Been back a week now but internet was totally broken until yesterday so here goes on trip report.
For a number of reasons I have to say that this was the strangest and most surreal holiday to Goa I've ever had. I won't be including all the details in this report because quite honestly I still can't believe half of it myself. Anyway - here goes:

Just to set the picture I'm female and was travelling alone (for the first time in a long time).

Flight from Manchester with Mytravel was very good. Flight on time, fairly comfortable and arrived in Dabolim half an hour early. Airport had just opened for the day. We landed at 5.30 am. I was first off plane, first at immigration and first suitcase to come off. Jumped in a taxi and off to Xavier beach resort in Candolim in record time. I arrived at my hotel at 6.30am exactly one hour from plane landing. I'm sure that must be some sort of record.

It had only been 5 weeks since I had been in Goa in December. First impressions as I landed.....cold! I was actually cold in the taxi. I had my jacket on from England and was cold. Got to my hotel just as the sun was coming up and sat shivering in reception . Hotel was lovely. Great location and spotlessly clean.
Day 1
Unpacked and walked down the lane to nearest beach shack which was Divas. Nice shack, lovely people and free beds. Was very windy though and by 3 I was getting cold so headed back to hotel for a quick sleep catch up before going out. I was collected that night by one of my Goan friends who had dragged himself from his 4 day sick bed (due to cold). We honked and weaved our way through the traffic chaos to a beach shack in Baga (next door to Oceanic can't remember the name). I had my trusted jacket on again and he was wearing a t shirt, shirt, jumper and jacket and still shivered the entire journey. I can honestly say that I've been to Goa many times and have never known it so cold. Anyway shack was great, nice ambience and good music with dancing, though hard to hear it over the chattering teeth of my friend who by now was also wrapped in my jacket and a very nice checked tablecloth. Was dropped back at my hotel gate quite late and for the first time ever in Goa slept without a fan and with a blanket !
Day 2
Went to Divas again. Little bit warmer today but still a chilly wind. Sea was freezing. Was invited to Mambos and Titos a million times by various people who I had never seen before....some who I was simply passing in the street, but declined them all as tonight was my promised trip to Paradiso at Anjuna...had heard so much about it but never been so was quite looking forward to it. I got ready for 9 and sat waiting for my friend. Who turned up at midnight. The security guard gave me a very strange look when he had to get up to let me out rather than in at that time. I didn't have the heart to tell my friend I was already tired so off we went in the car (the scooter had been replaced because of the cold and 2 jackets had been brought incase the cold got too much despite the car heater being on full). Paradiso looked very promising. Lovely setting overlooking the beach. You pay to get in then drinks are free. Sounds good. The only beer they serve is Bud. It's part open air so was windy and cold and the music sounded like one long track that literally lasted 4 hours. Then my friend had his wallet stolen with all his money and his driving licence in it. Disaster. Was dropped back at my hotel at 5.30 (had been ready to leave Paradiso for hours but couldn't as there was a police road block outside and we couldn't pass because my friend had no licence so had to wait until they went away...). The security guard at my hotel was asleep and couldn't be roused so I decided in my wisdom to climb the gate. Big mistake. I managed to scale the high gate but then got stuck at the top. My struggling to break free made the gate shake violently and the noise woke up not only the security guard but most of the sleeping dogs in the area. I finally broke free and landed on my knees in the red sand ruining my best trousers as I did so. I retired shame faced and wondered what tomorrow would bring.....
Day 3
Went to Morjim today to my friends shack. The wind was terrible and by 3pm almost everyone had left the beach. He was wrapped in a fleece and wolly hat shivering in the back. Dont think there was an inch of skin visible through the layer of fine sand covering my body. I even had to use my kingfisher to swill the sand out of my mouth. Had a gorgeous butter chicken for lunch. In the evening I headed to the arranged HT meet at Tonys place and standing outside was Julian and his son. Tonys was full so we headed across to casa seashell and had a good natter and a few beers. I didn't eat there as was still full from lunch but it was very busy and the food looked good. Thanks Julian for some much appreciated sane company and I do still owe you a beer. Finished the night at ice n spice to see some old friends, learned some useful konkani amidst many giggles and was driven back safely by one of the boys there (with security guard this time awake and alert with the gate key ready for my arrival).

Next few days are a bit of a blur as a very strange chain of events (even for Goa) started to happen but I will continue later with a summary of some of the more memorable highlights.