Entries about arugam

No post for a few days as we've been too busy sunning ourselves... We're currently sat in a little bar with our own fan, a cold banana smoothie, a good book and the smell of my rotti being prepared in the kitchen. It is HOT. The last 4days have been pretty relaxed with evenings spent playing card games, chatting to locals and fellow holidaymakers. I've broken my no-drinking-in-sri-lanka rule a couple of times with a few beers and the odd arrack (coconut spirit). In the day we have done a little swimming/fighting the waves, lounging around reading and a bit of walking across deserted beaches.

Yesterday we hired a scooter and went on a little safari and found a monastery with all sorts of wildlife running, crawling and flying around. We were told that if we waited until dusk we would see elephants,but decided that driving down a dirt track for 40 minutes in the dark with wild elephants around may not have been the best idea so passed up the opportunity. We were also gasping for a drink, though a local offered up a fresh coconut- perfect timing. The roads are pretty interesting - on several occasions we've had to wait for a herd of wilderbeast to cross and today a herd of horned cows took over the road and we were in the middle of them as they sauntered past.

After, we decided to catch the sunset over one of the lagoons.

Today, we got going early and headed to the local surf spot- whisky point. I decided I didn't need a lesson, which proved to be optimistic... The few occasions that I did get up saw me heading straight for other bodies in the water at which point I jumped clear. I also got taken out and have a big bruise to show for it. I definitely need somewhere quieter next time I try surfing.

The bar we're sat in has food made by a boy orphaned by the tsunami. He was asking me, in broken English, various questions: where I was from, how old i was, what I did and what my dad did for a living. When I asked the same he shed a tear and told me. Everywhere you go, there are stories or signs of the devastation it caused.
This afternoon we took a ride to elephant and crocodile rocks (apparently they look like them). On the way we passed a school with hundreds of school kids streaming out. They all want to know how you are and what your name is and many wanted a high 5 as we rode past. At one point they mobbed us so that they could touch Sophie! I guess seeing so many kids back in school is a sign that the area is moving on. It is clear that tourism is really important to the local economy and the locals seem to embrace it. Everywhere you go there is a smile, a beep or a wave. You do end up feeling like a bit of a celebrity.