We had a great weekend in Kandy - in the hill country so it wasn't so hot. Friday we only worked a half day, this time back at the community center, sanding and starting to paint everything we had cut the day before. A good morning.
Friday at half past 1 (the Irish, English and Scottish way to say 1:30), we left for Kandy, stopping to pick up 2 people who were in different assignments. Unfortuantely Friday afternoon traffic was as bad as LA and it took us 6 hours to get there instead of tyhe normal 4. It was raining most of the way, too, which doesn't help. And I must reiterate that driving here is like none I have ever seen. The middle line, if there is one, is simply a suggestion. With tuk tuks (roughly the size of golf carts) and motorcycles and bikes and trucks... there are often 3 or 4 vehiles passin each other at the same time. Once, on our drive back, we actually had to go into oncoming traffic because there was no opening in our direction's "lane". Especially fun is when this passing happens around blind curves. I had a good/bad seat because i was in the middle right behind the driver, so I could see all the near misses... quite an experience.
I woke up early Saturday and sat on the balcony, as monleys came roaming along the balcony rails. There was one momma and baby that decided to camp out on the corner of my rail :) Very cute. But eventually they got beyond just curious, one jumping down and brushing my leg, and then 3 slowly kinda creeping towards me... so it was time to go back inside :)
Saturday it was shopping, shopping, shopping. We went to a silk 'outlet' where we all tried on saris, and I actually ended up buying one - I'll wear it to the Brandes Christmas party :) We also went to a beautiful botanical garden and a woodcarving studio/shop. Lots of cool stuff.
Saturday afternoon a bunch of us got massages (yes, I'm roughing it here doing volunteer work) and at night we went to the "PUB" - big neon sign that we couldn't avoid :) There was some interesting dancing and later we went back to the hotel (Thilanka) and had a little party by the pool... late night, let's just say we all bonded very well and some got wet in the pool.
Sunday morning most were slow getting up, but we still had lots to do. We went to an enormous Buddah statue (there are lots of ~1 story ones around, but this one was about 4 stories high). Then we went to a nice spice garden where we all got nice mini-massages. After that, we went to a gem place (kinda like Montana... but not really, Danielle and Mary). Then it was time for elephant rides and visiting the orphanage... I have to leave it there - gotta go - they are waiting for me and I can't walk home alone... I'll write again soon...