Booo, I was just getting into your story and you stopped

Hurry up with the next installment

Miccie
Got loads more to tell, just I'm not a very confident narator and after reading what I'd written I realised there was a very good chance I'd be boring people to death
Michelle

Most definately not, very interesting to read a different kind of experience of Goa, moving in rather than holiday. It's so tempting to look at buying out there.

Michele (seems we have the same name!)

No Michelle not boring at all keep your tales coming , I had chuckle regarding the demo of washing machine. Why am I not surprised this kind of thing happens in Goa, did you buy the delux model with one side of the rock smooth and the other rough for the stuburn stains

Only kidding its must have been very frustrating for you

Keep it comming

Jules xx

did you buy the delux model with one side of the rock smooth and the other rough for the stuburn stains

Very quiet at my desk at the mo so I'll carry on..

The washer was eventually plumbed in after plenty more sagas of lost plumbers and faulty taps!! We battled daily with the fridge as the ice box need defrosting every THREE days and we struggled with where to put the contents whilst we did it.
We are fortunate to have a panoramic view from the backside of our house (I have now got used to calling it that!!). The land is agricultural and houses a prawn farm and some salt fields. There is something to watch at all times and I spent many a happy hour (usually whilst waiting for one workman or another to turn up) watching the Kingfishers and the odd parrot amongst dozens of other birds I cannot name (must get a Goan bird book). Andrew and Gemma started to call me the Twitcher

Early evening brought the arrival on the land behind of the local wild dogs. Now I love dogs but wild dogs who quite often savage each other in front of your eyes is not a sight I like to see.
One afternoon whilst having a small siesta (like you do) I could hear a dog yelping in the field, by the time I got up and out it was quite dead. Savaged by the others, I was really upset by the whole episode particuarly as I didnt get to it quick enough. I soon realised that in order to keep your sanity you just have to accept that things like this do happen in Goa and you can't change it.
The same thing applied to a tiny kitten that was abandoned in the garden of the house next door, poor thing cried for two days solid. The house belong the Bombay people and they were away. The local villagers kept telling me to take it in, but this was week 5 and I didnt want to get it too dependant on people. Instead I took food over twice a day and hoped by the time we left it would have the strength to care for itself. Even Andrew was upset to leave that kitten alone and helpless.

Simon Arrives
Andrew has an elder brother called Simon. He is a senior Civil Servant and wears designer gear right down to his undies. He likes a drink but not to excess and has never flown on a charter flight for twenty years and never stayed in a Hotel with less that 5*'s. Andrew invited him to stay with us for two weeks. I was very worried. He was due to come on our fifth day. We had no mirrors in the bathrooms (we all three of us shared a small mirror which Gemma had 'borrowed' from the Prazeres).
Simon liked to look at himself in the mirror...I was very very worried. I went to the mirror man in Calangute and he said if he worked very fast he could have the mirrors ready in five days...(four days after Simon's arrival). Why I had left it so long to organize???
Our wardrobes and dressing tables were due to arrive the day before he arrived. On the day we had a phone call (why did I not expect this would happen), the wardrobes were delayed one week. They were coming from Benaulim in South Goa and there was a problem with transport and shifting men. (Apparently we need eight men as they were very heavy, and it could not just be any men, they need to know what they were doing???) Any excuse I thought.
So now we had a potentially fussy guest who had never been to Goa before, staying in a house with no mirrors and nowhere to hang his designer gear! I rang him and asked him could he possibly bring a small mirror to use for a few days...he didnt sound amused.
I had booked him on First Choice Premium Class and was pretty confident he would be happy with that.
He was due to arrive at 6am. Shri our taxi driver was giving us a wake up call at 4.30am and Andrew was going to meet him leaving at 5. I wasnt going as my friend was arriving the same day, and I was picking her up at 11am (no worries there, she has been to Goa before and is very laid back).
Shri phoned at 5.15am, he had overslept. Andrew did chicken impressions for 10 minutes then pleaded with me to go with him incase Simon was wandering around Dabolim with a foul mood on him. Apparently, I could soften the blow??? We got to the airport at 6.15 after a hair raising journey. We got to the door as Simon walked out..phew.
He looked very glassy eyed. Strange I thought, he looks like he's had a few. He opened his mouth and we nearly passed out with the alcohol fumes, he was legless. Well that probably an exaggeration but he definately was wobbly.
I fought off the baggage lads bravely whilst the men had a natter and we got in the taxi. He only said a few words the whole journey, he looked a bit gobsmacked I do remember him saying very politely "I thing this is possibly the least touristy place I've ever visited".
We arrived home and Andrew proudly showed him the house. He didnt seem bothered about the lack of hanging space or mirrors or anything. It was almost as if he had Goa chilled immediately. I started to relax. Andrew took his bags to his room and I made him a cup of strong coffee.
We sat on the terrace to admire the view together. Simon remembered something he needed from his bag and went upstairs to his room. Andrew and I looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief..everything would be ok. We heard a loud bang and a loud scream. Simon had fell down the marble stairs and badly hurt his left arm and leg.
He had been in the house precisely 14 minutes! I wanted to cry

I am enjoying this, the cliffhanger is, how badly was Simon hurt and did he settle into the Goan life

I think I would find it very difficult to handle the ways of the stray animals, must be very upsetting.

Whereabouts is your house?

Simon may have been badly hurt but I bet he didn't feel it.

omg - come on!!

NEXT INSTALLMENT PLEASE!!!

.....like watching Eastenders, this is....

come on Michelle- don't leave it like that!

some more towpal im going out with my friends to night we've just been to their new house in goa but there bck in the uk for a few weeks ps you've made me laugh you sound so down to earth

This is brilliant, can't wait for next instalment

Hello again:

Well we rushed to his aid, he was in a sort of heap at the bottom of the stairs. It did'nt help that Gemma was sniggering not very quietly whilst staring down at him.
His left arm was badly grazed from top to bottom and his leg was swollen and bruised. I did what my mum always did with me...I got the neat detol out and applied it liberally to the wounds. He didnt like that very much and made funny choking sounds I think he was trying to be brave
Anyway he asked for some brandy so I gave him a large Honeybee and after half and hour or so he was fine.
I then got back in the taxi and went back to the airport to pick up my friend (I lost count the amount of airport journeys I did). She arrived in floods of tears cos she thought her head was going to explode during the descent. I felt very sorry for her but she soon perked up when she got in the taxi and realised she was back in lovely Goa. (it really gets you when you come back, doesnt it?).
For their first evening we decided to go local. Simon was now limping quite badly and wouldnt consider having a lie down, even though he'd been awake all night flying. Thought it might be easier than dragging him around Candolim.
We went to the Bhatti Village Bar, two minutes walk from our house. Patrick and Michelle are Goan and from the village. Michelle is renowned for her food so I knew they wouldnt be disappointed. It is also faultlessly clean and although not furnished like the Ritz, it does have its own ambience (in a sort of Goan local way). We sat on the only table outside.
I'd forgotton to say to Simon that they didnt have a menu, so when Patrick came to take the order it went something like:

Patrick "What would you like tonight? Sir".
Simon "have you a menu?"
Patrick "no sir no menu, what would you like?
Simon "what do you have then",
Patrick "well what do you like to eat?"
Simon "what have you got?".
Patrick "Do you like fish?"
Simon "yes, what fish have you got"
Patrick then reals off a load of names of fish that Simon has never heard of.
Simon looks very bemused now and a little lost. (Simon has never been on HT). Andrew orders Simon Beef Chilli fry and spicy veg rice. Simon ate it and was very very impressed!
Total bill for five of us came to about R650 and we had a lot of drinks. I translate the amount to £ for Simon. Simon nearly falls off his chair!!
We get up to leave. Patrick runs up to us follows us outside and breaks a large branch off a tree and hands it to Simon. Simon looks confused...
"To fend off the wild dogs on the walk home" says Patrick. Simon looks petrified but bravely leads the way home waving his branch in front of him in swinging motions. I think Simon's starting to enjoy himself!
Two days later Simon comments how tanned his legs were...we did'nt like to tell him they were his bruises turning yellow!!

I'll carry on later, Andrew has just offered to take me for a teatime drink...

Michelle
report writing seems to come easily to you

i havent even been to goa and i am hooked on this trip report.
please please do some more soon.
now this is where reality tv should film, we would all be glued to our tvs

hugs la x

This is good, the mental image that I have Simon , yellow bruised legs and brandishing a big stick. Love it, keep it coming Michelle

towpal
where is the bhatti village bar - its sounds brilliant.we stayed at hte phoenix park,can you go from there?

What a great report. Bhattis was one of the highlights of our holiday in January. Don't tell too many people about it - if I can't get a table next year i'll not be happy.

what a great report towpal know where you are comin from with trying to get things done it is not easy it can be very frustrating but you do get there in the end