Nightime, 27th to 28th June 2023

We wondered how we were going to cope with 23 items of luggage totalling in excess of 250Kg when we left 3B (this on top of a similar weight already taken by Rennie’s mum, friends and colleagues, or sent as air cargo).  Not the weight or the transport from home to airport as my office were providing a minibus, but simply managing the volume and number of items.  As it turned out, we didn’t need to worry as our friends-like-family had us covered.

I took Emi for her final ride at Ceylon Riding Club as described in the last post, followed by an Indian meal with two local friends before necessarily last minute packing.  Rennie enjoyed dinner at a posh restaurant with some friends of hers, and a pedicure.  The kids’ chose their favourite Uber Eats, so everyone was happy.

Our very good friends Mala and Kumar came to hug us on their way from the airport after arriving from Dubai, and by  10pm we realised that we were in for a surprise;  Pavel with Anju, Aruna, Rajeev, and Sherin with his children all arrived and announced that they were going to take us to the airport at midnight in a convoy of four cars – one each – plus the company minibus with the luggage!  We would leave in style, feeling the love and care that was synonymous with our four years in Sri Lanka.   Beforehand, there was much conversation interwoven with the final tasks.

After the fun of our convoy and feeling like royalty, our friends insisted on marshalling the luggage all the way to the security check prior to bag drop where they couldn’t enter.  How lucky.  How stress-free.  How blessed.  Unfortunately, how melancholy too as we hugged for the last time, waved countless times, and then stepped out of their sight.

The curtain closed as a new one opened with our onwards journey.

Steve