We left the Lakeside hotel in Tissa early relieved to be going, and all bar Nicky tired. Elliot had fallen asleep early, and slept through several rearrangements of the mosquito net as he and Jake wrestled with it in their sleep, not to mention Jake waking in pain and getting up for the toilet and pain killers. We had to wake him and his first word was “Tired” - frustrating since he had had twice the sleep that Jake and I had managed. Frustrating was also the adjective for catching the bus (although in the end we both felt we had [View Full Entry]

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We spent two and a half relatively uneventful days on the beach, in a splendid hotel complex in which we took a upstairs downstairs cabana. The boys again got the pick of the rooms, but we have agreed with them that at some point this trip we will get a shot of the prime accommodation. The first day it rained and the adults read, wrote, planned and chatted with the odd dip in the sea while the boys played on the beach. On the second day it was sunny and we spent the time together on the beach and in the [View Full Entry]

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After a hectic few weeks, and a couple of major changes of climate, wet zone to dry zone and back again there was something reassuring about returning to Colombo. The boys were both suffering a little with sore ears and blocked noses and Elliot in particular had a high temperature. We were not up to much - simple book shopping and lunch (with free wi-fi) at the stylish but ex pat dominated Barefoot (shop/café/gallery), followed by the museum before heading back for some RnR at Kannan and Sweta’s. The museum was interesting - Jake was particularly diverted by the coin collections [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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As so often happens just before a departure our work engagements increased, with people realising we are soon leaving cramming in last tasks. There was also a commensurate growth in social invitations as old(ish) friends tried to fit in goodbyes, and others whom we had yet to socialise with tried to squeeze in a visit before we left. On Monday we met with Sandra (Owner of the school I teach at and the school Jake and Elliot attend as well as lawyer and owner of a fair trade weaving business). Sandra was buoyed by having been listed as one of the [View Full Entry]

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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 [View Full Entry]

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The donations and messages of support continue to flood in from our friends and relatives and are extremely gratefully received here. We are treated almost like royalty thanks to your generosity! The people at the hospital here can’t believe that foreigners are doing so much to help when so many local people aren’t doing anything. We have tried to explain that it is the same everywhere but they remain astounded by the compassion of strangers. We are in daily communication with the hospital regarding their immediate priorities and what we can do to assist. Yesterday we delivered 72 [View Full Entry]

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22nd May to 24th May The MD of the schools I am teaching at and the boys are attending also runs a weaving business, one which we had intended to look at as we had read about it on our way here. It is a fair trade organisation providing work to women (so often work and therefore control of money goes to the men) and there are many reasons why fair work for women is critical to the development of a family and indeed a society. On Friday we were picked up by Sandra’s driver Nishanta, and taken to one of [View Full Entry]

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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 [View Full Entry]

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An update on the situation in the Kurunegala hospital. A sincere thank you to those of you who have sent money already and to those of you who are in the process of collecting. It is a relief to us to be able to do something practical to help relieve a little of the suffering. I took a couple of photos at the hospital this morning but it felt intrusive to dwell on the individual suffering. The ward was full beyond capacity after the first few arrivals and patients now cover every available piece of ground, the lucky ones with mats [View Full Entry]

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