that good, but obviously not.
Anyone going into Aggis shack or Johnnys we'll be in there most days.
Just look for a load of dogs round my sunbed.
6 more sleeps then we're off back to Holiday street for the 13th time, in our opinion you definitely picked the best area of Calangute to stay. Had a few nights in Nirvana last Christmas, one went on till 5 in the morning. We start our trip with Namaste on the 23rd, then back to Calangute for the last week. Thanks to your report our minds are a bit more settled about hotels etc on the triangle trip. Namaste seemed too cheap to be that good, but obviously not.
Anyone going into Aggis shack or Johnnys we'll be in there most days.
Just look for a load of dogs round my sunbed.
Fiona
We are going to do the trip to Golden triangle. How did you contac namaste whilst there
We are going to do the trip to Golden triangle. How did you contac namaste whilst there
don't worry about how to contact Namaste- they were for ever checking up with our driver to see if everything was ok. You should also have been given a number to contact when in India- did they not give you Jawahars mobile number? You'll need it for peace of mind when you land in Delhi- just incase your driver is not there(which is unlikely)
bazznw
gone are the days when I can party till 5am!!
bazznw
gone are the days when I can party till 5am!!
Havent booked yet was going to do it wheen we get there
I thought you hadn't mentioned it before! Bad news- I'm pretty sure they are fully booked whilst you are there 
Really enjoyed your report, Fiona. Thanks for all the effort in compiling it. Shame there wasn't more happening and a great shame that you didn't make it to After 7 - you must try it out in March.
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