Sri Lanka Expedition at end Feb '06

Fat Face Sri Lanka Expedition 18 – 25th February, 2006

When I was asked to write an article about our trip to Sri Lanka my heart sank.. I really didn’t want anyone else to know how much fun we had had!

Travelling with Voyage was like travelling with Mum again – everything was taken care of. There was no bickering about what to do next, every meal was planned, all negotiations, sleeping places and travel arrangements were sorted, there were no worries about being ripped off! I am sure it doesn’t always work so smoothly but thanks to our awesome hosts and Jason’s preceeding reccie trip we seemed to get it easy!

We gathered at the airport really early on Saturday night. It takes some organising to get the photo equipment, clothes and surf boards etc all loaded and evenly distributed in our hand luggage. Sri Lankan air was surprisingly comfortable – and we arrived pretty well rested on Sunday afternoon in a bustling, bustling airport 30km north of the capital.

We were greeted by Nina (?spelling) our Sri lankan ecotour leader and snake expert. We loaded up our bus, got the last 2 models from their hotel in Columbo and headed south down the coast to our camp. We got bright yellow cooldrink (sure to invoke hyperactivity) and biscuits – which were in an endless supply throughout our trip.

The drive was interesting – the west coast in the most densely populated area in the country and there is little respite from buildings, buses, smoke, people, funny billboards and glimpses of the warm, inviting sea between the short buildings. All the way the sights were punctuated with buddha’s, bodhegas? (they look like big bells, but they were explained to me as Buddhist storage sites – similar to pyramids) and sites ravaged by the Tsunami.

All through the trip the reality of the Tsunami was made clear. The face of the coast has been remodelled. Many of the tuk-tuks, boats and shops are shiny new. The rebuilt houses are all “tsunami colour” – a pale yellow which must have been a paint donated by the gallon! The new houses are also memorably flat – although it is more expensive to construct, the survivors highly prize a high ground to retreat to should nature lash out again. Three massive waves struck the coast and caused to much destruction. The locals with English would all share their Tsunami stories and you could be sure that anyone you saw in the street had lost someone close. It really highlights the illusion of security and makes the scenery and swimming in the sea all the much sweeter.

Our camp in Madigama was luscious! Right on the beach, white sands, coconut groves and peaceful cows to set the scene. Each tent had a name, 2 pairs of flip-flops, towels, a torch, an umbrella and camp beds! There were even flushing toilets and showers. We were greeted by the warm smiles of our hosts and strange dhanya tea with sweet nibble lumps (“not sugar”). Supper soon followed and the yummy feast set the tone for the food to follow – lots of spiced rice and veges, dhal, fish, chicken, coconut pancakes, sweet pineapple and spicy pastry crisps.

A gorgeous dawn and surfing followed the next morning. We spent the rest of the day around our camp – shooting idyllic pics of cutting coconuts, lazing in hammocks, racing around in a self-fashioned convertible tuk-tuk and a sunset fish barbeque on the beach. We managed to have some time to swim and laze on the beach when the “light was too bright” – pity about that..

The next morning was time for more water sports – sadly not too successful in the getting good shots department. We then spent the morning near and on the small local “snake island” – called so partly because of the wildlife and partly for the homosexual activities for which it is renowned! We did a short boat ride in a very strange, very narrow traditional boat and took loads of pretty pictures.

After lunch we headed down to the local train station – where we got some great shots on the railway tracks and then hopped on the local train – headed on down to the next village, Welligama. It was awesome to be mingling with the locals in the train and the scenery from the window was lush and tropical.

We wondered through the streets of Welligama, ice-creams in hand (dodgy move?) and checked out some of the local shops. Fresh fish was being sold on the side of the road – covered in flies – definitely dodgy! We headed home in tuk-tuks that evening for another dreamy, sunset beach shoot around a campfire.

Thinking our day was done, the highlight of the day was yet to come later that evening. Some excited shouts from the night drew us to the back of the beach where a mommy turtle had diligently dug a hole and was laying eggs! That night I went to bed feeling honoured and inspired.

Wednesday morning came and went with again a few good waves but not enough good pics. While the team riders were out playing in the water some of us decorated an old bus with fat face regalia. After breakfast we all hopped aboard for a trip inland. We stopped for shots in the verdant rice paddies and enjoyed vistas over the tea lands as we climbed.

We arrived at Kanneliya, one of the two remaining virgin rain forests in Sri Lanka. Forests always make me so happy! We took an easy winding walk up to some rockpools. We saw snakes, lizards and monkeys on the way. We climbed up the rocks to a nearby, gorgeous waterfall – all the way taking plenty of photos of the models. When enough pics and outfits had been done we had a picnic lunch on the rocks. We all got to swim in the pool and have our heads and shoulders thundered on by the waterfall.

The walk back in the warm, fat rain drops should have been a treat for anyone used to English rain – but the leeches came out to play and caused much hysteria amongst many of the party. As the official doc on the tour I was lucky enough to have to do butt checks on various people in the group who were concerned about leeches they couldn’t see!

The next morning we dedicated a few hours to water sports shots, then we moved to a gorgeous railway bridge and finally a typical local café for the final pictures and outfits. We got back to the camp to pack and have one long, lingering, last swim. We had our last lunch and felt sad saying goodbye to the kind staff who had really taken care of us.

Before leaving we had a small thank you present yet to give to Sri Lanka. We went to paint the newly rebuilt house of a single mom who had lost her home in the Tsunami. Seeing her face beaming when her house had 2 new coats of paint on it was really satisfying.


It was rather embarrassing when a sweaty, dirty busload of us arrived at our fancy hotel in Columbo that evening! We checked in, spruced up and then got down to celebrating a job well done with food, drink, dance, playing pool and generally running amok. We topped it all off with a 4am swim in the hotel swimming pool!

It was a gorgeous trip, I hope the catalogue turns out beautifully and thank you to all the awesome people in the group!

Welcome to the Falklands

For those of you who are a little confused about my life – don’t worry – so am I. I am doing a 3 month stint in the Falklands, working in the only hospital on the islands - I am only 5 days in – totally surreal. And, don’t ask what I will do next…

The Falklands apparently swung off the East coast of South Africa back in Gondwanaland days, it swivelled a further 180 degrees and keep cruising until it hit the Argentinian plate. So my initial impression of this land contains echoes of my home country (the rocks and litchen are so similar to Silvermine), there are echoes of England, echoes of South America and Alaska, echoes of my parents’ childhood (it’s 1960’s – safe, friendly, billboard and flashing light-free).

Then I wonder, why do I need to compare it to all these things to make sense of it? Typical human judgement and opinion – maybe it’s not like any of these things at all – simply it’s Falklands and I have no idea what that is.

I do know, the fruit and veg supply is a sad state – and I am reliably informed it is hugely improved these days – a few years ago you couldn’t even find a cucumber! I am surprised the locals don’t all have scurvy – but apparently they do have high levels of bowel cancer because of the veganproof diet.

There is no atm, no traffic lights, no chain stores – but have no fear – there are 2 tatoo artists in town, the “Fighting Pig Band” which plays at the Trough, and apparently a guy who renamed himself, Mr Happy Donkey. One wonders what exactly inspired this name..