Journal 8 Sunday 19th April - Tuesday 21st Cleaning up the old house! We awoke and wandered into town for a quick breakfast after which Nicky and the boys came back to paint some pictures to brighten up the place, and then get on with some cleaning, while I headed off for the first of several trips into town for cleaning supplies. We have decided to cut our losses on some things to improve how we feel about here and so I went in search of plastic sheeting to cover any surfaces we are using, some bright cheerful crockery of our [View Full Entry]

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Saturday 18th April We were up early and with some regret headed to the train station. The train due to leave at 07:30 did not arrive until 7.55 and we had worried as more and more people had flooded the platform. As the train pulled in people began to leap aboard and I did the same to grab seats leaving N to restrain the boys who were all for leaping on after me. We admired their spirit but felt it was a risk not worth taking. We got 4 seats together by the door - would have been prime seats but [View Full Entry]

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Friday 17th April After breakfast we took a tuk tuk to Galle Fort and Khalids Guest House. Chatwin would approve of this place, plain white walls, dark floor boards and ceilings, it is calm and simple except the noise of the ice cream vendors outside. With Nick and the boys settling in the rooms I wandered. At the train station I established I could neither reserve seats nor buy tickets in advance. Walking back past the cricket ground I was ushered in to see the ground by the security. Can you imagine that happening at Lords? As I left I wandered [View Full Entry]

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Sunday 12th April - Thursday 16th April Galle and Unawatuna We travelled by tuk tuk, train and tuk tuk again further South to Galle and on to the delightful natural crescented sandy beach resort of Unawatuna. The train ride to Galle was much more what we had expected trains here to be like - crowded and full of hawkers selling things smell delicious but we're too scared to eat. We've been talking about Galle since we first mentioned coming to Sri Lanka and werenot disappointed with the first sight of the fort and cricket pitch within 2 minutes of arriving. Unawatuna [View Full Entry]

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We were up far later than we meant to be having slept deep and long until half nine and almost missed breakfast in the hotel. It was a delicious breakfast including pancakes with bananas (so much more banana than at home, should be BANANA!) and PINEAPPLE (by the same criteria) and honey. After we had packed we headed to the station in a taxi to travel to Unawatuna. There we were met by a friendly and solicitous man named Karu of whom we were initially a little suspicious. He guided us to buy our tickets and to a café where we [View Full Entry]

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Saturday 11th We had a fab morning playing on the beach, which the boys were understandably sorry to leave. We watched Jake carefully and sensibly snorkelling along an inner reef. He came ashore elated with tales of fish, corals and when asked also having seen anemone. We were proud (as so often we are) of his care and delighted in his pleasure. Lunch was a simple vegetable rice after which we headed off on the local bus - actually not overcrowded and a delight. The water safari was wonderful. Within minutes we saw Monitor Lizards and a Jurassic landscape. We were [View Full Entry]

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After a very early start we set off for a bumpy return to Colombo - both boys were sick en route so they will take tablets henceforth. We were delighted to find a clean and welcoming hotel in Mount Lavinia. We were all shattered but with only 15 minutes until the wedding (of an old school friend from Stourbridge) just had quick showers and ignored the lure of our beds. We got a 3 wheeler to the truly spectacular Mount Lavinia Hotel only to discover there was no wedding there. Panic was staved off when they were kind enough to let [View Full Entry]

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There were only really two problems apart from the length of the flight, the clouds preventing a view of the Maldives from the air, and the regulations preventing us getting off the plane there while it was cleaned, a torture doubled by being able to see the sea from the window of the plane as it sat on the runway. We were struck by how delicate and fragile the Islands looked, and how extraordinary the capital Island looked, every foot of which seemed covered by large buildings. Tired and confused we were extremely relieved to leave the airport and see a [View Full Entry]

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(Nicky) 23 hours to go: I was feeling all proud of us because we have spent our last evening playing cribbage with the children rather than fretting about what we've forgotten to pack. All that positive feeling has disappeared since I tried to check in online and got as far as moving my seat and Joe's seat before the site crashed and won't let me back in. We are currently due to be seated at opposite ends of the plane from Jake and Elliot. Some would argue that's no bad thing, but I would rather they were in sight at least. [View Full Entry]

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With a week to go we have packed, and surprisingly seem to have a little room too - which bodes well. We have been dumped by the TV crew , which Nicky and I are mighty relieved by, but the boys were excited about it and were a touch disappointed. Overall we are happy to be free to do what we want without over analysing or having to fit in with other peopple's schedules. I have been surprised by my students' reactions to my news - had a couple of spontaneous rounds of applause and a few tears which were unexpected. [View Full Entry]

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