Šťastnou cestu (“Shtyastnow tsestuh”) is the Czech wish for a happy journey and the one that I called out to Rennie and the children on passing them in the minivan after dropping them off at Colombo airport at about 00:50am on Thursday morning. 

Winding back a few hours, I was rather pleased that the cab company we chose after our usual driver was unable to take us has an SMS service not only to confirm the booking but to confirm when the cab is dispatched and what it is.  In our case the booked cab was a Toyota KDH minivan to ensure plenty of space for ourselves, three hold bags and four cabin bags – but the SMS advised that a Toyota Axios was on its way for the midnight pickup.

What?  A Toyota Axios.  Similar in size to a Ford Focus there is no way that we and the baggage would fit inside!  I called the taxi company and they confirmed a mistake, but advised that no minivans were available at short notice so would two Axios vehicles be fine?  I agreed that yes, this would work.

In the event though, they did manage to schedule the requested minivan so we travelled together and with baggage in the same vehicle.  With curfew starting at 11pm the roads were deserted and the journey to the airport quick and without drama. 

Rennie will write about the journey for herself and the children but I felt both thrilled for them and the prospect of what was ahead, and flat that I was alone and returning to an empty apartment rather than the one full of the vibrancy of family life. 

There were some surprises ahead for me though, the first of which followed soon after my arrival at home.

Steve