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Destination: Sri Lanka

Date: 24 February 2010

Monday 22nd feb

Very cold today and the fog has come down like a blanket at the airport according to Jayne!

Anyway not to worry - arrived on time and then realized in the rush to get to Doyle Motors I had left my mobile at home! Taxi home and quick sticks back - the fog had cleared but it did look as if it would come back. I heard from Jayne later that it had and we were SO lucky to have skipped out in the middle section of the day. Later flights were cancelled!

Heathrow in no time and found the Sri Lankan flight was an hour delayed. 200 passengers on a flight for 380 so we managed to get 2 seats together and a row of 4 seats. We took turns in having a sleep - fab!

 

Tuesday 23 rd feb

We arrived an hour late but all very smooth. Down to Hikka and arrived in The Coral Sands at 8.30pm quick supper and then up to unpack and sleep. Well I worked till 2am and THEN slept!

 

Wednesday 24th feb

Up to a clear sky and HEAT - better than the 8% we left - we had been told by several people that it was very hot and the previous day had been 34% - phew.

It certainly was hot.....we left for the workshop and went through several things with Chaini about the new orders etc. Rasika looked REALLY well and has lost some weight! He said that he needs to wear 4 socks as his limbs have shrunk!

He has made some lovely earrings - I gave him the present from Koreen and all the silver bits I had bought with me.

Chaini showed me the bags and skirts they have made out of the Sarees - lovely!

Next we went onto the Fort for lunch and so Claire could look at The Government shop and Barefoot too. We had lunch at Pedlars.

Claire has a thing about wine gums and luckily I had bought some with me!

Prasad collected us and we called into Moderns to buy fabric and then on to se Sandamali and Gayan's brother Kasun. His foot was a little better but we agreed that I would take them to the specialist on Friday.

Next we called into to see Deepa who has the baby - she was under the weather as she was teething!

The ice-cream man called dingling his bell so it was ice-creams all round - 10 later and we left them to it!

Nilanthie called to say she had arranged a meeting on Tuesday for Claire to go and see the Guides in Galle.

Back to the hotel and an hour on the terrace until sundown.

Lynn Stannier arrived - said hello and then upstairs to do some work.

 

Thursday 25th Feb

Up early and a lady whose husband died in November came to ask if we would go and see her at home. She had bought her baby with her. Claire was in there straight away -

off to the Pre school and measure the computer room for the furniture we will buy in Galle later!
The little ones were playing a game in the garden

Next we called into to see the lady from this morning - Varuni - her husband had died in November of a sudden heart attack - we was very young at 32 - leaving his wife who is 25 with an 11 month old baby and a nine year old boy!
I had seen them many months ago as they have asked for help before and I was unable to help them with their land as they do not have land deeds - the family have lived on the land for 3 generations BUT have no clear title to the land and the danger is if one builds the owner might suddenly show an interest in having his land back!
I need to think just how we can help this sad situation - she now has no income and is unable to work as the baby is still breast feeding - I will ask Nilanthie if Lion's can help with schooling etc.

Drove to Galle and bought the computer centre furniture all except for a table. 6 chairs, 4 desks and a cupboard too!
Onto the Fort for lunch - bumped into Lynn and Joan in Pedlars - back to Hikkaduwa via the Lighthouse for a massage.
Last visit of the day was to Chandrika to see the finished house. All looking good however there are some holes in the floor surface that need sorting and one of the window catches is broken. I am seeing Damith in the morning and will mention it all to him.

Tamara Timothy from Spotlight was trying to get hold of me for an interview so I skyped Solly and asked him to do it - watch out world this could be fun! 

 

Friday 26th Feb

Damith came early and I asked him to sort out the floor at Chandrika's and the window catch too. I asked him to buy the paint as well.
We went to see Niroshini and Sahan was there too there was an enormous pile of wood and some really big pieces - he had carried them all! He is a good lad and really strong too - he really does help his Mum!
Popped in to see Dayawathi too - she and the eldest daughter were busy making hats.
Into the school where Nihal said that the painting was going to happen tonight and he had arranged for the shop to come early to assemble the furniture.

On the way back through we collected the wood carving man to have his eyes tested for new glasses

We was very chuffed and invited us to go to his house tomorrow night to meet the family!
Drove to Galle but Claire was not feeling to well and retired back to the hotel.
I pressed on and went to see Mahesh to tell him that I would bring Rasika's jewellery on Monday so he could sell some hopefully!
On to see Shanta - Rasika's brother - he had ben off work with a ‘fever' so I wanted to find out why? It turned out he had an allergic reaction to some chemical at the salon and had reacted badly with boils all over!

He had recovered and was left with some small spots but was going back to work tomorrow to do bridal makeup!
Prasad and I stopped for lunch at The Summer Garden one of my fav spots on Una - the sea is so clear and there were some lads mucking around in the sand having great fun!

On to see Chaini and we had a really good afternoon talking through all sorts of things. Claire has offered to help her set up accounts on the computer and she was very enthusiastic about that!
Packed 2 grips with bags for Lynn and Joan to take back to the UK for me.
Tried to whiz into the Fort to get straw bags for Rasika's sale tomorrow - but we whizzed precisely nowhere! There was logjam in Galle with a street party for the election! Singers and dancers - anyway just made it before the shop closed.
Next I went to the Southern Hospital to meet Sandamali and Kasun - they arrived and we nabbed a wheelchair.
Dr Fernando arrived at 7.30 - our appointment was 6pm and we were channeled 1! Not bad going!
Anyway eventually he did arrive and in we went - he explained rather too graphically that ‘I can take his leg off tomorrow - if you want - as the leg is useless' I said to him that I thought Kasun had feeling in his toes - I demonstrated by asking Kasun to close his eyes and then I ran my nail across his toes! He winced - he felt it!
Dr then explained that he could have a prosthetic and all would be well. I told him that I did not like the man at the limb centre in Galle as he was rude and very disparaging about disabled people! He agreed !!
He told us that if Kasun kept his weight off the foot and kept it clean it would be ok! So I checked that a wheelchair and crutches would be a good idea! He agreed. He then questioned me as to why I was working in Sri Lanka! I told him why and he told me I was a good lady working in a difficult climate!
Came home at 8.30pm - had a catch up with Claire and then we had supper with Lynn and Joan and heard about their day too.
Bed! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Saturday 27th Feb

Straight to the school with Sanjay and his friend Pradeep who has come to fix up the computers for us!  Nihal had managed to put one coat on the wall of the room and YES he had managed to do it a cream colour as I had asked him! Whoo hoo

The man came from the furniture shop and started to put together all the desks. We had an audience of 3 little ones – one of the teachers little cheeky son and also little madam – Disna’s niece!

Pradeep soon had 3 working well – with the help of Sanjay too but the 4th one was corrupted and needs new software loading.  Pradeep agreed to service the computers and generally look after them and be on call in the case of any technical needs.  This will be a huge bonus for Disna and Nihal.
We came back to the hotel and had some lunch and a very quick swim.  Spoke to a really nice German couple who had come over with some money to help an orphanage that another German lady they knew had started to help.
We called in to see The Jungle girlies and Marshika told us that Mum was at a meeting.  The shop was a little thin and she gave me a letter from mother explaining that She – Marshika had been in hospital for a week and she had had to spend money on drugs and had to let the shop lapse while she was away.

I arranged to see her tomorrow and we will take her shopping.
Next was Disna and I was amazed to see a HUGE difference in the baby – she had blossomed with the powdered milk – I did not recognize her as the same baby!  Pasidu was at cricket and Tharushi just stood there beaming!

The Mahathuns were next and little Dilhum was having a shower when we arrived!

Dilini showed me all the empty milk cans and the rusk boxes that she had been getting from Nilanthie!
Back to the hotel and to sort out the jewelry – and then we set up downstairs in the bar again – the table was ready!
Took a while to get it all out and then Rasika and Asanka arrived – we did a brisk trade and took the most money out of all 3 evenings we have done here.  It was great and all the jewelry was very well received!

We packed up and then Claire told me that there was a lady in the bar  who knew me – as she said that  Sue turned around and I recognized her instantly!  She was working in Moratuwa way back at the start after Tsunami and teaching the children the birdy song – I remember her so well!  She was on the project with a Sri Lankan man and they have just got married and had returned to Sri Lanka for the wedding!
It was good to see her again!
We cleared up and were supposed to meet the wood carving man however we all got our wires crossed and as I was in the room at 8pm, Sanjay thought we had gone to eat supper and told him we were busy!
Never mind I will go and apologise to him tomorrow!
Dinner with Lynn and Joan and then bed!

 

Sunday 28th Feb

Half an hour on the deck before Sandy Ramsey from Crisis Recovery International came to meet me.  She had discovered me on the Internet and we had emailed a couple of times.  She goes into crisis situations and finds small NGO’s that she is happy to work with and through them funds/buys things within the local economy to help them back to work.  We talked for a couple of hours to discover each others ethos and then when Claire had come back from sorting the computer room in the school took of for the Jungle shop.

Claire decided to stay with the 2 girls and Sandy and I took Hemalatha and Rossangli to the wholesalers in Gintota to stock up the shop a little. 

Marshika had been unwell and in the hospital and the shop was closed added to which Hemalatha had had to buy expensive drugs for Marshika and had not been able to stock up the shop as usual.

Sandy very generously paid for the shopping – just under 10,000 rupees and we drove back to put it all away – well the family did.  Claire had cleaned out the fridge while we were gone.
We called into see Thilini and Rucheria on the way back to the Shop and saw a very healthy looking Rucheria and a happy Thilini too.

Annemarie will be pleased as she seems to be very committed to her studies and asked me to thank AM very much!
Next we called to see Nimal – Mrs was making the straw hats and I explained to Sandy how this would make a difference albeit small to their lives!
Had bought them some food but also gave them cash to buy more drugs for his condition.
Back to the hotel for lunch and then Sandy and I went off again in the afternoon while Claire stayed at the hotel.
First to see Niroshini and Dayawathi and their new tanks for the toilets! And then Cheeky boy wanted us to go inside his little wooden house next door.
Popped into see the computers all installed and very smart they looked too!

Next and last stop was to check the floor at Chandrika’s – all was fine!
Back to the hotel and say goodbye to Sandy and I went for another ½ hour on the deck as the sun went down. 

 

Monday 1st march

There was a family in reception who wanted help as the baby needed heart surgery – eventually it turned out that they lived in Colombo and their UNCLE lives in Hikka.  I read all the notes and said they could collect them tomorrow after I had done some thinking.  If I start helping people from outside the area I will have the whole of Sri Lanka coming to see me!  I know it is hard but I have decided that I simply cannot start down that path.
Called at the school to meet the family who had come to the hotel.  But there were not there!
Straight down to the Workshop so Claire could spend the morning to do accounts with Chaini.  Claire tells me she is a model student and learned very quickly!

Chaini showed me a sample of the printing for the Beechwood bags – I think Mrs Battey will be very pleased!

We had some visitors – I had met these 2 lovely ladies on the Fort and got chatting to them – them came and made some purchases!  Cassie and Judy.

Next we went to The Fort and see Mahesh and show him earrings – he is going to sell some for us!

Mahesh had made my name in a necklace! And also Sophie’s too!  I am going to get him to make some names up for us to sell!

I took a picture of his cabinet so we can get one for Rasika’s jewellery for The Coral Sands Hotel.

Back to the hotel and an hour on the deck before sun down.  Claire went to the Preschool to take her first computer lesson with teacher Naomi.
She got on really well and came back with these pictures!

She taught them to do a robot and showed Naomi how to teach them.  They were willing pupils and although they found the writing in English hard - they all did it!
My dream had finally come true! 
A computer centre in our little school!
This had been a goal for me since the school’s inception………………..it looks great and Claire’s determination and help to get this going by obtaining the computers and being willing to come over and help it all get going - has made it all happen!
Big thanks to Ian Davidson at Generalli for giving and shipping the computers to us via Claire!
This will hopefully be a great thing for the area as we can offer it out to the wider community!

 

Tuesday 2nd March - Chaini's birthday

Off to the workshop as today as we need to say Happy Birthday to Chaini - bless her she is very sweet - Mum had whispered to remind me yesterday - I took her a wall hanging from Claire and me and Prasad bought her a vase with some lovely pink flowers!

We went to Court row to collect Nilanthie and went to the hospital. She met with the lady Dr and then we visited the new mum and her baby.

From there we left to go and see the official in another legal office in Court row.

Claire and I went for a quick snack lunch in the Fort and then she made her way to Southlands College to meet with the guides. I went off with Prasad to go and buy Sports equipment - well Prasad went to buy Rice and Curry for lunch actually and I went shopping!

Had a bit of a struggle with the brother of the owner as we did not speak the same language - add it all up and then give me 10%! He added it up ‘with' discount and then presented me with a bill that was 10,000 rupees more than my calculations!

He then proceeded to go through each one and take ‘off' discount - but only actually discounted 3 footballs for the grand sum of 150 rupees! Wowee I nearly fainted at the generosity.

He then wrote the whole bill again and came out with the same amount as I had originally and said he had given 10% - I laughed and said once more that it was the same as my figure but he then needed to take off the 10%

Omygoodness it was like pulling teeth - TWICE!

Eventually I bought him round to my way of thinking!

There were 2 boys in the shop looking a cricket bats, and little sucker here, bought them a bat for 200rupees each approx £1 - they repaid me by stealing my camera!

And there I was thinking I was giving them a little pleasure - nothing to what pleasure they now have!

Little.....................!

I only realized when I got back here to put on the pictures - so no pictures today sadly!

Claire arrived and we counted the bits into the box and the brother dragged it all the way down the 4 flights of stairs to the van.

Next I went to the Pharmacy to buy a wheelchair for Kasun and some crutches too! The princely sum of £60 for the wheelchair and £17.14p for the crutches!

Back to the hotel after a VERY hot day and I went on the deck for ½ an hour while Claire went to the Preschool!

Wednesday 3rd March

Took Claire and a lady called Shelia to the Pathana school to deliver the sports equipment I had bought yesterday.

2 other ladies turned up to see the construction of a building they were doing – they were really nice and I am glad there are others helping as this little school is very poor!

Claire handed out lollies for all students who were there.  They have around 58 currently.

Next I dropped the other 2 at the school for the morning.

Drove to Galle and collect Nilanthie – who was in the Court building when I eventually found her looking very smart in her robe and clutching a pile of files taller than her!

Next to see The Commissioner at Ruhunu he seemed to be very ready to help and knew all about the case – so I was very encouraged.  The Probation service need to do due diligence and they will visit tomorrow to do the report for the case and then they all have to agree to EVERYTHING – so we will now just wait!

Popped in to the Fiju shop in Galle and I bought a replacement camera for the one that was annoyingly stolen yesterday!

Went to the Hospital and met with the Sister of the maternity ward ANOTHER lady that Nilanthie knows well – this is all good news.

The baby is very small but has put on 1 kilogram since yesterday which is good news and it has put on 1 each day since they have been feeding bottled milk!

Took Nilanthie back home and came back to the hotel – Claire was back from the school where they had had fun and we lay in the sun for an hour after lunch.

Off to see little Ayesha – Granny was there but she had gone to class so we drove to find her – a friend was just bringing her home!  Claire’s friend had made some little finger bobs that are SO cute!

 

Friday 5th March

Darshana has been hailed as a local hero for identifying a mugger and helping to apprehend him.
A lady foreigner was apparently rather the worse for wear and hailed a tuk at night and then driver pushed her out of the tuk injuring her. He then tried to get her back in but she tried to fight him off.  He made off with her bag containing camera, wallet, and phone etc.
The next day the man was on the beach with his family and Darshana, who had been in a resturant near to the mugging, recognised the man and called the Police!  It turns out the man has done this several times before and there is talk he murdered someone 15 years ago.
The CID have come down from Colombo and clapped the man in the clink!
Lesson to be learned – as a foreigner – do NOT go in a tuk alone after dark and especially when you are a little tipsy!
 

Sat 6^th march

Lovely sunset last night

Up with a half hour lie in today! Whoo hoo.

We discussed with Siri the jewelery cabinet for the reception and Rasika's jewelry and agreed the hotel would get 10% of all sales.  It will go in the inner lobby walkway and that way all guests will see it.  We also agreed that it would have a time on the cabinet when the items could be purchased.

For example between 10-12am and 4-6pm each day.

At breakfast I get an urgent call from Nilanthie - we are to go quick to see Madam Kapilani at the hospital for a 10am appointment.  We are on the road in no time and arrive at 9.50am on the Special Care unit.  Madam Kapilni eventually comes to see us and spends a good hour with us.  She seems very sensible and kind which was great news for me!  We went off to see Mum and baby on the ward and made sure she had some food as she was very hungry.

Back to Hikka and we took Nilanthie home so we could see little Rankeith - he is such a pretty boy and full of fun - hurling coins and his Spiderman in the air with a wicked giggle.  He will be a bright little spark I think.

When he is older the girls will all be after him..........I think he will break a few hearts!

We arranged to have another jewellery sale on Sunday night as there are some more guests arriving over the weekend.

Bought Roti for lunch - had a swim and a lay down on the deck for an hour and then came in to do some work!

 

Sunday 7th March

Hot day today – when I looked at the thermometer at 3.30pm it was 35% in the shade – PHEW!
off early to go to the supermarket to get some supplies for food parcels.  On the way we stopped to get some photocopying done for Claire and school tomorrow!
The plastic house family were first – when we got there there was no one at home – there was a funeral house about 2 doors up – we could see the body laid out through the window – Prasad thought they might be inside and when we turned around sure enough they all appeared – happy and bubbly as ever!

Claire gave them 3 pots of bubbles some crayons and 2 balloons
On to Chandana’s house and he was at home – we beetled off and shinned up a tree come back with 3 king coconuts – Claire had’nt had one to drink yet!

On the way back I just quickly called in to see Pumi and mum and her brother – she was clutching a handful of sugar and would not let Mum go anywhere near her – I think she must have taken it just before I arrived and I sensed Mum was not too happy with her.  She looked very well and her brother was very smiley and friendly.

All was well with the house – it looked neat and tidy with the washing hung out on a line at the back.
Next on to the Railway family the house was closed but Tharuka soon came belting down the path to see us – she looked healthy and for once she seemed slightly cleaner and a little less of a nitty Nora!  She told Prasad that Mum was working in a hotel in Dordanduwa – still!
Result – that is good to hear – she has held down that job for nearly a year now!
As we pulled out onto the main road – there was a group of women all very excited – in amongst them was Gita Kumasinga – an actress – sometime Bollywood actress it seems! Or so Prasad told us – she is very famous apparently and is/was married to a very rich Englishman – she stars in Love stories!
She is running for Parliament and was very happy to pose for a picture!

Prasad told us she is 59 – or 55 something like that! She was wearing rather a lot of makup and had caused quite a stir with the locals – she towered about them in height teetering on her heels and was wearing a glam outfit!
Next we went to Mahesh’s shop so Claire could collect her pendant and we could see Rasika’s jewellery in his window!  That was very satisfying!

Quick zip to the hospital to see the Mum and baby and then on the way back to see Rasmi and Hyruni – Mum was very wheezy so I gave her some money for inhalers.

Back to the hotel and a quick swim and ½ hour in the sun before we do the next jewelry sale!