Egg Drop Game

Egg Drop Game

A busy and confusing day. It started with a power cut before I got up, the fan stops and you try and think what to have for breakfast, toast is out. Then on the way to work I noticed the bike handling changing, that’s a puncture, this time the back wheel. So off to the repair shop, only takes half an hour here though but 430 rupees gone before 9am, about £2.
As far as I was aware, somebody from the British High Commission was due to visit at 9.30 for half an hour. Back at the office this has changed. Firstly I’m told 25 traders, all men, are coming in for training and can I do some activities/games with them. Also security reports are required and Vithy is sending me texts saying he is emailing me a draft presentation for tomorrow, can I edit it and add a bit about the weekends security problems. Meanwhile helping Jazeem with another urgent report.
By 9.15 the High Commission has become the British Ambassador and 9.30 has become 11am.
As they say in Sri Lanka, Wot to do?
I grab the truck and head off to my house to collect my games, I bring lots as I am not sure how much time I have to cover. I am planning on a hoop game and the planks as they work with all male groups. I get back to find its now 16 men and 9 women!
Back to the drawing board. I choose the egg drop game and lego towers as best for mixed groups and set about getting eggs, finding newspaper etc. The 11am arrival becomes a meeting at the GA’s office, Government Agent in Ampara. I am now sorting games and editing reports on the computer. I decide not to go to the GA’s office as now they will evidently now come to our office at 1.30!
The traders break for tea and I’m told the first game will happen now, I am told that a lot for the next 15-20 minutes. However I don’t waste time and continue editing and ensuring the troops know what the plan is. The equipment such as it is is laid out on the table, 1 egg, 5 double sheets of broadsheet newspaper, 1 roll sellotape, pair of scissors and about 50 elastic bands.
The plan is to split the group into 6 teams, each team then has 2 minutes to choose a leader. I then brief the leaders and give them a set time to do the task. Then the clock starts. The task in this case is to use only the materials provided to make something that will stop the egg breaking when dropped from about 2m, the time allowed is 20 minutes, and this includes planning time. I will stress that you only get 1 egg, take care of it.
Eventually I am summoned and the splitting into teams and leader bit is explained, in English by me then in Sinhala and Tamil. This is a game in itself but eventually we get there and I am briefing the six leaders, they are getting it translated again in Sinhala and Tamil. Then off we go. Within 2 minutes one team has broken their egg. My stance of you only get 1 egg causes shocked faces, I relent. As I do later as another gets broken at 15 minutes.
All credit to the teams they are all finished in the 20 minutes.

Pinkie goes green!

When I set off for my Aragum Weekend work was underway to concrete my bit of earth. I wasn't really sure what was happening. I know I live there but that often doesn't mean a lot.
On returning from the bay grass had been individually planted and painting was underway. The result is interesting but where do I park the motorbike?

For vols, what you consider and expect for privacy in the west may not apply when in placement as a vol. Your space isn't always respected and people can mean well but cause chaos. You need to have a flexible attitude and understand that you can have something of a celebrity status without the ability to get away.

On the road home

It's not uncommon to have a herd of cattle or goats to negotiate along the way.
Fishermen at Komari, looks idylic and probably is.
Walls put to educational use. Quite a lot of walls especially in schools and colleges have been painted with educational pictures. The most common is the map of Sri Lanka.

Ideal Homes?

These are houses I keep meaning to photograph. The first, yes they are concrete igloos! In a country with an average temp of 32 celcius. I am sure there is a good reason to build this type of house here.....but it's beyond me!
The second lot of houses has been like this since I have been here, over a year. Again I am sure the intention was good, but they have been built in the middle of nowhere and nobody wants to live there.
I could get on a soapbox about money, time, etc. But......

Time to go!

The waves got bigger each day, each time I went in on the last day took more care. You had to time getting in between the big ones and getting out wasn't easy. When you were in the water you had to ask yourself why you were there. The waves were 4m plus and bouncing off the shore. You have to know when to quit.

Yala North- hill top

The long climb, steps cut in the rock and a wire rope handrail for the steep bits.

The views, my camera and the operator-me- can't do justice to the spectacle. It is like something from Lord of the Rings, or even a prehistoric set. It is a timeless landscape, stunningly beautiful, you have to be there.

Yala North-meditation

The steps through the rocks leading to the tiny meditation places made from caves, totally peaceful and tranquil. We had to get permission from the Head Monk to visit, thanks to him.

It is the sea in the distance, this plateau is surrounded by small meditation huts and caves.

Yala North

The Stupor at the bottom of the hill with it's stone steps evenly cut.
The rock temple and statue, a magical setting. Go left for meditation, go right for hill top and views.

This well is like something from a fairy tale, it is on a narrow path between rocks and trees which suddenly opens and there is this perfect little well.

Aragum Bay at sunset

It was Poya day 31st may so full moon and fortunately clear skies too. You can see the milky way here, just sit on the beach and look up.

Aragum Bay weekend

My beach hut at Rocco's and the view whilst I have breakfast, lunch or just read between swims.

Above the bay south of Rocco's and below looking north. The surfing takes place at the southern tip. There were about 30 surfers in town. It's very quiet because of the security situation at the moment.

Kandyan Dancing Photos

Just a few photos of the traditional dancing costumes. I usually see the dancing at night as part of a procession or at an event so often difficult to get a good photo.

Kovil Lamp lighting and speeches

The lighting of the lamp, all the important guests get to do it, then the speech. I did ask Vithy, the guy on my left if he had any trouble translating my speech and if I paused often enough. His answer led me to believe that he just said what he thought i should say....Sri Lanka!

Kovil opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the new Kovil in Kalmunai. It isn't finished yet but the ceremony went ahead anyway. In fact I don't think I have been to, or heard of anything where total completion has been achieved before the opening ceremony. The banner is a must and in this case we had to walk down the road to the Kovil as part of the ceremony. The garland was the biggest yet and was nice and fresh, they are beautiful and smell lovely, the white flowers are Frangipani I think.
The audience started out as mainly children but finished up as mostly adults and as we left the music started.
The ceremony was late in the afternoon and I ended up driving 30km back to Ampara on my motorbike after dark. Not the best idea, as I came along the flat plain where all the paddy fields are you could see the insects in your headlight like snow in winter. Being on a bike you could also feel them hitting you and going down your shirt. Every now and then a big insect hits your helmet, like a small stone. I also experienced a frog being exploded on my foot, nice! Add to that cyclists without lights, cattle, dogs and goats to be negotiated.

Random Photos

Just some local kids watching us. I love the bicycles with their 'sit up and beg' handlebars and brakes operated by metal rods and levers, no cables here.

This is a Kovil we are rebuilding, the original was wiped out by the Tsunami. Eventually it will be very colourful and intricately painted. However it obviously needs a good orange undercoat to get things started.
When you get a few people arriving for tea you need to get a bucket on the boil. This is a common way of boiling water here, there are electric kettles but they are not always first choice.