Tsunami Relief Supplies Delivered In Nick Of Time

The water in the shower was scalding hot! Yeoowwww! We learned later that the cold water is under repair. Strange....in the 3rd-world countries I've been to, it's usually the hot water that doesn't work, not the cold.

"L" and I took a walk outside. Chipmunks played in the sand near the courtyard....a curious creature to be seen on a Sri Lankan seashore. We strolled along the beach. We picked up many seashells along the way. The beach and water, albeit nice and warm, for the most part was barren of people.

We met Clarissa, a frail, old woman selling colorful wraps. Other beach vendors accosted us as well. We were a bit overwhelmed. We decided to forgo buying to continue our walk on the beach. We did promise Clarissa we'd buy something from her later.

We met five Sri Lankan kids who appeared to be siblings. We talked a little bit and took a picture with them. They didn't speak much English, but one of them asked for money, saying something about the tsunami. Negombo, which is where we were, was pretty much untouched by the tsunami, since it's on the western coast of Sri Lanka.

Clarissa waited patiently by the beachside for us while we played in the ocean. We eventually bought two wraps from her for Rs.1000 SL (US$11).

Clarissa asked if we had any spare T-shirts she could have to wear. I went back into the hotel and pulled out a red, blank T-shirt. I didn't give it to her right away, as I was cleaning myself up, but during that time, Clarissa waited patiently outside our balcony for her T-shirt.

The breakfast and lunch were free. We did end up paying Rs.800 extra for the 4 fruit drinks we didn't know they were charging us for. Still a bargain all around. Anyway, it felt good to spend some money there. Most folks tell us business has dropped off since the Dec. 26 tsunami.

I spent Rs. 80 to call Godfrey from http://www.nceaslanka.com, whom I contacted via email before we left for Asia about donating medicines and supplies for tsunami victims. We'd gotten a few things donated by friends and family back home (if you're one of them and are reading this, NCEASL sends you their gratitude). Godfrey said he would send someone to pick them up. They were in Colombo, which is 30 km (1.5 hours) from Negembo, where we were. I think Godfrey thought we'd be closer to Colombo. Fortunately, they were able to send someone out, altho' it was to take a while. I worried whether they would make it in time before we had to leave the hotel for the airport. Jagath from NCEASL eventually walked through the hotel doors a couple of hours later just as we were checking out. Great timing!

I tried tipping the driver on the way to the airport, but the driver politely refused.

We saw quite a few Muslims at the terminal dressed in white thobes and head scarves. They were all heading to the Middle East. Evidently, the hajj is just around the corner. We stood from a mezzanine to watch many of them going through security checks. Military personnel, possibly American, stood in line with them, only to be taken to another line. We couldn't help but enjoy the irony of seeing American military alongside Muslim pilgrims, given the world-renown tension between what the two groups represent. Later, we were shooed away by an airport staff to stop watching.

We flew from Colombo to Hyderabad. Dad and Mom met us a half hour later. We took a taxi to their home in Kalyan Gardens, while Dad rode a scooter home. We learned later that Dad and Mom almost got into an accident on the way to the airport. I shudder to think if they did.