Home soon...

Well, I will be home in about twenty-four hours. I feel like I have been away for a long time. It will be good to get home and back to normal.

I have had a lovely day in London... the sun came out today and thawed me a bit. My feet are tired from much wandering. It has been nice.

I saw EQUUS last night. It was powerful and disturbing and difficult to watch at points... but really wonderful. Richard Griffiths was amazing. Daniel Radcliffe was perfect. It was a real treat to be able to see the production here in London, in a beautiful old theatre. I was sitting beside an older man who saw the original production about thirty-five years ago, and he was very impressed with this revival. The hype was about a naked Harry Potter, but the substance definitely wins out.

Today I went to see the Tate Modern... a new facility... just great. It is right on the Thames, overlooking the Millennium Bridge, in an old factory space. It is huge and impressive. The opening collections are equally impressive, almost overwhelming to an art novice like me. It is a mid-term break this week, so everywhere is overrun with children... yes, I know, I am a children's librarian, I am supposed to love children, but having boys spitting down the stairwells and children running through galleries was a little much.

Anyways. That is it. I will be home tomorrow. Just off in search of a good English dinner now. Thanks for reading. I will try to keep you posted about what happens next. At this point, it looks like there will be one more trip and I will once again be Sri Lanka bound in August.

LR :-)

Live from London

Hello there. I am writing from a very blustery London... just about a block from Hyde Park. Nice, quiet area. But it is COLD!!! and RAINY. I don't know why I am surprised. This is how London is supposed to be right? Just add some fog. ;-) It is just a bit of a shock after a few weeks in Sri Lanka... and it was nice and warm here when I checked before leaving Canada... so I am not at all prepared for this weather. I was just out walking for three hours, but had to come back to warm up for a bit. Had to buy a scarf (could see my breath!), and tights to wear with my dress for the theatre tonight.

See this is what I get for whining about the heat in all my posts from Sri Lanka!

Oh well, I will just drink lots of hot tea.
Cherrio...
LR ;-)

All Good Things Come to an End...

Well, I cannot believe it is over. I leave Sri Lanka in a little more than twelve hours. How quickly time goes. Now I am off for a few days of fun in London. Looking forward to it.

Today was a great last day. I went to the library at the British Council, which was interesting. Nice facility and absolutely packed. Then I did a very little bit of shopping. Back to the Cinnamon Grand to work on the report with Rob... then I made him go to high tea with me at the Galle Face Hotel. It was nice... great tea, scones with cream and jam, and an amazing view of the ocean. Wonderful. All for 550 rupees. Okay, Rob didn't actually have the tea and finger sandwiches, he had beer, but I think he enjoyed it anyways.

So now I just have to finish packing and get myself to bed early. A long day ahead tomorrow.

I don't know if I will be able to post from London... but I will try... I am sure you are all waiting for my review of EQUUS!

Wish me a safe flight.

Ta ta,
LR

A Few Photos...

Back in Colombo! Loving the towels and the pillows (long story). Too tired for many words, but here are some good (I hope) photographs....

The view from my room in Colombo... see, technically, an ocean view! ;-)

Cows in Habarana.



Monkeys drink coke too! I opened the door to my room in Habarana and there were dozens of monkeys. So cool.

Sunrise in front of Club Oceanic in Trincomalee.



THE beach!!! Soooooo beautiful.

Fishermen on the beach in Trincomalee.

Me and the kids in Trinco.

Nesha and his son... too cute and sooooo much energy!

Me and Rani. Yup, touched an elephant on the return visit to Habarana. Was offered a ride... but I already felt sorry for her with the chain around her neck, couldn't bear the thought of her having to trot me around.

Okay. It is my bed time. I am looking forward (fingers crossed) to a great nights sleep. More tomorrow.

LR :-)

Baked in Batti!

Hello all. Sorry for the delay in posting. Things have been hectic here in Batticaloa. And it is hot. Did I mention it is HOT??? I am a little parboiled at this point (picture Barney Rubble feet), a tad pink, and all limbs are polka dotted with bug bites (don't think they are mosquitoes, but taking my malaria pills just in case).

We have gotten a lot of work done here. And, we have generated some good ideas for programs, volunteers, and more. Seriously struggling with the automation plan. Very complicated. But, hopefully we will figure it all out. A few more hours this afternoon, an hour or so in the morning, and that is it. The time goes so quickly.

Tomorrow (Thursday) we will leave Batticaloa and go to Habarana for the night, then on to Colombo on Friday. In Colombo I will post a bunch of pictures... it would take too long with the connection here.

We have had some interesting times in the last few days. We are staying in a different hotel than last time... it is... ummmmm... interesting. The first night a breaker burnt out and we were each (Rob and I) in our respective rooms with no windows, no a/c, no fan. UGHHHHHH. I have never been so hot in my life. It is better now... Rob and I have the "deluxe" rooms with a/c... so I have to share the quote from the Lonely Planet travel guide I have..."The air con rooms are particularly miserable, dark and dank." Too funny. Rob and I have been "particularly miserable" at times, but we are able to laugh about it over a beer, and we both know that a little suffering is the least we can survive when there is so much real suffering around us.

Okay. Back to work. Hope all is well in Canada. Photos... soon... I promise!

HOT HOT HOT

Well, I am still in Trincomalee... we leave tomorrow morning at 6:45 am to go to Batticaloa. Trinco has been great. Great to see the library. Great staff. Great beaches. Amazing views. But everyday it seems to get a little bit hotter. Today it is 37!!! Hot and still... okay if you are near the ocean, but otherwise it is hot hot hot.

I have taken a lot of amazing photos... but can't upload them here. I will try to post a few before I leave Colombo. Lots of wildlife this time... monkeys, deer, lizards, cows, and thankfully no snakes. ;-)

Stay cool in Canada.

LR :-)

Tired in Trinco!

Hello. Sorry for the delay in posting... I wrote post yesterday and then I lost it, the system would not work for me and I was just tooooooo tired to try again. But, today is a new day so I am giving it another shot... but, I will keep it short in case it does not work again.

We are having a nice time in Trincomalee... getting lots of work done in this heat. So we get back to the hotel pretty tired by the end of the day.

Trinco is beautiful... the beaches are spectucular. Spectacular and sad. This is a tropical paradise that no one is able to enjoy. We are staying at a beautiful resort but there are no tourists. Too dangerous or complitcated. So I walked the beach for a kilometre or so when we got back today and didn't see a soul.

We are here in Trinco for a few more days. THen off to Batticaloa. I will try to download and post some pictures before I go. You will not believe what I have to share with you.

More soon.
Laura :-)

Happy in Habarana

Hello. Well, we made it a little over half way to Trinco on Monday... then stayed the night at resort in Habarana... wow, this is a little piece of paradise. Tropical breezes, absolutely beautiful. I am just using the resort's cyber cafe and the connection is a little slow, so I won' t post pictures now, but will when I can.

It took over 5 hours to get here, and hopefully only another 3 or so to Trincomalee. We will get there mid-afternoon and head right to the library. I am looking so forward to seeing it.

Hope all is well at home.

Luv,
Laura

Jesse - running into girls is not the way to get a date! ;-) Hope you're feeling better. Take care.

Greetings from Colombo...

Hello all. Well it is a beautiful, hot, sunny day here in Sri Lanka. I am just organizing the craft supplies I bought yesterday and this morning... I got lots of kids scissors, glue sticks, coloured paper, punches and more. It was fun shopping for the libaries and thinking of all the fun things the kids will be able to make. I even got a few great programming books with craft ideas and reproduceables, and a few wooden puzzles... so THANK YOU to everyone who helped to make it possible.

Rob will be arriving later this afternoon... then we will have to get to work and get organized. We will be leaving for Trincomalee tomorrow morning/afternoon, driving half way, and then finishing the journey on Tuesday. We will be in Trinco until Sunday and then we will travel to Batticaloa. We will be in Batti until Thursday... then back to Colombo on Friday (May 25)... Why am I giving you this itinerary? Well, I don't know when I am going to be able to blog again. It may not be until I get back to Colombo. So if there are no posts for two weeks, don't worry... it just means I don't have easy internet access. I will try to find a way to post a little whenever I can.

Happy Mothers' Day.

More soon,
LR

In Colombo...

Hello. I am here. In Colombo. Arrived safe and sound, if somewhat exhausted from the long haul to get here. I arrived around 9:15, my luggage arrived too (always a relief), and I made to the hotel by noon... then I had a bath and a long nap. Feeling almost human again. Okay, that pretty well sums up my day. :-)

Just wanted to let you know I got here safely, nothing to worry about. Now I am going to go get something to eat, and then I will probably go back to sleep. Oh the exciting life of a world traveller. ;-)

I will try to do something interesting before the next post!

Take care,
LR

Dazed in Dubai!

Okay, I probably shouldn't be blogging right now, because I am a little loopy from the chaos and exhaustion, and I will read this later and be horrified by the spelling and grammar... but, here I sit at the airport in Dubai with a great (free) internet connection and a few hours to put in before my flight to Colombo leaves... and I have to do something to stay awake.

This airport is unbelieveable... it is 2:00 am and the place is absolutely packed, people everywhere, and everyone has duty free bags... it is kind of like the United Nations but with Baskin Robbins, Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds in the middle. Very interesting.

So far the flights have gone smoothly... just one more to go. I am looking forward to getting to Colombo, so I can relax and get to work.

... for those of you are interested, and you know who you are... since leaving Toronto I have watched The Good German, Bobby, The Bridge to Terabithia and Miss Potter... not a bad quadruple feature eh? Okay there were gaps in all of them when my eyes where closed but the still count. ;-)

Anyways, that is all for now. More from Sri Lanka...

LR :-)

See ya soon...

Well today is the day. I will be off on a plane later tonight. Makes me tired just thinking of the next day or so... I leave at 11:00 pm tonight and I arrive in Colombo at 9:00 am on Friday. Now all I have to do is finish packing (yes, blogging right now is procrastinating). I have one bag ready to go... the easy one, the one full of books and dvds... the easy one to pack, not so easy to lift. ;-) But, I know the libraries will appreciate all of the materials that have been donated. So thanks again for helping out. I can't wait to watch the Wiggles with the kids.

So, I guess I really should get back to the ironing board. I will blog again as soon as I can, so you know I have arrived safely. I am not sure how much internet access I will have over the next few weeks... I will be in Trincomalee for a week and then Batticaloa for a week... I am not sure if I will have internet in Trinco, hopefully I will and I will be able to send some updates.

Okay, I am really going now... Trooper is staring me down, he knows something is going on and he is not at all impressed... I am not sure which he dislikes more, the sight of his carrier or my suitcase.

Take care. I'll post again soon.

Laura :-)