Hi there

This is my account of our recent trip to Candolim over Christmas, first a little about me and my family. Both the wife and I are both 49, and our daughter is 25 her friend who travelled with us is 29. I am two years through a RMN nursing diploma at University of Nottingham, so this trip was meant as an opportunity for me to relax and unwind from studying, along with a beach holiday for the others; it is also a trip we did not think we would be able to make until 2008.

Whilst I am happy to share my experiences with you please remember that any opinions I have about restaurants etc, are personal opinions and are not meant to offend anyone, so please do not expect me to defend my comments in the forum.

Departure
We arrived at Manchester airport Monarch check in desk on the 16th December in good time, clutching my accommodation voucher (genuine ! ! !) and emails from my landlord in Goa in one hand, and the emails stating that we had additional 20 kg baggage allowance for CWT gifts. It was therefore not a surprise when the check clerks said to us; sorry you're not on the list you will have to pay excess baggage. To my wife's surprise, and mine it was resolved in two minutes once he read the emails and made a phone call. I think he totally missed the fact that we where flight only, but I would recommend others to have a voucher as above the check in it does state that vouchers must be shown. That was the only drama we encountered until we arrived at Daobolim airport.

Just One Small Coin
We had warned the girls what to expect, how every one holds their hand out for a tip from toilet paper supplier to the baggage boys. Also we had explained how if a job could be done by one person the Indians will employ three. 55 minutes after landing we arrived in the baggage hall to be met with the trolley boys wanting a pound for a free trolley, no joy from us and certainly none from the girls. As we passed through the final check into the melee outside I could see Gopi our driver waving to us, beating a path through the hoards of marauding porters clutching our bags from grasping hands we where warmly greeted.

We waited about 5 minutes whilst Gopi fetched his cab, all the time fending off porters, the girls faces where a picture marvelling at the noise and sounds. As I helped Gopi load our cases I warned the "helpful" baggage boy that the only person to get a tip today would be the driver, despite his plea afterwards for "just one small coin" he looked ever so dejected as I thanked him and we all waved him goodbye. The battle of Daobolim airport was won without having to part with "one small coin"

Transfer and Accommodation
As this was the second trip to Goa for me and "Mrs Mad" we knew the sights and sounds to expect on the road to Candolim, we had however forget that delightful experience called the Indian overtaking manoeuvre, the girls although tired just sat there open mouthed taking it all in, mesmerised by what they saw, heard and smelt,

Our host for the fortnight where Joseph and Lucia at the Lucia Beach Guest House in Candolim, the holiday reports posted on this forum are a true representation of their hospitality and genuiness towards their guests. We quickly showered unpacked and put on shorts and tops and headed for the Baywatch shack at the Sinquerim end of the beach we had used on our last trip. The beach at this end is devastated and extremely difficult to lie upon due to the vast amounts of erosion all the way down to the fort, we had a quick drink here and where instantly recognised by shack regulars, some who remembered that we planned to return in 2008 after my study's finished.
The hawkers also remembered us, whilst it was flattering at first we soon realised that they regarded us as their property and one or two became peeved when we bought of others later in the holiday.

A female seller from around the Baywatch shack got to the point of stalking us around our accommodation because we had looked at some stuff and the girls had said "maybe later"
One day in the street after we got out of a taxi from a trip to Mapsua and this same seller had scanned our carrier bags and asked why we had bought cushion covers from someone else "Mrs Mad" blew her away with one of her withering stares, we never saw her again.

As the depth of the beach at this end was very narrow the sellers where congested around the beds and the constant interruption meant that we used a different shack further up the beach. Called "Mama Cecelia's" all we had to do was ring Ishwar and he would pick us up and drop us off home again.

Children Walking Tall
We visited the Mango House on our first day to drop off the presents we had brought with us, if you ask a taxi driver to take you to "Vrundaven Hospital" its at the other end of the road on the opposite side, painted bright blue.

Rob gave us the grand tour; the photos on the web site do not do justice to the amount of work that has been done on this building. My hat goes off to them all, and the work they do, any donations that can be made to them is well utilised.

Christmas day we where invited to join them for the distribution of presents at "carra vaddow" for us this was the highpoint of our holiday. It was one of the most tear jerking, and humbling experiences any of has ever experienced outside of bereavement. At the same time it was also an uplifting event, one that some of the overindulged children in this country would benefit from witnessing.

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=6130226512573112232

The sheer joy and excitement at receiving a small gift made us feel very privileged to be there. Although we only spent an hour with them the memories of those happy smiling faces will remain with us forever. (Thank you Rob & Shermina for sparing the time for us)

Friends
From our last visit there where three sets of people that we had remained in contact with, non of whom new of our return visit. Godfrey and Victor at Baywatch shack where we spent a couple of days reminiscing, until the sellers got too much.

The other two where Auquib a Kashmiri jeweller who owns Anchari arts, yet again we contributed to his retirement fund with the purchase of rings, much to the annoyance of others in the street who recognised us and thought they may be in with a chance this time. Crescey is a Goan girl who works for him, we had sent them a family photograph, so when my daughter walked into the shop and said I have come to say hello, and she was immediately recognised by them.

We in the mean time had sat on a wall opposite the shop 50 yards up the road, waiting for the dust to settle inside the shop, she told them she had someone outside waiting to meet them, the look of surprise on there faces was worth every minute sat in the cramped Monarch seats. There where moist eyes from all parties and a lot of Kashmir tea drunk during the fortnight we stayed there. Crescey was so elated to see us tears openly ran down her face, during our stay we where invited to tea to meet her mother and sister, if we ever passed the gate and "mamma" was about we where invited in for a tea.

Time Share & Ear Cleaners
Before making this trip I had read all the different posts in the forum before so we where aware of the touts and ear cleaners and well prepared for any encounters with them.

Touts are one of the reasons we are avoiding the Mediterranean, so when the first one pulled up in his bike during our first walk down the street "Mrs Mad" was worried that I may insult them and wind myself up, spoiling my holiday as in the process.

Some of the touts soon realised that they wasting there time, one day I collected 4 cards in two hundred yards putting them all in my pocket to open later, even the girls joined in the fun, although the lads on bikes where mortified and asked for there cards back, to be met with a refusal.

As the holiday progressed this method of taunting them lost its appeal so I would take the cards and when they asked for the back I would rip them in half in front of them unopened, the touts gaping jaw the first time I did this could have fitted the river princess in.

I saw three sets of ear cleaners two accosting me for trade, the first being on a walk along the beach near Calangute steps, the other being near dominoes pizza, both used the line that I had soap in my ear, from my reply to them that if they put a finger or anything else near my ear I would call a policeman the next time I saw them. The other time they where working on two female "victims" near the Panjim turning in candolim my shout of police soon sent them run off unpaid.

Trips and Mapsua
Took the girls to the waterfalls spice plantation and the Mahalasa temple at Ponda, yet again they could not believe the beauty and poverty (by our standards) that they observed, Mapsua market on both a Friday and midweek where both enjoyable, I personally enjoyed the haggling over price for pots and knives to bring home, Lucia our land lady thought on four bowls I had bought the price was better than she could have obtained. With visiting CWT as well and only having a two week trip these where all the trips that we undertook, both girls where planning a return to goa before we had packed to leave.

Food, Restaurants & Shacks
As I said right at the beginning of this report my comments and opinions are our own and this section about food restaurants and shacks are what we thought and would not expect criticism.

We ate in a cross section of place most once only

The Curry House near kingfisher was very good on two occasions although on the last night it was only average perhaps this was down to our choice of food, either way I would reccomend the tandoori fish tikka as starter or main course.

Seashell was good, although Casa Seashell came way down our list, whilst Fisherman's cove near Highland resort did not even warrant a tip!

Mama Cecelia's shack was probably the best food we had all holiday Biryani, Kingfish Masala Xacuti and butter chicken where all to die for.
We had our Christmas evening meal at "Celebration" yet again the food was very good but it lacked a party atmosphere, although the Hindu temple nearby created a unique sound to accompany our meal

Yet again Foxes served an excellent "King Momo" steak,

Our overall winner must be Victors, it is tucked out of the way behind whispering palms, walk down the road as of you are going to the beach and it's the last shack on the tarmac road on the left, Glass top tables, navy blue linen napkins and good quality glasses in a shack

The four of us had between us, crab starters and prawn pate, fillet steak so tender it beggared belief or Tiger prawns pan fried in garlic. We ate there four times last holiday but had to limit ourselves to two visits this time.

Homeward Bound
The queues to enter Daobolim airport and pass through final security took two hours! In that time the porters where approaching people to change "small coins" back into rupees, I had packed a couple of thousand in my suitcase and made sure I did not need to change any back to sterling at the airport.

Our plane was two hours late landing, the pilot explained that the delay was due to "offloading 5 passengers in Hungary who where causing unpleasantness" Hullsmoggy was on that flight he may be able to explain more on his return.

Head winds meant that the Bahrain section to UK took about seven hours so overall we where three hours late getting back to the UK, we crawled into our house at 2.30 am new years day after spending what amounted to 24 hours travelling in real terms.

Whilst we where away we became grandparents for the first time and celebrated the arrival in the Goan way by buying cakes and champagne for all at our guest house Lucia and Joseph allowed us to use their living room for a party. We saw "Riley" for the first time yesterday although we did get a picture emailed to us and printed off.

In conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this recollection of just some of our holiday experiences; I have photographs of our holiday and some video of Christmas day around the slum the latter I plan to post later on if CWT approves.

Yet again we have made countless new friends; I met up with Lezlie and shared a drink with him one lunch time quite by chance, I also bumped into Hollystone and family at Daobolim.

I would like to thank everybody who has helped me plan this trip and have either made public posts or sent PM's your help has been invaluable

If you where to ask me was it all worth it? the answer is yes, we are going back March 2008 the day after I finish at university and before I return to my work, and again for three weeks in November 2008

Happy New Year to you all Goan Mad and family