Tuesday 22nd May 2012 - Nilaveli, Sri Lanka

I didn't sleep too well last night and kept waking up to the sound of snoring - the walls must be seriously thin or the person snores ridiculously loud. I finally got out of bed around 8am, did some yoga and then washed some of my clothes before heading to the beautiful beach.  I don't think it is the most beautiful beach I have ever been on and the water isnt as clear as say Koh Nyanguan in Thailand but I think I enjoyed the beach more than any others I had any been on. I think maybe because the water is not silly shallow water for miles but proper water that you can swim in. Also unlike other beaches I had been on the water was so refreshing meaning that I probably spent as long as four hours in the water alone. I loved that I could see everything around me which meant I wasnt scared. Also there was a really nice breeze which made me recognise where the term "ocean spray" came from - there  were small waves that gently swept along the shore but the wind blew against the waves as they were rolling onto the sand causing a refreshing back spray into the water. If you were close enough the spray rained onto you.  It was just pure bliss. I rolled around in the water like a big kid laughing to myself and feeling such a contented enjoyment and appreciation for the paradise I was in. At one point the waves caught me off guard and had me doing roley -poleys onto the beach! I can't lie it hurt a bit but I laughed hysterically.  Occasionally a man or two would come along trying to sell me a snorkelling trip or something but they were all very friendly and not too forceful.  I left the beach around 5pm and walked towards my hotel. On the way I could see two little puppies in a field who started yapping at me. They were too cute trying to scare me so I stood there trying to get them to come to me. They slowly edged closer and closer yapping reluctantly the whole time and then within ten minutes I had both of them on the floor giving them belly rubs.  When I got back to my accommodation the buddha man was there once again telling me he was hungry. I asked him for the money he owed me and he dismissed me saying that the owners had the money and I could get it tomorrow. In the morning I had gone to a hotel closer to the beach for breakfast and the manager said he would give me a room for Rs.1500. It was Rs.100 more than the place I was staying but actually, given that the buddha man was refusing to give me the Rs200 you might as well say I was paying that price anyway. The manager had shown me the rooms which were a lot nicer and no where near as dingy as where I was staying and also there was a large outside area, including a table and chairs outside my door, where I could chill rather than sitting inside trying to avoid the buddha man. I decided I would move there tomorrow morning and told the buddha man. He told me again he would sleep outside my room - again I thought he was joking until I heard him pull out a chair at the table outside my room. I could hear him all evening tottering around outside my room and then the snoring started again..,.It was him!!! He literally was sleeping outside my room and had been the night before too. Too weird! I was glad to be leaving there tomorrow.  I got a text from Mohan saying he was coming to get me in the morning at 9am.