A gentle introduction to the madness of beauty.: Photos 42 to 63

"What do you do if you are on a train and the Tsunami comes?" We were stood in the open doorway of the slow-moving express train from Matara to Colombo, the hot breeze wafting our faces and the baking sun lowering beneath the palms. Out, beyond the blasted skeletons of once solid brick houses, beyond the temporary camps of tents and the gleaming white of the newly erected stupas and gravestones, was the sea, no more than 200m away.

The questioner was one of three young Sri-Lankans from Kandy, sited in the cool of the central highlands, returning after spending time helping to rebuild the wrecked homes that stretch at least 250km along the southern coasts. I looked around me, paused, and made the sign of the cross. "Nothing. There is nothing you can do."

The worlds worst air disaster occured in Tenerife in 1977, when two jumbo jets collided in fog, killing 583 people. September 11th 2001 claimed 2740 lives. In Sri Lanka, only a few miles from where this conversation took place, the devastating surge of the Tsunami picked up an entire train, similar to the one on which we were standing, and flung it into the

Full Text Entry: A gentle introduction to the madness of beauty.

Your pictures are just great !! I have looked at all your pictures, and they are of world class. Waiting for the next pictures with excitement.

Absolutely awesome, keep your pictures and blogs coming. I just love hearing from you guys.

Very balanced report & great pictures. NEWS the world knows of many parts of the world are sham. I think more and more people are coming to believe this, but sadly there are still many more who don't - or perhaps more sadly, won't.

We just came back from Sri Lanka and I think your site is great. I join you in encouraging people to visit Sri Lanka! We have travelled many places, particularly in southeast Asia, and this was just my favourite trip, ever. The people and the country are wonerful.

Wow!!! I did not mind staying up late to view your captivating photos and journal entry. Thanks so much for sharing these!!! Ree

Love the diving photos as well as all your others....made me want to visit the Conch wreck Thanks

Great Photos. I visited 2 weeks prior to the Tsunami and went back last December. It's important that people visit - otherwise the poor just get poorer. The Sri Lankans are some of the friendliest, kindest people I've ever met. http://www.wylamontyne.co.uk/pics/srilankapics2004/

I just stumbled on to this website quiet accidently.Thank you for being quite optimistic about Sri lanka .beinga sri lankan I can only say that You are always welcome in Sri Lanka!!!!

don't go to sri lanka until the sinhlese stop the genocidal war to exterminate the tamils... you're supporting the war with your foreign currency

I'm afraid that whilst recognising both, or more accurately all, sides in the conflict are regularly committing atrocities, and having a lot of sympathy for the plight of the Tamil people (as opposed to the Tigers themselves) I don't agree with the sentiment expressed. I don't believe starving the Sinhalese will help stop the war anymore than attacking the Tigers (take a look at the effects that the last decades sustained and brutal 'UN' sanctions had on the government of Iraq). However in the interests of fairness I've accepted the comment.

fantastic write up on sri lanka,a country steeped in history and blessed with beauty.Sadly,most people in sri lanka have somehow forgotten their history.I agree with the comment about the conflict.By describing myself as a mixed tamil/singhalese I venture into a whole new arena.In sri lanka in common with many other countries there is no concept of mixed race as between difference ethinicities.May be the solution to sri lanka's conflict is to welcome more races -when i lived there we had english neigbours on one side and muslim Indian's on the other.Both our neighbours migrated to USA!!

I'm Sri Lankan, and love travelling both at home at outside - wondered through about 20 countries. To enjoy travel tales about your own country is rare as often you feel that the writter is not accurate or too arrogent/opinionated. Especially for a country as complex as ours. Your travel page i have tagged as a 'favourite' in my computer and read it off and on when needing a bit of a 'pick - me -up' .

Your pictures are just great !! I have looked at all your pictures, and they are of world class. Waiting for the next pictures with excitement.

Absolutely awesome, keep your pictures and blogs coming. I just love hearing from you guys.

Very balanced report & great pictures. NEWS the world knows of many parts of the world are sham. I think more and more people are coming to believe this, but sadly there are still many more who don't - or perhaps more sadly, won't.

We just came back from Sri Lanka and I think your site is great. I join you in encouraging people to visit Sri Lanka! We have travelled many places, particularly in southeast Asia, and this was just my favourite trip, ever. The people and the country are wonerful.

Wow!!! I did not mind staying up late to view your captivating photos and journal entry. Thanks so much for sharing these!!! Ree

Love the diving photos as well as all your others....made me want to visit the Conch wreck Thanks

Great Photos. I visited 2 weeks prior to the Tsunami and went back last December. It's important that people visit - otherwise the poor just get poorer. The Sri Lankans are some of the friendliest, kindest people I've ever met. http://www.wylamontyne.co.uk/pics/srilankapics2004/

I just stumbled on to this website quiet accidently.Thank you for being quite optimistic about Sri lanka .beinga sri lankan I can only say that You are always welcome in Sri Lanka!!!!

don't go to sri lanka until the sinhlese stop the genocidal war to exterminate the tamils... you're supporting the war with your foreign currency

I'm afraid that whilst recognising both, or more accurately all, sides in the conflict are regularly committing atrocities, and having a lot of sympathy for the plight of the Tamil people (as opposed to the Tigers themselves) I don't agree with the sentiment expressed. I don't believe starving the Sinhalese will help stop the war anymore than attacking the Tigers (take a look at the effects that the last decades sustained and brutal 'UN' sanctions had on the government of Iraq). However in the interests of fairness I've accepted the comment.

fantastic write up on sri lanka,a country steeped in history and blessed with beauty.Sadly,most people in sri lanka have somehow forgotten their history.I agree with the comment about the conflict.By describing myself as a mixed tamil/singhalese I venture into a whole new arena.In sri lanka in common with many other countries there is no concept of mixed race as between difference ethinicities.May be the solution to sri lanka's conflict is to welcome more races -when i lived there we had english neigbours on one side and muslim Indian's on the other.Both our neighbours migrated to USA!!

I'm Sri Lankan, and love travelling both at home at outside - wondered through about 20 countries. To enjoy travel tales about your own country is rare as often you feel that the writter is not accurate or too arrogent/opinionated. Especially for a country as complex as ours. Your travel page i have tagged as a 'favourite' in my computer and read it off and on when needing a bit of a 'pick - me -up' .