A LANKAN CHRISTMAS

So it was my first Christmas away from home. What a big step! Of course, it gets one contemplating the differences between the new experiences and the old, so I thought I'd tell you about some of the things I learnt about Christmas in Lanka.

1) A snowman is called an 'ice bubba'. I think that's pretty cool - no pun intended.

2) A common sight on the streets are the stalls selling inflatable Santas. The inflated Santas hang in lines from the tops of the stalls, or even from nearby trees.

3) I don't think I've heard so many Christmas Carols in a single Christmas season. The radio pumped them out on the days leading up to Christmas and even the days after. It seems that the most popular one would be "Mary's Boy Child", though I think "Little Drummer Boy" also got a fair amount of airplay. "Stay A Little Longer Santa" was one I'd never heard before and I have to admit that someone singing of Santa as their love interest was something I found a little unnerving.

4) I learnt that if you write Charismas Eve in a fancy font, nobody will probably even notice the spelling mistake.

5) Decorating houses with lights isn't done for Christmas. Instead, nativity scenes are the go. Straw nativities are made with statuettes placed inside to depict the events surrounding the birth of Christ. You can register your nativity for local competition. Judges will go around visiting registered nativities and will select a winner, who collects a cash prize. In fishing areas, the straw nativities are often made in the shape of a fishing boat.

6) I was showing my English students a selection of old Christmas cards. One had a picture of Santa standing by a chimney and this aroused the curiosity of my students. They asked me if there was any truth behind the legend of Santa Claus, so I explained the history behind the legend and how the legend is told in modernity. When I told the part about Santa going down and up the chimney, there were 'ah!'s of understanding all around. Now they understood why Santa was standing on the roof. A little explanation about reindeers and flying sleighs also helped to make things a little clearer (one girl thought that Santa delivered presents with his team of donkeys).

As I told my (adult) students the story of Santa travelling around the whole world in one night and leaving presents for all the girls and boys, I found myself wondering how this tale must sound to those who have grown up without piles of presents under trees, without stocking stuffed with toys and treats. Would a child wonder why this magical man would travel the whole world with goodies galore and never come to them? Do they wonder if there's backpay? I wondered if part of the reason that so few of us spare a thought for the needs of others at Christmas is because we've grown up being told that Santa visits all children - kick back and enjoy your goodies and count on

Santa to take care of everyone else. At that point it seemed that the Santa story as it is told in modern society is actually a story of exclusion; we would like to believe that Christmas is for everybody and yet it we can choose to build it around a concept that is only for a few.

Wherever you are around this world, I hope this Christmas was a blessed time for you and your loved ones. More than that, I hope you were able to look around you and be able to give to another who might not have had a wrapped gift sitting under their tree. And, even more than that, I hope that this is something you will be able to do each and every day in the coming year.

CULTURAL SHOCK

Recently I have been reading a book about a family that moved to Nepal to work as volunteers in a small hospital. The author speaks about his expectation upon arrival and what he found surprising during his time there. I found myself relating to the subject of cultural shock. I cannot remember specific examples of people telling me that I would experience it, but I do feel that there must have been some reference to it. Maybe this is what I told myself, what others may have said, or what I have picked up from reading.

My understanding of cultural shock was that it was having to deal with the spicy food, hard beds, regular cold showers with no pressure, not being able to understand the language, being stared at no matter where you go. However reading this book I have come to see that what he experienced had crept into my everyday life. Because Cultural shock goes past the physical, it is also the way we treat others.

Culture is simply the way we do things in our country. The way we drive, talk, deal with strangers and interact with friends that have come to visit. For the most part these are not really right or wrong- it is just the way we do things. But, I have found myself seeing the way I do things to be the correct way-even the best way. I have assumed an arrogance that I did not even realise was there, it had crept up on me because I thought I was right. I have experienced Culture shock in a way that I didn't even realise.

Slowly I have had to learn that my way is not the only way. The Western world may have many advantages but it doesn't mean that it is all right. I may have had the benefit of an education that many here could not, but the way I treat people needs to be free of the condescension that is part of the everyday expat community here. However, respecting their culture doesn't mean I look the other way when someone is going to put butter on a burn. Or when the neighbours burn rubber products outside their house I will ask them to stop because it is not good for their kids.

LEARNING TO DRIVE

Sri Lankan driving definitely has a style all of its own. As anyone who has visited here can attest, it is enough to make an Aussie laugh, cringe, close their eyes or cry, depending on their temperament. You may ask yourself, "Where do these people learn to drive?". Allow me to enlighten you.

There are indeed driving schools, as we have in Australia. Aspiring drivers practise by driving the instructor around town (no task for the faint-hearted!), just as you might expect. However, it might be appropriate to mention that the vehicle is not a car, it's a van. The driver has maybe 6 other passengers apart from the instructor, sitting patiently in the back. They are the rest of the class. Lessons last for around 2 hours, with students taking turns at being the driver. Each student drives for around 15 to 20 minutes and spends the rest of the time as a passenger. I suppose you'd be hoping that the rest of your class are good drivers!

GIVING MY TWENTY CENTS WORTH

Recently we visited a lady who sews pillowcases for a living. After some number-crunching we deducted that she can work all day for an average profit of about 20 cents a day. What's more, while I found this astounding, she did not seem to think it was any great deal. She was happy for her income. My mind began to turn to contemplate the ways that I devour her day's income in the blink of an eye. Leaving the light on unnecessarily - a day's work. Those extra biscuits I just don't need - a day's work. Even a mouthful of my dinner - a day's work.

Puts things in a bit of a different perspective really. For one, it gives a new sense of appreciation for all the good things in life. It also gives a great incentive not to be greedy or wasteful. It is also a reminder to never underestimate the power of sharing - even the little things. Interesting what can happen when you start to see your life in twenty cent pieces.

AT THE BEACH

We Aussies love our beaches. I often miss the beautiful white shores and blue waters of home but that's not to say that Sri Lankan beaches don't have a charm of their own. There are crowded beaches, quiet beaches, tourist beaches, local hotspots, fishermen's beaches - something for almost anyone.

Local hotspots are quite an experience on weekends and public holidays, particularly in the hours leading up to sunset. These beaches rapidly become crowded with people enjoying the beachfront. Unlike Aussies, who tend to like a sunbake or a quiet dip, Sri Lankans really play at the beach. It's not a place for individuals, it's a place for families and groups. They will pull friends, usually fully-dressed, into the waters - the 'victim' usually protesting profusely but grinning widely. They don't usually venture too far into the water but splash and play along the shoreline. Men seem more likely to get into the water than women. Maybe this is because it is rare to see a woman with a swimsuit and, really, who likes going in the ocean fully-clothed?! People walk along the shore, collect shells or fly kites. Groups of young men may come down with a drum or a guitar to play, sing and dance. The beach is also a popular place for young couples. It is common to see the beach dotted with umbrellas, with courting sweethearts sitting cuddled beneath, shaded from the sun. And, like the Aussies, Sri Lankans are partial to a good old game of beach cricket.

Drying fish

Trying to catch the eye of the tourists.

Fishing boats.

Training maneuvers.

THE EVERYDAY THINGS

Preparing a meal

The kitchen tap. (There are public water taps at various places around town. Twice a day, people who don't have water connected at their house can go to one of these taps to fill up with water to take home. The water is shut off at other times.)

Grocery shopping

Want a cuppa?

Central heating, hot water system and oven . . . all in one.

Cleaning the yard

Laundry time

At school

MIXING BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE

We recently had a visit from some friends who helped us with some odd jobs we had lying around the house. The following snapshots are our way of paying tribute to them and saying thank you for all their hard work!

ELEVEN DAYS WITH FRIENDS

DAY 1: A CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Guest lecturers at today's English class were Flicko, C-Train and Damo. Today's lesson: sharing life's experiences through photographs. Here our Sri Lankan students learnt that Australians like to jump: out of things; off things; just jumping in general; off jetties; out of planes. Yep, Aussies like to jump. Why? Well, that question from the panel of students had our guest lecturers stumped. Why? Well, why not?

DAY 2: GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS

Day 2 was a good day for visiting some of the small businesses in Colombo. Here you will see Flicko and C-Train checking out the merchandise produced by one of our small business owners.

DAY 3: WE'RE HAPPY;

FEELING GLAD

Well, Day 3 ended up being one of those days that can

give a Westerner a glimpse into Sri Lanka beyond the beaches, tuk-tuks and palm trees. The van we had hired had technical difficulties and ended up being 2 hours away at the time we had arranged to be picked up, causing us to miss our library appointments at the pre-schools. So we sent the fearless 3 off in a tuk-tuk while we waited for the van to arrive. However, the tuk-tuk driver thought he knew better and took them where they wanted to go via every touristy snapshot site he could think of, then charged them 10 times the price we had suggested. Of course, in

their excitement, they had not heard our advice, so they still felt pretty proud of themselves when they haggled the price down - until we let them know that the amount they had paid could hire them a tuk-tuk for the day! Add to that one credit card eaten by an ATM and we had figured that today was just one of those days that was going to refuse to go to plan. At least we mastered the art of changing plans at the drop of a hat long ago. Oh, and of course, ice cream goes a long way towards making things feel better.

DAY 4: BIRTHDAY ADVENTURES

Day 4 was a birthday for

the C-Train - a perfect day for white water rafting. The intrepid explorers successfully navigated the river and even had their request granted when

they asked, "Can we do that again?!" Sadly, however, the birthday boy did lose his glasses.

And how can you have a birthday without cake? That night, back

at the guesthouse, the management surprised the birthday boy with a cake and a hearty rendition of "Happy Birthday". An impromptu mini-concert in Tamil and Sinhala by the room boy (a one-time contestant on Sri Lanka's version of 'Idol') was an added bonus.

DAY 5: CONQUERING MOUNTAINS

Day 5 began at 2am. Fresh from conquering rivers, the fearless explorers decide it is a good day for conquering mountains. Sri Pada - Adam's Peak - was the goal for the day, all 4800 steps. After reading 'The Lonely Planet' we felt prepared and set off after our guide, all rugged up and with 5 friendly dogs in tow, who seemed quite excited about the

prospect of a 2am walk. Still, we hadn't even begun to ascend before the layers of clothing were coming off. We weren't to be needing those until we got to the top.

The climb to the top was a challenge, to make an understatement. In the dark, the steps seemed never-ending. The air was thin and the legs seemed to doubt themselves. And yet, at 6:15am we arrived, victorious, at the summit and were ushered into a small room - occupied by 3 young boys who were there to care for the temple - to rest before sunrise. And then we noticed the cold. We were wet from walking through cloud and it was freezing. We piled on jumpers and rugged the kids up in sleeping bags and Jay promptly fell asleep (even though the kids had actually bounded up the steps like mountain goats). Oh, and the leeches fell off.

At 6am we went outside to watch the sunrise. We had been told that from the top of Adam's Peak the sun seems to rise three times, like it is bowing to the mountain. We had also read that it casts an amazing shadow. Unfortunately, we had come at off-season and there was nothing to be seen but cloud. The climb had exhausted us and we were freezing and this concrete block in the middle of clouds seemed like such an anti-climax. I was so disappointed . . . and then the sun peeked through a break in the clouds, disappeared, and then peeked through another couple of times. And with this small change, it all seemed worth it. I turned from a tired, cold mess to a mountain-conquerer. The sense of victory became tangible. We made it! I had seen the sun from the top of a mountain!

Of course, the next logical direction was down but it was done with renewed vigour. We survived up, so down was never going to beat us. The sun continued to climb and the cloud dispersed. We were treated to the majestic scenery of the world spread out below us; giant hills and distant waterfalls. And when we turned around we could see what we could not in see in darkness - thankfully! - this mountain towering behind us, and the sense of accomplishment rose anew, aside a sense of amazement. Mountain conquerers! (Don't think I'll do that again for a while though!)

DAY 6: HAIR OF THE DOG!

By day 6 we had moved on to Haputale. Although all intents were for a quiet day, in the end the decision was that there was nothing better to follow a walk up a mountain than . . . more walking. Well, it is hill country. All the best views are found at the top!

DAY 7: A PAUSE . . .

Well, there's gotta be a day of rest sometime! Time to meet up with some locals.

DAY 8: . . . AND BACK INTO THE VAN!

Day 8 and it was time to get back into the van for the drive out of the hill country and back to Colombo - but not before goodbyes to friends.

By now the crew knew what a drive in the van in hill country meant - a long drive; a windy drive; a not-feeling-so-great drive. Up the front if you get car sick!

DAY 9: BACK TO SCHOOL

So day 9 meant a second attempt at making a library visit to the pre-schools - and today we were to prove succesful. Hooray! There were gifts for children and our crew even got to help give the lunch to the hungry children - all 100 of them!

DAY 10: SHAVE & A HAIRCUT!

So now we're back home and in the mood for something slightly less adventurous. The crew figured it would be a good day to visit the barber (and hairdresser) for a bargain that just couldn't be passed by. A few hundred rupee will get you a shave, haircut and a head massage. Well, if you're the C-train, a shave is a haircut! For our ladies it will cost a little extra for a style and some highlights. Then it was onto the hunt for cheap DVDs.

DAY 11: THE GRAND FINALE

Well, you didn't think we'd finish our adventures with haircuts and shopping, did you?! Of course not! We were off for elephant adventures. First to the elephant orphanage at Pinnawala - following the elephants down to the river. After the elephants returned to the orphanage, it was time for an elephant ride and a bath for the elephants - and our friends! Day 11 was a day for awesome elephant photos but, in the end, I still couldn't go past this one!

A GOOD DAY'S WORK

Today I thought I might post some photos of people at work. Now, I don't want to present a misleading picture of life here in Sri Lanka. Every day you will find people working hard at the same kinds of jobs found all over the world: teachers, doctors, policemen, bank tellers, truck drivers, shopkeepers, journalists, accountants. Many aspects of life are the same. But today I want to show a side of the work world that people from my 'world' wouldn't normally see.

Fish seller

Coconut picker. This man has three bamboo poles roped together. A very sharp knife is tied to the end. He will use this contraption to try to knock coconuts off the tree - for sale, processing or just so they don't fall down and bonk someone on the head. Another option is scaling the tree barefoot. Ropes can then be tied from tree to tree so that the picker can access the coconuts. But he must be very careful before stepping out, just in case rats have been gnawing on the ropes since last use.

This gentleman is making lanterns to sell. These lanterns will be used to celebrate Vesak Poya, a Buddhist holiday.

This lady makes and sells doormats. She also makes paper bags. She makes these bags from the pages of exercise books discarded by students and other second-hand paper. The bags are then sold to local store-keepers, who will then sell confectionery and other nibblies in them.

MY STREET ACHEE

It has been getting harder to keep up with the blogging lately. Partly, this is because we have much more of a routine now and more things to keep us busy throughout the days. The other reason is that as our eyes become accustomed to the sights around us and as the things we do become part of the norm, it becomes harder to think of what to tell you about.

So, seeing as I had decided that it had been far too long since I had posted an entry, I found myself trawling through our multitude of photos, looking for something that might spark my imagination - a photo that might give me a springboard to dive into a post about Sri Lanka or our life here. Almost despairing of finding the 'right' photo, I came across my street achee.

Achee used to sit everyday at the statue erected to St. Anthony. All through the intense heat of the day, she would sit there. When she got tired, she would lay on the hard tiles and sleep. The traffic roared around past her all day long, throwing noise and dust her way. The devout would pass her to kiss St. Anthony's feet or offer a prayer; the kind might give her some coins. When the rain came, she might cross the busy road for shelter on the other side. Thankfully, there were times when kind strangers would help her across, as this is a main road and Achee had very little sight left. I have no idea where she went to at night.

We got to pass Achee every week day as we took the kids to school. I soon found myself checking every time we passed St. Anthony's statue, to see if she was there and how she was looking. To me, she became 'my street achee' (Achee is Sinhala for grandma). Grandmas should be sitting in a comfy chair at home, with a good meal and lots of love. They should not be sitting, day after day, on the hard ground as the rest of the world rushes on their way. From time to time I would take her a loaf of bread or a lunch packet. I figured that bread was good because she could eat some and save the rest for later. I used to have to shout, "Achee . . . Achee . . . parn, parn (bread, bread)" and put the loaf in her hands. I would help her take the elastic band off the loaf - that required a bit too much co-ordination for dim eyes and elderly fingers. Once I tried to find out how old she was. She told me 108. Although it would be possible, I had my doubts. Still, whatever her age, I am amazed at her durability, living day after day that way.

I found myself worrying more and more about street Achee. It would horrify me to think that if my grandma was sitting there, that nobody would help her. I began to look into getting her into an aged care home. We found one that was free, for old people who might find themselves in similar circumstances, but unfortunately it was full. Sadly, the other few required expenses beyond my grasp. Still, it gave me a bit of an interesting insight into life in Sri Lankan nursing homes. Thank goodness for those beautiful people taking such care of those coming to the end of their lives.

Now, I really don't want to sound like I'm blowing my own trumpet here. In reality, I'm sad to say that what I did for my street Achee was barely anything at all. It may have come to your attention that throughout this post I have refered to Achee in the past tense. I can't actually tell you of her fate. One day, she simply was not there and we did not see her again. Prince and I hypothesised. Perhaps some kindly people took her and were able to get her into a home. Perhaps she took ill and was taken to a government hospital for treatment. Still, although these were comforting 'perhapses', we both knew that the odds were more likely that she had died. It has been months now, and with nobody able to tell us what became of Street Achee we can only assume that on her time on earth was finally up.

I still find myself checking St. Anthony's statue whenever we drive past. Maybe, just maybe, she'll return and there will be another chance to get her into a home, where she might die in a warm bed with a full tummy. Opportunities can be so fleeting. Yet, the slow learner that I am, I am still learning how to take them while they are there. So this blog is written in loving memory of my street Achee. May nobody die unnoticed.

22/9/09: A Happy Postscript

I have recently been told that Street Achee is still alive. Prince did some investigations and discovered that Street Achee has been moved to a home for elders. The story behind it seems to be that some of the local worshipers at St. Anthony's statue complained to their priest. They did not appreciate the smell that accompanied Street Achee (and, in particular, her use of the shrine area as a latrine). The priest got together and spoke with the village head (although 'village' is hardly an apt description of our area, we have been told that each area of Sri Lanka still falls heavily under the influence of village heads) and it was arranged for Street Achee to be moved into a home. Hooray for worshipers with delicate noses!

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

When anyone plans a move, hard decisions inevitably have to be made about what to take and what to leave behind. For us, we did not want to take a great deal of things so we tried to take the bare minimum. Furniture was sold and some stored away in our gracious relatives' sheds. My parents, who had just moved from a small unit to a house, also provided invaluable assistance in taking a lot of the large items.

The lawnmower went (hooray!) as did all the gardening equipment. I love a good garden but they are a full time job and I am much happier without one. The BBQ was sent off to a new, loving home. This proved to be a wise idea. It would have gathered dust as good sausages and steaks are nowhere be found.

All the childrens' toys were kept to start up the toy library for the preschools in the slums. These are treasured and returned meticulously on each visit. We sold the childrens swing set and trampoline, much to their dismay. However, Brenton's good friend has a swing set and trampoline which they can now use on every visit.

Cutlery, glasswear, crockery and cooking utensils made the long journey. Hayley was not going to give up on cooking and, after just polishing off a muffin, I am convinced this was the right move. However, we have carried all the glasses and dinner sets in suitcases back to Australia as the house we are in came complete with these items.

Children's books came, once again as a good start up for the library, and these English books seem to be more popular than the locally bought Sinhala books. Our rather large collection of books remained with their shelves at my parents' house for their perusal.

The most difficult decision was what to do with my tools. As a carpenter, I enjoying building and fixing things and I don't like paying someone else to do it. Selling the tools was not an option and storage seemed like a waste of their purpose. Eventually I settled on leaving the large, single-purpose tools behind. Although they can make a job faster, most jobs can be done without them. Since being here I have built some shelves and fixed some doors and changed washers and general fixing, so the tools have been useful, but not indespensible. I wanted to find something that I could use them for that would help in our work here. It wasn't until a visit to one of the pre-schools that I realised what I could do.

These schools depend on donations as the parents are too poor to offer any form of payment. We help by offering games, toys, jigsaws and books for them to borrow, similar to the toy libraries that we have back in Australia. At this stage, we have been unable to bring in any large items that can be used in the schools. I noticed that they had very little play equipment. They had wanted one of those plastic cubby houses which, we were to discover, cost more than they do in Australia. From this came the idea to build some cubby houses for the library. Below are some pictures that were taken after we dropped off the first prototype. You be the judge of if I made the right decision to bring the tools.

EXPLORING

Every now and then we like to travel a little further from home to explore this island we have found ourselves in. April brings the Sinhala/Tamil New Year and two weeks off school for the kids, so it is the perfect time for such a venture. We had some business to attend to in Polonnaruwa and we had often heard Prince extol the virtues of Sigiriya, so we thought this would be a great time to merge business and pleasure by visiting both places.

We decided to do the drive to Sigiriya over two days, stopping overnight in Kandy. It is not often that we can take our time like this, so it was a real pleasure to enjoy a 'short' drive and not feel like we were rushing. There was even time for the kids to have a swim in the morning and for us to take a stroll before we needed to move on. We stopped in Dambulla for lunch and then it was on to Sigiriya to trawl for a place to stay. We finally picked a place, complete with monkeys running around the grounds.

The next day we decided to visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. This is the magma plug of an extinct volcano which is now home to ancient ruins. Many archaeologists believe it to be the site of an old monastry, but locals will tell you that it was the home of an ancient king, who built his palace on the top and this seems to be the description that has stuck. Whatever it was, its pretty amazing to see.

First you will cross the moat and then walk through the remains of the water gardens. You can see the rock in the distance and you will wonder how on earth you are ever going to make it to the top. As you start up the stairs you will be met by many guides wanting to adopt you for the ascent, obviously looking for rupees. We prefer to explore on our own. As you continue up the stairs you will cautiously heed the signs not to make to much noise for the risk of upsetting hornets. The hornet nests are massive. By the time you get to the top of the stone staircase you will know that its a hot day and, undoubtedly, you will have worked up a fair sweat. And now you are at the foot of the rock.

Here you can climb up a large spiral staircase attached to the side of the rock (don't look down!) to view the ancient rock art. Most of these ancient drawings have been destroyed but a few still remain, protected from the harsh sun by a canvas that has been erected. To view the drawings you stand on a plank scaffolding, a bit like a window-washer for a multi-storey building. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, but well worth it. Upon descent you will pass the graffiti wall where, over centuries, people have written praise for the beauty of the ladies drawn on the rock wall. This wall is now protected from the public, so no new graffiti allowed.

You will now go around the rock to the point where you will begin your ascent to the top. On the way you will pass a gigantic boulder that rests on a series of smaller rocks, set up like dominoes. This is an ancient defence mechanism, set up but clearly never used. Should invaders have come, the dominoes would have been activated to set the boulder sliding down the hill, crushing those in it's path. Around from here you will find yourself at the Lion's Staircase. In ancient days, a huge statue of a lion stood over the foot of the staircase. One would begin their ascent by passing through the open mouth of the lion. All that remains these days are the large lion's paws.
The stone staircase ends and one must now climb a set of metal steps attached to the side of the rock. Although the more timid might find that this climb leaves their heart in their throat, they will find it preferable to the way people used to have to get to the top - scaling the side of the rock using notches carved into the rock face. At the top, climbers are able to check out the ancient remains - a palace or a monastry, depending on which story you follow - and are treated to a pretty spectacular view. Up here you will also find the ladies' pool and a throne where the king could appreciate the vista unfurled before him (or the ladies bathing, depending on which way he was looking). Upon descent you will pass the council chambers. This is a large piece of boulder that had broken away from the main rock and is believed to have been used as a meeting place for court matters.

The next day we decided to take the kids for an elephant ride. There is a town, not far from where we are staying, where several houses on the main road have signs advertising elephant rides. We went with a guy who was a friend of a friend of a friend. I was relieved that this elephant ride was in a basket. This was my third elephant ride, but my last one was bareback. Riding an elephant bareback gives you a true perspective of how large these animals really are and, for me, it's quite scary when you realise how far away the ground is. Our elephant was named Rajah and he took us along the main road and then down some back streets to the open plains. As Rajah took us down into the river, the rain began to fall. It was such a fantastic experience to be riding this creature through the river and then up through fields of mango trees, with the cool rain falling on us to break through the hot morning. By the time we returned to the main road, the rain had stopped and the hot sun made short work of drying us out. As Rajah lumbered along the road, passing vehicles slowed and we waved cheerily at the staring onlookers. At the end of our journey we were able to reward Rajah for his efforts with some fruit. Later that afternoon we decided to go for a walk to explore the area around our hotel. Thankfully we did not come across any elephants then, as wild elephants are considered to be quite dangerous.

From Sigiriya, we moved on to Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa is also home to many ancient ruins but this was not to be on our agenda this visit. We chose a hotel situated on the large tank (or dam). This tank was first constructed under the direction of an ancient king, although it was more like a series of tanks. Over time, the tanks were combined to create one massive tank, which is a place where locals can fish, wash, do laundry and play. Our purpose in Polonnaruwa was business but after we met those obligations, we were still able to go for a drive looking for wild elephants. Much to our delight, we were lucky enough to see and photograph a wild elephant before it disappeared again into the bushes. No flash photography though, that aggravates them.

Finally it was time to head back to Negombo. This time we decided to do the entire journey at once, so this was a full day's drive. By the end of the day we were back; sleepy, with suitcases over the floor, a full memory card in the camera and heads full of memories.