9-18^th August 2019

We are in our second week and it feels like self-catering holiday so far, with chilling and relaxing, doing what we want, having special treats and having little trips by “tuk tuk” (three-wheel taxi). Despite the fact, that I am cooking, cleaning, washing and looking after the family, it is a good way of life.

We arrived into 30 C and 80% humidity and overcast, however still hot and stuffy and all your clothes stick to you the moment you step out of air-conditioned place.

Jet lag was not as bad as we expected, we just relaxed and chilled for a few days.

Talking about home! Our 3-bedroom apartment, the same we had at our Easter stay, felt somehow familiar to us and we quickly had a homely atmosphere. All our goodbye and good luck cards are stuck on the door to remind us all the kind people we have left in England, kids have bought lots of their toys and ornaments, I have got my cooking aprons, we brought our family calendar and all 4 laptops and mobile phones are all plugged in and functioning. Media streamer, Xbox and Alexa is next to be connected – yes, we took all this with us! And sacrificed my hand-held mixer and blender leaving it at home which I am regretting now.

The temperature in the apartment is hot – we are using the ceiling fans all the time, but try to regulate the use of air con as a) the change in temperature to cold air is not helping our body adjusting to the hot and humid weather and b) electricity is not cheap and a/c uses a lot of it. I sometimes shower 5 times a day, a cold one to cool down, and the kids too – how refreshing!  The washing machine is on frequently as we get through so many clothes.

We go to the pool every day (sometimes twice if not going out), we try to go out (going grocery shopping, having an outing to a curry restaurant or for an ice cream, meet Steve in the office for dinner afterwards), however feeling safe in our apartment bubble is reassuring – we need time to adjust. Kids are still not feeling comfortable being stared at, but using some mindfulness and my reassurance is helping. Going out is an adventure as even walking to the coffee shop or grocery shopping could be unpleasant –just imagine – scorching hot and humid, smelly and dusty, no pavement, traffic everywhere, tuk tuk drivers stopping by you offering you their services, people staring and sometimes whistling Infront of you, lots of stray cats and dogs roaming freely……all you picture at that moment is safety of your air conditioned home and a glass of cold drink! I am very proud of the kids who are taking this whole experience into their stride, not moaning a bit and getting on with it.  

Cooking is a challenge, there are limited utensils in the kitchen for starter and I have got one wooden spoon and 2 cooking pans. Some products are not available and the one we are familiar with such as cheese, chocolate, meat, ice cream or even a mayonnaise or butter spread are expensive or do not taste like we know them. Vegetables are different too, funnily, most of them are green! Despite some research on internet, I still have not a clue what to do with them, I need a “friend” to explain and teach me. The good thing is dry pulses, dry rice (all kind of rice) and sugar is bought in bulk and is relatively cheap. You help yourself from big wooden cranes and kids love weighing it for me – hence Misa bought 1.5 kg of chickpeas! Good job I like it, however I need my liquidiser to make a humus from it. Fresh milk is difficult to get, all UHT or powder. Even water tastes different. We have to use bottled water, or I have to boil tap water before refrigerating it. We have got a big fridge freezer with water dispenser, which is in constant use – I sometimes just go to the freezer to put my head in it for a few seconds! On the plus side, fast food such a KFC, Pizza Hut and McDonals food is similar – so kids are happy! You can guess what they had for lunch the first day!?

Emilka is already making a list of food what she will eat the day she returns to England – ham and cheese sandwich, cooked breakfast with bacon and baked beans, sausage rolls, muller yoghurt, smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, Domino pizza, Subway foot long sandwich with ham and cheese…………the list is endless and we have been here only a week!

THE BEST FROM OUR FIRST WEEK:
Emilka:

• Having lots of treats (going places, pizza hut, McDonalds, ice creams, having manicure)
• Relaxed rules with gadgets (extended mobile and computer time)
• Playing with family &friend (swimming, games)

Misa:

• Tuk tuk three-wheeler rides
• Pizza Hut treats
• Getting eight DVDs of recent releases for £4.40

Steve:

• Having finally made the move to Sri Lanka with the whole family
• Genuine welcome from colleagues at work reassuring him of the right decision to relocate
• Introducing his family to all the things he has done alone in Sri Lanka over the past 12 years (regular Barefoot garden café for live jazz and relaxed lunch lasting 3.5 hours as one), and exploring new things together

Rennie:

• Lots of relaxing and sleeping (far too much!) even having time for reading (my first book nearly finished)
• Having the privilege of swimming complex on our doorstep to use whenever we like
• Settling in a country in Asia, so contrasting from Europe

All I can do is to keep strong and open minded, be resourceful and creative with what I have got and what life puts infront of me. To take all opportunities life offers me and learn. I know this experience will make me/us stronger, wiser, more flexible and enriched to remember for rest of our lives.

Please wish us good luck!

Rennie