It's a horrible place - you'll hate it!

That's why I keep going back, in the hope that next time it will be better

You lot just seem to want to keep it to yourselves

I'm of for the 1st time in jan.

And members just keep sending me pictures of cows in the street and toilets.

Been twice in last 18 months, going back next Thursday and just booked to return on March 1st, lovely people,great food,really inexpensive,very hot,not at work!!!, what more can I tell you, go for it and have a great time. D.

Bighally shush or everyone will want to go
We fly out 24th November and again on 11 March. Hope we get to meet you at Bono's or Lazy Days

I cried when I got there, and I cried when I left

Joe, do It. You wont regret it. I have never felt so stress free in all my life as I did when I was in Goa.

I'm just sitting here wondering what happened with the young girl I met at the Airport when we left in March. We were just coming out of the loos, where inevitably there was no paper. She asked if I had been to Goa before, I replied 7 times! She was shocked, it was her first time and she didn't think she would be back.

I told her I felt like that on my first visit, but when I arrived home I found find that in actual fact Goa and the people of Goa would had worked their way under my skin, and quite possibly she would feel the same.

I would love to know if she did, and if she is returning - perhaps she is even a member here!

I love the place and cannot wait for the next 6 weeks to pass, this will be our 8th visit and I already have next year booked.

well it will be my 1st time, and i've done a lot of reviews and had a lot of nice, and some not so nice (toilet) pics sent to me, and i think that i'm prepared.

I to will probably wonder what have i done when i 1st get there, i did when we went to egypt.

But i'm going prepared, i've done my research and i think that is where a lot of people go wrong.

they just don't do the research and look at the pictures on the web.

Chris, I spent a whole year on this forum, also scouring the net researching. Believe me, no amount of talking reading or looking can prepare you for the first time

Oh i'm wrong then, so will i be wanting to come home the min i get there.

the only thing that dreads me in having to fight for my luggage.

Yes you will want to come straight back home.

By the 2nd or 3rd day there though you will never want to leave

I didn't feel like that at all. As soon as I got out of the air port I was so excited.

I think its all down to how open minded you are and also how used to luxury you are. Sorry if that sounds blunt but thats what I think.

I think its all down to how open minded you are and also how used to luxury you are. Sorry if that sounds blunt but thats what I think.

I agree with this, i'm going with a open mind, and probably will have a open mouth when i get there. lol

My first visit was November 2000 and it was also the the first time I had flown, so I was dreading the 11 hour flight let alone the holiday. Like everyone else I thought where the hell have we come, I was shocked by the poverty we saw on the journey from the airport to our hotel, thankfully the hotel was super we stayed in the Sunset Beach in Candolim, I remember unpacking, changing into shorts and t shirts and going for a wander, i was absolutely fascinated by the stalls and shops and all the people wanting to talk to you, we then found the Annapurna Bar and decided to have a bear, within a couple of hours of sat there just chilling and watching the kids play cricket across the road all the horror of the journey had been forgotten and by the second day I was totally hooked. When it came to going home I was in tears needless to say we booked again within weeks of us getting back. We are going back in March and this will be our 11th time, we are now looking at booking for next November as well. I would advise anyone to give it a go I'm sure you will not be disappointed.

Debs

Yes same for us really apprehensive the first time but as soon as we got back Aidan wanted to book for the following year which is really unusual for him, any way it will be our 4th visit next march and we really love it.

Mardon your pictures are lovely.

Sue

Thanks Susansh
I must say this year i'm a little more apprehensive as i'm taking 5 others with me that have never been before. I'm sure eveyone will be fine. But if people dont enjoy it they will turn to me and say "why have you brought me here".

Sure it'll be fine though.. there's not many things not to love about Goa (once you actualy get there that is :D)

Dont worry Mardon I am sure they will enjoy themselves, as you say there are so many things to love.

Sue

We had been 3 times before we took friends with us for their first time. Our flight was delayed in Manchester 7 hours due to a chunk of wing falling off our plane on its way into Manchester. The replacement plane was smaller and the seating configured differently so all our group were split up and seated all over the plane (with my friend who is a non smoker seated in smoking). The replacement plane had been brought in last minute so we had no in flight entertainment the whole journey. When we finally landed in Goa the transfer bus broke down. We got to our hotel 10 hours late in the middle of a power cut. My friend spent the first night crying to go home. The next day 3 of us had delhi belly(the only time we ever had it)and the doctor came out. 2 days after that our friend broke his toe and his wife lost her handbag. She also had prickly heat.
The point is we were there 3 weeks and when we got home we all booked to go straight back. None of it put us off. You have to go. It's an amazing place.

Sim, is your nickname "Lucky"

It certainly wasn't that time ! I could have gone on and on and could probably start a thread about all the mishaps we had on that holiday but didn't want to go off topic and put people off (especially seeing as this thread was to convince someone to go). I read my own response back and had a bit of a laugh remembering what a brilliant holiday it was despite all the mishaps. My friend who cried still talks about it to this day. Just hope you're not on the 8th December flight this year from Manchester as that's the one I'm on.