Conception ...

As I sit here, I feel I should be writing 'Captain's Log, Stardate blah blah blah' ... been done though, I'm sure. Anyway, I really should start right at the beginning, which, strangely enough, does not even involve me. The story of Coco Shambhala starts with a young man and a rucksack full of dreams.

When Giles left Caistor 15 years ago to travel around India, he never imagined where the dusty path well trodden by many before him would lead. He shared laughs, booze and various other things with his friend Dan - I've seen the pictures - they ain't pretty!!! As a shaven headed, colour splashed freak, Giles embraced everything that India had to offer, but, unbeknownst to him, he fell in love. Not with a person, a country. India is magical, it sings a siren's song - when you are away from it, everything seems paler, duller by comparison - when you are there, it overwhelms and embraces, teases and torments, in equal measure. Giles had been captured but, wouldn't realise India's, and more specifically - Goa's - hold until much later.

When I met Giles, he was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar - sorry, couldn't resist that (if you weren't around in the 80's you so won't get that reference - Human League people - Sheffield's finest !!!). He was working for shop fitting company, long hours but lots of time to dream and Giles dreamt BIG. He talked to me about his property development plans but also his experiences in India and it was clear to me, even then, that, at some point, Giles would return to the place that had made such a lasting impression on him.

Ironically, it was a holiday in Lanzarote that put the wheels in motion. We met a great couple of Scousers - a Mum and her son - and started to talk about the FUTURE. Giles wanted more for us as a family and I was slightly taken aback by his enthusiasm and commitment to what was to become 'The Goa Project'. As he sat there, over several Tequila Sunrises describing his vision, I was entranced, Giles came alive when he talked about Goa, he believed passionately that he could make something special - and that was that - no choice - we had to follow the path, to ignore it would have been foolish. Why settle for second best? If there is a chance to shine, we should embrace it, follow our dreams with every fibre of our being - relish the challenges, the setbacks, the delight when corners are turned.
When Giles returned home with news of a plot and ideas spilling from his very being, I smiled, this WAS going to happen, I was thrilled, scared and excited that I ( and the children of course !!!) would be there to help it happen ...