Friday 24th June 2022

I struggled to maintain my usual positive demeanour today, as I reached a low point in my 3-month stay here in Sri Lanka. With my key objectives done, I feel ready to go home now, and I felt decidedly down, as I caught the government bus into Nuwara Eliya. I fly home in two weeks' time, and I struggled to motivate myself to do anything, which is most unlike me, but that's just how it was today I'm afraid!

I think the combination of still feeling quite ill, the constant rain today, the dire state of the country, with endless queues for diesel, petrol, gas and kerosene, appalling inflation, power cuts, and a real sense of hopelessness in the air, got to me, and I felt quite numb as I sat in The Grand Hotel trying to write a couple of references that I had promised myself I would complete before the end of my time here.

Fortunately, my lovely friend Kamal, who I first got to know in 2019 at The Grand Hotel - or The Ghost Hotel, as I think of it now - appeared and gave me that little lift that I needed. We saw the funny side (not really that funny at all, as it is actually very tragic!)) of me being the lone customer in one of the most beautiful, old hotels in Sri Lanka, with the staff outnumbering me by a ratio of around 200 to 1!

I eventually moved on, and I got a tuk-tuk back to Blackpool, passing all those vehicles queuing up for non-existent petrol, and I arrived back at Yad's as the mist was descending, which I do find quite atmospheric and beautiful. I will pull myself together, and be my usual cheery self by tomorrow, but, sadly, I know it will take Sri Lanka rather a lot longer to recover from this dreadful gloom!









Comments

  1. CharlesJune 24, 2022 at 3:27 PM

    Keith, it is hardly surprising you felt a little deflated today after coming to the end of your herculean task, and then looking around at all the problems which your efforts have been aimed at alleviating.

    ReplyDelete

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