on the move…

we’ve finally been able to hire a car, Sam’s dad Peter had some issues getting a temporary licence so that he they’d hand over the keys- bureaucracy…. i tell you what! so we’ve made it out of Colombo and we’re off. 

we’re travelling in A/C comfort- not my usual style of travel but i’m just running with it while i’m here with this unique opportiunity to experience another culture from the inside. i haven’t been such a part of family life in another country since Finland and to say that Finland and Sri Lanka are different is definately an understatment! sadly though, i think i’m failing any chance i may have had of convincing anyone i could measure up to a sri lankan girl as ideal ‘lady’ material. i did my best to impress the rellies that i’m not completely useless but i just havn’t got it in me! on the other hand, failure means no marriage proposals yet- gosh in vietnam by this stage i had a pick of 5 or more!  

I will write a more indepth post later on when i have more time as i have lots of stories about the amazing people i have met.

the other reason for this post is say that we’re all safe and well and well away from the recent LTT attacks.  

getting intimate with Sam’s Armpit

*There were a number of possibiliities for the title of this blog: Spooning stragers in SL, The Moving Saunas of Sri Lanka, and many more, but i went with ‘Getting Intimate with Sam’s Armpit becasue i felt it really summed up the expereince. Read On!

WE had been waiting at the bus stop for a while on the look our for a number 112, and were beginning to wonder if we were even waiting in the right place. Bus Stop is a little inacurate actually, as it is less of a stop than slowing down to a roll while waiting passangers run along and jump aboard the moving vehicle, with a haphazard line of buses qued up behind, tooting and yelling.

Eventually a number 112 arrived but we saw in dismay that it was already full. The bus proceeded to collect about 10 more passanger, however, and a few more clambered on the outside holding on for dear life to the doors and window frames. as it chugged up the road it was on a decidedly wrong looking lean- my guess would have been at about 20 degrees or so. we watched it drive off and laughed before waiting for the next one to arrive.

we didn’t wait long before we saw our beast. I yelled over my shoulder to the others that we were going to get on one and though Sam was a little skeptical, we all made a run for it and climbed on board.

As it turned out, we weren’t the only ones determined to be passangers rather than waiters. one… two…five…. ten people got on behind us. I thought i had seen it all in Vietnam and i would never have dreamt it possible if i hadn’t seen it (and felt it) with my own eyes. As more people climbed in we onboard were pushed and shoved futher into the heart of the bus. we were like a packet of lolly snakes on a hot day, sweating and moulded into eachother’s shape with crooked postures and bent torsos. I felt a body spooning me from behind just as I was pushing into someone infront. the contest for hand space on the rail was fierce, as was the scramble for foot space.

As the bus lurched into motion we swayed like jelly in unison with eachother. I yelled over to Sam that at least we would be safe if we had an accident; no one was going anywhere. Futher up the road we slowed again at another bus stop and i hoped at least that some people would get off and give us a little extra room. Not so. MORE PEOPLE GOT ON! i was pushed even futher into the sea of sweaty bodies and right into Sam’s day-old armpit.

AS we kept moving along the road i hoped at least for a swift passage home. When the bus stopped in traffic not to far from where we had just stopped, the growing discomfort and frustration was palpable in the sticky air. no one could even move to wipe the sweat from their brow.

When the aisle cleared i managed to get my camera out and snap a photo (which i will post on this blog later on- i forgot my camera today) but it will never do the scene justice.

We made it home to Aunty’s house on the other side of Colombo and felt the relief of ground beneath our feet and a cool wind on our faces.

When asked later if i enjoyed riding the buses in Sri Lanka i answered an emphatic: YES!   

     

prepare for landing

Not only have my toes defrosted from Melbourne's cold chill but with all the moisture in the air they are almost poached! After a night trying to sleep off my jet lag and exhaustion while playing cat and mouse with the mosquitoes (lights on, they hide) i am awake and well in Sri Lanka.

I forgot my mozzie repelent but forutnately, so far that was the only shortcoming to my "minimalist" packing (am so proud… 12 kilos only!)

As mentioned, Sri Lanka is HOT! I had my first cold wash last night- Sam's lovely Aunt who is my beautiful host at the moment, doesn't have hot water so it was a cool spalsh this morning. But in this heat you hardly miss it, the scoop of water is a challenge, but after that, at the thought of  grabbing for the towel i feel the instant stickiness of the air and reach instead for one last scoop of cold water.

Outside the house Sri Lanka, or at least Columbo, brings back strong reminices of Vietnam. In fact, on the road, if you substituted the cars for motorbikes i'd almost belive i was back in South East Asia. i asked about the surprising number of cars and was told that some people in Sri Lanka are doing very well but there are many who aren't, and those ones generally cannot afford a motorbike. hmmm something to be said for Socialism?

And now to these bombs and things you've been seeing on TV. Well, to be honest, you can definatetly tell theres some tension in this country. together with Sam and her dad Peter, we've been tryingt to decide which areas to go to and safety is a major consideration (don't worry Mum!). there are baggage checks in shopping centers in the city for bombs and there was what looked like a war bunker with sandbags and all just by the footpath but you know, life goes on for the sri lankans. i don't feel in danger at all but i hope the Sri Lankan's get the peace they deserve soon.

sorry guys, no photos yet but i will work on it for next time. Stay tuned, next time i should have more to report and should feel a little less jetlagged and lethagic.

PS FOOD! how could i forget the food! it is truly amazing and i think i will find it difficult to going back to using a knife and fork in  fewe months time- in fact, i think my eating-with-my-hands skills seriously impressed Aunty, more than my sinhalese i think!      

one week to go

it's almost time to start counting , the days, the hours. weather in columbo, sri lanka was 36 degrees last time i saw, 41 in dehli and 31 in kathmandu. Nepal is back in the news which is not great news for me, but it is that same dynanamism and change that i am attracted to in a place to explore and learn about.

my lastest dilema was losing my to-do list, and believe me, it was near catastrophic! luckily, it resurfaced and i can go back to proving to my travel agent, my family and my friends just what a disorganised person i really am.

this weekend will be the sad goodbye to Richmond which has been my wonderful home over the past 18 months and the love of my life. not to worry, a new and very exciting chapter of my life is just about to begin.

my major aim this week will be to enjoy my last week here with my family and friends amid the frezy of last minute ticks off my ever expanding to-do list. that will be a major achievment

and good riddence to icy melbourne weather! bring on the steam of the sub-continent!yeah!