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Sri Lanka Journal |
Arabella's Diary
Tuesday 15 March 2005I have to leave this afternoon, and I don't want to! I would so like to go on with the Clown to the east coast to suss out the situation there, but sadly, I really do need to get back to England to get on with arranging all Children's World's normal English touring, set up the Glastonbury Children's Festival, the Bristol Children's Festival and organise the Theatre and Circus Fields for the big Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in June. Also, now that I am convinced that the camps definitely need the sort of performances, workshops and games that we can bring them, I need to start urgent fundraising for the autumn 4-month Children's World international Tour. The morning is spent giving an interview to the Sri Lankan Morning News, and then we head off to the exquisite Mount Lavinia Hotel, where we are treated to a delicious lunch and are interviewed by the Sri Lankan Sunday Times. Then my lift to the airport arrives, and I bid a fond farewell to Mohan, who has been so incredibly helpful to us. As I wave goodbye to the Clown I feel quite tearful - it has been a hard and arduous trip, and he has done so well performing so many shows and games sessions in such intense heat. He really is a bit of a super-hero! I don't feel too sorry for him though, as he absolutely adores the work. Arrive far too early at the airport and have to sit around for hours. Then 5 hour flight to Dohar and a 3 hour wait there. Then an 8 hour flight to London - I do manage to get a bit of sleep on this part of the journey, but there is no stretching out, as every seat is taken. Back to the hotel where I parked my car, dreadfully caught up in rush hour Gatwick, M23 and M25 traffic, and then onto the M3 and A303 and southwestwards. Arrive home about 12.30, jet-lagged but content with a job well done. Very happy to see my husband, daughter and right-hand assistant Chris again. The Clown will remain in Sri Lanka till 29 March and will be visiting camps in and around Trincomalee, Baracaloa and Aragum Bay. We are emailing each other every day and talk once a day on the phone. His diary takes up the story from here - do read it! As soon as I have a spare half-hour I will write a brief (well, briefish) summary of my time in Sri Lanka, explaining the main points and hopefully proving that the Children's World Autumn Tour is much-needed and will give great benefit to many children and families. If you know of anyone who might like to help us with this tour (performing, workshop leading, press work, fundraising, etc.) do please put them in touch with us. Onwards and upwards! Thank you again to the 12 donors (click on space next to gallery to see their names) who funded this incredibly valuable mini-tour. Know that your financial contributions have been and are continuing to be well and wisely spent and really are making a difference to the lives of children in Sri Lanka. Thank you! The Clown's DiaryTuesday 15 MarchAfter the previous day's drive from Hikkaduwa to Colombo, we awoke at Mohan's place feeling refreshed and ready to face the world It was Bella's last day in Sri Lanka. She really didn't want to leave, but she has a lot of other commitments, including running the Circus and Theatre Fields at the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts (where, in June, CWI hopes to recruit fellow performers for Children's World International's main September-December Sri Lankan Tour) and organising both Children's World's normal English schools and special schools programmes and organising the Bristol Children's Festival and the Glastonbury Children's Festival which will take place at the end of July and the beginning of August. Most of the morning was spent being interviewed by the Sri Lankan Morning News and trying to contact Rev David in Trinco. We'd been given his number by David Innes and hoped that he could help me find a guide in Trincomalee. Then we went to a wonderful hotel called the Mount Lavinia, where we were interviewed by the Sri Lankan Sunday Times and treated to a delicious lunch. By the time we'd finished lunch it was time for Bella's lift to the airport and her flight home. So we said our goodbyes and reluctantly went our separate ways. We will be keeping in close contact by phone and e-mail while I explore the east coast until the 29th. I had time to do some last minute shopping for re-supplies, a shower at Mohans, and one last attempt at contacting Rev David. Luckily he was there this time and arranged to meet me at 9 a.m. the next morning. Then I set off to the train station and an overnight train to Trinco. I shared my sleeper cabin with a young homeopathic doctor called Muneer, who spoke very good English and both he and the conductor made sure that my first experience of Sri Lankan trains was as comfortable as possible. (I latter found out that it was also the first time the doctor had been on a Sri Lankan train). 
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CWI Tsunami Tour