Stepping off the plane in Goa... the smells, the heat, the feeling of being home again. Then of course the first Kings of the holiday to be followed by many more but you can't bet the first one

I've got two, first walking down Holiday Rd in Calangute, years ago when it was a country lane with trees and bushes all the way down and watching a fully grown Mongoose wandering slowly across in front of me, and secondly when they built the first roundabout in Calangute, which was at the Tibetan Market, and we saw an Elephant slowly going round it the wrong way and causing all sorts of problems for a couple of buses Alan

Would love to have seen the roundabout and the elephant oblivious to the horns

Memory???Well I still dream about my last trip to Goa in Konkan railway from Mumbai.I still recollect every scene I saw from train and of Goa when I reached there.Do try a trip in August-September during the year and one will see a real green goa all the way after monsoon.

Sitting by the Mandovi river, kites soaring silently overhead, azure blue kingfisher diving,fish leaping, smiling ladies, charming men, Goan children giggling, facinated by you. palms swaying with coconuts,scooters laden to the max with babies barely able to hold on,happy people everywhere, smells, sights, experiences never known before, laid back way of life long lost at home, skin burning, senses going into overdrive, feeling of being at one with yourself, Fantastic memories. Goa is in my heart and soul x x

something tells me you are already planning a return

Favourite memory - mmmmmm Probably our 30th wedding anniversary celebrations as we had our marriage blessed there and a big party - brilliant Also my 50th birthday party which was on the beach - fantastic Dancing in bare feet in the sand to my favourite music with all our family and friends over from UK to share the celebrations - priceless. So difficult to have just one favourite memory isn't it OH says his favourite memory is of our first visit to Goa when we walked down the steps on to Calangute beach - he thought WOW (A long time ago). The first bag of fruit purchased from the local market, the pineapples were SOOOOO sweet and SOOOOOO juicy - just trickled down your chin. (I can still taste that first pineapple - yummmmmmmmmm)

The moon, I was fascinated the first time I saw a crescent moon that was horizontal.

Jenx

new years eve 2001 - a boat trip to bat island 4 Brits and 10 from Bangalore- wow what a wonderful day, including a barbeque and a right posseur (british bloke) climbing onto a rock in the sea to read a copy of The Beach, he fell off and soaked his book and we laughed until we wept it was so funny.
OR
early morning walking from Morjim to Mandrem along the shore, watching all the fabulous herons and other birds and barely seeing a another soul, picking up tiny brightly coloured shells as we walked.........

Wish I'd seen that Lyn I am laughing and I wasn't even there

As Fizzy said so many memories to pick a favourite so here's another from this season's trip. Memory of the first day.
Well after getting through the airport in the fastest time evr onto the journey which reminds me of why Goa is so magical, driving down the coastal road past Bogmalo, Colva, Benaulim etc. the sights, the colours, the smelss, the cows wandering down the street. Passed the large church in Benaulim/Varca where the local lads on mopeds dressed in there Sunday bests to impress the girls. On passed the Portguguese style villa's and then the huts, passed the rice fields and onto Carmona and the fish market on the corner. Finally arriving in Cavelossim, passed the Palm Grove and the Haathi Mahal where we spent 4 fantastic weeks last year. We then turned left and into Luis By The Sea did we make the right choice......? Absolutely !!!! what a beautiful tranquil setting so relaxing we were instantly in Goa mode. We went for walk down to the beach saying hello to familiar faces, lunch at Dom's then back to the pool which was 10 yards from our bungalow. Then at night (Mrs Jock turned in as we don't do sleep on planes) so me and Jnr Jock went to the River View. Sitting on the pontoon, no music (It hadn't been turned on yet) just the lapping of the river. As dusk turned to night and the stars and moon made a glow on the river I looked at Freya and thought "How lucky I am, how many fathers get to spend such quality time with there 8 year old daughter in such wonderful suroundings in a magical country within a country?" I am a lucky man.

this thread definitely has the "feel good" factor. Must be something about Goa- I really don't see similar threads in other forums.

Yours sounds pretty good too Callumn, keep threatening to take the grand kids with me in a couple of years but Col not too happy about that!!
I think these fond memories are what makes Goa so special, they never seem to fade, or if they do somehow things keep reminding you of what a wonderful time you had. Thats probably why the Goa forums are so busy and successful.
cheers Lyn

None of us will be able to put into words just "what" it is that Goa has got that pulls us back year on year and provides us with such happy memories. It just has a certain ambience. The place certainly makes me "feel good" Fiona

Calummn thats a lovely post, particularly the bit about your and your little daughter. Not a lot of folk share experiences like that with their family, and particularly in a wonderful place like Goa

Walking along the main road in Candolim, a man came out of his shop and said "hello my lovely pink people, how are you today". He cracked me up.

Another day I had to go to the chemist to get the wife some tummy tablets, the place wasn't open, so I sat on the steps to wait, a tailor came out of his shop with a chair for me to sit on! The next moment, a man from a restaurant came over to me with a newspaper for me to read while I waited. What can you say, except, they truly are wonderful people.

Barrie you are so right, it is the wonderfully warm and welcoming Goan people that are at the heart of why i love the place.
Watching the fishemen casting their nets at sunset while we relax with cocktails.
A beautifully coloured butterfly landing on my shoulder.
The first visit to Anjuna market, we were overwhelmed, never seen anything so vibrant and crazy.
Lazily cruising down the river seeing a tree full of pure white egrets close up.
My first taste of tiger prawns in my first beach shack. Heaven!
Watching the sun go down, wearing my beautiful new sarong hand in hand with the man i love feeling so so happy.
Beautiful little Asha blowing me kisses and waving as we left her homeland until next year.

Great post Lisa gave me a warm glow just reading it

A great memory for me was walking down to the beach at Tamborim and looking over the hedge at a deep pool in the middle of a small field that had a bullock in it. We could just see the bullocks head and a green shank was running about on it and the bullock didn't even flinch. All we could hear were a few crows and in the distance the sea. It was magical.