Monday 6th March 2023

I have reached my last full day in Sri Lanka, which also just happens to be a Poya (Full Moon) Day. Sadly, this means that you cannot be served alcohol in public - not a huge loss for me particularly, as I can take it or leave it - a cold Lion Beer is rather nice with a meal, and the odd glass of Arrack is warmly welcomed, but not essential! I had another relaxing morning catching up on the weekend's blog and diary.

I stayed at the Colombo Swimming Club for lunch and was joined by Brian, Jit and Kapila from Colombo West Rotary Club, who were the fundholders for our Rotary International Project. I was able to give them an update on what has been happening since we completed the project in December, and I was delighted that they would like to find a way of continuing to fund the project now that Tea Leaf Trust has taken over the running of it.

After lunch, I took a tuk-tuk into Colombo, to the Metro Port City Hotel, where I had a brief stay in 2019. The biggest disappointment for me with it being a Poya Day was not the lack of alcohol, but the fact that almost all the shops were closed, and Colombo city centre was almost deserted, with children even playing cricket in the side streets. It was kind of eerie, but I still enjoyed it and took quite a few photographs.

I watched one final sunset over the Indian Ocean, reminiscing on my wonderful two months out here, and I then returned to Colombo Swimming Club just in time to miss a huge thunderstorm, with the most dramatic lightening! I enjoyed a final dinner at the Club, before retiring to my room for the last time. There is just one more day to go, as I fly out from Colombo tomorrow evening on my long journey back to the UK.

Today's photographs show one of Brian, Jit, and Kapila with me after our lunchtime discussions, a few of my nostalgic trip through a Poya Day deserted Colombo, and one final one of the sun setting over the Indian Ocean!









Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 7, 2023 at 12:11 AM

    The photos and your account portray Columbo in quite a different light from the hill country you have adopted as your home. As I write this you will be up in the air making your long journey back to an alternative reality. We look forward to seeing the man behind the words and images of the last two months!

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