Friday – Sunday 12th -14^th June 2020

The travel ban between districts and cities was lifted from Monday 8^th June so we took the opportunity to visit our friend Pavel in his beach villa at Gintota, just North of Galle (148km from Colombo), where he spent alone the 3 months of curfew.

We had waited 12 weeks for this feeling, to be free again and to travel where we want, when we want, without being stopped by the police or army. We arrived on Friday night, stopping for dinner at Pavel’s favourite Indian restaurant “India Hut” (play on words with Pizza Hut) and then in the dark under the stars, having a swim in his pool before bed.

Spending Saturday relaxing in the garden, having breakfast, a cup of coffee and then lunch in the pool was just so special, as was the comfort of a garden chair or lying in the hammock, swinging gently between two king coconut trees whilst the waves rolled in to the shore.  Just idyllic.

In the afternoon we went to our favourite Wijaya beach and even though this time the turtles did not swim with us, the pizza from the outside pizza oven was just as delicious as before.

The evening was spent by the pool, and then once the children were in bed we three adults had a nice natter under the stars until late – in the case of the boys until very late and renaming the village from Gintota to Gintotal instead!

Sunday started with a coffee in the pool again and then we went for breakfast to the Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel. They offered us a lunch menu (it was 12.30), but when we asked, the chef agreed and cooked us the full English breakfast that we had all hoped for; scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, grilled tomatoes and mushrooms, baked beans, bread buns – you name it.

Afterwards, we went to see Pavel’s jungle house as described here already by Steve.  The house is on top of a hill, really in the jungle, with lots of different animals and greenery.  Another idyllic place, completely different from the beach villa.

The afternoon was spent in the pool by the villa again. Who wouldn’t like to drink a coffee, submerged in the water, overlooking the sea, listening to its loud waves and feeling the energy as they pound the shore?

Everything nice always come to an end, so we packed up, stopping on the way at a street vendor and buying fruit for the week ahead, the Rambutan that we love included.  After driving in to a lovely sunset, we returned to the dirt and noise of Colombo – a huge contrast between a quiet garden by the sea and a balcony on the 17th floor in the city.

My weekend was exactly what I had dreamed of for 12 weeks in the Coronavirus pandemic lockdown. We would love to go to the villa again as there is nothing more pleasant than waking up to the rising sun and the view of the sea. I can even put up with the midges and ants, which are everywhere.

Rennie