THE WAY TO SCHOOL

Three times a day we make the trip to school and back. We head along the tourist strip and when we hit the fork in the road we go left. We also go left at the next fork in the road which takes us over a little bridge (apparently the Dutch built a lot of canals in this area). Travelling along this road will take us to the intersection at the main Negombo-Colombo road (this intersection has traffic lights). Continuing along, we will pass the big green and orange sign that says "Multi Cool". I don't quite know what that means but if I see it I know we're still going the right way. Shortly after this we will arrive at the intersection which Darren and I have affectionately dubbed "The Intersection of Death" (this intersection does not have traffic lights). To be fair, it really was only scary once, but seeing as that was the first time we crossed it, the name has stuck.

We will now pass the school which puts traffic cones out when the kids are coming and going from school. The crossing guards here seem to be the upper primary students, dressed in road safety jackets. The Buddhist school on the corner alerts us that it is time to turn left. We will turn left again at the terracotta house where we will also spot the red and yellow sign (in Sinhala, so goodness knows what that one says). The pile of wood at the corner tells us we're still on the right track and we will pass the row of street shops and then the Beer Shop. We pass the large Gateway school and then the street vendor's cart. The cart is only of note because this is the fellow we asked for directions on the first day who wanted to send us back to the Gateway School. Darren said he was sure we continued forward and the vendor pointed the other way. Then his wife said continue forward and he pointed the other way. Then I said, "How about we turn at that sign there that says NICE school?".

Turning at the sign, we will wave to the men waiting at the guard post (I'm not quite sure what for - this a private security post, not one of the government ones with guns) and, if they're out, the ladies who are working with a large pile of what seems to be wood shavings outside their house. We pass the shelter filled with bikes and motorbikes, we assume for the people who work in the two factories on the other side of the road. We don't know what sort of factories they are but one has a colourful mural on it, which must have been painted by school children. Then there we are at the school gates.

Now if you are wondering why I cared to share a description of this journey with you: there are two reasons. Firstly, it will give you an idea of our best means of finding our way around this place. Shame, because I am actually pretty good with a road map. Secondly, and don't miss the profound importance of this, I simply wanted to show off and sound like I am becoming a local who knows their way around. Truth is, the school is the only place I can find. I wonder how I will go when we move into our house and the starting point changes?!!!