
Dessert, then dinner.
(Day eleven + nothing, eleven is long enough for one post) It’s 8am and I’m sitting in a local cafe. It’s perfect, I can see the street through the window and watch people while I try and think of the right word, which means I look out the window quite a bit. The coffee here is the real deal and I need it. After turning out the light at 1am and getting up to my alarm at 5am this mug of caffeinated goodness is going to help me recall days past and with any luck with some sembl

Buddha, here there and everywhere
(Days nine + ten) It's late and I'm just back from the hotel next door where the rest of the tour group is staying, I have a king-sized bed and I'm propped up with three pillows to write for at least an hour or so if I can keep my eyes open. I can hear a train going by and plenty of noise from the open air restaurant on the next floor. There's one of those yellow translucent geckos running around the walls. I figure he's as good as mosquito repellent so I'm trying to embrace

Ayubowan!
(Days seven + eight) I’m on the bus to Kandy. I’ve just left the Spice Garden and the bus is now winding its way along the Kandy-Jaffna Highway. I’m full from another cooking lesson and leaning with my belt on against my laptop bag which is wedged between my back and the window. I’m choosing to ignore the wave of nausea caused by the combination of curry and corners. The days are jam-packed but in a good way. It just means there’s not much time to write with so many wonderful

Sri Lanka Calling
(Days five and six) Good morning, it’s 8am here in Negombo and I’ve been up since 4.30am at the fish markets. I’m in my room now waiting for the bus to depart at 9.30am. My bags are packed and I’m sitting very upright on the couch due to there being more cushion than seat. The sun is pouring in through the high window of the colonial style room and I can hear the traffic outside; horns blasting, motorbikes, tuc tucs and buses melded in to a cacophony of frenetic movement. I m

Friends + Feasting, Singapore Style
(Days three + four) It’s 5pm right now in Colombo, I’m sitting in the lobby to write while I wait for the restaurant to open at 7.30pm. There’s a massive thunderstorm, it’s still outside but the sky is dark and sheet lightning forms a backdrop for the palm-lined beach. The rain isn’t as heavy as it was. There’s a woman out there walking with a red umbrella which I’m not sure is sensible but she seems happy enough. A man just sat down opposite me and lit up a cigarette. Obviou


In-flight entertainment and seamless Singapore
(Days one + two) Coffee Academics is a somewhat of an institution. Born in Hong Kong it set new standards in coffee culture before expanding to Singapore and Mainland China. I have been coming here each morning to write. Today to my left is a Pilipino lady. She’s wearing a denim dress and white trainers, her Louis Vuitton bag is at her hip and I thought her large black coffee would last the distance but she’s just ordered another. To my right is an Iranian woman, a little old