Wednesday 4th November 2026

I was extremely tired last night but still woke up at 04:00 and decided to complete some work that I wanted out of the way before the long Diwali break. This included writing a report for my school visits with Gowri last Wednesday, answering a few Tea Leaf related emails, and getting ready for a lesson demonstration on the present continuous tense later on this morning. It seemed like a very good idea at the time, but I certainly came to regret it big time later on in the day.

I was well into getting my work done by the time the chanting at the Buddhist temple opposite my room started. Like clockwork, there is very loud chanting from 05:30 until 06:00 each morning, and my recommendation to anyone visiting Sri Lanka would be to secure accommodation that isn't next door to a Buddhist temple! Despite the noise, I completed all my work, and I was feeling well pleased with myself when Madona arrived in the three-wheeler to pick me up.

The good vibes actually lasted all morning, as my lesson demonstration went extremely well. Many of you will know the awful expression: 'those who can do, and those who can't teach' - extremely insulting to the teaching profession, as teaching requires a level of skill that most of the population don't seem to understand, but I was made acutely aware of how difficult it is to teach a high quality lesson when you have had very little training and almost no experience.

By the afternoon, I was greatly regretting trying to burn the candle at both ends, because I was exhausted, and I had to admit defeat and accept that, at 68, I no longer have the energy of my youth, and it's useless trying to pretend that I have, so it's a very early night for me tonight, with absolutely no intention of getting up before 07:00 tomorrow morning. Fortunately, Madona completely understood how fatigued I was, and I promised her I would do better tomorrow.

Today's photos show an early morning, sort of dusky sunrise view from my balcony towards the Buddhist temple, as the monks' chanting was in full flow. There are also photos from my lesson demonstration, plus a few of the children who came for their sessions this afternoon - and a random, friendly dog who followed me around today!