Saturday 29^th and Sunday 30^th August 2020

After a very busy first week back at school and with Steve working each day till 2-3 am and me running the family, going to different events with IEA and friends and seeing antenatal and postnatal women, we all needed time away.

As a friend was going down South to see his friends, we thought we would go too. At the moment there are lots of special hotel deals so I called a favourite hotel in Unawatuna (near Galle) and settled the deal there an then. The most expensive part of the weekend was the transport as it required two return trips from Colombo for the driver.

We left Colombo on Saturday at 10.30 (I knew we would not be able to leave earlier as all of us needed a proper sleep), and reached the Thaprobane Waves resort and spa at 14.30; a perfect time for a late lunch, relaxing in our beautiful two storey room (downstairs room and bathroom; upstairs room, bathroom and a small room with large Jacuzzi), and a swim in the salty 25 m long pool overlooking the sea crashing onto massive rocks. What a stunning view – and later when we went to climb over the rocks we found lots of crabs scuttling around.  It is amazing how often they don’t get swept off by the sea.

Dinner was in the form of a buffet as the hotel was busy with guests; mainly citizens and a few residents like ourselves.  Misa ordered Kottu chopped very noisily on the hot plate whilst being cooked, Emilka, crushed potatoes and vegetables with some chicken, Steve a selection of hot dishes with rice and I had different salads and spicy prawns. It tastes much better when someone cooks for you.

We had a very comfortable sleep under a proper duvet with the air conditioning keeping the room a nice temperature.  Breakfast, my favourite part of any hotel stay didn’t disappoint; fruit salad with yogurt and 2 poached eggs with vegetables and baked beans – heaven. We relaxed in the room until we had to check out at midday, each falling asleep again apart from Steve relaxed with a good book.

We walked to a near-by beach bar called “Toddy’s by Hoppa” that was recommended to us, met some friends drink king coconut and relax by the beach. 4 hours later, chilled and relaxed but sweating buckets, we walked back to the hotel, had a shower and with the taxi taking us home to arrive just after 19.00.

A quick Maggi Noodle for dinner, 2 loads of washing done and drying, and we were off to bed just after midnight; re-energised and ready for the week ahead with an alarm set for 5.50am!

One needs this type of weekend from time to time without feeling guilty.

Rennie