Thursday 2nd March 2023

With only two days left here, this morning was spent doing a second and final wash this week, including sorting out my bedding. I then ironed my clothes and sorted out what I was leaving here in my wardrobe, and what I was taking home, and started to pack seriously, ready for the long trip home next week, prior to which I have a 3-night stay in Colombo, which I am very much looking forward to.

I had a break from all of this when the Central Team took me out for a farewell lunch at Milano Restaurant in Nuwara Eliya. It was very kind of them to do this, and also very enjoyable, as I work closely with all of them - particularly Yad, Jesmin and Tharika - less so with Sutharshan, as he runs the finance side of things, which I don't get involved in. They presented me with a lovely burgandy coloured shirt as a thank you for my work with them.

I returned to Blackpool after lunch and completed my packing, with my lovely room looking quite bare now. I am renting my room at Yad's all year round, as it is so inexpensive to do so, and it helps both Yad and me. It gives her a little additional income, and it gives me a base to which I can return each January, as I have decided to come out here to support Tea Leaf every January and February for as long as I can.

Daya had spent the day going to Maskeliya with Ram, one of Tea Leaf's key financial supporters, who is originally from Chennai, the main city of Tamil Nadu province in India, but now lives with his Sri Lankan wife near Washington DC in the USA. They came to the Thai Grand Restaurant for dinner, so that I could meet up with Ram, and we had a lovely discussion over a very nice Thai meal.

Today's photographs show Orchid Plaza, where I have got quite a few of my presents for people this year, an amazing water melon sculpture, and the man who created it, which I saw at The Grand Hotel this evening, and a picture of Daya, Ram, and me having dinner at the Thai Grand this evening.








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