BRENTON'S 8th

We only had a week back in Sri Lanka before Brenton's birthday was upon us. Eight years old already - amazing! We allowed him to decide what he would like to do for his birthday and he chose to have a party at McDonalds after school.

We had to re-wrap his presents before he got home as they had been unwrapped at the airport in Malaysia before we boarded. Those guys scrutinised everything and your efforts were in vain, Mum & Miwa, because they didn't just neatly open the packaging but tore it open like it was their present. Anyway, when the kids got home from school there was just enough time for him to tear them open again (he made less mess than the airport staff!) and then we were off to pick up a school friend and begin the almost-hour-long drive to McDonalds.

It was a pretty routine McDonalds party. The kids played balloons or played in the play area. They played musical chairs, 'pick-up-the-straws' (straws are thrown around the room and the kid who picks up the most wins) and treasure hunt (a sticker is hidden in the room and the kid who finds it is the winner). And, of course, there was food, cake, presents and party bags. Pretty much what you might expect for a McDonalds party anywhere, except this one came complete with two young children standing outside the window, watching proceedings with great curiousity. Of course we couldn't resist but to give them some cake and a lolly bag too.

CATCHING UP

So, those in the know will be aware that we were back in Australia for the month of December. We were there for so many reasons, including catching up with family and friends (as well as healthcare and taxes!). So, before we move on to the year ahead, I would love to take a moment to catch you up on the month that was.

One of the great joys of being home in December was being able to spend Christmas with our loved ones.

Our trip reunited us with family.

The kids got to spend time with their friends . . .

. . . and we got to spend time with ours too.

Our stopover in Malaysia on the way back to Sri Lanka became a holiday to celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary. We spent four days in Kuala Lumpur. While there we spent a day visiting the zoo.

We explored Chinatown, enjoying the cuisine and grappling with chopsticks.

This is the place where we enjoyed a 'fish spa'. You sit on the edge, place your feet in the tank and hundreds of fish come and nibble the dead skin off your feet and in between your toes (weird fish!). It's a peculiar sensation. The boys couldn't sit still long enough so they had a hand spa instead, although they seemed to enjoy it more like a petting zoo.

We visited Lake Titiwangsa Gardens which, although it is no longer home to the giant 'Eye on Malaysia' ferris wheel, is home to an extensive children's playground and exercise park.

We had dinner at the revolving restaurant in the KL Tower one night. Although it is not the tallest building in KL, it is the highest view of the city that is open to the general public. Without fear, Jaymon was, in an instant, laying on the glass to try and gain a full appreciation of the city below him!

We also spent a day at Sunway Lagoon. We hope that you will not be disappointed that we can't share any pictures with you but our main objective there was fun and not photos. The place was awesome and we had heaps of fun on the rides and in the water park.

Kuala Lumpur was a fantastic place to visit - quite a change from both Sri Lanka and Australia. We mastered the public transport with pride, using it to ferry ourselves to and from the many sights. The shopping opportunities were astounding. How much shopping could possibly be done in one city?!! From malls that would easily be 20 storeys high to malls dedicated entirely to technology; from malls with their own theme parks to malls with their own ice-skating rink (it was like dinner and a show!) and bowling alley. There was so much to see and do and we clearly only scratched the surface - and that was only Kuala Lumpur! Here's hoping we get back some day.

WE ARE BACK

This week marks the one year mark of our stay in Sri Lanka. Last year was such a whirlwind of activity that it just flew by. It was really good to have a break back in Australia over Christmas and catch up with our family and friends.
As we look ahead we are hoping to really consolidate and build on our achievements from last year. We are looking to increase the number of English classes we are involved in. We are hoping to increase the size of our current classes and start three new ones by the end of next year.
The small business loans are only going to continue to grow and managing them will give us plenty to do. We will incoperate the visits to these with our new mobile resource library which will be great. We are really looking forward to what this year holds.

TO SARONG OR NOT TO SARONG: THAT IS THE QUESTION

One thing that still intrigues me - and I believe always will - is the sight of a man in a sarong. Obviously, coming from a Western country, I am unaccustomed to seeing so many sarong-wearing men on a daily basis and it has got me wondering what it is that causes the sarong to be so enduring. Sure, many men wear shorts or trousers but it seems the encroachment of these modern, Westernised garments has had little threat on the existence of the sarong. I figure the sarong must have some serious advantages for it to fare so well in the face of trousers.

If I find myself sitting watching a conversation, say, between three men - two wearing sarongs and one wearing trousers - I will inevitably start wondering what caused two of them to decide to don sarongs that day and the other trousers. And are they in any way conscious of the differences in their attire. Do sarong-wearers secretly think that pants-wearers look silly? Do pants-wearers laugh about sarong-wearers behind their backs? Does a sarong-wearer ever wear pants or a pants-wearer ever wear a sarong?

Now I know a few simple questions could put an end to all this wondering but now I wonder if I really want the answers or would I rather keep the mystique. If I were to find that to a Sri Lankan the difference between someone wearing trousers and another wearing a sarong was akin to the difference in my eyes between a lady wearing a skirt and another wearing slacks, would the enigma of the sarong be lost forever? So I won't ask. I'll just watch a shopkeeper standing behind his counter in his sarong and bare chest and think how great it is to be able to go to work in the same clothes you might wear while kicking back at the end of the day.

HOW NOW BROWN COW?

Unlike Australia, where cows will tend to be found in paddocks, Sri Lankan cows can be found anywhere, getting up to all sorts of mischief. Today I thought I would share my favourite cow anecdotes with you.



One sure-fire place to find cows is along the road leading up to the school my children attend. At the start of the road there is a large bull, owned by a man who chops wood to make kindling. He then puts it into his bullcart for the bull to pull and him to sell. When the bull is not pulling, he is usually found grazing across the road from the owner's house. However, occasionally I have seen him tethered to a post out the front of the owner's house. Not such a big deal, except that this bull is massive and the post is small and simple - and supports the house! It's a good thing for the owner that the bull never decides to go walk-about while tethered to the house.



Further along the road you will find a small herd of cows - maybe about 5 - and their calves. They are there every day, without fail, always at the same place, ambivalent to the traffic congestion around them. And why are they there? Well, this seems to be the place that people dump their rubbish. So the cows gather there and munch their way through plastic bags of refuse. Cows love rubbish. In fact, I suspect they actually love rubbish more than grass, as there are places where they might potentially graze on green grass but still they choose the rubbish. Burger, anyone?

Occasionally the cows do go for a bit of a wander along the road but it's not grass they're looking for. A sight that never fails to amuse me is a cow that has wandered up to one of the open-fronted shops that line the street and is standing at the counter as though it is trying to purchase a bun or banana. If it gets a little too inquisitive the shop owner will try and shoo it away before it tries to enter the shop but, more often than not, it is ignored until it figures it's not going to get anything and wanders back to the rubbish pile, where it figures it has better chances of getting something to eat.

Of course, the road to school is not the only place to find cows. In the centre of town, near the market area is an open area that is mostly gravel but does have patches of grass. Recently, a small herd of cows - again, maybe 5 or so plus calves - spent the day here (though goodness knows how they got there). Anyway, in one corner of the open space is a gravel pile. On this particular day the cows were up for a bit of excitement and adventure so they all decided to climb the gravel pile. There they were, all trying to fit themselves atop the gravel pile; the uppermost cows standing very proudly at the peak. I think they needed to plant a flag and claim the gravel pile in the name of all cow-dom.

But my all time favourite place to find cows is in the McDonalds car park. Does any more need to be said? Yes, today's blog was simply my excuse to use my favourite Sri Lanka photo.

DRIVING AT NIGHT

Driving long distances is never fun, especially with two children. In Sri Lanka, long distance takes on a whole new meaning. A trip to school can take as long as thirty five minutes in the morning, when traffic is bad. However, travelling the same route in the evening it may only take ten minutes. So it is not so much the distance that gobbles up all the time. It is more the condition of the road (bad to very bad), the traffic (busses, trucks, bikes, tractors, cars, vans and pedestrians in a single lane) and the speed limit (60km on open road) that ensure that a 100km trip can take as long as two and half hours.

We have now revised our concept of a long drive. Previously anything over two hours was long. Now we consider long to be anything over three or four hours. Below that is just a part of getting from A to B. If it doesn't become too frequent the boys actually look forward to a good trip as they get to play with the trip toys - their handheld computer games. The favorite at the moment is Star Wars, which can be a bit tricky, with Brenton being the master and Jaymon his padawan. Brenton is particularly patient generally and will guide his young apprentice in the ways of the gameboy without too much fuss.

Jaymon takes just as much enjoyment out of watching someone else play, especially any visitors that happen to be in the car. He will usually berate any that are unable to help him in the harder levels of Star Wars. Observing their failure, he will launch into an in-depth explanation of the best characters (which is Darth Vader "cos he can choke") and the best way to win (obviously without the help of his new pupil).

Most of the time we travel during the daylight hours as we try to keep some kind of regular schedule for the boys. However, at times it is neccessay to travel at night. Each time we do I invariably say to Hayley, "I really like travelling at night here", to which she generally replies, "Yeah I really love it too. Don't we say that every time we travel at night?". (Yes we do)

In Sri Lanka, the night is the best time for driving. Not because the traffic is any better, because it never is (you put 20 million people on an island the size of Tassie and see how the traffic is). But you get to see an entirely different side of Sri Lanka. People are more relaxed and lively at the same time, with the night offering relief from the ever present heat that is part of the daylight hours. Its not like there are more people around, it's just that they seem to stand out more. During the day the people just form a vague moving mass, while at night you see individuals living their life.

You notice the bbq shops that are scattered every few hundred meters down the road that in the day were empty dull concrete stalls. The produce at stalls tends to jump out of the darkness as each shop is lit from the inside while the road is rarely lit except by the headlights of passing cars. Each shop has it's own version of lighting, with the most common being fluro tubes that hang elegantly by their wiring. This lighting entitles you to a glimpse into each little shop, leaving you imagining the life that is being lived in that little world.

IN THE WORLD WHERE YOU LIVE (A CROWD OF HOUSES)

I think one of the most common questions I have been asked about Sri Lanka is "What are the houses like?". It's a difficult question to answer because there are so many different types to be found. There are Portuguese-era houses, Dutch-era houses and British-era houses. There are city houses, rural houses, high country houses and low country houses. There are slum houses and mansions and houses for anywhere in between. Plantation bungalows and fishermen's houses; modern buildings and ones that look like they have come straight from a story book; there is such a diverse range of architecture that I thought that the best way to answer the question would be with a photo tour.


A modest Negombo home. The family here can not afford all the finishing touches but it is a solid roof over their heads.












Most larger, modern houses follow this style. They are common in developed areas and occassionally can even be found springing up in rural areas. They are elaborate and decorative and, like a frightened animal, like to appear bigger than they really are.










A fisherman's home on the beachfront.

A beautiful rural home, complete with immaculate garden. Something pretty to drool over.

Here's a novel concept. The owner of this old home leases out his verandah to numerous lawyers. Several old tables are lined up along the verandah, each one being the 'office' of a different lawyer. The signs you can see along the lattice are advertising the different lawyers who can be found there. The home owner and his family still reside inside.

In the jungle.

Every now and then you will come across grand old dames such as this one. Cracked and falling apart in places, they still ooze so much more character and charm than most of their modern counterparts.

I doubt I'd be brave enough to stand on it, but it sure is pretty to look at.

From simple (the pile of coconut husks out the front will probably be used for fuel) . . .











. . . to modest, yet stylish . . .

. . . to Sanath Jayasuriya's house. (For those, like me, who aren't really into cricket, Jayasuriya is a member of the Sri Lankan cricket team. Nice digs, huh?!).

A stilt house in the hill country.

Hidden treasures . . .

. . . and the bare necesseties.

A single-room thatch building in Puttalam. It can be said that a home is more than bricks and mortar . . . but then again, sometimes bricks and mortar would be a nice start.

I hope you enjoyed today's tour. Please watch your step as you alight from the bus and have a nice day!