Janet's Journal

I returned to Sri Lanka in February 2020 for a three month stay, one year later and I am still here.

Originally, I rented a first floor apartment in Katuwapitiya, a village on the east side of Negombo.  A perfect location, very quiet but not too far from town and beach.

The days passed happily renewing old acquaintances and making new ones.  The weather was perfect for walking on the beach and swimming in the sea.

The English Cricket Team arrived for the Test series here and I went to watch their warm up match at Katunayake.

The first case of the coronavirus was confirmed here on 12 March.  Schools immediately closed for two weeks, then on 17 March the airport closed. By the 20 March the President had announced that the whole country would go under immediate curfew which was to last for just over three months.

None of the major festivals here for Easter, Buddhist New Year, Vesak could be celebrated.

Now my days were spent on my little balcony watching the beautiful birds, so many species.  I became especially fond of a little mynah bird family who would sit on the edge of the roof chattering to me, inevitably I nicknamed them Morris and Morris Minor.  Cream crackers were their favourite treat.

When curfew finally lifted, I decided that a change of location was needed and after some searching found a nice house to rent in Ettukala.  A large garden stocked with coconut and mango trees plus being in walking distance to the main beach decided me.  In the middle of June, I moved in.

As the airport remained closed except for Government repatriation flights visas were automatically extended.

Life returned to normal although the devasting effect of no tourism is clearly visible with hotels, restaurants and many gift shops empty or closed.  A few days visiting the north to see the elephant gathering in Minneriya emphasised that the tourist trade has ended for the foreseeable future.

At the end of August, the annual Negombo Kite Festival was staged on Waikkal beach.  Thousands of people contributed to the carnival atmosphere either taking part or as spectators. 

The traditional snakes, fish, peacock and frog kites competed against modern designs. The longest snake kite had a 150 metre tail, and skill need to ensure it didn’t get entangled with other snakes or nearby palm trees.

Three generations of one family were struggling to get their beautiful peacock airborne in the light winds.

I managed one more week away, this time to Tangalle on the south coast.  Again, all the hotels, bars and restaurants closed.  It was like staying in a ghost town.  You can read about my trips in separate blogs.

Then in October the virus was back and so was curfew lasting till early December.