Sunday 10th June 2012 - Colombo, Sri Lanka

Anjali and I had planned to have a chilled out movie day today and then I would cook in the evening. However in the morning when I was in my room sleeping, Anjali had got a call from Farizeh asking to meet up so Anjali decided without me that we would meet Farizeh and Rudi today. I was of course a little disappointed but I figured we could meet them in the late morning/early afternoon and then come back for around 5pm and then I could still cook.  We met Farizeh at the Avirate Cafe and then decided we would all go shopping to a store called Cotton Collection to have a look. I had seen a poster for the store earlier in the week and had wanted to check it out so was definitely up for it. We all jumped in a tuk tuk and were almost there (like 2minutes away) when the tuk tuk broke down so we got out and walked. Rudi came and joined us at the store and went upstairs to the men's section to shop. Cotton collection was more my kind of store as it was more fitting to my budget so I ended up buying some beautiful basics. The store bizarrely sold Marks and Spencers and Miss Selfridge branded clothing.  While we were at the counter paying I could overhear a conversation happening between Rudi and Anjali. They were talking about heading down to Galle and Unawatana for dinner. Anjali didn't even ask me but signed us both up for it. I then pretended like I hadn't heard what they were talking about and asked what was happening. Anjali was like we're going to Galle. I outright told her infront of Farizeh and Rudi that I was kind of offended given that I was supposed to be cooking for her and because I had all the fresh ingredients in the fridge. Anjali said "you can cook tomorrow, it's no problem." I really didn't want to go and said that I was going to pass but Rudi and Farizeh weren't having any of it and insisted that I come. I eventually agreed but felt quite a bit disappointed in Anjali.  The drive down to Galle was beautiful. There is a high speed road (aka motorway) linking Colombo to Galle which meant it only took 45minutes to get there. The road cut right through green fields covered in palms and tea and rubber plantations.  Rudi had suggested that we go to a beachfront bar in Unawatana before heading to Galle but of course Anjali suggested somewhere nicer to go before she even saw Rudi's place. We drove down the road that she suggested but Rudi didn't seem impressed and suggested that we head to his place instead which made me very happy! The road that Anjali suggested actually looked really cool, not for drinking but rather it looked like somewhere I would definitely like to go back to for more than a few hours. There were cool little stores filled with hippy type clothing, wooden jewellery (which I adore), and lots of other bric-a-brac. The place that Rudi suggested for us to drink at was just beautiful. It was a raised wooden shack type-place right on the beach that had sun-beds against the railings looking right out onto the beach. The beach wasn't that great at the moment though because it was monsoon season, meaning that the waves were crazy and there was hardly any beach.  When we arrived there Anjali had to get it in there that she had came here to this place before in an attempt to try and steal the limelight but whatever.  Both Farizeh and Anjali don't drink so Rudi and I drank beer and shared a pizza while the ladies ate and drank other things. We stayed at the place for maybe two hours and then drove to The Fort at Galle. The Fort is basically a man-made fort that the Dutch built and lived on during their colonial reign in Sri Lanka. The houses there were very European with small cobbled roads. We walked around doing the tourist thing and looking inside the beautiful homes that had been converted into impressive hotels. It was dark by this point though and we had been driven to Galle by Rudi and Farizeh's driver so we all decided to head back to Colombo so that their driver could go home. His motorbike was parked at Farizeh and Rudi's house so we drove there. There house was about 30minutes outside of Colombo  because that was where the driver's motorbike was. Farizeh has previously complained a lot about her house because apparently it is too hot but I walked inside and my jaw dropped open. I have never stepped inside a more beautiful house. Of course you see nice houses on the television but this was reality and I was in complete awe!  The living area was tree storeys high with floor to ceiling arched shaped windows draped with white lightweight curtains. This is the room that Farizeh had the problem with because there was only one air-conditioner in the room and the sheer size of the room meant that it wasn't very effective. The furniture in the room was modern chic and very glamorous, which suited Farizeh's personality perfectly. Downstairs there was a gorgeous kitchen, a study for Rudi and staff living quarters (which had another kitchen, a television room, a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and also another separate bathroom). In the study were dozens of framed photographs that Rudi had taken. Apparently photography was one of his favourite hobbies. His work was really nice - he had even did photography at Farizeh's sister's wedding which he showed us.  There were huge wooden stairs leading upstairs to a balcony type area that looked down onto the living area. There were 3rooms there, each with a bathroom. There was also another living area. The whole house was white but each bathroom was very oddly painted a different colour. They were only renting the property so didn't really want to do much to the house because it would be a waste.  Anyway, Rudi got changed and then we all got back in the car and Rudi drove us to into Colombo to the Dutch Hospital to have food and drinks. As soon as we arrived into the Dutch Hospital and took a seat at a table we were greeted by a man carrying a beer pitcher saying that we had won this for sitting at the selected table. Thanks!! Rudi and I shared the beer and we all ordered tapas food to eat whilst watching a live band playing all the really cool chilled out songs by people like snow patrol and kings of Leon. After food Rudi and I ordered shisha also.  It was a nice chilled out evening that ended around 1am.