The weather was perfect and there seem to be a million visible stars in the late evening sky. The home cooking always seems great. Lastly, the outside jungle, birds, and animals were relaxing.
We sort of also charted out the next few days. Tomorrow, Jay, his father and I will visit a friend of the family in the afternoon. It will take us about an hour to get there with the family's tuk-tuk. Then, on Sunday we can go shopping at the Sunday Market in Minuwangoda. Beginning Monday, we will start another inland journey.
Very early in the morning on Monday the same van and driver we used earlier to go to Kalpitiyia will arrive here. Everyone here will travel to Kartragama. We need an early start as we will go to Nugegoda to get Jay's elder sister. Jay's dad is 80 years old and wants to go on a pilgrimage to that sacred city. It is a great distance but we will be able to try the completed section of the new Sri Lankan Southern Expressway. We will buy hotel rooms for everyone. The rest can return on Tuesday, but Jay and I will start another week or two trip home to the south, east, or hill country, or some combination thereof. The exact details are yet to be determined which is really the best was to approach any travels.
The picture is from a previous time in Kartragama. If it weren't for my blog, I'm afraid we might not be able to recall if we last visited in 2004, 2006, or 2009. I was able to determine that the correct answer is the middle choice. Click this photo from that year to read the blog entry from that day.