Tuesday 16th January 2024

I had a relaxed morning at New Valley Guest House, where I have spent the past 2 nights, and only took breakfast at 09:00. I had egg hoppers - one of my favourite things, with daal, and sambal. I was also given a small bowl of fish curry, but that was a step too far for me for breakfast! It was all washed down with a lovely cup of tea, so I felt very refreshed as I headed off for my first appointment of the day - to meet Aruni and her husband Babu.

As is traditional here in Sri Lanka, when Aruni got married to Babu last year, she moved into his family home. Remarkably, Babu's family home was 5 minutes' walk from where I was staying - you can see New Valley Guest house from their home. It was lovely to see Aruni, and to meet Babu and his family for the first time, but there was only time for a quick chat over a lovely lassi Babu had made, before I had to take a tuk-tuk for a lunch appointment at Donald's.

I have known Donald and his family since my first visit to Sri Lanka in 2019, and it was only a few minutes tuk-tuk ride from Babu's place to Donald's family home. I love visiting them, and I sat in their kitchen eating a delicious lunch. Donald's father arrived a little later on, and we took a few photos, before Donald went off to be filmed (in the same film that Daya is working on) and Donald's father took me home to Blackpool in his tuk-tuk.

I got back to Blackpool mid-afternoon, and sorted my stuff out before trying to update my blog and my diary. I had forgotten that it was Jana's birthday today, so I decided to make him a birthday card, and give him some candles and incense sticks that I had bought the other day to use in my room, as I had nothing else to give him really! I spent the evening upstairs celebrating his birthday, but I decided not to bother to take any more photos today!

Today's photos show my breakfast, my meeting with Aruni and her husband Babu (with their huge dog Simba), plus my lunchtime visit to Donald and his family.







                                       


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