Midnight in Sri Lanka
Midnight in Sri Lanka
Wendsday I arrived from Singapore at 12:15 am to work
my way through the immigration and customs check
points to wait and watch bags, bags, bags and still
more bags go round and round.
Then there they were. My bags once more had made it
with me.
Then off through the customs Nothing to Declare line.
No hesitation. Smooth walk through. I began
searching for my host. Never before have I enjoyed
seeing my name in print then that early morning when I
saw it in Daya's hand, the hotel bellman who drove
nearly 60 kms in the dark to wait for me for an hour
in order to drive me back 60 ks to the Trans Asian
Hotel in the heart of Colombo.
It was about 2:30 am while lying on my new bed watching
the only English speaking channel, watching the Law
and Order movie (repeat) before I shut off the lights.
Bright and early I woke at 6:45.
Off to a breakfast buffet consisting of...
French Toast with jam in the middle of the slices,
pancakes with Maple syrup, grilled fish, pork
sausages, poached egg, Singapore fried noodles, hash
browns, baked beans, buttered veggies, grilled tomato,
pork bacon, ham, kiri hodi, chicken currie, 3 types of
sambol: pol, seeni, katta, 9 breads, 6 types of
Danishes, kiri bath (milk rice), string hoppers
(noodles in patty form), oatmeal porridge, sushi
(California Roll I think), cut salad, 6 cereals,
various fruits: pineapple, plums, etc, yoghurts,
orange juice, mango juice, tomato juice.
I'll have a slice of toast and tea. ha ha not for me,
I'll have a little of everything that isn't too
spicey.
The Trans Asian was opened about 16 years ago. It is a
regal design consisting of a mixture of brown, tan,
salmon colored marbles all trimmed with beautifully
ornately carved wood. The entrance area consists of a
row of pairs of 12 glass panels per door with a
wonderfully traditionally dressed doorman with a smile
that would warm the Sphinx.
The lobby is about 120 by 220 ft divided by a forest
of marble and wood clad 4 ft x 4 ft columns into 9 or
more sections of sitting areas and desk area.
Throughout the day at the various times I sat in the
lobby there was beautiful music playing: over the
speakers, a 5 piece traditional quintet: guitar,
violin, keyboard, drums, flute and voice, a band or a
pair of singers with an electronic orchestra made up
of one piece backing them up.
Beneath the lobby lies a richly decorated shopping
area with leather shops, travel bureau, health club.
My host and client, Renukha and her husband with their
driver, came to help me deal with some open ended
travel challenges.
One being....am I going to get to leave? ha ha...just joking.
We were able to easily reconfirm my flight to Chennai on Friday.
Then off to change my arrangements at a beautiful resort for this
evening, much closer to the airport for my 5:00 am
check-in tomorrow.
Before lunch Renukha had arranged for her publicist to
interview me on camera for local television and a
newspaper reporter to interview me about creative
thinking in Sri Lanka for his newspaper's business
section next week. Then off to the venue for today's
program: another beautiful hotel not far away,
followed by a multiple buffet lunch. I'll leave the
contents of it to your imagination. It consisted of 4
sections of 10 to 20 or more items each.
From there it was off to my hotel for an afternoon
swim in their pool by the lake and to rest before
touring later and shopping for some unique shirts and
dinner with Renukha and her family.
Many, many sites so little time this trip. Renukha
and I are already talking about subsequent programs
for some of the people who will attend today's
session.
Hope I do good! ha ha
Wendsday I arrived from Singapore at 12:15 am to work
my way through the immigration and customs check
points to wait and watch bags, bags, bags and still
more bags go round and round.
Then there they were. My bags once more had made it
with me.
Then off through the customs Nothing to Declare line.
No hesitation. Smooth walk through. I began
searching for my host. Never before have I enjoyed
seeing my name in print then that early morning when I
saw it in Daya's hand, the hotel bellman who drove
nearly 60 kms in the dark to wait for me for an hour
in order to drive me back 60 ks to the Trans Asian
Hotel in the heart of Colombo.
It was about 2:30 am while lying on my new bed watching
the only English speaking channel, watching the Law
and Order movie (repeat) before I shut off the lights.
Bright and early I woke at 6:45.
Off to a breakfast buffet consisting of...
French Toast with jam in the middle of the slices,
pancakes with Maple syrup, grilled fish, pork
sausages, poached egg, Singapore fried noodles, hash
browns, baked beans, buttered veggies, grilled tomato,
pork bacon, ham, kiri hodi, chicken currie, 3 types of
sambol: pol, seeni, katta, 9 breads, 6 types of
Danishes, kiri bath (milk rice), string hoppers
(noodles in patty form), oatmeal porridge, sushi
(California Roll I think), cut salad, 6 cereals,
various fruits: pineapple, plums, etc, yoghurts,
orange juice, mango juice, tomato juice.
I'll have a slice of toast and tea. ha ha not for me,
I'll have a little of everything that isn't too
spicey.
The Trans Asian was opened about 16 years ago. It is a
regal design consisting of a mixture of brown, tan,
salmon colored marbles all trimmed with beautifully
ornately carved wood. The entrance area consists of a
row of pairs of 12 glass panels per door with a
wonderfully traditionally dressed doorman with a smile
that would warm the Sphinx.
The lobby is about 120 by 220 ft divided by a forest
of marble and wood clad 4 ft x 4 ft columns into 9 or
more sections of sitting areas and desk area.
Throughout the day at the various times I sat in the
lobby there was beautiful music playing: over the
speakers, a 5 piece traditional quintet: guitar,
violin, keyboard, drums, flute and voice, a band or a
pair of singers with an electronic orchestra made up
of one piece backing them up.
Beneath the lobby lies a richly decorated shopping
area with leather shops, travel bureau, health club.
My host and client, Renukha and her husband with their
driver, came to help me deal with some open ended
travel challenges.
One being....am I going to get to leave? ha ha...just joking.
We were able to easily reconfirm my flight to Chennai on Friday.
Then off to change my arrangements at a beautiful resort for this
evening, much closer to the airport for my 5:00 am
check-in tomorrow.
Before lunch Renukha had arranged for her publicist to
interview me on camera for local television and a
newspaper reporter to interview me about creative
thinking in Sri Lanka for his newspaper's business
section next week. Then off to the venue for today's
program: another beautiful hotel not far away,
followed by a multiple buffet lunch. I'll leave the
contents of it to your imagination. It consisted of 4
sections of 10 to 20 or more items each.
From there it was off to my hotel for an afternoon
swim in their pool by the lake and to rest before
touring later and shopping for some unique shirts and
dinner with Renukha and her family.
Many, many sites so little time this trip. Renukha
and I are already talking about subsequent programs
for some of the people who will attend today's
session.
Hope I do good! ha ha
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