Yala!

On the Uda walawe road a silver car drove slowly, trying to find a suitable place to stop. Driving the car was my father, and beside him was my sister, lolling her head from side to side.Behind them was Lahari and Kalanie our family friends and beside them was Flit the only one left awake in the back seat, for beside her was one of her sisters very close friends, Rebeca. Flit was patiently enduring Rebeca’s strange subconscious behavior 0f hand stroking.

Finally after 2 and a half hour(or more) of driving we stopped near a small shrub, and those in the car disembarked from the car onto the very Uda Walave road. The presence of these strange five strange creatures and Flit alerted a nearby elephant(Elephas Maximus maximus)standing on the other side of the fence that ran along the other side the road, protecting the people from Sri Lankas wilderness. As we stood and ate breakfast, the elephant made eager gestures towards us(actually toward our breakfast). A strange shriek startled us. A pair of mongooses(Herpestes edwardsii) aggressively ran around eyes locked on each other, snarling like midget panthers, though too cowardly to actually make a move.

We then drove on for quite some time. I was once again subjected to Rebeca’s unnatural behavior. We finally arrived at the Forest Bungalow. It had a small quarter for the people who worked there and a fairly large building for the visitors. This building had a corridor running through it and there where two rooms that could be accessed through the two doors that lined this corridor.After selecting our rooms we sat outside on the porch staring at the large(very large) pond that lay ahead of us. A pack of stray dogs that were being fed by the people working here where having fun bullying another dog, who I might guess wanted to join there pack.The dog wouldn’t give up he just stood and barked and barked and barked, and yes, he barked some more, until he finally gave up and retired to humiliate himself by barking at his reflection in the pond. He proceeded to further humiliate himself by leaping into the water to do the incredible feat of defeating his reflection of deception.

As I sat and watched as the dog tried to gain the respect he was quickly losing(for he was a cute dog, so I guess he had some respect) a fat imperial pigeon(Ducula aenea)  sitting on a branch of a tree on the edge of the pond caught my eye. A little green bee eater(Merops orientalis) flew onto the branch under it.After a few ‘aggressive’ chirps directed at the imperial pigeon above it, the pigeon in a huff of feathers took off leaving the bee eater contentedly sitting on the branch, it was sitting on a few seconds ago. It made me think. My, how much politics the animal kingdom had. It reminded me of the Sri Lankan parliament.

The land rover finally arrived. We all piled into the land  rover, and waited for the lamprais to arrive. Whilst waiting for them(the cooks) to heat and bring the lamprais, a strange, aromatic smell reached our noses. It smelled of spices and good Sri Lankan food. Every one ‘mmm…’ed and ‘ahhh…’ed with approval until one smart person decided to question what this was.”I wander what they are making?”. Then it finally occurred to us. The LAMPRAIS! I guess they weren’t heating it they were most probably burning it. Finally they came carrying the box of lumprais and a strong smell as well. It didn’t smell that bad, actually the smelled of the smouldering banana leaf was quite good. So we tucked the container under the seat and set off leaving a storm of red dust behind us.

After an extremely uncomfortable five-minute drive that made us all hold our bottoms in pain, we ended up at the Yala Visitor Center. Our guide and driver, Jagath told us that a bear who had injured itself during a fight with a leopard was being treated here for the past four days.He said all of this in a very secretive voice. He also added that no one was allowed to see it and very slowly whispered to us that he would make an exception and let us see it. We all excitedly ran to the room that it was healing in. We looked through the metal bars and saw a large pile of black fur hyperventilating on the floor. It was a sad sight and we all looked at it in sympathy. Next to us a few noisy foreigners were clearly irritating the bear (they weren’t only irritating the bear) starred at it in wide-eyed wonder. Clearly we weren’t the only exception made to witness the poor bear suffering.

We made our way back into the land rover and took off once more. Before we reached the entrance to the park my father told Lahari and kalanie not to talk. They where Sri Lankans who lived in the US, and foreigners had to pay extra to go into the park, and their accent was a clear give away.

After we got through without any problems we all leaned our necks out the land rover watching for any movement. One by one we would escape near blinding by the evil looking crooked branches that seemed to loom out to greet us directly in the face. We passed pea cocks (Pavo cristatus)  and pea hens,and beady eyed jungle fowls (Gallus lafayetii).

We stopped at a large lake filled with a diversity life plodding, poking, pulling, plucking, catching, eating, and indulging themselves in various other activities. There were large flocks of painted storks (Mycteria leucocephala) and black headed ibis (Threskiornis melanocephalus) and a single grey heron(Ardea cinerea) stared into the water unblinking(not that I could see its eyes, but I’m guessing it was getting frustrated). Sand pipes (Calidris ferruginea) and red shanks(Tringa totanus) scuttled along the bank, stopping for a millisecond to peck at the ground, and up above, white breasted sea eagles(Haliaeetus leucogaster) circled over the lake. Buffaloes(Bubalus bubalis) lumbered on the bank of the lake whilst others lay submerged cooling themselves in the murky water with looks of bliss written on their dark muddy faces. On the West of the lake a huge mugger crocodile (Crocodylus Palustris) sun bathed with a grim look on his face.

Whilst we where going Jagath got a message. Apparently someone (who is very lucky) managed to spot a leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya). We drove to the site faster than I thought this land rover was capable of (it looked like it was dug up with a bunch ruins in Egypt). We were on the bank of a small river with two more land rovers. One of the land rovers had a few foreigners and in the other was another foreigner, and a, huge and when I say huge, I mean HUGE!, camera lens. It was roughly my height( okay maybe a head shorter).

After we got over the giant camera lens, we realized we came to see the leopard. We looked every where, but the lepard was out of sight. Until my father finally plucked up the courage to ask Jagath where the leopard was(he had been staring at the trees on the opposite side for a long time. I didn’t even see him blink) Then he pointed into a fork in the network of branches of a tree, and there sat the most sleepiest, laziest, lousiest leopard I have ever seen. I just lazed  on the branch, and all you could see was its large spotted backside. So we waited there in the hot sun for THREE hours just staring at the leopard. It moved only twice during those THREE hours. We finally gave up and told one of the other drivers to inform us when it gets down. At least during that time a sambar (Cervus Unicolor) crossed the road far off, and a family(including the extended family as well) of wild boar (Sus Scrofa) wallowed and snorted in the mud to entertain us.

We went around the area but kept close to the sight of the leopard. To our great disappointment we saw nothing. We then decided to go back and stare at the leopard. When we got there a two more land rovers and car where there as well. The leopard had gone back to its first position. But now our eyes weren’t on the leopard, but on the huge magnificent tusker that was in front of us. After marveling the tusker for two hours or so we saw a golden jackal (Canis aureus) sneakily come out of the bushes. It looked from left to right, took a few more steps and looked left and right again. It then ran to the water and took small and fast sips, turning its head toward the leopards tree and it one short bound it leaped into the water and proceeded to drink more water.

After getting sick of staring at the leopard for two hours again, we went to have lunch. Jagath took us on very narrow and unstable road which made me want to part with my breakfast. But the ride was all worth it. A few minutes later we arrived at a large pool of water which was full the brim with mugger crocodiles(Crocodylus Palustrus). After trying to count how many crocodiles there were, we ended up with around thirty odd crocodiles. The big crocodiles teeth where stained orange, and I doubt it’s because it was chewing on a dozen betel leaves (Piper betle) (known to  Sri Lankans as ‘bulath’). There was one juvenile crocodile that caught my eye. I don’t know, but something about it made it look so cheery and sweet. I wanted to go down and hug it. So I decided to christen it Bashful.We took out the lumpries with our breath held. They looked liked the cooks had poured kerosene oil on them and used it as bon fire. But we still ate them. They had a strange taste, but nothing could spoil my mood. Eating burnt lumpraise in a landrover in front of a pool of crocodiles does great things for your mood.

After departing with the crocodiles, painted storks and adjutant storks (Leptoptilos javanicus) and open bill storks ( Anastomus oscitans) and went to stare at the leopard once more. The leopard and the tusker where still there. There was another addition to the tusker and leopard. A mother elephant and her two little toddlers. They had come for thier afternoon bath. The two baby elephants tumbled and rolled in the water on top of each other. On the other side the tusker was making its move towards the trio. The family disembarked from the murky water and found themselves confronted by the tusker. No one in the land rover knew what was happening behind them until a gusty, wet snort caught us in the head. We all swiveled (except Kalani who was sill gazing at the other foursome) around to find the trunk of a tusker inside the land rover. We all leaned against the side of the land rover with wide eyes. My sister dragged Kalini by the colar and propped her up against the edge of the landrover. She had absolutely no idea what was happening. Its trunk was twisting and turning inside, trying to reach us. We all silently, wide eyed, open mouthed watched in fear as the trunk got closer and closer. Then! Jagath to the rescue!”EH!EH!EH!EH!” He shrieked. The elephant looked at him. I noticed its eyes where red. It backed away. “EEEEEE!EEEEEE!” Jagath shrieked once more. The elephant turned around and walked into the bushes making side way glances at Jagath. Later on we figured out that the elephant most probably wanted the lamprais and not us. The lamprais had a strong stench which attracted the elephant.

We then left the leopard out of fear that the elephant might come out and try to eat us instead of the lamprais. We set off, AGAIN!. This time we came to more greener foresty terrain and we soon arrived at a shallow river. I ran into the cool, clear water. Junst what I needed on this exceptionally hot day. We made a futile attempt to cross the river but the currants where too strong. I stood in the water and felt the fish nipping at my legs. Ahh… I could have waited like that all day, but we had to leave at that very moment. We got into the landrover once more. Whilst going we saw a large serpent eagle (Spilornis  cheela). It looked at us with steely, suspicious eyes and stretched its neck towards us. This was followed by a series of clicking noises coming from the cameras. We left it in that very position.

On the way we saw another tusker.The man with the giant camera lense was there as well, brows furrowed,staring intensely trough the camera at the tusker. For fun, my sister and I opened up the box of lumpries. The air as filled with the aroma of spices. The man in the other land rover the mans nose started to twitch. The smell was radiating through the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the now quite pungent smell did not reach the tusker.

Whilst going Jagath got a call. “ah hari”. Translation:”Oh, Okay”. He revved the engine and we where all flung backward. We asked Jagath what had happened and he replied “Thiviya. Gahen Bahala. Than evithinava”. Translation “The leopard. It got down from the tree. Its walking now.”. We all shouted at the top of our lungs “hayiyen Yannako!”. Translation “Go FAST!”. We finally arrived at a fairly large, murky pond. There was no sign of the leopard. There where now close to seven land rovers, and more just kept on coming. We stood up on the seats, and peered out over the land rover. We waited for ten minutes impatiently. Then from the thicket the famous spotted pattern came into visible. The leopard has arrived. It walked up and onto the bund doing a cat walk. To everyone’s extreme annoyance an Indian boy said “Oh that is a leopard papa!”. Rebecca and I simultaneously said “Shut Up You Idiot!”. By that time, the leopard had walked to the other side and slipped away into the bush. In a shower of sand that left us all  coughing the land rovers took off in a hurry.I had happened to be standing on the seat when Jagath took off in a hurry. I was holding on for dear life.

It was a wild goose chase. We went all around Yala, competing with the foreigners. We went back to the old place. The leopard was in the tree again! Then we realized that that was a different leopard. I was still standing on the seat gasping for breath after being tossed around, when once again jagath sent me flying. We then found ourselves in a thicket. We leaned out as much as possible and stared into the shrubbery with leopards on our minds. There was another land rover in front of us that took off the very instance my sister, Rebeca and I saw a few cheetal deer (Axis axis) leap across the road like lightning. It was too late Jagath had already driven after the other land rover in a hurry.

We then came to a small water open area surrounded by trees. Jagath was tired. We all were. So we waited a little whilst rejuvenating  ourselves. A few land rovers that passed us stopped so see why we had stopped, waiting on the side of the road. My sister and I pretended to stare into the under growth and point. The foreigners in the other land rovers stopped and stared as well. We all laughed at them. All except Rebeca who was protesting.

Jagath looked at his phone and in a second we were off once more, leaving the foreigners still staring into the bushes. All of a sudden we where on a high road. Around us was a small pond that was surrounded by fertile, bright green grass. A few trees stood solitary in the middle, surrounded by a forest of trees. Buffaloes and deer were grazing peacefully, mongooses scampered about, trying to eat each other and painted storks waded in the water. And at that very moment, the buffaloes looked up, the deer looked up the mongooses looked up and the painted storks congregated to a corner of the clearing, and yes, they looked up as well.

Out from behind a tree it came. It walked out gracefully towards center. Every animal backed away. The  mongoose was the one who started it all. In attempt to be polite it incredibly stupidly skipped up to the leopard with what looked like a smile on its narrow face. After it was about one foot away from the leopard, the leopard sprang into the air on top of the mongoose. The mongoose narrowly escaped, now running, but the leopard was sprinting after it with incredible speed. A shriek was heard and the mongooses limp body now hung from the leopards mouth. The leopard went behind a tree, and with an act of pure sympathy it let the mongoose run free.

The leopard then walked toward the water. It slowly sipped at the water eying the buffaloes who where watching its every move. The leopards eyes landed on a small buffalo. The others noticed and hid it behind the herd protecting it from the leopards. The larger buffaloes where now approaching the leopard, and to every ones surprise all the painted storks with their head held high approached the leopard as well. The leopard and the buffaloes exchanged words. The conversation ended with a loud wail from the buffalo. The leopard turned around and ran off into the bushes. There was a short pause. All the animals(including Homo Sapien Sapien) stared intently into the bushes that the leopard exited through. There was a loud revving and we turned around and drove as fast as possible. The leopard was about to cross the road and we would have front seat tickets to see it. We saw the leopard on one side and then waited. A few second later we saw it on the other side. We all took our cameras. It sounded like rain. All the cameras were clicking, like the leopard was a celebrity. Then put our cameras and binos down and laughed. The leopard didn’t cross the road. It went under the road!

I don’t know why us humans pompously try to show off. Homo Sapien Sapien. Wise man. I think not. Animals are so intelligent! We ignorant people refuse to recognize it. We are too busy with our heads in the clouds to notice how amazing animals are. The chimpanzees have their own tools to gather food. We didn’t give them the tools. They themselves watching no one made them and use them successfully. Crows are known to crack nut shells via traffic by dropping them onto roads and waiting till cars run over them. Jays are known to sit on ants nests so as to get  bathed in formic acid a natural pesticide. The leopards method of getting to the other side of the road is yet another form of evidence to the intelligence we refuse to recognize. Animals are beautiful and intelligent people. Therefore we must respect them.
A pleasant end to a pleasant day!

Hope this post was enjoyed!

-Flit

Aussie and I: part 4

So very very very very very very very… sorry for not being able to finish this. Its been a tough school term and also a quite enjoyable one too.

Place: Our friends place, Sydney, Australia

Time: 7.30

Date: 26.12.09

I woke up, took a bath, brushed my teeth and had my breakfast(LCM Bars).My sister, father, mother and Uncle Steff loaded into the car.We where going to drop my mother and sister at the Victoria Basement to indulge themselves in what they are good at. You can probable guess what it is its pretty easy (Shopping). Thank fully I wouldn’t be tagging along with them bored to death from staring at clothes the whole day.

After the ten minute drive to Victoria Basement the plan was to let my mother and sister go and get whatever they may please (this time it consisted mostly of glass ware and porcelain , come back and load their ten pound burden into the car (it would be hard to take it on the train so we would take it back home) and drive off. According to my calculations it would all take 40 minutes. Ten minutes to drive there, Twenty minutes waiting for the happy party in the mall and ten minutes for our way back home. Unfortunately our 40 minute trip became a one hour wait. No matter how long we waited we couldn’t get my mother out of there, and it was only to put the stuff back! God, where we furious when out came the shoppers with their hefty load casually walking as slow to their heart’s content.

It took a another two hours of driving to get back. No matter how many times with persisted with horns and toots the traffic jam stubbornly waited in suspended animation only moving an inch a minute. So out of boredom we stopped at a small cozy looking empty Indian restaurant with only one man managing the place. We bought naan, chicken curry, paneer (cottage cheese) and for myself a pakora.

Once we got back we had lunch. The house hold became silent as every one took of to bed to have s short nap. As it is quite a cold day I had doubts that it would be a ‘short’ nap. So I ran to my room grabbed my mothers shawl and my Artemis Fowl book. I draped myself in the shawl and not a part of me was visible except my face that faced the book that lie open on the floor. I was hardly recognizable, and when uncle Steff came into the sitting room he tried to pick up the lump of shawl that sat on the floor like a mini shawl mountain. When he tried to do so, he suddenly took a step back due to the sudden protests that erupted from it:)

There is one thing that I have to tell you. I finished the Artemis Fowl series! Now I am a fully fledged Artemis Fowl expert. I know Gnomish too. That is a language the inhuman characters in the book (other than demons) use. All I had to do was read the two graphic novels that came out. Not only that but I had to wait agonizingly till July 2010 when the seventh book comes out(The Atlantic Complex).Oh God I can’t wait!:)

Place: ” “

Time: 7.30

Date: 27.12.09

Once agin I woke up groggy. I ran to the shower before my sister could, changed, went down stairs and downed a LCM Bar.Is it me or is this place freeeeeeezing  I ran upstairs and put on the longest jeans I could find and put on a long-sleeved T Shirt. I put my jacket on and zipped it up fully so no warmth could escape, but… It was still cold as ever possible. this is the coldest and cloudiest day I faced in Aussie. I have never been this cold. Summer, Swummer!By god that was a lie! Humph!

So Uncle Steff then drove us to the train station form which we went to some strange place. Then through the ‘Family Funday’ Package (It lets you go on a bus, a ferry or train the whole day one ticket) we went to Circular city. I wasnt sure where we were going but I was pretty sure it was shopping. ;( Awwww… Not again! We stopped by some souvenir shops but we didn’t buy much other than a cute looking soft toy echidna . After walking a long way we passed a lot of malls which my mother and sister pleaded to go and ‘see’( I’m sure about that). But my father (to my relief) put his foot down and so we continued our endless journey by foot

And then out of the blue hidden beneath the dense thicket of humans it became clear what our destination was. I ran up the stairs mouth wide open in surprise and leaned against the sail inspired structure just to be sure this was not dream. Yes, there’s no doubt about it. The grand, the majestic, the amazing, the stupendous Sydney Opera House! I went round and round and leaned on the edge of the railings and watched the ferry’s go by carrying their bustling passengers. Far ahead I spied the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Only slightly was it visible because of the thick fog that lingered throughout the Atmosphere.

Later on after we gazed starstruck at the Opera House we made our way into the hustling bustling crowd that led us to a ferry. we clambered on as fast as we could and took our seats. The wind was strong and almost knocked us of our feet. We passed the Sydney Harbor Bridge and stopped at Taronga Zoo. We found new seats on the ferry, and because my father insisted we sat right near the propeller, and I thought to myself  “Hmm.. Sounds exiting so I might as well do so and sit like a good little girl. After all it’s not going to kill you?”

I made a terrible mistake. It just narrowly killed me. It was freezing.  I felt like I was stuffed in the freezer of a fridge. The water on the propeller sprayed us and each drop stung like a needle digging into my skin. My eyes burned and watered as I strained to open them to get a look of the surrounding.

Once the ferry reached the land I jumped of as fast as I could and praised the lord that I didn’t die. later on my mother and sister had another one of their constant urges to splurge and hit the shops. My father and I walked to the four seasons hotel and waited till Uncle Steff came to pick us up. We were taken to Scotty’s (Uncle Steffs son) apartment (a.k.a The crows nest) to assemble it. It was small and cozy. The best part was that it had a fluffy carpet you could squish your toes in. Uncle Steff and my father tried to assemble the bed.

So Aunty Giana and I went looking for a book shop. It was a pretty lonely neighbour hood and all the stores we thought where bookshops had CD’s and old records, So we made our way over to Wooly’s and bought some rice crackers and juice boxes for lunch. Once we arrived at the apartment the bed was assembled and Uncle Steff was busy at work vacume cleaning the apartment whilst Scotty grabbed a juice box and some rice crackers and slumped down on the first chair he saw and watched his father with a hint of smugness to his face.

Later we left Scotty to roam around his apartment all alone, and left to his own devices. Later when I went home I too was left to my own devices when Leasha arrived. I have to admit at the beginning before I came I couldn’t help being anxious. I wondered I would be bored. Chubba can’t come every day. The last option was Leasha. I wasnt sure about her because she’s far older than me and I was afraid she would think I’m an annoying little girl. To my surprise it turned out quite the opposite. she and I talked a lot. She knew all the fast food joints, what to get, what not to get. She knew all the prices, what was worth buying and what was a total ripoff. The best thing about her is that she’s very very fun.

Leasha took me to Wooly’s and bought me stuff like granola bars and extra buttery microwave popcorn for tonight. Then we drove away to McDonald’s and she bought me an ice cream with crushed Oreo’s called a McFluffy or McFlurry. All in all it was amazing. So far everything Leasha has  force into my mouth was beyond fantastic.From granola bars, to ice cream she hasn’t failed a bit

That night my parents, Uncle Steff and Aunty Giana where to go to dinner. I was determined not to end up like Christmas. So my sister and I would be at home and Leasha was our baby sitter. So my sister and I sat curled up on the couch watching TV and eating bake pizza that Leasha bought us from Wooly’s. Because Leasha was having a conversation with one of her friends in her room My sister and I went upstairs and made the Extra buttery popcorn. It was like heaven on Earth. the popcorn was dripping with golden drops of buttery happiness as for us? We where positively delighted by the result .

My sister ad I stayed up for a long time aimlessly eating popcorn and watching stupid movies. I was happy that none of them where the soppy ones with dead lovers and breakups and divorces and heart breaks… I hate them. They seem very very pathetic and stupid. We watched ‘The Bee Movie’ . It was quit entertaining, funny at times but a bit stupid. My favourite character was an extremely minor one that came at the very end. The mosquito played by Chris Rock and a jolly fellow was he.

It was around one thirty or two when we went to sleep but as I thought when I wrote my journal entry tonight one thought gave a sickish feeling in my stomach. Oh well I’ll tell you about it tomorrow. For now good Night but I should actually say Good Morning ZZZzzzzzz…

Place:Our Friends Place, Sydney, Australia

Time:7.30

Date: 28.12.09

Remember the sickish feeling I had last night? Well it was the fact that I would be leaving Aussie day after tomorrow ;( I really didn’t want to leave. Chubba was going to stay for about two months. I doubt I would see her in school for a long time. Shes going to have a lot of work to copy down when she comes back from Aussie. About two and a half (maybe more) weeks worth of work to be copied down in a matter of few days.

That was the thought that made me extremely groggy. Not only that but our plans of going to Jervis bay were canceled due heavy rains throughout the area. At least having Chubba around would raise my spirits even a little bit. I was going to go to Jervis bay with her but we couldn’t. Unfortunately Aunty Mano and my mother got together and decided to go shopping.Chubba and I where highly disappointed. Fortunately what saved us from the endless trips the mall changing room was the new movie AVATAR. It was newly released and fortunately the Miranda shopping mall ahs a theatre. And get this neither Chubba or I had seen it. Best of all it was 3D. The movie was three hours long but we could manage. My sister, probably sick of shopping wanted to come with us. Once we bought the ticket and went in we put n our glasses and got ready. My sister glanced at the ticket for a second and shouted out “Oh God. What did I get myself into?!” After inquiring about this it seemed that she obviously didn’t know it was three hours long.

It was quite a nice movie. Unfortunately the 3D part of it wasnt much and the end was sort of soppy and all that. And again we were draggged into the shops for a little bit of shopping. Fortunately a bit. Then we stopped by a Lindt shop for some ice cream and scones that my mother spied in her Oprah magazine and waited for my the dads to pick us up. We arrived to the greeting of  Shiana who had come from a day of work at the Four Seasons Hotel (!).

That night we stayed up till two thirty in the morning watching The Disaster Movie! Hilarious movie it was! We then went to bed quite sad. This would be the last time I would be able to see Chubba in a long time. We said bye and parted our ways.

Place: Our friends place, Sydney, Australia

Time: 7.30

Date: 29.12.09

I was angry, groggy, nervous, anxious, and most of all groggy. Oh god! tomorrow we leave Aussie! So that means I would make the best of today. One of my dreams here was unfulfilled. It was to visit Bondi Beach. I was exited now because I was given that chance to do so.. We all got in the the car and stopped by Engadine to drop my mother because she insisted that she needed one last trip to replenish her memory of what heaven looked like. The rest went to Bondi. I had seen the ever crowded Bondi with its sights and sounds shown and the salty smell(about that, that was described to me) of the waves as it crashed onto the shore and licked it affectionately like a loving puppy.

About a houres drive later we arrived at Bondi. My sisters ever existing need for shoes got the better of her as she saw the million little shoe shops awaiting her on the side-walk. One pair of shoes was all she needed but she was very specific about it. A black pair of high heals that where pointed at the end. Something like what business women wear. So from store to store we went trying to find it. Alas! it was not to be found.

Now it was my turn. I dragged them to the beach I badly wanted to see. the crowd around us where chatting, shouting, playing games, sun bathing and ah… lets just say more. We ran to the water ready to get wet in warm saltness . As soon as we got into the water we where out. Good Lord it was freezing! Beyond cold. I was afraid I had frost bite from the five seconds I had in the water.

My sister and I shivered in the souvenir shop and bought some T Shirts to remember Bondi and shivered over to the Movenpick ice cream shop. We then made our way to the car but we stopped right in our tracks. Up in the sky a small dot was making a vapour trail, sending us a message. “Bondi NYE Shore Thing” people stopped to gaze at the mysterious message in the sky. Some people hooted and laughed behind us whilst pointing at the it. I guessed it was some party on Bondi beach. I saw the advertisement on TV. The Bondi New Years Eve Shore Thing it was called. But I wouldn’t be here on New Years Eve or the new year I would be on my way home and at home.

And so We made our way back. I made sure to take everything in and make some memories of my trip to Australia. We picked up my mother from Engadine and she watched it wistfully as we passed it. At home I took a wash and packed all my clothes. Everyone felt quite melancholy while packing.

Then I went to the kitchen to help Leasha order Thai Food for dinner. My sister and I sat down and ate in the kitchen with Leasha and Scotty and talked as much as we could. I felt sad to leave Aussie.Later on when my sister and I where watching TV Leasha joined us and we played the music game on MTV.We talked a lot and later on when we where going to bed we each gave Leasha a big hug (because apparently she was too lazy to get up in the morning and say bye)and went to bed sad and disappointed about tomorrow.

Place:Our Friends place, Sydney, Australia(and possibly for the last time)

Time: 5.30

Date: 29.12.09

I woke up took a wash gathered my belongings and made my way to the garage.  My family, Uncle Steff,Aunty Giana and Scotty waited for me to come down. I felt sad and nervous. I hugged Uncle Steff and Aunty Giana and said bye to Scotty then got into the car. Uncle Steff drove us to the airport and we got down and put our luggage on the trolleys. We said a loud and funny (I knew every one was disappointed about the fact that we where leaving and so where we) goodbye to Uncle Steff  and rolled our trolleys away. After all the luggage checking and scrutinizing at the small stores we went to the lounge. After a longtime me finally got onto the plane. Well folks this is the end of my journey to the wild little continent called Australia, and as I looked out of the window watching the runway fly by I remembered everything this country holds for me to explore the next time. Oh I’m not stopping here. No way is that happening. I will come back and there will be far more adventure than before

- From your friend Flit

Aussie and I: part 3

Place: Our friends place, Sydney, Australia

Time:7.30

date: 23.12.09

I woke up, took a shower and ate my breakfast (LCMBars). Later we all piled into the car (except Aunty Giana) and drove away into nothingness. The nothingness turned out to be Uncle Steffs friends apartment. Up the elevator we went. I didn’t know what to expect. Every thing was soo… so… CLASSY. Gold. All the railings and other things where gold and floor of the elevator was touched up with a red carpet. We finally got to their apparent door and did a small knock. I walked inside. Their apartment was fit for a king.  Red black and white was the theme.  I walked out into the balcony. The view was breath-taking. Not only was the fact that Channel 7 was right in front but it had the whole view of the Darling harbor.

Later on we went back down. We took a long walk to only god knows where. No matter how many times I asked it’s either no reply or “wait will you. You will like it” . After a long walk we stopped. I did not like the look of the bright blue board with yellow writing. You probably don’t want to know but I shall tell you any way.The board said …. SYDNEY FISH MARKET. Now I don’t eat any meat other than chicken or cuttle fish. That pretty much means that I don’t eat fish. So now I have to make my way through a pile of disgusting and putrid smelling fish and to tell you not a pile but stores and stores of my fellow marine friends. By saying they are my friends I do not even want to look at their poor dried (not necessarily dried but covered in a pool of their own blood and guts)   carcasses.

Now I hesitantly held my nose and braved my way into a smelly battlefield my scaly and scalopy friends all over the place limp, tortured and most already dead. After two stores of torture we headed off to the Grand Central fish market? Ha Ha. I got you there. It’s just the big and main fish market of all. You find many stalls that not only sell half the worlds marine life but other colours and colours of flowers, berries and alcohol.

My family, Uncle Steff and our friends and I managed to find a table and ran and “plonked” ourselves down before any one else could. After getting ourselves settled Uncle Steff , my sister and I made our way through the dense crowd of humans, crustaceans and fins, and also feather (sea gulls would stand next to people looking very innocent and strike. No worries I shall come to a more detailed description later). I came across a beautiful shelled creature called the New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel. It was a gray shell with a very prominent dull green on the edge of the shell otherwise known as the lip. Many things happened whilst we went to get our food which was fried cuttle fish rings, or calamari rings as the Aussies call it and vegetable fried rice. We also grabbed a few more things such as sea weed salad and a few of those disgusting OYSTERS I would have appreciated the one that was alive and to make my statement more accurate alive in its natural habitat.

We made our way through the wide entrance built that way for good reason.Leaving a wake of havoc and pungent smells of the dead soldiers on a battle field of pure evilness and sat down with the rest of our crowd. I immediately took the vegetable fried rice and ate it to make it clear that this was what I was going to eat now and nothing else, and when I mean nothing I mean nothing else!. I peered over the fence and into the translucent waters of the Darling Harbor. A few wiggles and jiggles in the water informed me that at least some form of life lived here. I almost thought that all the fish here were dished out on plates ready to be served, batter fried, deviled or extinction which is your pick?

Amidst my thought a seagull landed in front of me and looked at me in such an innocent way, but one of those incidents inside the Grand Central Fish Market recalled and I quickly chased it away with a quick wave of my hand. In the GCFM a man was sitting down with two bags which consisted of fish and in his hand was another small zip lock bag with bit of dried fish which he threw to the sea gulls who ate it contentedly. Unfortunately for the man one seagull wasn’t content enough and went towards other two larger bags and pulled out a fish. The man turned around to find the seagull was pulling in his fish.  The seagull in its haste tripped on the second bag thus emptying it of its contents  which was a lot oysters which fell over and created a huge spill of mashed up guts!

My sister gingerly picked up one of those horrible oysters and looked at it hesitantly  “Eat it Akki” said my father in a mocking tone, but still trying to be encouraging. “MMMHHHH…” Said my sister who then opened her mouth and tipped the oyster whose guts then fell into her mouth like snot from someone who had a very very bad cold. ” aaaaaaaachk” she squealed with disgust. “What did it taste like?’ I asked looking disgusted. “Ssnottt!” She answered. I slowly ate my meal in silence fearing that my parents would persuade me to eat one of the oysters.

Finally the battle was over and we headed back to the apartment and took a small break . After this break my mother went shopping for cake utensils with Uncle Steff as a guide, whilst my father, my sister and I went to the Darling harbor aquarium. It was quite entertaining. There was a really big salty (Salt water crocodile(Crocodylus porosus))  who just stayed in one place and stared at every one and looked as if to be saying no, no too much fat! Nah too bony, yuck! too hairy. At one point he looked at a little boy and probably had the same thought as I did. Eeeewww! that’s too gross to eat. The little boy stuck his finger up his nose and wiggled it a bit. Then he took it out and looked at it. He then frowned and stuck his finger up his nose and continued to wiggle it then took it out. I guess he had hit his jackpot because of the self-satisfied look on his face and stuck his finger into his mouth.

We also saw quite a strange platypus.  The enclosure which was up to the brim with water and exotic plants of Australia planted here and there, had a giant log with a hole in it. This hole faced those faces of young and old exited and just so very bored . The platypuses brown face hung out of the hole and it just stared at us. then with one slight jerk it swam with a wake of foamy white bubbles. Was it just me or did it fart? Maybe id did. Well now that’s quite a story to tell when I get back!

So then we journeyed off back home tired, Sweaty and relieved to get through this day without eating an oyster (well that’s what I was thinking). After a dinner which was eaten with a lot of gratefulness I headed off to bed. Eager to get a good nights sleep, I immediately fell asleep with my mind in a wonder of what was to come the next day.

Place:” “

Time: 7.30

Date:24.12.2009

“Nanga wake up Thathi said the rainbow birds have come”  My mother said trying to wake me up but failing to do so. I slowly mumbled to myself “Rainbow birds?” Hmmm… It rang a bell.  Rainbow what? Rainbow bus! nope not that, Rainbow tractors? No way that just sounds weird. Maybe rainbow lorries. Huh! That sounds close. What if you add a ‘keets’ to it? RAINBOW LORIKEETS!(Trichoglossus haematodus)

I sprang up from my water-bed with excitement an ran to the balcony as fast as my feet could carry me. At the balcony there was a small railing made of wood to stop people from falling off. Onto this wooden railing was a small metal pot that had been nailed into it by Uncle Steff. The purpose of this is to put bird seed in it so any one who happens to be there gets to enjoy Aussies beautiful bird splendor.

Uncle Steff and my father where already there waiting for me with bird seed in their hand. I silently poured the bird seed in my hand. There they where. On the pot where two squat parrot like creatures. Their small crimson (but very very sharp) beak (as I got to know during the later part of the day),their head was a blue violet like colour, their breast was lit up by shades of yellow-red and orange much like fire and their wings were painted a beautiful bright green.

I walked towards the birds slowly and cautiously not wanting to look like some thing that was about to gobble them up in an instant. As I took one last step forward they started screaming shrilly at the top of their voices, but after crooning some nice words I knew they wouldn’t understand, they grew accustomed to me. I still hadn’t taken a wash or eaten breakfast, and I wasn’t in a rush to do so either. by now they where eating from my hand and I was very pleased about that. Unfortunately this was too good to be true and tragedy struck. The first blow came I tried to hold it back, Honestly I tried but it came. “haah…haah…hachoo!” The poor birds reeled backwards not knowing what hit them. At least it didn’t scare them away. Behind me Uncle Steff was laughing away. Oh noo here comes the second one.  I tried and tried. I could feel the pressure in my nose and… HACHOOO!!!! The birds screeched shrilly and took off in seconds.

I turned around with a sad and glum look of defeat on my face . I disappointingly lugged myself upstairs and took a bath. At breakfast I had to sit through Uncle Steff recalling this incident to every one at the table. Laughter bored into my head, but as it did I realized the humor in it and laughed with them too. “crept up to them like Sherlock Holmes and sneezed like Uncle whene when he’s snoring” said Uncle Steff pointing at my father.

Today for breakfast I decided that without eating the usual LCMbars I would eat some thing interesting. Wooly’s ( the nick name we gave to the big supermarket called Woolworth) has a lot of cool food that I have never set my eyes on before, because of this Aunty Giana and Uncle Steff went shopping before our arrival and brought back the whole store for us!. So I got up from my chair and went over to the cupboard and started my search. After a few minutes of rummaging in there some thing caught my eye. A blue can of spaghetti. At the pack of the can where the serving suggestions which I always tend to look at on almost all food items like my fathers oats. Spaghetti on toast. Interesting.

It took the can out and got a piece of toast and a can opener and popped it open. Then took the can and poured its contents onto the toast.By now the toast was soggy and heavy after absorbing all the tomato sauce and carrying all that spaghetti. Even though it was messy I was very much content with my brand new find. Not only was I happy with my breakfast, but so was Uncle Steff (“Nanga that is a great idea”). After eating my very own innovation I quickly washed the tomato sauce that surrounded my mouth like a bright red beard.

I went down stairs to sit in the room right in front of the balcony. I switched don the TV and watched The Bee Movie. After a little Leasha( Uncle Steff and Aunty G’s daughter) came and sat with me. Leasha can be great fun she knows everything about Aussie where to shop for clothes(Not that it interests me), all the fast food joints, what to get from McDonald’s and what to buy from the super market. The whole day I spent on the balcony and on the couch watching MTV and trying to name songs and artists that were played on TV before Leasha could. Quite interesting and great fun.

Much to the relief of my most guilt nose the lorikeets came back. I managed to get them accustomed to me. They ate from my hand and by the end of the day I could manage to rub their bellies for a few seconds, but victory is not achieved after no practice. Through out the day I would go and pester the poor birds to eat out of my hand, but I couldn’t just get away with pestering them. I got nipped very hard by their fiery little beaks. I must admit that I did deserve it. So by the end of the day my finger was a rosy red colour with bite marks that stung like a thousand bullets ants behind stuck in them!

And so after dinner I went to the toilet and brushed my teeth and said good night to the lovely leopard like slug who inhabits out bath room.  Good night every one! I can’t wait for tomorrow, and so Merry…!Zzzz

Place: ” “

Time:7.00

Date: You Bet! Merry Christmas Everyone!! 25.12.2009

I woke up as early as possible and took a wash and got ready to shred that wrapping paper. Once everyone was ready we all gathered under the red Christmas tree and started tearing, unwrapping and in my case shredding. This Christmas I got a pair of head phones which you can change the colour of and to my sheer delight I got the fifth book of Artemis Fowl ( Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony, By Eoin (pronounced Owen Colfer). As I came to Aussie the fourth and sixth book of Artemis Fowl was waiting for me I had managed to finish the fourth one and was onto sixth book without reading the fifth. By now I was in the middle of the book not understanding a word. I realized that I very dearly needed to read the fifth book and now I can!

After a little while I got ready to go. Today we where going to another one Uncle Steffs and Aunty G’s  friends houses for Christmas. The adults where to go with Uncle Steffs other car and my sister, Scotty, Leasha and I would be in the other car and Leasha would be our driver. She had burned a CD with her favorite songs and played it in the car . The whole trip we heard “All I want for Christmas is you” by Mariah Carey. I’m very sorry but there’s no point in talking about the rest of the because we didn’t do anything. Every one was in Leasha’s age group (20 odd years old)  I didn’t know what to do, so once we calculated the time difference of Sri Lanka and Aussie we called our grand mothers house and talked to all our cousins and others. At the end of the year on Christmas we have an annual party at my grand mothers. All our cousins and relatives gather and play. We have Christmas lunch and the highly anticipated Christmas log for desert, and at the end of the day we open our presents! I very dearly wished I was there because I was bored to death here, and badly needed company   At least at the end of the day before we left we got a lot of presents! Merry Christmas Everyone!!

- Flit!

Aussie and I:part 2

Place:Our friends house, Sydney, Australia!!

Time: 7.00

Date: 19.12.09

I woke up in the blistering, frosty morning, groggy and angry. I set off to wash and change. At breakfast we planned out the day’s schedule. “Giana and I will go to Miranda’s” was the first thing I heard my mother say for the day. ‘Oh no, Here we go again!’. “ahh nanga and I can go to the … NATIONAL PARK!” Said  Uncle Steff who I eternally thank. ” A national park?, in Sydney?” I asked ” Yup, The oldest I think. Royal national park”.

After the discussion Aunty Giana, My mother and sister went like stampeding zebras towards the malls, armed with wallets, money and credit cards. Uncle Steff, my father and I went to the Royal National Park armed with parrot seed, binoculars, a book of birds of Aussie and hats.Royal national park, the most cleanest, oldest and coolest! National Park on earth. Now I came here to see the vast amount of bird life. Example:- Rosella’s, cokies (cockatoos), King parrots and the beautiful liar birds.Unfortunately the only thing we saw where cokies and a pair of  fat ducks that ate parrot seed.

We got back after picking our parents up (I think the trunk of the car is broken after their trip). I took a wash and excitedly paced the door. Then “ding, dong!” the sound of the door bell rang throughout the house. Finally Chubba has been summoned here to join me at this awesome, cool place. I opened the door to be greeted by Aunty Mano, Shiana and Chubba. Finally!For dinner we had BBQ! specially cooked by Uncle Steff.

After dinner Chubba and I went for a walk to see the Christmas decorations that lit up the houses and the dark night air. The house across us was.. was … made me speechless!. Lights covered every inch of the garden and house. Floats of Christmas kangaroos, santa’s little reindeer and sled dogs. One was a big float that was the shape of a house but for the front of the house was netting and inside the house was a merry-go-round and Santa, Rudolf and a small sled dog revolved on seats around a small pole. A huge float of a snow man highly excited Chubba and I. It’s tummy was an igloo, and its head would get submerged in its huge tummy then pop out. Chubba froze. Stared… and then ran towards the house screaming. I ran after her telling her that it was a stupid float and it’s not going to come alive(I’m sorry frosty, but you have to face the truth some day) After a quick toilet trip we proceeded our walk after I calmed Chubba down.

At least we made a bit more progress. let me tell you the exciting ethic on how Chubba and I got scared on the road and ran up like mad people. We walked down the road and peered into gardens. On our way we where telling each other ghost stories. Chubba mentioned about ghosts and so we started our conversation. Whilst Chubba was talking about a very interesting, scary story, we where going round the bend. A leaf blew past us. Chubba look at me, I looked at her “Ahhh!” Chubba hollered at the top of her voice, “Ahhh!” I followed. We ran faster than a cheetah on Gatorade( Gatorade is an energy drink). We arrived at the house white as the water of marble beach at Trincomalee, laughing and panting for air. After a long night of BBQ, Scares(umm, that was soo much more than a scare!) and T.V we all hit the sack at 1.30!

Place” “

Time: 7.30

Date:20.12.09

After a wash, Change and breakfast We piled our luggage and ourselves in Uncle Steffs car. Now you maybe wondering where we are going with our luggage? Maybe we are going back? Ahh don’t worry there are plenty more adventures, This trip isn’t over yet! We are now going to Canberra. The drive was three hours but I fell asleep through the whole thing except when we almost ran over an echidna where I was flung at the seat across me. All the echidna did was stare and itch his ear and walk off.

Finally we got to the hotel. I was grouchy and sleepy and pleading for more sleep. That was until I heard the word QuestAcon. QuestAcon is a science center for kids, and it is situated in Canberra. Fortunately I was right there. So we made our way to the land of my dreams(at last).At QuestAcon the first exhibit we went through was the dinosaur exhibit.It was very cool. The dinosaurs moved in their cages. A stegosaurus tail almost met my back if I didn’t jump out-of-the-way soon enough. Ok, next stop! This was the best from all the exhibits.It had so many stuff I can only tell you a few. One was where you stood behind a screen and on the other side and a colourful you will appear on the other side. Another one was where you went into a dark place with a greenish tinge to it. You had to stand behind another screen and then press the button on your right. Then the machine would count down and at the end you had to strike any pose that satisfies you. When you do so it would flash and your shadow would stick to the screen! Another was a hollow frame that looked like the mirrors that you would get in the changing rooms of celebrities. First you would have to select an instrument on the small screen at the bottom.For example, a piano. Then you wold just move your hand inside the frame. Hey presto instant music!

Next Stop.Weather report. We came into a room where a big dark glass room was situated onto the right. Next to it was a small screen. “count down for lightning’ it said. Eight agonizing minutes more!. But we could do a lot till that. We went to look around and every moment I would put a look at The screen and see how much more time was left. Five minutes. Long time more. So my parents, my sister and I set off across the room and stumbled across and ‘Earth Quake House’ The line was open as we came and some we where the first to go. Apparently this room was supposed to simulate an earth quake. My family and many more piled up into a small square with a railing to protect us from I.F.O (Identifiable Flying Objects). Around us was a cozy Australian kitchen. One of the people from QuestAcon came and pressed a button. The T.V in front flickered into life. This in today an earthquake measured on the Richter scale at nine … Then suddenly the ground would start to quiver (partly from my excitement). Then a cupboard flew open packets of cereal and other junk fell out of it. The lights that began to flicker completely died out. Another cupboard sprang open more I.F.O’s where sprinting across the room. The fridge door was brought to life and opened by the earthquake hand (“Feel my wrath” is what it would say if an earthquake could talk). You could hear power lines being broken and sparks of electricity flew out towards us from every corners. Only the railings could protect us from ending up like a turkey on a thanks giving table. then comes the big finally… Crack!… CREEK then the wall on the right was split open like a real turkey on the thanksgiving table (now I know what the stuffing feels life). The lights came on and the wall was back to normal. We ran out  of the room and checked the lightning count down. Just in time… 6,5,4,3,2,1 … Zing!!!! A Great, Dazzling lights danced across the room, lighting it up with splendor.After the great lightning show it was time to leave my house of dreams. Noooooo… I will miss you immensely dear QuestAcon.

We made our way to a small shop here we bought tickets to some strange thing. We opened the shop back door and went speechless almost immediately. Small toy houses with small people. I know you must be thinking “uuurrmm… I don’t think that’s very entertaining, let alone making me speechless”. Well let me tell you what made me go speechless. Churches, Rugger matches house holds with gardens with children playing cricket, castles from different nationalities, piers with boats of all kinds, ferries, ships and even the Stonehenge. We walked round and round the world of miniature marvels. The castles where around two feet and had amazing details from almost every country. And from rooftop to roof top the cable cars slid slowly and sluggishly at the touch of the red button on the side.

After a tiring day of sight-seeing we retired to the hotel and fell a sleep only to be woken up again to get ready to go for dinner. We ordered a taxi and set off to Uncle Steffs friends house. On our way my eyes where showered in delight as Rosella and Galah’s (Eolophus roseicapilla) flew past us and over our heads. Dinner was nice then we got back to the hotel and put a nice, good sleep .

Place: Some Hotel, Canberra

Time:7.30

Date: 22.12.09

That morning I woke up surprised and a bit disappointed. surprised because I didn’t wake up groggy and temper activated , but then again disappointed because we where leaving Canberra. I took a wash and change and gathered my ‘worldly goods’ (taken from Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery). We went down stairs and got to the car. I fell asleep again only to be woken up two times. One to see the road kill kangaroo and to get down at McDonald’s cafe or Mc cafe for breakfast.

As I got home I changed into a pair of shorts and an Everglades t-shirts that lit up in sunlight. The fact I wore this t-shirt is because there was plenty of sun to light it up. Not to mention the sweltering summer air that explains the reason  for wearing shorts. We gather camera, camcorders and other thingamabobs and got back into the car. A five minute drive later and we arrived at Symbio Zoo. first we got to the counter and got two small white bags fresh, green “GRASS?” My sister asked. I had an idea of what would happen.

And so we proceeded. First the birds. A sulfur crested cockatoo caught my eye. I used to have one called Pappy who could say a few words. I wondered up to the cockatoo. “hello, hello, hello” was shrieked repeatedly in my ear to my horror as I clutched my left ear in pain. Rainbow lorikeets dazzled the place with their  multicoloured feathers. A strange faced frog mouth bird peered from its perch as if suspicious of some one. Then every thing goes quiet. An amazing, stupendous, fantastic and most of all beautiful albino pea cock strutted past me, head high feathers up and all. And then the silence was ruined “HELLO”. I had forgotten about the cockatoo I was standing next to. Apparently it grew really impatient for a reply.

Later we fond the kangaroos. I took out one bag of grass and put some in my hand. An old mother Kanga with her lovable little(actually big)baby in her pouch hopped up to me and dove straight into the food without missing a beat. I saw my sister too enjoying the company of these greedy guzzlers. They are extremely greedy and one almost ran off with the bag stuck on her snout.  We walked around and saw the koalas. The only way to describe them is, Over Weight Victoria Secret Fashion Models. The poses they put on show even any model can’t strut! After a short reptile show we went back. And you probably know the rest…

From Flit

Still some more to go …

Aussie and I, Part 1

At nine fifteen p.m everyone except my sister where sitting in the living room waiting for the airport express van to arrive. ” Akki come to light the pahana” My mother shouted. I repeated. “coming!” was my sisters reply. ‘peep’ out side we heard a faint horn. “Its the van” Said my father calmly. “Its the van?!” asked my panic stricken mother. I ran towards the toilet.  False alarm ‘sigh’. the van had certainly not come yet. My sister, my father, My mother and I lit the pahana(finally).

Then at nine thirty we heard the engine of a van. yes it was here. My poor helpers where crying because all of us where going (usually when we go abroad at least one member of my family stays back). And so  we got into the van and waved vigorously at our sobbing helpers.

At the airport we went through quite a lot of  checking. Finally we came to the Araliya Lounge.  All of a sudden the lady at the counter said ” this card, the invitation to the business lounge, is for two people only”. ‘Sighs more trouble”. My sister and I agreed that we could stay out, but our parents refused to let us stay out by our selves. So after a lot of bargaining  the lady at the counter let all of us in. At one o clock we left to the boarding lounge. And after a long half an hour  we boarded the plane.  Thai airways is a very nice flight  even if they gave rice and curry for dinner, (mind you a very late dinner). As we where taking of f  I slowly watched the lights of my country get dimmer and dimmer and soon we where in the Thai land air space and now my journal will commence!

Flight:Thai Airways

Time:2.30 am

date:16.12.09

Well it was pretty boring (ok fine, very boring ). Probably because there where no t.v screens on the back of the seat in front of us. At least I fell asleep for two hours and ate for one hour ( the flight was three  hours).

Menu:Rice, chicken curry and Dhal. (well a typical Sri Lankan lunch, not dinner)

My view: Not bad (sort of boring, taking that I eat the same meal every day)

Desert: A strange purple cheese case (the colours probably there to match the colour of  the flight theme) that had chocolate cake at the bottom in place of  biscuits.

My view: actually it wasn’t that bad!( I hope I get to say that again)

Well after that I slept through the whole flight( thank goodness)

Place: Bangkok  Airport

Time 4.30 a.m

Date:16.12.09

A long line people who were apparently foreign to Thai Land led us to our bag. Our bags where easily identified due to the purple ribbon on them. As I carried my red Kipling bag I tugged  behind me a purple roller bag. My family and I where trying to find a taxi that  was big enough to carry our extraordinarily big luggage (and trust me trying to find a taxi that big and walking around in circles (very big) more than two times is not pleasant). Finally we found a booth with a taxi big enough for us. We  got to the Manhattan hotel. I rushed straight to the toilet. As soon as I was out I ‘plonked’ on the bed and fell soundly asleep.

At about eleven thirty we went to the MBK shopping center ( my mothers paradise and my doom) and I managed to get my hands on two pairs of shorts that I badly needed and a two polo t shirts. This market is a fascinating place but there are a few bad qualities about it . As I went walking through the dense jungle of people that surrounded me a bottle with an amber coloured liquid caught my eye. So I went to inspect. It turns out that not only was there that strange liquid which was alcohol inside the bottle there was a monocled or spectacled cobra ( I couldn’t make out the markings but I know it was either of these because of the patches on it)  and a scorpion. I asked the lady there why she puts them inside the alcohol. Apparently they where the ones who gave the alcohol its taste, flavor and strength.  Now that really troubled me to see those creatures who have done absolutely nothing to us to end up in a bottle of alcohol that was made up three quarter of themselves.

Really today wasn’t my day because whilst I dodged these people once again something caught my eye. Some big frames with some big bugs that included a Goliath beetle and locust nailed to them. It also had a large insectivorous bat nailed to it too. I went through another frame with only butterflies nailed to them and then one caught my eye. I was amazed. Not only troubled but disturbed as to find the rare and elusive Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta) butterfly nailed to the frame. How can people not have  a heart! It was hard to forget. Throughout the day it would pop up in my mind.

After all that shopping we stopped at Dairy Queens and I got a vanilla cone for myself. I parted with my sister and mother who badly wanted to keep shopping. So I went back to the hotel with my father in a … SKY TRAIN!. It was quit a sensation being pushed and pulled  and then flung forward and then end up tripping and almost falling on your back because it keeps pulling you backward. We finally got back to the hotel. Well I had a long two-hour snooze! Later on I was to be awakened by my mother and my sisters noisy arrival. I realized how dirty I was ( It was not that I was covered in dust or some thing it was just that I hadn’t taken a wash since last night) so I rushed and took a wash.

We were to go to my mothers relatives place for dinner. Pretty soon her driver who was also a part-time taxi driver came in his taxi to pick us up.  Her house was really big  (when I say big I mean big). So I had a very nice dinner. Saying that three-quarter of  my dinner was tom yum soup and the other quarter was green curry and rice. Surprisingly this was home cooked by my mother’s cousin’s maid and herself. Pretty soon her driver came once again to pick us up and take us back to the hotel. I quickly changed into my pj’s and as quickly as I lay down on the bed I fell asleep.

Place: Manhattan Hotel, Bangkok , Thailand

Time: 10.30 am

Date: 17.12.09

I woke up with my head at the foot of the bed on the verge of falling of and cracking my head on the rock hard floor. I took a wash and we went down for breakfast. It was quite nice .

Menu: Hash browned potato, scrambled eggs and pancake.

We went back to our rooms to change our shoes. Then we went back down and went to a shopping center called Robinson. It was time for more shopping (Oh no, SIGHS ). Now shopping isn’t something I really like. Technically I’m trying to say that I hate shopping without being harsh. I especially hate trying on clothes. First I try on a simple skirt, After I show it to  my mother I go back and change into my normal clothes, when I open the door my mother tells me to try on something else. So it goes on from the simple skirt then to various blouses then more skirts then comes the PANTS. Now the PANTS irritate the life out of me having to put them on and take them off isn’t up to my pleasure.

Later in the day we went down for lunch to a small restaurants on the side of the road,

Menu: Pad Thai, Rice, Green curry chicken, Red curry prawns,

I thought it was quite nice actually but I didn’t eat the prawns . My favorites were the Pad Thai noodles. They where the best I would ever try! (so far). After lunch we went to the sky train station.  More shopping!(yay,NOT) (I wasn’t enjoying myself) |-( .  This time my father left and I was forced to tag along with my mother and sister on their trip to the Central Department Store. Central is a very big mall and will probably be one of the most easiest places to get lost in, along side Bondi Beach.  Now central has a lot of brands to choose from like Gucci, Prada, OshKosh, Abercrombie and Hush Puppies ( Hey, I didn’t know the brands I just looked at the labels).  After what felt like a whole year of shopping we finally took a sky train from Chit Lom to Nana and walked the rest to the hotel. We awoke our father who had apparently fallen into a deep sleep.

We each took a wash and started packing up our clothes, shoes and other stuff. After a little while we went down and sat in the lobby waiting for our taxi to arrive. After a little while we where finally greeted by our taxi driver. He was responsible for taking us to the airport. Now with luggage like ours your probably going to need a very big taxi, like the one we came in from the air port. Our luggage is about the size of a five ton elephant and this had to be packed into a teeny-weeny taxi that can only hold a one ton elephant baby elephant.  Now somehow, I’m not sure how because I didn’t see the process, we managed to fit the five ton elephant luggage into the teeny-weeny one ton baby elephant taxi.

On the road there was a big traffic jam. There was even one on the highway. This traffic jam was twice as big as Colombo’s busiest roads.  Now the good point when your stuck in a traffic jam in Thailand is that none of the people start horning and horning like mad people.  They don’t even scream and shout. They just sit and wait patiently. Quiet as mice. Not even one measly squeak. After about a very silent period of about one hour we finally reached the airport. We put our five ton elephant luggage on the trolleys and wheeled it away. Finally we got to the checking counter and got rid of our five ton elephant luggage. When we got to the duty-free my mother and sister looked like they where heaven while I thought  ‘Oh boy, More shopping. When will this end?! ‘  “Now no time to shop we have to get to the lounge”  said my father. ‘YES!’ I was silently rejoicing. “Aaiiyooo… thathi what men I need to get my eyeliner” said my thoroughly disappointed sister.  “Then get it later, we have to get to the lounge fast”  said my father. Surprisingly my mother and sister stopped pleading, but they where still in their dream state. My sister who was staring at the hand bags in one store looked like she was going to cry, at that precise moment she managed to trip on the escalator. Luckily for her she didn’t fall and squish her face. That may not have happened but it was very close to happening, but that didn’t switch her out of the dream state. And if that doesn’t I don’t know what will.

Later on we went down an escalator into a drab white-washed corridor. At the end of the corridor was to be the Thai Airways lounge.  It didn’t say ‘ Thai Airways Lounge’ , it didn’t say ‘Airways Thai Lounge’, it didn’t even say ‘Lounge Airways Thai’  It said ‘Bangkok Airways Lounge’. “Oh god” ‘Sigh’. We had to go all the way through two identical Duty- Free’s (the only difference was that they where backwards) and through another white washed drab corridor until finally came to a pair of transparent automatic doors that said that said ’Thai Airways Lounge: Thai Smooth as Silk’ . Then we walked into an arctic powered by Ac’s.  The carbon foot print must’ve really done damage to the ozone layer.

So in the lounge we sat and ate a few pastries. After they finished my sister asked my mother “Shall we go?” ” Ya, ok”  was my mothers reply.” Where are you going?” asked my father. I answered for them ” Don’t act as if you have only been with them for only one hour or something. It’s pretty obvious”. ” Ahh ok, But you better come soon”.  And before you knew it they where off like a fly to a cows backside!. Eyes set on the latest perfume or a new Kipling handbag,  or maybe a pair of black high heels.

Half an hour later they arrived carrying only two toilet bags, a bottle of whiskey and a new perfume. Wow this must be a first!  Absolutely amazing.  Usually when they go to a shopping mall they end up with enough bags to cover their faces. My initial thought was five bags in each hand. But now I am stumped. Once it was time we set of to the boarding lounge which was a long way from where we were. Whilst going I asked my father how long the flight was. Apparently it was six hours!  What was I to do for six-hours Each movie lasts just about one hour only. And I would probably get sick of watching six movies. Once we got to the checking counter before you enter the boarding lounge, the man who was checking our stuff suddenly said ” Ahhh Maddham you noot allawd to take liqids on dha plane” (honestly I don’t know how I understood what he said) taking out the bottle of whiskey that we got from the duty-free. After a quick exchange of words my mother and sister ran towards the Duty Free to return the bottle. My father and I proceeded towards the boarding lounge. Now whilst they where gone we had got bumped up to business class! And I’m not lying. Ahhh… business class the big round comfortable seats that have enough space to fit a gorilla in and still be able to move around in. Unfortunately my father refused it because he wanted us to be together ;(.

After what seemed like a decade my mother and sister came just in time, because as they came we boarded the plane. In the plane I sat in the normal seats. And whilst the plane proceeded down the runway there was a passenger announcement ” tail wind: blah, blah, blah…”  Then something just registered to my brain “Flight duration nine and a half hours” I turned around to glare at my father who was next to me “since when did six hours become nine hours?”.

After some dinner that was not to my pleasure (I didn’t like it so much that’s why I refuse to say what it was, Not only that but I’m not sure what it was ).

Flight: Thai Airways

Time:7.00am

Date: 18.12.09

I woke up to find that the sun had risen successfully and I was still very unsuccessfully still stuck on the plane. Time for breakfast ‘on the plane’.

Menu: Blue Berry Pancakes!, Sausages and a very fat hash brown.

My View: The Blue Berry Pancakes where the best! ( yes! I finally got to say it once more, But even better!). But even the rest of the food was nice.

Now on Google Earth  my father and I use the flight simulator. We would take off from the Sydney Airport Runway 25 and then crash somewhere. Once I think we crashed into the Sydney Opera house. The only reason we crash all the time is because no matter how much we try it wont land. It landed successfully only once and at that time it wasn’t supposed to land! . So as I said we take off usually from the Sydney Air Port off Runway 25. Now today I think we just landed on it (At least we didn’t crash on into it!). Finally after reuniting with our five ton elephant baggage and placing it on its rightful place, on the trolley (actually its right full place should be is on top of my the cupboard in my parents bedroom). And so after a lot of wheeling and walking we finally found Uncle Steff. Uncle Steff  was our family friend and we would be staying with him during our stay in Aussie. So after a noisy greeting and a lot of staring directed at us we loaded the bags and drove to Uncle Steffs house. Whilst going I explained what my true aim here is. I didn’t care if I didn’t see a kangaroo or a koala or even a Wallaby. All I wanted to see was Australia’s amazing bird life, I wanted to see The Laughing kookaburras (Dacelo novaeguineae), Rosellas (Platycercus elegans), Galahs (Eolophus roseicapilla) and what I really really want to see is the Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus haematodus). Uncle Steffs next comment delighted me immensely ”Well then good for you they come to our balcony”.  Whilst going I saw a kookaburra on one of the power lines and then I remembered the song. If you know the song “kookaburra sits  on the old gum tree” Well I know a modified version.

kookaburra sits on the electric wire,

Jumping up and down cos’ his bums on fire,

Ouch kookaburra, Ouch kookaburra,

how sore your tail must be!

Hehe! We finally got back and before I could go my mother, sister and father went and took a wash so as I walked into the bathroom it was time to go pick up Aunty Giana. I wanted to see her really bad so I rushed and got into the car. We arrived at McDonald’s where Aunty Giana stood patiently in her pink outfit and blue scarf.”Now nanga that’s what a Rosella looks like” (Rosellas are a bright red and blue bird that has been compared to Aunty Giana!) as said by uncle Steff. We went to the supermarket at Engadine called Woolworth’s but it was given a nickname by us  Wooly’s is what we called it. Its variety was amazing. From fruits to flowers to chocolates to ice cream to various breads.

We stopped and checked out the small bakers called Bakers Delight, and very delightful it was. One of the ladies who worked there asked us from where we where from, and before anyone else could answer Uncle Steff answered for us, surprisingly the answer was ” Ahh, Washington” Every one stifled a laugh, “Oh really what a shame because in Canada we have a branch. Ahh, Its cauld Corn? Urmm, no naut corn. Hmmm, Ahh! yes Cobs. So If any of you’ll go to Canada take a look at the one there”(Her accent was quite new and very funny to us too) ” Alright” we replied, we will thank you”. Not once did that lady think we where from any other country … like Sri Lanka! maybe. Nope not at all she was completely convinced. Once we where out I asked Uncle Steff why he said we where from Washington. “to save the ‘Chit-Chat’”  was his answer, it may be a tad bit strange but its true. On the way back I saw a whole flock of sulfur Crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita). They looked much to me like large flightless swans with no such visible neck. One of them flew straight at the windscreen like a mad maniac. Apparently they where like crows in Sri Lanka they never had!. “If you ever hold a sausage there’s a Cocky right next to you”. Humph Uncle Steff maybe right because when they carry out all the groceries there are about twenty off them all trying to corner you. Well then all  you have to do is get past their feather fury and get to the car as fast as you can.

We went back and as we got there I ran to the shower. Ooh there’s nothing better than a warm shower on a freezing cold day! As I came out I heard the most coolest, wackiest, amazing strange funny, etc. thing on Earth a kookaburra. It sounded like a laughing hyena crossed with a choking frog ( not that I have heard one). I went out on to the deck. Our neighbors have a big blue, gray pool and in front is just jungle. I stared into the leafy undergrowth. In there I managed to find a green figure. A bird showing its bright green behind, Then turned around. I almost fell over this feathery green bird behind that turned out to be a beautiful king parrot. Its breast was a bright crimson that you could probably see from a mile away, Its wings and tail where an olive-green but brighter.

After dinner we made the water-bed with Uncle Steff. I was delighted by this because I have never slept on one and I have heard stories that its really fun, and so right after making the bed that I would sleep for the past few days I quickly changed and jumped on the bed. It felt like I was swimming in jelly. I bounced on it twice and I was satisfied! And so I wish you a very good night before a very tired Flit drifts off to sleep.

-From your friend Flit, you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!

Pretty Kitty

This is a long overdue post. But what can I say, I have been busy with assignments and exams. Before I left for uni however, I was fortunate enough to make a trip down to the Yala National Park. It was a spontaneous trip. We had just hopped off a boat (which we had used to spy on Blue Whales), when we all decided, “hey, lets go see some leopards!”. So on we drove to the open wilderness to see some big spotted kitties. It was rather late by the time we got to the park. We had about 2 hours to venture within its depths before we were evicted. But on we all trudged with high spirits and praying to God that He would drop down a leopard from the Heavens above, just so that we would not kick ourselves for being just a tad over enthusiastic.

As we entered the park we were greeted by a rather jolly Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus) that skipped and hopped among the branches of a tree-that-I-can’t-identify and seemed to be eating something-which-I-couldn’t-identify-either. He danced about the tree for quite awhile until, everyone in the jeep got highly fidgety and we decided to bid farewell to the bird.

We then drove around and around (quite fast I should add) as our driver was getting calls from his son as to where all the animals were that fine evening. This may confuse you, the reader, a bit but let me clarify. Our driver and his son work as a tight team when they drive people around the park. They feed each other valuable information, which I think is rather dandy! Our tracker on the other hand was sound asleep and would not have awoken even if a leopard sat on his lap and chewed happily on his big  toe!

Bump bump bump we went on the gravel roads, passing a few elephants and a couple of Sambhur (Cervus unicolor unicolor) who were enjoying an evening siesta. We then passed by a Brahaminy Kite (Haliastur indus indus) and an Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) who were having a very intense staring competition, but we didn’t linger long enough to see who won.

We also saw three Sri Lankan Sloth Bears (Melursus ursinus inornatus). A mother with her two cubs. I took some pictures of them but due to low light they look more like three large blurry blobs.

It was about 10 minutes of aimless driving when our driver (I can’t remember his name) got a frantic call from his son. There was a leopard. A big male who decided to follow the Sambhur’s example and was dozing in a clearing just three minutes away from our current location. As if we had an army of Bullet Ants chasing us, our jeep practically flew to where the leopard was. And what a site we saw! He was apparently the largest leopard in the park, and was absolutely stunning! All he did for 15 minutes was pose for everyone. He rolled on his back, and played with his tail. The walked a bit, sat and walked some more.

It was like he knew that we made that trip just for him… Or maybe he just felt a little sorry for the funny looking primates who oooed and ahhhed at his magnificence, and wanted us to feel a little special. After a while we heard another leopard call, possibly a female. That was the males curtain call. He stood up, and walked away leaving a stream of gob struck onlookers in his wake.

So now that I am back home for a precious holiday, I will make my way yet again to Yala. This time for a longer visit. Hopefully it will be as fruitful as the previous visit and I will get to see more than one leopard! I also want to take some better pictures of Sloth Bears. Will write about that adventure later.

-Tigs

Cheese and Dolphins

Last week I went Whale Watching with some people from office. Now one of the cool things about this was that we stayed at the Lighthouse Hotel in Galle, and boy is that a fancy hotel! Now I remember the first time that I went to that hotel. It was used as a bathroom pit-stop on long trips by my family when my brother and I were little. And since we were not allowed to use the loo’s for free, we had to buy something to nom on too. Anyways the last time I was at that hotel, I climbed up on the rocks which line the beach in search of mudskippers (Periophthalmus barbarus or Periopthalmus koelreuteri). Once I got up there and spent a few minutes observing this goggle eyed Gobie I realised that I was stuck. Getting up to the top of the rocks was so much easier than getting back down! After some careful consideration about my location I decided that life was too short to sit and worry about getting off rocks, and just slid down hoping and praying that I would not end up getting poked by the nasty looking rocks. I did however reach the soft sand, and though I was thoroughly soaked I skipped through the hotel leaving a trail of sea water behind me. Ah.. Those were the days…..

Now when we got to our room, my friend (lets call her X) and I went absolutely berserk! I mean the room was HUGE! We roamed around and then found the bathroom. I kid you not it was as big as my room at home. I could have lived in there. Now it was about 11 pm in the night and we had had no dinner, so we reluctantly left the room and dined with our other colleague (lets call him Q) and our boss (lets call him B). Dinner wasn’t all that great actually. Maybe I was just tired. The only thing that did intrigued me were the baby potatoes that were randomly scattered around my plate. They looked like little pellets of goat dung… But tastier.

By the time I went to sleep it was close to 2 am, and five minutes later I was rudely awaken by my alarm. With a stream of curses directed at my phone I checked time and realised that it was (most unfortunately) 5.30 am. With the movements of sleep walking walrus’s X and I grudgingly changed and bid farewell to the land of dreams and headed outside.

It took us about 45 minutes to get to the Mirissa Harbour. We were to go out to sea in a boat hired from Mirissa Water Sports. When I saw the boat I was like a kid in a candy store. I jumped on board and made my self comfortable at the Bow and waited for everyone else to settle in. By everyone I mean 12 other individuals! Finally after about 15 minutes we were off. On and on we went out into open water. I couldn’t wait to see Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus). Imagine, the largest mammal on earth! About 30 minutes after our departure we were all given a bag in which sat our breakfast. I must say, it wasn’t very appetising. Cheese sandwiches, a funny cake with grotesque coloured preservatives and a banana. After much consideration I downed two little sandwiches (they weren’t very nice).

An hour and 15 minutes later we were about to cross over to the Blue Water from the Green. It looked a lot like the mixing of waters in the Amazon River. Soon we would see Spinner Dolphins. I was in my element. The sun and the sea.. The waves and the wind… And sea sickness! What in the world? I thought the stupid sandwiches were supposed to prevent this terrible feeling in my tummy!

Ok now calm down. I can’t get sea sick. This is crazy. “Can someone make this rocking stop!”

So I sat down in order to make my head stop turning. Now here is something I should mention. Never. I mean never ever ever sit down when you feel sea sick. Because if you do, you will just feel so much worse! So I stood up again, and when I did I saw them. A pod of beautiful blue and steel grey Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris). There were at least 200. What an amazing sight. They jumped out of the water and did the most acrobatic twirls like the Ballerinas of the sea. I grabbed my camera and started shooting. They swam towards the boat and started swimming along with it. Cris crossing underneath. If I could just scoot a little lower I just maybe able to touch one. So down I looked completely mesmerised by the sight, when suddenly I felt the bile rush up my to meet my tongue.

Oh bugger…

In a flash I was running towards the back of the boat where I stuck my head over the side and just hurled my little heart out. There went the cheese in all its white gooey goodness. But then, all of a sudden I felt rejuvenated. I felt brand new! I cursed the cheese that made me puke and went back to my post. Just in time too cos we all spotted a Blue Whales spout. We saw about three actually. Hurry! To the whales! However, we ended up making two more circles around the pod of dolphins and by the time we started towards the whales they had already dived. But did that make us stop. No. We just kept going for another hour.

My happy recovery did not last long. About 10 minutes later I felt sick again and threw up plain old greeny yellow bile (I do feel like explaining what it looked like so bare with me), that tasted so sour and foul and also slightly salty (I drank some salt water after I threw up the first time). So for the rest of the journey I slept. I was unable to do anything else. Every time I opened my eyes everything started spinning. It was horrible. I could not enjoy my self one bit. Due to my sea sickness I came away with crappy pictures as well. So much for Whale Watching!

It wasn’t just me who got sick. X and Q were just as sick as I was and slept the entire trip as well. Thing is they slept in the shade and I slept in the sun, which wasn’t too bad cos it helped a lot when it came to ignoring the rocking motion of the boat.

When we did step on to dry land four and a half hours later the entire boat crew grined and said “Anith sare enakota sea sickness tablet ekak ude ganna harida”. Translation: Next time you come, remember to take a sea sickness tablet. No kidding!

- Tigs

A trip to South Africa

The Joyful Jackass penguin at bay worl

the lovely coupleah young lovefun,sun and sandy beaches

It seems that I went on another trip but it was not in Sri Lanka this time it is SOUTH AFRICA .Im also telling you all about the journey to South Africa so if it is boring you can skip.

I realy liked my trip to south africa because my sister did not come

In the morning we got into the airport express van and went to the air port and after all that check things we went to the lounge and waited for our flight and to keep myself entertained I ran the opposite side of those horizontal escalators. When the plane came I stopped and got into it. About 5 or 9 hours later we came to Dubai. Whilst my father sat and waited my mom was going shopping. I had nothing to do so i followed her. After she finished we went back to my father and bought some doughnuts and checked into a hotel at the air port. Whilst my mother and father slept I solemnly ate my doughnut and went to sleep in my clothes because we didn’t have our PJ’s. Then at 11.00 in the night we woke up and checked out again we went through the  check thingy and there was a lady who knew sinhala she was thrilled to see a Sri lankan, she also had quit a knowledge about the places in Sri lanka, so we said bye to her and went into the plane. After about 6  or 9 hours we came to johanas burg (it was in the evening).since there was something wrong with one of the machines our flight was delayed for a tinsy bit.After it was fixed we got on to South African airlines. This flight was boring because it didnt have those tv thing that are stuck on your seat but any way it was only a 4 to 6 hour flight.  Now we came to Port Elizabeth. It was late in the night about 12.00. After we went through all those machine things we got into a shuttle and went to a small nice hotell called Summer Strand. Unfortunately the weather did not live up to the name of the hotel and instead was the total opposite.It turned out to be freezing cold which was totally opposite of my thoughts too (burning hot). At the counter there was a really nice lady who said by to the almost sleeping me, but when they gave that card to put into the slot in our room in the place of a key hole i became wide awake hoping I could put it into the slot unfortunately I couldnt because we where only just introduced to the room and one of the hotel people had  to do it . Once we got into our room I quickly got into my pj’s and got into the bed I will be sleeping in for about 4 nighs, and tried to sleep, but it was quit hard to because it was kind of fun staying up because my mother and father where up to because my mother was waiting for her bag to come from the airport (my moms bag didnt come out of that machine where you take your bags from). Once it came it was a bout 1.00 in the night and my mother turened the lights off and we sleept.

Next morning I was woken up at about 7.00 in the morning.We went down and had breakfast (hash brown,toast,water melon). After that my dad went for a meeting and my mom and i went for a walk. we came out of the hotel door and noticed how freezing it was out side, so we went back in and i wore 2 vests, 2 short sleeve t shirts, 2 long sleeve t shirts, underwear, 1 pair of longs, 1 jersey and 1 jacket and it was still cold. We went out again and stopped at a big sign that said “Nelson Mandela Bay” or some thing like that i was amazed that i was there, because i had heard of this place and wondered what it looks like, well now i got my awnser !!. It amazing a huge beach with some dandilions and some other plants. We didnt walk on the beach but we walked on that wooden platform thing. “THIS PLACE TOTTALY ROCKS!!!!!!”. After the small walk we went back to the hotel and saw there was a small play ground, so i went and played there for a Little while suddenly a lady in a fancy uniform came running towards us “please i am very sorry but you have to go to your rooms,im am very sorry because the monkeys have come back again to eat the eggs of the weaver birds” and she pointed at the the trees that looked like a cypres tree, and we saw it was covered in weaver bird nests and about 5 to 6 monkeys dangling from a branch very dangerously and in its hands was a broken egg from a weaver bird, the yolk dangling from its foul mouth not that i have smelt a monkeys mouth and notl ike i want to.We quickly ran to our room and looked out side from the window and saw the panting lady chasing the monkeys away, and suddenly a monkey jumps in front of me (the window sheilds me from this foul but unusualy cute beast)I ran back the monkey looks at me with a look of amusement its face and sudenly it brakes into a lout screach like laugh. I quikly took a very nice looking stick that i collected on the road, and ran waving the stick the monkey saw me and stopped and ran onto a branch. Now look who’s laughing :p hihihihi. It looked at me with a scowl full of hatred.

Once the monkeys had gone i finnished my newly found fun at the playground after we came back to the room and we ordered lunch i had a hot dog, but it wasnt a ordinary hotdog it was a giant, messy hotdog with sauace and pickles and tomato’s and onions, of course i cant eat the whole thing. After lunch my mom and i watched march of the penguin it went on for a long time and during that time my dad came and went back down………………….. (full stop). After we ate dinner we walked up to the room (i ran with the card to the room).

It was still quite early and my dad went to check his e-mails again and my mom and i had breakfast. We went back to our room and decided to go for a walk and as we passed the checking counter a very friendly lady told my mother that there was a small aquarium/theme park some where close by, so my mom and i caught a bus and we went to this place it was quit noticeable for there was a huge sign saying BAY WORLD so we went in. There was a show of some sort so we went and watched it was about 2 real dolphins, a big male Domino and another one said to be his daughter. After the show we went to see the aquariums. It wasn’t bad. There was a bigger tub like one with small circular windows. I walked towards it and peered inside and a ragged tooth shark suddenly appeared from out of the blue and scared me. After this we walked all over and came to a museum like place with weird thing like a 2 headed puppy (that freaked me out a bit),a baby with 2 heads sitting in a bottle with a human brain (that freaked me out a bit more) and a half preserved corps (now that seriously freaked me out). After this we went out of bay world and took a look at the street pavements. They were very interesting for they were full of various things, for example paintings, statues, bookmarks which i liked quite a bit for they were very creatively painted on leather, key tags which i also like for they are done with great skill. After this we walked back to the hotel and had lunch and i took care not to take the hotdog. After lunch my mom and i decided to watch some tv. I doubt there was any thing to watch, but we found some thing it was Heidi (by  Johanna Spyri) or that’s what I think it was. Then we watched some old Disney movie about some boy who dreamed of playing golf or some thing. Now I’m starting to think that it wasn’t so bad. My dad came back to the room and after about 2 hours he went back. On his 2 hour stay he dropped something on the bed, and the thing he dropped on the bed was a shark egg. Pretty cool huh?

Well life goes on and on and on as it seemed to me. We watched the Marche of the Penguin again but in French and i could say that. My dad came back and we all took a wash and went to dinner. Just if you are curious I ate a hash brown and some thing very odd but very tasty, and finally for dessert mint and chocolate chip ice cream, or some thing like chocolate. I know its bad for me, because i tend to sneeze at very random moments, if I don’t go to bed bed early or if I

The wonderful land of Port Elizabeth The poor weaver birds not knowing whats in store for themThe sea lions at bay world

eat cold things before I go to bed. What can I do thats my favourite ice cream for some very odd reason its not being sold at home.

After we woke up once again we went for breakfast and said bye to my father (as i told you life goes on). So my mom and i went up to the room, and once again i snatched the card from my mother and ran to the room opened the door went inside and waited for my mom to come. A few minutes afterwords my mother finally came.we spent about an hour in the room spending our time watching tv. We watched varius things like how to go fishing and some african programe. After that we went for a walk and discovered a park after going on the swing for about five minutes we were going to leave, when all at once a van full of people stopped and screamed”get out! get out!” and we rushed out the park and to the hotel. Since it was quite a boring day i went to the little play ground at the hotel. there i met some people and they were nice and we made friends with them and played a game with them until we went back to the room. There we had lunch as my father walked into the room.After we had lunch we went for another walk but we did not dare set foot in the newly found playground. What a shame that play ground was really nice.

Flit

Indian Short-nosed Fruit Bats

Right next to the gate at home is a Na Tree (Mesua Nagassarium) or in simple English an Iron Wood tree. You maybe wondering why I start off by mentioning this tree, well a few days ago I was looking into its leafy depths when I was confronted with five brown pairs of eyes looking back down at me. I had a family of bats staring right back at me with equally curious expressions on their little faces. Under close scrutiny I identified them as Indian Short-nosed Fruit Bats (Cynopterus sphinx). I was in the house in a flash and out I ran with my camera to take pictures of my new tenants, however none of them smiled for the camera since I rudely woke them up with my excited clicking. Pictures will be posted on Peppergrass as soon as I reformat my computer.

- Tigs

They are up.

Pictures have been uploaded onto Peppergrass. Finally!

- Tigs