Ok Day 2 of our Sri Lanka adventure was all about temples in the ancient capital of Polonnaruwa. This was a great day not only because of the sights but because of our tour guide. He was a local man that told us very interesting things about Monkeys and how "when they finish they swallow." We walked around the cool Buddhist temples all morning with our guide telling us about them (I can remember much anymore). But we created a game called Katie in small places. Since katie is a rather petite girl we started to put her into small places [View Full Entry]

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The weekend of 5th-7th June We arrived at the bus station a little later than we ought to have. The first bus was crowded and we decided erroneously to wait for the second. By the time it arrived there were enough passengers waiting to fill the QE2. In the ensuing melee I discovered that the endless hours spent playing rugby as a child were not wasted, but were preparation for getting on the Polonaruwa bus from Kurunegala on a poya (full moon) weekend. I managed to grab a triple row for the four of us to share. Jake got the window [View Full Entry]

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After 2 days of intensive giving/donating/offering, today we could afford to wake up a bit later and have a relaxed breakfast. Since we spent most of the past 2 days doing charity work and didn't manage to have much sightseeing, today our Bhante decided to bring us around Anuradhapura and Mihintale for some cultural sightseeing. We first went to the Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Bodhi Tree) temple, in the middle of the Anuradhapura's ancient site. The sacred tree was grown from a cutting taken from the original bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, India, where Buddha attained enlightenment. The cutting was bro [View Full Entry]

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This day was definitely the highlight of this trip. Never in my life had I done so much charity work in 1 day... Not only we did charity work at Mihintale, the holiest place in Sri Lanka, we also went to several refugee camps in northern Sri Lanka to give/offer/donate/distribute... This day was also one of the holiest day in Sri Lanka, as it was Poson day - the day when Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in 3rd century BC by Arahat Maha Mahinda (son of King Asoka of India), who appeared before the Sri Lankan King at Mihintale. Poson [View Full Entry]

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Sorry for the delay in my blogs, its now 3rd January 2009 and still blogging about Sri Lanka in December 2008. This is the last chapter from Sri Lanka before I arrived in Thailand. Mihintale The morning sun was in full swing and as l started to climb the first set of steps my T-Shirt being to show the signs of the heat and became wet. Once at the top you come across a statue of King Devanampiya and just behind him was a giant rock with steps craved into them, so l started to climb them, and climb until l [View Full Entry]

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This is just my last blog from Sri Lanka, just to say thank you to all my friends and family back home, for all their help over the past few years and for making this trip possible, there are too many people to list but you know who you are. I am just going to put a few photos together and a few words. Sri Lanka is a beautiful island and I would recommend anyone to visit it, but one month is probably long enough, particularly if you are situated up north, where I am. There is very little to do [View Full Entry]

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I have returned to Sri Lanka, having visited as a tourist , a few years ago. Something drew me back to this beautiful island and I'm sure it was the people. I am living in Polonnaruwa with a host family who are adorable, friendly, so accommodating and nothing is too much trouble for them. Work wise I am working in a girls orphanage. They are aged between eight and nineteen and we are with them to teach them English, help them clean, play and generally spending time with them which is an absolute pleasure. The orphanage is set on the [View Full Entry]

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This why I came to Sri Lanka to offer a "Hand of Hope". I arrived in Sri Lanka on the 31st of August - it was a hard decision for me giving everying up to come over here and try and help out in some of the orphanages here. It has been quite an experience, back home I dont think any of us have much idea about how these children actually live. In the first orphanage, it was Gillian McAlister, Katie Chester, Hannah K and myself, that went to Pollonaruwa, their days were always the same, up at the same each [View Full Entry]

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Having left India and now in Sri Lanka I just wanted to pause for thought before I tell you about this next leg of the journey. Every now and again on my journey I'll be walking along and I'll forget where I am until I see something that reminds me of which place I'm in. In India this has happened a few times, until I look up and see a cow in the middle of the road or walking along the beach! At first these things are a novelty or, like the poverty, a bit of a shock and then [View Full Entry]

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Well here I am, after many months of planning this trip of a lifetime, making sacrifices, leaving my job, my daughter, family and friends I finally left all that I knew and loved on Sunday 31st August 2008 to embark on "journey". My friends Nickie, Rosie, Heidi, Sharon and Caroline took me to Heathrow. My mum and dad wanted to come to the airport but I wouldnt let them, it would have been too hard for me seeing them walk away and then have that long drive home!! Saying goodbye to these people made me realise that I really was leaving, [View Full Entry]

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