Setting the scene

Tuesday 20th May 2003. Exeter
Yesterday there was flooding in Sri Lanka as the monsoon rains caused landslips, with rivers of mud destroying lives and houses in the area around Ratnapura in the centre of the country.

This afternoon Neil and Jeev flew off to Sri Lanka. When they return on 13th June they will be married. Ian and I will be flying out with Kate and Rob on Friday to join them. All together more than 30 friends and family from Europe will be making the journey to celebrate their wedding, including Darren, Neil’s climbing and walking partner for so many years and Marc from Caen, Neil’s penfriend since the age of 11. Many of their friends from Oxford will also be there, as will cousin Margaret from Exeter.

We could have wished to start this “holiday of a lifetime” for all of us at a less dramatic time for the people of Sri Lanka. Jeev’s parents have assured us all is well in the Colombo area, and all other areas we may be visiting remain unaffected by the flooding. However, it is such a tragic event for the nation and it saddens us that at a time when we are all so happy, the lives of many with whom we will be “rubbing shoulders” has been so cruelly affected.

The wedding will be a Buddhist Poruwa ceremony at the auspicious time and place decided upon by Jeev’s aunties after reading her horoscope. It will be on the 6th June at 10.36a.m. at Bentota, south of Colombo, on the coast.

It’s been quite an undertaking deciding what we will wear for the ceremony. It’s so hard to imagine hot Sri Lankan sunshine when we are still shivering through a British springtime. Eventually I have chosen a lovely soft dress in bright peacock blue with pink and purple plums all over. It has a floating scarf in matching material and I think it’s very pretty. I hope I will be able to hold my own with the lovely ladies from Jeev’s family in their pretty saris. For his part, Ian has saved himself some effort and money by opting to wear the tie he bought for our wedding over 30 years ago! I think it is rather a nice touch. Jeev will be wearing a very special white sari. As for Neil, I gather Jeev has taken him in hand and sorted him out with a new suit and accessories. He dreams of arriving for their wedding on an elephant but I think Jeev’s common sense will prevail. Elephants and smart wedding suits don’t really go together!

On our arrival we will be staying initially in the annex to Jeev’s parents home. Once other guests arrive from Europe we will meet up to make a tour of the Cultural Triangle arranged by Ravi, a cousin of Jeev, who is using us as guinea pigs with a view to setting up a travel company. Kate and Rob cannot afford the tour so will make their own travel arrangements, as will Marc.