Our trip to Sri Lanka has been an interesting one. My wife and I both were at work in the morning. While we were happy to see our friend David on the weekend, it did mean that we did not get time to pack as we might otherwise. Saying that, it was a sacrifice that was worth it as it has been too long since we last saw David (and he fed us and looked after our son). And I am not sure how much we would have been able to do as we were meant to have travelled to London on Sunday, and having time at home meant we able to do more.
Basically, this meant that we had not had the time to pack as we would prefer. So we packed after I had collected the children from school. I went to collect my daughter first who took ages to be collected and then we went to get my son. In hindsight, I should have done it the other way round. So after packing, we went by taxi to the airport. I have to admit to feeling nervous when we hit traffic but our journey was in essence, uneventful other than a game of I spy where my daughter was, as usual, a very good player.
When at the airport, after a bit of shopping, we had food and drink. We let the children have what they wanted, and although my daughter wanted to have a coke, after I explained that it would ruin her food, she opted for juice, trying tomato juice (she did not like this) while my son was glad that Pikachu got to have a drink.
When on the plane, the kids have loved it. My son has enjoyed playing the games available and has been watching Captain Underpants. I have taken the opportunity to watch Alien Covenant, Dunkirk and The 300.
Alien Covenant was a disappointment. Not the worst of the Alien films, but no match for the first two. For those who love the Alien films no matter what, this has all the core essentials, a strong female role model, lots of death and also an android. The Red Shirt's though were not as memorable as in the first two films where most deaths were important. With this being a prequel, the issue of the face huggers and the implanted embryo needing less time to gestate than in the original film bugs me.
Dunkirk was brilliant. It conveyed the despair of leaving and sacrifice well. I only watched parts of the BBC series and I am not sure that it compares well to my memories of that, but it was the best of the three films that I watched on the flight. I loved how it explained the main problems and challenges being faced in that evacuation in a way that most can understand. And of course, it was a war film, so that sold me as well.
The 300 was a film I have wanted to watch for a long time. Like many who have heard about it, it fascinated me I have mixed feelings about it. As a film about war in the times of ancient Greece, it does not match up to Troy (even with the many flaws it had at the end of the film). I guess, I would have enjoyed it more when I was a teenager, but I do not appreciate the analogy of war being beautiful now I am older. Probably more because almost everything else was ugly.
Anyway we have now arrived at Hotel Janaki where we are staying for about a week. And we have had a great lunch and are to rest and recuperate.