Just what the doctor ordered

Great day today, a nice mix of work and rest (often combining the two) and we’re now building up towards a whirlwind few days in the hill country.

Woke up early for breakfast before our departure to Sigiriya, a brilliant rock monolith that supposedly served as a fortress for King Kassapa in the 5th Century. There are some doubts over the true story, but the King’s story is a good one and it’s certainly the reason the guides like to give for the site.

We’d been there a couple of times before, but it never really ceases to amaze me how they constructed some of these things up to 1600 years ago, including a ‘mirror wall’ made only of naturally-found items, such as egg whites and limestone, rock paintings in incredibly difficult-to-reach caves and a mini village on top of a fairly inaccessible rock face. It’s a reasonably steep climb to the top, but the views are worth it, and our guide Ravi was very informative and knowledgeable (plus he could speak Japanese, so most of the way down Ro and he were talking without anyone else having any clue of what was being said).

From there about half of us climbed into Irosh’s van for a trip to a clinic in Dambulla. After a short, but much-needed swim and meal, we reached a Sunday school building just off the main road. Thanks to Des’s mate Ron, everything was set up before we arrived, and also thanks to Ron, there was a restriction on the number of patients, which allowed the docs to spend a bit more time with each one. This, in turn, gave the pharmacy a bit more room to move and a bit more time to talk with our interpreters, and we moved at a very steady and consistent pace. Despite the rain leaking through the roof at times it was a really good day.

A particularly funny moment was the naming of Darshanna, one of our drivers, who has the widest smile of anyone I’ve ever met. The nickname Dr. Darshanna became Dr. D, which soon became Dr. Doolittle. This wasn’t particularly funny in itself, but it was hilarious when the local health officer, when thanking us at the end of the clinic, mentioned all the doctors: “Doctor Sian, Doctor Tracey James, Doctor Bronwyn, Doctor Vivien, Doctor Hans and Doctor Doolittle,” without any idea of the joke.

Because of the community spirit and the leisurely speed, it was our nicest clinic to date my a country mile. The rain, some of which was coming through the shoddily built roof, failed to dampen our spirits, and we kicked on, going to Ron’s nearby house at the conclusion of the day. He lived very simply with his family, preferring to give most of his assets away to less fortunate people, so when he mentioned us as being the kindest people he’d met in recent years we were very honoured.

At the conclusion of the evening, Ron, a devout Christian, offered a prayer for everyone, and we were invited to respond. Hans said words to the effect of: “There are many ways to find God, and many paths, but it is important to all religions to back up your words with kind actions.” A prolonged silence followed, broken only by Tracey who uttered, “And so?” causing everyone to burst into fits of laughter.

We got back to the hotel, greeted by another ginormously huge dinner, our third buffet meal of the day, and soon after fell into a deep sleep.

The Cinnamon Lodge buffet