Potential head gasket failure??

This is a bit of a curious one for me, car in question is a DX 1800 GTi. I've not long replaced water pump, thermostat, oil and filter air filter etc, and a couple of weeks later I was driving to work in damp conditions and noticed condensation coming from my exhaust, towards the end of my commute. quite a bit of it. I noticed the same thing on the way home, still wet conditions. I left the car for a few days until the weekend and so I started the car (much warmer dryer day) let it run up to temperature, let the fan cut in, no smoke, theres no bubbling in the coolant, there's no mayo on the dipstick, there's a tiny bit on the oil cap, but there's also oil around it so I think it's not sealing so well.

Anyway fast forward a couple of weeks to yesterday, thought I'd drive the car and see what happens, in the morning it runs fine until probably a mile or so until work (about 8 miles in) and a notice the condensation/smoke, none from cold just when it's up to temperature it seems, no other issues, no rough running or anything, the temp gauge always runs high for whatever reason but it doesn't overheat. Do some checks before I leave work, tiny amount of mayo under oil cap, none on dipstick, oil level is fine and clean, water is a tad low in expansion bottle, but there's some around the outside of bottle so perhaps that cap needs replacing too, but not enough to make me think it's using it excessively but I suppose it could depend how badly a gasket had failed. Anyway car fires up, drives home absolutely faultless, no smoke nothing, and I drove slightly further as I dropped a work mate home. Basically the same thing today, but this time I noticed a bit of smoke about half way (4 miles) but then it cleared until I got closer to work again, and then again was faultless on the way home.
anyone had anything similar? I would assume head gasket, but then the symptoms don't all add up? Could it be something more simple? Or something far worse?  Would a hot summer's day mask symptoms or make them worse? It's a bit confusing to be honest

Just to add, I tried to get a whiff of the smoke when I arrived at work, and I wouldn't say it smells coolanty, at least I didn't think so

If you don't run the car up to temp, then the condensation that builds up as the exhaust cools has to burn off at the next run.  Iff all you take normally are short trips that are less than 15-minutes, you will see this.  It is more common on cold days, and it usually stops on longer trips.

Consider it normal.  

Also be warned that the oil will have condensation in it as well and on short trips the Oil can't burn it off, so that when you check your oil cap, there will bee what looks like a Chocolate Milk Shake covering it.

Briano1234 ah right, I thought the condensation that built up in the exhaust would burn off much sooner than that to be fair. My commute is 15 minutes roughly. Perhaps when I drive it next I'll leave a bit earlier and either take a longer route or leave the engine running for a few minutes when I arrive at work. I feel a bit daft now if that's all it is

The rear exhaust box is the last part of the car to warm up, so Briano1234's hypothesis may well be correct. 15 minutes of town driving wouldn't warm the car up as much as 15 minutes.on the open road

I forgot, as having a few blown head gaskets, your exhaust will smell sweet.

Usually you will have all the Radiator hoses Balloon and are hard to squeeze.

Last quick check.

With your engine cold.
Take the cap off the expansion tank.
Tie a Latex glove over the expansion tank tightly.

Start the engine then run out to the opened hood, and rev the engine to 3000 rpm for 45-50 seconds.  If the Glove inflates and gives you the Finger. Youe head gasket may have failed.

You will usually see an oil ring in your expansion tank.

typ_53b I live on the isle of wight, my commute is a combination of national speed limit, and 30mph through villages etc, but it only really takes 15 minutes, 20 minutes tops. It's odd that I haven't noticed it or it hasn't been doing it until now. Curious as to know why the exhaust system may be accumulating more condensation, especially where it's been so warm lately, assuming that is the case. Though I suppose the lack of smoke later in the day does suggest it's not accumulating/ is evaporating.

Briano1234 like I said I don't think it smelt sweet. I'll pinch a rubber glove and elastic band from work and maybe try it over the weekend if I get a moment. Coolant looks clean, I'd imagine it would probably smell a bit like exhaust gases too