We Don't Sit Still for Long

Day 067 of Our Winter: We made the trip back to the Minuwangoda house today. So now, just the elder of Jay's sisters is at her home in Nugegoda. Jay's younger sister came back here several days ago. We witnessed the beginning of a new year on Galle Face Green in Colombo. So, we'd not seen this house since 2025. The traffic was pretty good on the Expressway today. It is so worth paying the US$ 1.25 for the four lane divided highway! The old route is full of such distractions and is constantly congested.

This winter is going quickly. Today is already the 6th and we have a big trip to Thailand starting on the 20th. The sisters will be coming to visit Bangkok, Pattaya, and Chiang Mai with us. We won't get back to Sri Lanka until well into February. 

Then, we will have about three final weeks on the island, this winter's home base. 

Before the end of February, we start our slow journey home. First, we fly to Hong Kong to spend a few nights. Then we board the Holland America MS Westerdam, again.  Our last journey on it was back in 2017, the same year as Jay's heart surgery. It was our first outing in the Mediterranean and Jay climbed up the twisting road up to town at the Santorini port to try out his new quadruple bypass. 

This time we will be heading from HK to Japan. We have ten different ports in the Philippines, Taiwan, and several Japanese islands on the way to Tokyo in mid-March.  Jay and I bought a five port excursions on the HAL website today.  If we were to wait for the last minute, they often sell out.

Japan will be the 100th country to which Jay and I have been.  It seems fitting to spend four nights in Tokyo.  From there, we finally fly to British Columbia ending our winter away. 

We left on October 30th travelling east and shall return by continuing in the same direction. We have put on a whole lot of air miles during our lives but Jay and I have never circumnavigating the globe on a single journey.