Getting To Galle

Once the Galle test was confirmed for the Australian tour of Sri Lanka, I was set to go, to visit the city I had missed in 2004 and to check out one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the world. So, after telling my clients I was merely out of the office for the week, and seeing the Hawks win another comfortable Home and Away match, Mum drove me to the airport on the last Sunday of August for my flight.

After my DVT-preventing celexane shot, the 6 hour flight, and 3 movies, I landed in Singapore and transferred terminals to meet the rest of the crew on the next flight. Having successfully managed to twist the arm of Belinda to come on this tour, Jess and Lisby, and Laura also booked, and so I met them all for a drink at the airport before our flight to Colombo. We were joined by Sandra and Chris, in a little West Indies 2008 reunion.

Arriving at Colombo airport, and resisting the temptation of a duty free washing machine purchase, we all collected our bags, and were then greeted in Arrivals by a pretty excited Luke. He loaded us into our mini-bus to take us down to Galle, and provided an esky with beers, Ararack and mixers, which accompanied the 12 of us for the 4 hours driving in the wee hours.

Waking in the morning to the buffet breakfast with the beach as our backdrop at the Unawatuna Beach Resort, we caught up with many familiar faces from the Waving The Flag group.

Taking in the sun and humidity, the girls and I took a walk along the Unawatuna beach. Reminding ourselves that this is a region most hit by the tsunami at the end of 2004, we noticed many rebuilt sites, the buildings that have not been repaired, the ongoing development, and that many of the beach bars and businesses have been reestablished right where they had been previously. Reaching the Buddhist temple at the end of the beach, we then walked back and parked up at the Happy Banana bar for the afternoon for cocktails, a swim, and an awesome seafood lunch.

The next day was much the same - beach, cocktails and lunch at The Lucky Tuna bar, sun, after a minor hangover for me. Being Night Zero of the Test Match, the Flag's dinner started with a Sinhalese cultural show, with dancing and fire, before a seafood BBQ buffet.

The girls and I again ventured down the beach, with Fi and Dave, to catch up with Dillo and Dave at the Bongo Spice Chilli Cafe. Perfect relaxing start to my week away!