My SriLankan families and friends

Trip Start Oct 26, 2007
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Trip End Oct 26, 2009


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Friday, December 21, 2007

During my six weeks in Sri Lanka I was lucky enough to meet up with the Habitat house family I had met in Oct 2005.  Sunanda, his wife Kumari, and their two little girls Gimhani 6, and Samadhi 4, were a treat to meet again, and I visited a number of times, taking many pictures as I did.

Manjula and I gave a lift to a family who were waiting for a train, that wasn't due for several hours  We drove them to the nearest bus station to their home, which saved them about six hours in the process!  They were so happy to have the lift, and the company. 

When we passed through their hometown on our way to Colombo, two days later, we stopped off the beaten path to their house for a cup of tea. I love real life, so this proved to be a highlight of an at times frustrating and overly touristic trip in-land.  I almost broke my neck making my way down the mud drive to their house, but was saved by the iron-like grip of Mrs.  She reminded me of how STRONG Sri Lankans are.  Given how manual and basic life is, there's wonderful confidence in children and grownups when it comes to things physical Walking on the beach with the girls
Walking on the beach with the girls
 . 

I may not be a likely advocate for four-on-a-bike rides, but little children learn to balance, and more importantly to trust! at a very young age here.  There were so many reminders of how crazy the world has become in its health-and-safety mania.  Admittedly there are extremes, and Sri Lankan life registers squarely on the extremely risky side of the meter.. but I prefer it to the world some of us live, where you find warning signs on irons saying "do not iron clothes while you are wearing them" or some such nonsense!

So here are some photos of the lovely people I've encountered on my travels in Sri Lanka.

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

Gran and family Gran and family Uthkasha and Lara Uthkasha and Lara Sunanda, me and the girls Sunanda, me and the girls Van journey family Van journey family
Taken at the family home Taken at the family home Mother, daughter and son Mother, daughter and son Mum, daughter and baby Mum, daughter and baby Still not sure of me Still not sure of me
Lovely family Lovely family Granny and g-son Granny and g-son Home in the hills Home in the hills Smile for the camera Smile for the camera
Gran and girls Gran and girls Gimhani and Samadhi Gimhani and Samadhi Girls and me Girls and me Kumari, Samadhi, Gimhani and Sunanda Kumari, Samadhi, Gimhani and Sunanda
Samadhi and Gimhani Samadhi and Gimhani Hiding behind the door Hiding behind the door Grandparents with girls Grandparents with girls Bikes and tykes Bikes and tykes
Dancing queen Dancing queen Feeling the music Feeling the music Cutie Cutie Sunanda watching girls dance Sunanda watching girls dance
Gimhani and me Gimhani and me The dancers The dancers Keep on dancing Keep on dancing Ta da Ta da
They can't stop dancing They can't stop dancing Taking a bow Taking a bow My gift of earrings My gift of earrings Gramps Gramps
Gram Gram Habitat family down the road Habitat family down the road More friends More friends Father and daughter Father and daughter
Mother and daughter Mother and daughter Sisters and friends Sisters and friends Sisters in the sun Sisters in the sun Hanging out Hanging out
Beach babies Beach babies Dancing on the beach Dancing on the beach Sun shadows Sun shadows What fun What fun
Shadow dancing Shadow dancing Shall we go in Shall we go in Sandals on the sand Sandals on the sand Walking to the waves Walking to the waves
Dodging the waves Dodging the waves Fun in the sun Fun in the sun Helping hand Helping hand Sisters in the surf Sisters in the surf
Look how strange her skin is! Look how strange her skin is! Gimhani took this one Gimhani took this one Also this one Also this one With the girls' uncle With the girls' uncle
Sunanda's tuktuk driver friend Sunanda's tuktuk driver friend Ashura the photographer's son Ashura the photographer's son Ashura is amazing Ashura is amazing Manjula in his school house Manjula in his school house
School Manjula built School Manjula built Playing the harmonium Playing the harmonium Ah the skills I am accumulating Ah the skills I am accumulating Manjula and his sisters Manjula and his sisters
I told you I was a giant in Sri Lanka I told you I was a giant in Sri Lanka Manjula's lovely home Manjula's lovely home Flowers outside Manjula's Flowers outside Manjula's Girls again Girls again
Samadhi smiling Samadhi smiling Girls posing Girls posing Taken by Gimhani Taken by Gimhani Taken by Samadhi Taken by Samadhi
Could we dance some more Could we dance some more Neighbours pose Neighbours pose Another pose Another pose Michael from the block Michael from the block
Two teens Two teens Little girls grown up Little girls grown up Sunanda and family on the beach Sunanda and family on the beach Another beach family portrait Another beach family portrait
Beach close to home Beach close to home Kumari and Sunanda Kumari and Sunanda Kumari is expecting in May Kumari is expecting in May Me and my family Me and my family
Taken by their friend Taken by their friend Random boy on the beach Random boy on the beach Family and shadow scene Family and shadow scene See the shadows See the shadows
On the rocks On the rocks Seatbelts optional Seatbelts optional Family transit Family transit Rock b Rock b
Rock c Rock c Rock d Rock d Skirt gift from the family Skirt gift from the family Outside the Lighthouse Outside the Lighthouse
Friend of the family Friend of the family Sleeping beauty Sleeping beauty Friend two Friend two Or sleeping cutie Or sleeping cutie
Friend three Friend three Friend four Friend four Girls on rock Girls on rock Girls again on rock Girls again on rock
Day at the beach Day at the beach Children swim in their clothes Children swim in their clothes Mother and daughters on beach Mother and daughters on beach Kumari and her girls Kumari and her girls
Father and daughter and mother and daughter Father and daughter and mother and daughter Waiting for the waves to crash Waiting for the waves to crash More waves crashing More waves crashing Final crash Final crash
Helping the girls down Helping the girls down Lovely family Lovely family Mr and Mrs Mr and Mrs Waiting for lunch Waiting for lunch
Beautiful boy Beautiful boy Father and girls Father and girls Boys digging a hole on the beach Boys digging a hole on the beach Digging to China Digging to China
Sharing mum's meal Sharing mum's meal Eating Sri Lankan style Eating Sri Lankan style Swirling girl Swirling girl Grinning girl Grinning girl
Loving the journey Loving the journey Another swirler Another swirler Manjula chauffeur extraordinaire Manjula chauffeur extraordinaire Better than at the movies Better than at the movies
Family from my navigator's seat Family from my navigator's seat Gimhani getting close up Gimhani getting close up Dancing to the CD Dancing to the CD Cooling down to the CD Cooling down to the CD
Boogie nights Boogie nights Pia outside her SriLankan pad Pia outside her SriLankan pad Dropping off the family Dropping off the family We shared a happy journey We shared a happy journey
I'm almost as white as the van I'm almost as white as the van The two Elizabeths, Pia and Ali The two Elizabeths, Pia and Ali Elizabeth and Elizabeth Elizabeth and Elizabeth Ali's mum Elizabeth and Ali Ali's mum Elizabeth and Ali
Me and Elizabeth Me and Elizabeth Ali, Sophie and Geeth Ali, Sophie and Geeth Geeth and Soph Geeth and Soph Another family photo Another family photo
Enough with the photos already Enough with the photos already After the dance After the dance Another Habitat family Another Habitat family Gimhani resting on my shoulder Gimhani resting on my shoulder
Girlfriends Girlfriends Grandparents and girls Grandparents and girls Groovin' with the girls Groovin' with the girls Mrs and her teenage daughter Mrs and her teenage daughter
On the beach On the beach Peek a boo Peek a boo Pia and friend Pia and friend Sisters and best friends Sisters and best friends
Sunanda, me and the girls Sunanda, me and the girls With bikes from UK With bikes from UK Geeth and Ali Geeth and Ali Friends on the journey Friends on the journey
Plenty of room in the van Plenty of room in the van Ali, Susan and Prakash Ali, Susan and Prakash Me, Susan from Australia and Ali Me, Susan from Australia and Ali Pia and mea Pia and mea
Samadhi and Gimhani Samadhi and Gimhani Sunanda and family, Habitat House family Sunanda and family, Habitat House family Carl Muller and friend Carl Muller and friend New friend (!) Alexander McCall Smith New friend (!) Alexander McCall Smith
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