22. -27. December 2020

Knowing we could not travel to Europe to be with family we planned a holiday in Sri Lanka instead; if it was going to be different, it might as well be completely different so two nights exclusive booking of the Bellini Blue villa on the beach front at Unawatuna was followed by three nights air conditioned glamping at Jetwing Yala Safari.  New adventures out of the city, Christmas and Boxing Day with nature, and in our small way helping a decimated tourism economy. Our waiter at Christmas Dinner (taken in the evening of 24th) commented that the bottle of wine Steve ordered was the first one he had opened in over two months – and this at a first class hotel.

Except for one gift of a board game for the children from a grateful lady l helped in pregnancy, none of us wrapped or unwrapped a single present.  Instead, after all the pressures of Steve’s business and moving home at such a busy time of year we simply switched off and with mindfulness for the here and now enjoyed each others’ company.  

Away from Colombo, we spent 2 nights in the beachfront Bellini Blue villa in Unawatuna and 3 nights in a luxurious air conditioned tent at Jetwing Safari Yala, going on 2 safaris with unforgettable memories as Steve has already posted. 

Family time together; talking, relaxing, eating, sleeping, having fun and making memories.  At Dewata Beach, surfing for the second time for the kids and the first time in his life for Steve (proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks!).  Seeing a full grown elephant meander through the hotel grounds, taking a drink from a pot along the way – and later, seeing cattle taking a crafty slurp from the swimming pool!  Experiencing the leopard was a bonus and joining a gathering on the beach at 09:30am on 26th December to silently observe the 16th anniversary of the tsunami making landfall and the decimation and loss of life that followed, a privilege.

If you couldn’t be with wider family and friends, what more could you wish for?  We did make a telephone call to my mummy whilst she was celebrating with my brother and his family and we managed to Skype with Steve’s parents in the UK on Christmas day after the Queen’s speech.  Thank God for technology to make the world so small.

Making memories is the most positive thing we can do right now, whilst the world is upside down dealing with Covid-19. We will be living on them for days, weeks and months to come. 

So, a completely different Christmas that we will forever treasure to end a completely different year that we all wish had never happened.

Thank you Santa, we loved the gift of our holiday and each day we treasure the gift of our relationships.