Oh dear I hope things improve for you. Looking forward to the next bit. Cant help laughing about the bit about Eastenders What hotel near Gatwick did you stay at?

Oh goodie, a South trip report!!

Looking forward to the next part

Keep it coming

The George was the name of the hotel Gemma.

We were shown to our bungalow by one of the staff after a welcoming lemonade.He closed the window shutters turned on the air condisioning and the ceiling fan, closed the doors,we were alone.
After a cup of coffee and a couple of hours on the bed (resting) we decided to go for a bit of lunch,it was the first time we had gone A.I.
We booked it after seeing the hotel on T.Cook T.V.
It was only when we opened the door that it hit us,a wall of heat that stopped us in our tracks.It was the last two weeks of the season,hotter this year than in the past we were latter told by locals. The hotel temp.gauge read 41c and that was in the shade.

After lunch the pool was a must,we jumped in,it was like a warm bath.
after a short swim we dicided to make for the beach.Down a sandy path though beautifully kept gardens we hit the beach.
Two women who owned a little beach shop-shack each side of the beach entrance called over "Have a nice day" (they were later to become good friends)
There were only three beach shacks on the on the whole expanse of beach.
Otheres had packed up for the lack of trade.
We were welcomed into the first shack,The Blue Oasis by Dominick and his wife Joana.We were to become very popular over the next two weeks as we were their only regulars.
We made the mistake of befriending and buying from a few beachsellers,we became there target for the comming fortnight.
Dominick invited us to the last beach party on Thursday night,"Here is the menu,make your choice,Iwill get it fresh from the market" he said.
The menu was a piece of card with rather crude drawing of fish."or you can have the fish platter,one will be enough for you both"I agreed on the fish platter.We looked forward the Thursday.

After dinner at the hotel we dicided to have a few drinks at the hotel bar and have an early first night.
I asked the barman for a whisky and water,he poured about an inch of whisky into a glass followed by three inches of water.
I reached into my pocket and found 100r and gave it to him,took an empty glass poured two inches of whisky and half inch of water.
"thats how I like my wiskey"I told him with a smile.
I never asked him again,my whisky was always being poured as each time I walked to the bar.He did ok at the end of the holiday.

We took stock of the first day,the hotel was great,the beach was great.We wanted more.
Tomorrow we will venture outside the hotel.

More to come,I do go on a bit.

Great report Holimaniac keep up the good work and dont forget any of it I want to hear it all colleen

This trip report is so more-ish ~ next instalment please !!

more pleeeeeeeeeese

We had breakfast in the hotel,then sat in the large reception area to drink our coffee and have a cigarette.
A taxi pulled up outside,out stepped two white women and two Indian men.One of the men was dressed in traditional indian dress the other in a western style suit.
They ran ahead of the women taking snaps of the women walking to the reception desk,snap snap snap,the women signed the hotel book,snap snap snap,the women had their A.I. wrist bands put on,snap snap snap,
they posed by the reception desk,snap snap snap,totally over the top.
I thought they must be foreign film stars.
I later found they were just Russian holidaymakers,the men were from there travel company. The cameras belonged to the women,I just hope they have some extra memory cards.

Right lets leg it up the road and see whats here.We dicided to go left through the main gates, the side of the road had shop after shop on one side,and little stalls on the other"come and have a look in my shop,taxi,
no come look here cheap as chips" they cried.
We saw a sign pointing to the "Goan Village" a eating place manny on this site have recomended,we turned right to have a look,on one side of the road there where two little mini-markets.
I got some Golden Virginia(£ 1-50 a 50g packet)
A bottle of good whisky(£2-50)
We had a look in the Goan Village,looked ok,further down,the road narrowed,some building work was going on.
A huge concrete mixer spewed out concrete on to the ground, a chain of men carried metal bowls of concrete on there heads up a homemade ladder,a woman sat in the dust colected single wayward chippings and put them into little piles to be colected,we walked on hoping to see the river Sal,but three barking dogs had no intention of letting us go any further.

Back on the main street we walked till we came across the" Jai "money exchange.An electrick fan,what a relief,
I asked the chap there if he would change £100 "I only have 50s was his reply,not being used to the money yet I said ok.
A wad about tree inches thick appeared on the counter.I looked at him,he looked at me..we both just bursted out laughing.
He rolled the note and put an elastic band around them.I walked away with what looked like an orange in my pocket.

Time for a drink.We walked down a side street and found a little place.
A scrufy old man appeared,I ordered two drinks and the wife wanted an omelette"no gas" was his reply,so she settled for a cheese and tomato
sandwich.
fifteen mins. latter the drinks appeared as did an omelette"got gas" he smiled.

The heat was getting the better of us now,we could walk no further.
We dicided to go back to the "Goan Village"have a few beers and a look at the menu with the intention of eating there that night.
We were greeted by Joy,he turned out to be a real card.
He supplied us with beer and conversation for the rest of the afternoon,
I suplied him with roll-ups.
We would spend most evenings there,the waiters were entertaining,the food exelent,and its nice to be waited on when on holiday

This A.I. was not for us.
The hotel restaurant began to feel like a works canteen,the hotel bar had no atmosphere,everyone there was happy with there own company.
We began to think our choice of hotel and the heat of the Goan April was working against us.
But tomorrow we have a boat trip in the morning and a beach party in the night.....

a cliffhanger- just what I like

This is good..... keep it up

great stuff more pleeeeease

Aww I know Joy, and like you we spent many evenings chatting away with waiters in the goan village.

Great report, keep it coming

This is really entertaining I cant wait for the next instalment

Hope theres a lot more!! pg

Sooooo glad you liked the Goan Village ~ the food is excellent and the waiting staff superstars, particularly Donald, Joy and Ros.

Next instalment ~ bring it on !!!

We Waited in reception for Jack the boatman.We were going to book a trip a Betty bar but it had shut up shop for the season.
Jack led us to the top of the road,down right to the river.
We past another building site,this time a hotel was being built.
A woman worker lifted a bowl of rocks up on to her head and walked past us,dispare written all over face.
I have seen poverty before,I have spent time in Bombay,seeing people that have amputated limbs so they are more effective at begging.
I have been in the ghettos in Brazil and Venezuela, but I was younger then and poverty seemed to go over my head.now the reality strikes home.
We walked through a tree lined track,children from some tinsheet shack lined the way.
A woman walking infront of us handed each child a sweet.we had taken colouring books and pencils with us,but didnt have them with us.We would return.

We boarded the boat,about twelve of us,and set of down river.
We past a man in a dugout canoe,diving for Oysters,then another and onother,another was washing himself down Oops he was naked.
Fishingboats past us,going up river with there catches.
The bird life was amazing,Wading birds,white headed eagles were as common as our seaguls,The occasional glimses of Kingfishers,alot bigger than ours.
We arrived At the mouth of the river and out to sea.
The dolphins were taking the day off,so we headed back upriver stopping half way for lunch.
Kingfish rice and salad followed the grilled prawns,washed down with a few beers.
"more Kingfish anyone" "yes please" I like my fish.
We returned to the little jetty,and headed back to the hotel.

After a shower and a few beers in the hotel we headed down the sany path to the beachshak for our beach party.......

I close my eyes and I am there this makes great reading

Sorry this is taking so long. I am a one finger typer,and not the greatest spelller. Beach Party tomorrow.Iv had a few pints before my Sunday Diner.

Look forward to the next part

oh come on the suspense is killing me (are you an author!!)
keep it coming
Lyn x