Sunday 7th January 2024

I guess I obviously needed to sleep, as I didn't wake up until 11:00! You forget how much a long-haul flight to a completely different culture affects you. I did feel so much better for having had a long sleep. I just took a long shower and relaxed a bit, catching up on emails, this blog, and my diary - all quite regular mundane stuff, but it was nice to have the space to do them, as often I am trying to do that at the end of a long day of activities.

I had nothing planned for today, but I did need to go shopping, as I needed to buy an iron, because a very good friend of mine (who shall be nameless!) broke the last one. Irons are not hugely expensive, certainly not compared to what we would have to pay for one at home. I took a tuk-tuk into town with Chooty, one of our regular tuk-tuk drivers, and he dropped me off at The Grand Hotel, taking the iron back with him, as he was picking me up later.

The Grand Hotel is looking amazing, as it usually does, but it is particularly beautiful (or gaudy - depending on your taste) at the moment, as they have still got so many Christmas decorations up. I really should have taken some photos of them, but my mind was preoccupied with other stuff today, so you will have to make do with some previous photos of The Grand Hotel today, with a glimpse of Christmas decorations there in my previous trips to Sri Lanka.

I only had a cup of tea today, as prices have shot up so much, but it came with a few biscuits and a bowl of jaggery, which I am particularly fond of, so it was very pleasant. That only cost me 850LKR (just over £2), but it is double what it used to cost 4 years ago. Chooty gave me a lift home - back to his home first to pick up my iron, where I had a cup of tea with his mother and his 2-year-old daughter. His wife was out, so I will have to meet her another day.

My mind has been preoccupied with other things today, so I'm afraid you will have to make do with some previous photographs of The Grand Hotel today - but they are still quite lovely - and bring back some special memories for me!







  

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2024 at 12:05 AM

    This looks like a lovely place Keith, Elena

    ReplyDelete

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