Friday 18 October

All is very quiet around the Compound.  It is the Eid Al Adha - a ten day period where Muslim pilgrims from across the world to undertake the Hajj.  This is one of the five pillars of Islam and should be undertaken at least once in every Muslim's life if possible.  The other pillars are:  Only one God, Allah, and Mohammed is his Prophet; pray five times a day; fast during the month of Ramadan; and, give to the poor.

With several million people coming into the country, along with about 600 000 Saudi's this year going to Makkah for the Hajj, it is an opportunity for as many of the remaining to leave the country, including Saudis.  Our entire Team have taken the opportunity and have been (or still are) enjoying sights across Europe (Rome, Berlin, Greek Islands and Athens), Gulf States (Dubai & Qatar), Turkey, Maldives Islands and some have gone home for their time.

I have been able to meet Peter in Sri Lanka.  When planning this little adventure, we looked at a map and thought that India & Sri Lanka seemed about 1/2 way.  Well perhaps the way the crow flies, but whilst it was only a 5 1/2 hour (direct) flight for me, Peter had to fly via Singapore and add the 3 hours to and from Melbourne - so I got the better deal.  But our week in this magical island was wonderful. One week certainly isn't nearly enough time to see the diversity of scenery nor learn very much about the history.  We used a tourist company, who planned and booked everything for us, including gorgeous accommodation.  We had a driver for the entire trip, who would adjust the planned itinerary as we requested.

We saw the tea country towards the centre of the island, the lovely old port city of Galle and its beautiful Fort Galle, first built by the Portuguese, then administered by the Dutch for 150 years before the British ruled for the next 150 years prior to the countries independence in 1948.  We fell in love with Galle - particularly the Fort and spent an extra 3 - 4 hours roaming around the stone streets explore the architecture added with each dominant country.  The Fort is a complex mix of nationalities having being home to trader for 100s, if not 1000s of years.  The Fort was relatively unscathed from the shocking tsunami in 2004 due to its natural protection from rocky reefs and the high walls built to withstand attacks of a more manmade kind.  However the city outside the walls lost 2500 people and 1000s more up and down the coastland.  Many apparently were trapped after escaping the first wave and returning to the city to view the devastation only to be caught by a second wave 1 hour after the first.  The beautiful Galle Cricket Ground immediately outside the Fort's Gates was completely ruined, but once again hosts international games in this magical setting.

We travelled onto Colombo for one day - and went to the old centre of the city - the fort area, again built by the Portuguese, rebuilt by the Dutch and then remodelled by the British.  In both Galle and Colombo, the tour company arranged for us to do a walking tour with authors/photographers.  The woman in Fort Galle (Juliet Coombe) had arrived post tsunami as a photo-journalist for the Murdoch papers and has stayed. She married a local (her guide and interpreter for that work) and now writes, publishes and researchers the local area and its people.  The guide in Colombo, Mark Forbes, grew up on a tea plantation and now tries to focus on his photography and taking groups on walking tours, city and more energetic hiking trips in the high country and wilderness areas.  He identified himself as a Heinz - 57 varieties - that is of mixed heritage, Sri Lankan, Indian, Scottish and Irish.  Both provided an added dimension to our trip, providing not only local insights to the locality, but also shared their passion for the country and its future.

Rothschild Tea Plantation. Just a lovely old factory that still uses its original machinery to produce the tea.

On the battlements of Galle Fort with the higher gun area behind.

Galle Cricket Ground as viewed from the Fort

Soon to be Raffles Hotel - a gorgeous old department store, now almost abandoned.

Mother and calf at a great Elephant Orphanage.

The other excitement from this location was that we had a long weekend late September.  This is the only long weekend of the year and wasn't actually granted until 3 days before the actual weekend in question.  The holiday was for the Kingdom's National Day, which this year fell on a Monday.  Now our weekend consists of Friday and Saturday, so whilst we all knew that Monday would be a public holiday, the whole country speculates that the King will grant the Sunday as an additional holiday.  So on that basis we all booked a weekend away.  I and another 3 of our team, went to Cyprus.  This was just divine - and we could drink AND I could drive!  We had booked the trip weeks before and spent hours trawling through possible accommodation possibilities before finding an old stone villa in a village above the sea and away from the touristy coast.  It was excellent.  Plenty of time spent reading, sleeping and then only venturing 'down the hill' for dinner of an evening.  We didn't see much of Cyprus (though more than intended when we headed north from collecting the hire car, instead of west) and the beach is nothing compared to even the poorest beaches at home, we had a wonderful weekend.

Would go back if for no other purpose than to enjoy this lovely villa again and village life in a quiet part of the country.  That said, the locals are doing it really tough - lost 50% of their deposits in the bank - no exceptions, can't take more than 300 Euro ($425) out of the bank on a day or 1000 Euro ($1416) a month.  Many retired Brits have purchased a house and live in Cyprus permanently on retirement, but they can't sell as they can't get the money out.  But the previous government - Communist apparently - built an excellent highway system.

The Gate to the villa's walled garden

The balcony with distant views to the Mediterranean 

School continues with its joys, wins and challenges.  It is never dull and those we work with remain generous and enthusiastic about the work that lays ahead.  It remains difficult to work to build classroom practice, when most teachers haven't any teacher/educational training.  The students are largely compliant and if they are bored they generally aren't disruptive of the class.  Of course there are the 'naughty' students, but very mild compared to what we are used to at home.  However the practice of separating boys and girls form Grade One is ridiculous.  Boys remain on the 'Girls Side' for Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2, then they move to the 'boys' side of the school.  The boys Grade 1 & 2 classes are hard work.  Add to the mix of mischievous, excitable young children, a grade of boys who are wealthy, expected to be indulged, spoilt and not reprimanded and you have a class that is tricky!

Home by around 24 November - so see you for Christmas Drinks!