Day six in Sri Lanka. Nainativu

Our host took us to Islands of the north of Sri Lanka.  The drive took us along some poorly maintained roads, but nothing too bad.  Being Sinhalese, Buddhist and having connections from his previous job where his ability took him far, we got to meet a senior priest in the Buddhist temple on Nainativu after we had been shown around.  My son, daughter and I also went to the Hindu temple, but as he was expected to take his top off to enter, he declined so instead my daughter and I entered, me with no top and a reminder of my beer belly.

Afterwards we were taken to a small fort and shown around it, including the cells which were of use until the end of the civil war.  Atrocities were committed on both sides and the use of torture was not discussed, so I have so idea if this also took place on the island in addition to being held in cramped cells.

On the journey back to our base, we stopped at a Buddhist temple devoted to the landing of Sanghamitta on the Island.  My daughter and I went along for that tour and then it was back to rest, and then later an evening function.

Day five in Sri Lanka. Jaffna.

An early start to the day for the children meant having eaten and getting on our way by 1000.  We are in the care of three welcoming hosts and they took us into Jaffna.  We got to see the library (from a distance) and explored the fort.  Also we heard about it’s more recent history, from when it was involved in the Civil war.

I have learned a lot about this from the Tamil side, but it was interesting and moving hearing the Sinhalese side of things.  Bear in mind that during our trip we also saw victims of the war.  Seeing amputees begging is a remnant of the war that cost too many Sri Lankan lives.  Yes, this cost was mostly Tamil, but the murder of civilians is never right, be that in the Sri Lankan civil war or on the streets of London when terrorists kill civilians in ‘revenge’ attacks.

Day four in Sri Lanka. Rain, rain and more rain.

Our trip to the north of the island has been and interesting one.

My wife had to continue her mysterious visits away and had to leave the hotel early.  After the children had woken, we had breakfast and then, as we thought that our trip to Jaffna had to be cancelled, we nipped out for a bit.  It literally was a quick shop in Majestic City, but leaving Hotel Janaki brought a smile to the two children, who otherwise would have been trapped for a few hours.

My wife returned though and the trip to Jaffna was back on.  A detour was needed, but we got on the road and began the long drive to Jaffna.  During the trip, we stopped for breaks, an accident with a truck and encountered several areas where the road had become almost impassable.  While it was an inconvenience for us, it must have been devastating for those who lived in the flooded houses.

But we are here at last.  Tired and looking forwards to tomorrow.

Day three in Sri Lanka

Remember those sandals that I bought yesterday? They are already broken!  I woke up early and went for a walk.  It was raining lightly which was no big deal with it being warm.  On my way back to Hotel Janaki, I noted an issue with my right one.  The sole was no longer attached properly.  It lasted until I got back to the hotel room, but my receipt states that there are no returns!

Anyway, my wife had to leave again to sort out her documents and I ended up sleeping loads.  The kids, who had been in bed until about ten themselves entertained each other.  Until I was woken up by my son claiming that his sister had punched him.  She denied it, and I was left with the dilemma of who told the truth and who lied.  When I was younger, I was a horrible sibling and frequently beat up the older of my two younger brothers.  He would bruise easily, and there was no point denying things as in general, I had hurt him.  But my kids are more subtle.  They know that I will not tolerate one being physically violent to the other.  Or telling lies.

Does anyone have any hints to solve this?

Day two in Sri Lanka, shopping and other things

My wife took my son with her when she went with her mother to get some official things sorted out.  I was expecting them to have a terrible day, and sadly I was proven right.  Due to a series of mishaps and errors, none on her part, she is probably to do the same tomorrow.

I went for a walk with my daughter instead as we were to head off to a shopping mall to get my son and I some sandals.  The kids now have the same sized feet, so essentially they are interchangeable.  We did not get far before the heat and humidity started to sap our energy.  So we returned to the hotel to change into something more appropriate before heading out again, this time by Tuk-Tuk courtesy of Uber.  The app makes life easy for people like me who cannot speak any Tamil or Sinhala as the destination pops up on the mobile of the driver.

When in the shopping mall, we found sandals for me, not my ideal ones to replace those that died in Rhodes.  But my daughter wanted to return home and I felt too unwell to argue.

We met her uncle and later her grandfather too us our for lunch.  She got to decide what kind of food we ate, which was Japanese.  I loved it, and would return, but it have to be without the other two who did not like the food there.

After falling asleep again, I went with her wife to her pedicure and then later we all went out for an amazing Chinese meal.  Anyway, time for bed before midnight (here).

Planes, trains and automobiles. Our first day in Sri Lanka

We are relaxing in Colombo.  Well, I am.  My daughter is freaked after encountering tropical wildlife, in her bed.  Or the bed that was going to be hers anyway.

We left yesterday flying from Stansted to Dubai, arriving there this morning.  On the way, I watched Toy Story 4.  We, by which I mean my wife and I, have watched Toy Story since before the kids were born.  As enjoyable as this was, it was not as good as the original and while a good film, not the masterpiece the others were.  After this, I watched the end of Yesterday.  My wife and I had watched it before, but she asked me to sort some things out while it was on, so I never actually got to watch the end of the film.  A lovely feel good film, one I would watch again if on the telly, possibly.

Arriving in Dubai, we relaxed ate food but left it a bit late to get to our flight,  in fact, when we got there, the flight had finished boarding!  Fortunately, it turned out that it was not our flight, but the down side was that we had a short time to get across to the other side of the airport to make our flight.  My daughter and I raced ahead and got there after it started to board having jumped onto trains and into lifts just before depths sliding doors closed. We let them know that my wife and son were on the way and was expecting them to be a while.  But my wife had managed to get some of the airport police to drive her and my son in a buggy and they took the airport shuttle bus to get to the flight.

Once we had all calmed down, it was them the next part of the flight and during this, I watched X Men, Dark Phoenix.  I had heard bad reviews of the film, but both I, and my daughter who was watching it at the same time as me, both liked it.  Much better than films like Wonder Woman!

Anyway, we are now in the Hotel and are to rest.  Good night!

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want (December)

I am after high CP Pokémon.

And just to make it clear, just these ones in any lucky trades.  I am aware that I may not be able to get some of them, such as the Alola forms of the Meowth or Vulpix, or Klink, but I guess my view is if you do not ask, you do not get.  I do have some high CP forms of some of the Pokémon that are on the list but the actual statistics that they have are wanting. 

Sadly, I do not have as many shiny Pokémon as I would like, and those that I have tend to be those that others have anyway.  Which means in general that I am after like for like trades.

Abra
Absol
Aipom
Burmy
Clefable
Drilbur
Duskull
Electabuzz
Foongus
Geodude (normal form)
Goldeen
Growlithe
Heracross
Horsea
Klink
Magmar
Mankey
Meowth Alola form
Murkrow
Nidoran♀
Nidoran♂
Oddish
Onix
Pidove
Ponyta
Porygon
Scyther
Shieldon
Squirtle 
Tanglea
Tentacool
Vulpix Alola form
Yamask
Yanma 

However, after the December Community Weekend, while I do not have many, I have a few evolved Pokémon with community day moves available to trade, some of them being shiny ones!