'Ey up all, well i seem to have a bit of catching up to do so will spend today having a browse through the forum,but here is my views / thoughts on the trip.
FLIGHTS
Monarch from Manchester - 3 hour delay going out and half hour coming back.Still cramped but getting more used to it,so no need to pay the extortionate upgrade prices.Food ok,films not to my taste,but good flights.
AIRPORT
Dabolim - easy coming through,only 5 mins and 1st cases off and no hassle with baggage handlers.Coming back couldn't believe the new layout,a lot easier but still the stupid queing and security checks that aren't needed.1st couple to check in were pulled up for being 8 kilos over,(we were well under) - you are only allowed 5 kilos hand luggage but can not understand why these are not checked also,there seemed to be many with huge holdalls and mini cases that were bulging (very annoying on the plane when these take up all the overhead luggage space !)
ACCOMODATION
Alburquerque Villas (again) in Candolim. Very good as usual but for next year he has put prices right up so have decided to try elsewhere and have booked in at the Sunset Beach Resort in Candolim (Ganesh from the shack got us a very good price compared to what they quoted us)
RESORT
A few big hotels/appartment blocks are half built in Candolim and should be ready in 2 years time,I can't see these being filled up at this time of year though.Not too many changes though,just the odd new restaurant.
Nice to see the road tar-macked,seems to be as smooth as Silverstone,and the traffic still speeding on it too fast (should now put some sort of traffic calming down - speed humps ?)
FOOD
Excellent as ever,not one bad meal,only used one restaurant twice as it was so good (Jazz House in Candolim).Best meal and a must for something special is the After 7,quality at it's best even if they do charge a lot more than others.
WEATHER
1st week was hot and low with humidity,2nd week was a massive turn around with humidity very high,so head for the beach on a night for the cool breeze.
BEACHES
Wow !! what can i say...Sinquerim has vanished.Very hard on the legs to walk to Aguada.Most shacks down there are on stillts which i guess by the end of the next monsoon will be even further back or as the owners have stated may not even be worth paying the licence to put them up - big shame,and things must be done to move the ship which will help.
Ganesh shack was very busy this year,we have never seen it so full with around 25/30 guests in most days.Many HTers have visited or called in for the day,and Ganesh was so pleased to read all the talk about him on the internet with the great pictures also. He has a new chef this year from Callcutta called Mazid who is better and quicker than the last one - jumbo tiger prawns the size of lobsters,and cooked to perfection. He still has problems with the shack next door called Sudhas who persists in dragging everyone to her place and telling sob stories and lies to gain her custom - a terrible women and no other shack owner will have anything to do with her. I feel sorry for the Dutch guy who was screamed at, who tried to stop her cutting up Ganesh's beach mat,she self inflicted scratches on her arms and face and tried to tell the police he had done this and also tried to mention she was raped (allegedly) !! All the shack owners have got together and lodged a complaint with the police so she may not be granted a licence next year - do not use this shack !!. We had some very good people in the shack and fellow HTers Billybluenose/GEC/Norm & Barb (from Germany) and Custard Monkey.Spoke to others who asked about this site and said they would be taking a look on there return.
Very quiet with dogs this year,and sellers were at a minimum with no real hassle.
LAZY DAYS MEET UP
Nice to meet a good crowd - Billybluenose / Linb / JonnyG / Catweazle / Kay135 / Poilpleshadow / Lez (what a star !!) / Toe / Martind / Feel the vibe / Rob & Sermina. A good night out and a nice place, but a bit on the small side (we had half of the place !) - so what about another venue ?

So all in all,it's been a very quiet and lazy 2 weeks.Not done anything we were planning to,but what the hell... there will be next year. We also bumped into other friends who we have not seen for 3 years and they have said they are now looking at Thailand as they can see too many changes that will spoil the place - they are coming back next year and then will decide. As for us... the time of year was the bussiest we have known but no trouble to be seen. A lady on the plane did tell us however that Thomsons next year will be putting on the dreaded 18-30 holidays,I guess it's the only way thay can fill an hotel these days (hope they dont choose Candolim),was also mentioned about some trouble/fighting with groups of lads/lasses in Baga - another big shame,and not what we want to see/hear about,but as said... we are booked to go back and i guess we always will with so many good friends there.
Ok thats me done for now,going to dig out my old duffle coat now !! and go for a good fry up !! Spike.
P.S I have a few pics to post in the next few days so will let you know when they are on (I won't put Lazydays shots on - you have to go there to see the faces !!)