Archive for November, 2010
Samanthi . . . . Sri Lanka's most beautiful Chef
After all these years of travelling to Sri Lanka, and living for months in Arugam Bay, i have failed to hail the unsung hero’s and heroin’s of this tropical isle. So, i’m going to start with the one person that provides me with all the fuel i need to surf! Samanthi is affectionately known as ‘Number 1 sister’. I have known Samanthi and her family for the past 6 years. She and her sister, Erandathi, were the teachers at the Pre-School, near the Buddhist Temple, at the south end of the village. Samanthi and her family have fed and watered me over this time. They have even tolerated me living in their cabanas and at times the castle. I have to surf and go fishing to prevent the weight piling on! The problem is the food! Samanthi’s cooking is the best. It is not only the Rice n Curries that she serves up, but the cakes, pizzas, desserts and short eats. I never come home to Devon lighter than when i went out. Samanthi heads a team of sisters in the kitchen. She is up and starting the kitchen duties at six every morning, and regularly works through until midnight during the tourist season. Way back, when i first arrived, it was Amma doing the cooking, and forever supplying me and the brothers with Tea. Now it is Samanthi, with the assistance of younger sisters Gayani and Ruwanthi, and cousins Geeva and Sudu. There is a constant call for me to come and eat from the kitchen, and if i miss a meal, it is always waiting there for my return. Not only is Samanthi an awesome cook, but she is also beautiful. Be warned though! She has four protective brothers, a father, and a brother in law!
November 24th, 2010
Windfalls! Apples!
These are real apples! Not selected for their colour, shape or size . . . . . but because they are apples! And these apples show real character, and taste like real apples! Not to be outdone, my father brought me a gift as well. All i have to do is skin, chop and cook! And then . . . . . . . . . . . . . blissfully eat with piping hot custard . . . . . . and cool clotted cream . . . . . that melts over the custard and apples! I guess the front door will be locked again, and i’ll be sat in front of the wood burner enjoying the spoils of autumn. Don’t try contacting me at this time!
November 24th, 2010
Mince Pies!
Oh how i love this time of year! Mince Pies! And homemade to boot!
A truely special gift from my mum.
Now is a time to lock the front door, warm the pies, dish up the clotted cream, and sit around the wood burner! Heavenly times!
Thank you Mum. I knew there was a reason for me to still be in the UK!
A plateful of Heaven . . . . . . . Home made mince pies!
November 24th, 2010
Fluid Juice Surfboards
(. . . . . and that man Adrian Phillips!)
Fluid Juice Surfboards & Arugam Bay Surf Club
Paddle4Relief Founder, Tim Tanton, headed across the border, to Cornwall, to find another true gent of a man, Adrian Phillips. Adrian has been monumental in helping Tim provide the top surfers in Arugam Bay with competition level surfboards. Tim picked up three surfboards only hours before his last trip to the tropical isle, earlier this summer, and whilst Tim was out there, Adrian sent a further three more out with some of the crew who were competing in the UK Pro Tour Event. The boards were a donation to the surfers of Arugam Bay who had been proving their surfing skills to Tim for some years. With the ASP WQS 6 Star and UK Pro Surf Tour Events in Arugam Bay this summer, there was a need for the local talent to have some quality boards to help them with their quest against some of the worlds finest surfing talent. Both the Sri Lankan Wild cards for the main WQS Event were Arugam bay surfers using Paddle4Relief donated surfboards. Adrian, whose step son, Toby Donachie, is one of the UK’s finest surfing talents, and for the second year running, was out in Abay competing in the UK Pro Surf Tour Champion of Champions contest, also provided the Arugam Bay surfers with a handful of leashes as well. Tim cannot thank Adrian enough for his speedy response to the young Arugam Bay surfers needs. And to cap it all, Adrian had to suffer his Paypal account being suspended. Tim’s payment from Sri Lanka had been flagged up as a possible security breach! Fortunately for Adrian, and for Tim, the internet access in Arugam Bay was on a good run and Tim was able to access his emails daily. He soon picked up the distress email from Adrian, and was on the phone to Paypal quick smart, even with being put on hold and running out of credit on two occasions! Thanks must also go to the surfboard mules, Toby Donachie, Tony Plant, Dave Renyard and Phil Williams.
November 20th, 2010
Appledore School
(In celebration of Mrs Freeman from Appledore School)
Paddle4Relief would like to say a huge thank to the staff and children at Appledore School for their very kind donation of £228, which funded the restoration of a polluted and disused well in the village of Komari, Sri Lanka.
What started as an email enquiry to P4R Founder, Tim Tanton, from Emma Dennis (Parent Governer) and Annemarie Bettiss (School Bursar) resulted in nine Hindu families benefiting from a well providing them with safe drinking water. The well also provides the families with water for cooking, washing and general chores.
Previously Disused Well.
The donation was a result of the children from the school raising the money and deciding that they wanted to build a well, as a thank you to Mrs Freeman, the schools Head Mistress, who was leaving the school after fourteen years of service. They wanted something in which to remember her by, and for her to remember them.The well, situated on the eastern side of the village, close to the beach, has seen thirty-five villagers including fifteen children and six elders, benefit from the completion of the project.
Komari is situated approximately 20km’s north of the popular surfing destination of Arugam Bay, on the south-east coast of Sri Lanka. It is an extremely poor area with the average wage less than $2 a day. The community are primarily involved in farming and fishing.
The village was totally destroyed in the 2004 Asian Tsunami with only the church left standing. It is also an area that was severely affected by the civil war, and an area that was not safe to be out in during the hours of darkness during that time.
Now it is a place where recovery has been slow. Paddle4relief had researched the area and found that there were two wells that could be renovated.
Komari Community Social Well
The donation enabled P4R to increase the height of the well by more than a metre, and build a wide apron around the well, with a run off to ensure that waste water does not run/drain directly back into the clean well water. The interior of the well was re-rendered and the well itself pumped out and cleaned.
The second well was funded by Paddle4Relief. It is located on the west side of the village and now provides fifteen Hindu families with safe drinking water. Of the fourty-seven individuals making up the families, twenty-three are children and nine are elders. They again are predominantly involved in fishing and farming.
Crystal Clear Drinking Water
November 7th, 2010
RIP Andy Irons. A true champion who will be hugely missed.
November 3rd, 2010
