Day 75

In contrast to the last post- My package arrived, my phone works with the bent battery and some cellotape. All I need is a new memory card and the back panel. The last two days, I got the bus all the way back. Relief.

I thought receiving letters and postcards in the mail was exciting, but a package is a whole different level of excitement. My cousin sent me a package of goodies all the way from England. Little things all individually wrapped up in the package. It felt like Christmas. So glad the customs guy didn't open all the packages; would have totally spoiled it for me.

Did some more experimenting in the kitchen. Fried up some dambala (also known as winged bean) As the name suggests, just a bean with 4 wings. 

Also picked up one of the most interesting fruits I've seen- Dragon fruit. The exterior gives no clue what what it was inside. Kind of similar texture and taste to a kiwi.

Day 71

Today has been a bit of an adventure.

I got a note telling me that I have a package at the post office. Was quite curious (read nervous) considering no one has my address except the Sri Lankan immigration.

Got to the post office only to find out that I have a letter to say that there is a dutiable package waiting for me at the main post office. I feel like I'm on some treasure hunt. It better be worth all this hassle. If the person who has sent me a parcel is reading this, please tell me what it is. It'll make filling out those forms a lot easier. My boss said he's not coming with me to pick it up in case it is drugs. :P

The whole day was nice as usual. Working in my cool office while listening to Radiohead and David Grey and eating yummy Thai for lunch. 

I got a bit carried away at work (sometimes that happens) and forgot to leave on time. The buses are quite infrequent from where I work because it is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. After 5:30 in the evening, the buses come every 45 minutes! When I finally got on, the driver decided that he wants to drive home instead of the assigned route.

I jumped off in the middle of nowhere to walk to the next stop on the parallel road. I was fortunate enough to overhear 2 other equally annoyed passengers walking behind me who I assumed were deciding to take an auto rickshaw home (I assumed anyway, don't know any Sinhalese to know for sure). They seemed like decent, non-creepy people, so I jumped in with them. 

I was quite content that I managed to save the money (rickshaws are pretty over priced. Much worse than Bangalore) and happily jumped off and didn't realise that I dropped my phone on the road till after I got home.

I really didn't expect to get it back, but searched the cracks in the road and the gutters nonetheless. Some shady guys watching us search finally handed it over. Battery is mangled and pretty much lifeless. Probably the effects of being run over and in a puddle. The phone is battered and bruised and minus a memory card. But I think it'll live with a new battery and some cellotape.

Phones and me have never gotten along. Sigh. 

Proof of damage. 

Day 70

I've been putting off updating this blog even though there have been things to write about.

It was Poya on Monday and we had a nice extended weekend. My first Bangalore visitor was here in Sri Lanka for a short visit and I got to take him around Colombo. Well, there isn't much to see in the city, but we walked around Beira Laka and then to the pretty Seema Malaka temple on the water. There was a long fancy perahera (Poya day procession) around the lake and through the city, stopping traffic everywhere. Lots of fancily dressed up people dancing, but was a bit lazy to take pictures. 

I took some pictures at the temple, but the lake was a horrible algae green and spoiled the look of the Buddha statues. So, black and white it is. We then went to the coast and did another walk from Dutch Hospital down the Galle Face along the beach. 

Dutch hospital is one of my favourite places in the city. It's an old Dutch hospital building which is converted into shops and restaurants. I love the courtyards and the ambience in the evenings. I was back there again Tuesday evening at the Heladiv Tea Club. I really enjoyed the chocolate fudge cake that I ate, but I think it was the dim lights against bright yellow walls, the old wooden window shutters and the concrete tables on the stone paving that  makes me love the place. Will take the camera along next time I visit.

The tropical monsoon weather has been particularly crazy the past few days. I got terribly drenched on my way home yesterday, despite having an umbrella. I was slightly tempted to ditch the umbrella and run through the puddles. But they might not have let me on the bus. Even this poor cow was trying to get out of the rain. :P

I did a bit more experimenting with food today. Made some Thai curry. My mum makes Thai at home and this was my first time trying it out. It didn't come out the same as hers. I lacked some ingredients, but still tastes pretty good.

The weekend is almost here. Woohoo! :D

Day 66

Perfect Sunday today.

It was almost midday when I woke up. We had pancakes for lunch with chocolate fudge sauce we made with melted chocolate, butter and milk. We watched movies back to back- The Aviator and Across the Universe and now I feel like I know Howard Hughes personally with all the side reading I did during the movie. It's been quite a movie marathon actually- we watched LA Confidential last night (we even had popcorn!).

Did some cooking and had an early dinner and then it's been music, editing pictures and writing the rest of the day.

I finished my blog post about my community service. Looking through all those pictures and writing about that week made me miss it so much. I met such wonderful people that week, including the beautiful children at the school.

The past week I found something that could possibly be what I'll be doing as soon as I finish with my year in Sri Lanka. I was searching for an Indian based organisation that did architecture based community service, but only found plenty options for ones outside the country. One of my architecture friends introduced me to EMI (Engineering Ministries International) which has a base in Delhi and sends volunteer architects for various design projects in the country. Exactly what I've been looking for as an in between job project. 

Read about my week at Leratong Early Learning Centre here--

New Family in Leratong

Day 64

It took me a while to count up to today. 

I made so many plans to post here regularly  I even wrote a few drafts on my iPod to post as soon as I was in range of a WiFi connection. But alas, things got busy in a good way and then I forgot all about the blog and when I did, I decided to just wait until I was back.

Anyway, it was such a super super trip. The journey back was exhausting. The lack of sleep during the congress and the annoying travel back from country to country, airport to airport- How sick I am of planes! finally got the better of me and I now have a bad cold and am still a bit sleep deprived. 

I went back to work yesterday. I was gone for two weeks, and clients have completely changed their minds about what they want. Sigh. Nothing new I guess.

The weekend is here and I even have Monday off. Almost went on a weekend trip, but I think what I need most right now is some rest. Also need time to sort through my pictures and finish off all the blog posts.

One done today--

One Random Day in Ethiopia