Made It!

So, here I am in Kandy. It's very humid, as it's the rainy season, and rather cool. I am even wearing a long-sleeved top! I arrived yesterday after 23 hours of straight travel, very very tired.

I had to wait a good long while in the check-in queue in Sydney- International Check-in may as well be a code-phrase for "most tedious and inefficient process on earth". On the flight up, on Singapore Airlines, I sat next to a gentleman of voluminous girth and a rather creepy touchy South African couple. I was hemmed in between bulk and inappropriate affection. I watched "The Edukators", which, thankfully, had a happy ending (I was in some sort of a mood- don't ask).

I managed to sleep rather soundly for 4 hours. I have discovered the most comfortable way in which to sleep in an airline seat in economy (this requires 2 cushions): One must first recline the seat back fully, then place the first pillow in the small of your back, with the other pillow slightly to one side beneath your head so that you can wedge yourself against the armrest and snooze comfortably. Singapore Airlines has great entertainment too- I had my last listen of "All the things that I've done" and "Everyday I love you less and less" on the flight up. I then had just enough time to dash off an email in Singapore before boarding my Sri Lankan Airlines flight to Colombo.

Sri Lankan airlines usually provides good food and service, however this time I was disappointed by surly attendants and mock Chinese food. Where was the curry? I have NO idea. I sat next to some total weirdos on the flight. They obviously did not use deodorant, and had brought on board two food parcels for themselves. Fair enough, perhaps they assumed there was no meal provided. However, even after an airline hostess pointed out there was a meal provided shortly after take-off, they continued to gorge themselves, eating with their hands. On an international flight. For crying out loud, this isn't Virgin Blue! Then as we were landing, instead of handing in their headsets, they surreptiously turned up the volume on them and hung them up on the tray tables. The air hostess had to yank it off. Twice.

It was an overcast day as we cruised over the tops of hordes of coconut trees and landed at Katunayake. Was met at the airport by Loku Mama (Sinhala for Uncle- meaning either your mother's older brother or father's older sister's husband). We chatted about politics and various other topics on the way up. Those Australians among you will be amused to know that he wanted to know about the Sydney riots. Felt rather ill on the way up and had to purchase some antacids, a month's supply of ranitidine (suppresses acid production in the stomach) and an asthma "preventer" inhaler. The inhaler was the killer, costing a cool AU$8. Everything else was so cheap that I'm tempted to stock up on them here.

I'm feeling very overwhelmed by everything right now. As my grandfather's 3 month anniversary of death is tomorrow, many of our relatives have gathered for the almsgiving ceremony to mark it. It is a big, complicated event, and everyone is rushing around. I feel at very much a loose end, and though I have offered my help, I feel that I have been more of a hindrance than a help, and that I help best by staying out of their way, which is rather depressing. My grandfather's death still has not really sunk in, even though we were once very close. I am not certain why.

I have already had a question about whether I have a boyfriend. Oh no. It makes me really quite tempted to marry someone in name only, just to satisfy everyone. Or just tell them I'm not thinking about it till I turn 30.

I start on Monday... I'm slightly afraid...