Blogs from Kurunegala, North Western Province, Sri Lanka, Asia - page 2

We continue to settle into Kurunegala. By the time we leave we will be virtually part of the establishment, and sorry to leave for many reasons (although thrilled to finally quit the house which will definitely pass into family legend!) We have a favourite posh restaurant, Saruketha, and 2 reasonably priced nice bakery/cafés (In and Out and Pereras) one of which we frequent for evening meals and another where the grown ups meet for lunch when the boys are at school, or which we visit for lunches and 11ses together. This week was notable on various fronts. We were given bicycles (second hand) arranged by the ever so grateful hospital committee. This made major changes to the school trip. We have grown to loathe the Colombo Road at school time, a migraineogenic chaotic triple column of ... read more

It rained heavily all day Tuesday, and there were tropical thunderstorms and power cuts through the night. We awoke Wednesday to discover that some things are the same here as at home. It is a (newly declared) public holiday and as sure as day follows night it is raining still. Jake made me laugh - “It really is a holiday today, even the Sun has taken the day off!” Most of town is shut and only Inter-city buses are running. I hope I can find an open internet source both to post this, and especially as we are desperate for contact home to sort the efforts of so many of you to assist in our attempts to support the hospital. The weather is an annoyance for us, but verging on a disaster for the already bursting ... read more

May 16th and 17th If we were asked Nicky and I would say that undoubtedly the highlight of the trip has been the boys and how proud we have been of their adaptability, development and all round lovely wonderfulness. Jake’s eating is becoming less and less fussy - today he did not even comment on a mustard sauce on a cheese sandwich where not so long ago he’d have turned his nose up at the sight of it and refused. They have settled into school happily and confidently and it has been a thrill to see them helping in lessons. At tea last night in a bustling café Jake went up to order fishburgers and vegetable fried rice, not easy with the staff having definite second language English, and then went to another counter to pay ... read more

After another glorious weekend being pampered by Kannan and Sweta in Colombo on the train back we talked ourselves positive about where we are living, determined to focus on the good for our own enjoyment. It was wonderful to be hosted and relieved of responsibility. We arrived early on the Friday and lunched with them before spending the afternoon chilling in their flat, enjoying the shower - a full drencher with a view across the rooftops of Colombo to the Indian Ocean; catching up on various Internet essentials given a rare secure connection and editing the turtle video (or watching Kannan). Time was easy with stimulating and illuminating conversation and the joys of catching up with an old friend and making a new one. We drove round the city in an original Beetle. We ate ice ... read more

We were so proud of how the boys went into school, heads held high and smiles on their faces. They were nervous, but had the confidence in themselves to know they would be ok. Learning to overcome nervousness about the unknown and belief in their ability to cope with challenges were two of our hopes and expectations for what Jake and Elliot will get out of the trip. The principal of the primary school is a Leeds lass, who came out ten years ago and has stayed ever since, now married with Sri Lankan children. She has been gentle, enthusiastic and encouraging, and Elliot says he was OK from the moment she told him there was nothing to worry about. Elliot spends his 3 days a week in grade 3, and Jake has a day with ... read more