The good, the bad & the horrible!

I thought since I have only posted once since I’ve arrived in Goa it’s about time I pitched in and gave Phil a little rest; apologies in advance though, I haven’t had chance to read Phil’s last 2 postings so there is a good chance that I will repeat stuff. I think in my last blog I said that I was really looking forward to heading south. And I was, even though I enjoyed our few days in Calangutte, exploring the north and spending time with Terry and his family and friends, I was keen to getting back on familiar territory. But once we got here, I am afraid to say I have been a little disappointed. The weather has been inclement with high winds, rains and storms, some hot temperatures but also lots of cloud and humidity. I am not sure if it’s because we are here a little earlier than usual or whether it’s down to rising sea levels and crazy weather in Asia in general. It’s no big deal because we have another 2 weeks but it’s unusual for me after 8 days to be nearly as white as I was when I arrived.



The other thing that is slightly depressing is the lack of tourists. Again whether this is down to world wide recession or again being early in the season but I have never seen Colva so dead. Calungutte was heaving with tourists and way too crowded for me but even I like to see a little hustle and bustle. Many of the usual beach shacks are not even built up and the beaches are virtually deserted. I know that nothing stays the same forever and maybe our problem is that we have been to India many times over. I am guessing that Phil has already said that we weren’t very happy at Palm View guesthouse in Majorda. We were pissed off at being charged double the rate not just the increase in price but also the change of management which has resulted in the property has gone down hill. Shame really because it was always only a 2 star but we have had some happy stays there over the years. For me I was disappointed with all of the Majorda road. The Pentagon restaurant was the same but didn’t rock my boat as it used too. Perhaps my biggest disappointment was the Fusion restaurant which has been brought out. It’s never been cheap, certainly not for India but we liked the Brazilian Chef and his wife and they had a great team. Funnily enough all the staff waved to us when we arrived from the open kitchen and I was glad at least that they have kept their jobs; the new husband and wife owners were very pleasant and the service was first class. Was that because I told a little fib and said we were travel writers I wonder?? Ha ha, never mind it seemed to do the trick! Phil gets cross with me when I pull these stunts but its gives me a laugh and some of the time it works! Phil’s food was very good, I had a good bottle of Sula but my main course of lasagne, only chosen because it was the wife’s dish as chef added to the menu that I felt obliged. It was good but obviously reheated in the microwave and possible the cause of my Delhi Belly the following day, but more about that later!


I am pleased to report that there has been some good news from home; Steve emailed me in response to my text to say that he was being discharged from hospital on Wednesday or possibly Thursday at the latest. After a concoction of IV, steroids and other pills his virus has completely gone and his kidney and liver functions are back to normal. Unfortunately the tests revealed that the virus had brought his Crone disease back but hopefully aftercare and out patient appointments can sort him and he will soon be back to his normal health. This is a relief; he had me really worried when I saw him in ward 18. The other good news is that Harriet sent a text to say she had passed her final ECDL exam with an overall mark of 92%. So well done HH and now you should be looking as to what course to study next.

Unfortunately, and par for the course, whenever we leave the country, there have also been some flat problems at home. I picked up a voice message from Gill the first weekend in Goa to say that her second bedroom was damp and there was mildew and damp appearing on her ceiling and on top of the wardrobe. Now the last time that this thing happened and actually it was much worse because water was pouring from our flat in through her ceiling and making all the clothes in her wardrobe wet and was actually the result of a plumber (regulars will know I mean) not securing the stop cock in the kitchen which he turned off so me and Phil could rip out the old kitchen. I went to the internet café and asked Harriet to phone Gill to tell her that we were away until early December and to contact the letting agent. I was tempted to also ask to tell Gill to get up a step ladder, put on rubber clothes and scrub her ceiling and wardrobe tops with bleach but thought that this was too cheeky. To me this is just plain common sense but that’s just me. Harriet emailed back to say that she’d spoken to Gill who said thanks but that she’d leave the bedroom door open and would wait for my return. Just to be safe because better safe than sorry I dropped an email to the agent to say could they contact our tenant to check that the stop cock connection by the right of the oven was dry. They emailed Phil back to say that it was due to a hairline crack in the bath which was only fitted 18 months ago and needed replacing. Again this is due to the fitting by a certain plumber that I can’t mention and so £350 later and here we are again. The other cause for worry was an email that Phil picked up from the new very crap solicitor asking Phil to phone him because he was unable to contact him. Now Phil has been hassling him for weeks before our departure and indeed spoke to him just before 5pm on our last day with final details of completion. Phil was very cross and sent back one very curt email. Thankfully only a few days ago we received an email from the Lovely Sally, our previous independent solicitor, to say she would be working 3 days a week for a practice based in Aylesbury starting in January. Halleluiah! One day it would be nice to go away and not have any problems.


We both woke up with dodgy tummies on Thursday, nothing too serious but gurgles none the less so we took orange pills just in case. Phil dropped me off in Betlabatim where I was booked in with Francesca for a full body massage and a facial. She told me her husband was still working in Dubai and that she’d had another baby girl since I last saw her. She always gives me special treatment and I felt great when I was finished and only 700 rupees. A bargain although my well being feeling didn’t last for very long and after only a short stay at the Mish Mar beach shack I had to ask for Phil to take me home. Not sooner had I got back to our room when I started with the shits and the projectile vomiting. We always laugh about Delhi Belly but its no fun when you’ve got it. And on Thursday I had the full load, shooting from both ends,  simultaneously I might add; not pretty, I took 5 pills and then took to my bed where I stayed until the following day. I felt very sorry for Phil and told him to go out for a beer and something to eat but he was sweet and stayed with me only venturing out across the road for one beer and takeaway chilli chips. It can’t have been a very much fun evening for him and I know it certainly wasn’t for me.


Thankfully this morning I felt a little better. We checked out of Palm View and I took a taxi with the bags to Cavelossim and Phil went by bike stopping off at Colva on the way to post his blog. We are booked in for 3 nights at a lovely little guest house called Saajan Guest House. It only has 3 rooms but we have a fridge, hot water and a working TV. The couple that own it are very nice and we should be happy staying over the weekend. Tomorrow we are booked in on Betty’s Boat trip which we are both looking forward to. So tonight (Friday) will be a quiet one; a light bite somewhere and maybe a drink at Dilli’s bar and early to bed. And from then who knows; some serious sunbathing would be good before we head off to Colva on Monday morning.

NB:  the pictures that I've posted bear no meaning to this blog; I've have some on the data stick read to go but I've been in this dirty stinking internet cafe for nearly an hour and I give up.  Sory but this girl needs a beer!