Life In Colombo

Well it's been a mad few weeks. We've moved to Colombo and after being dragged round a few mosquito infested holes, we eventually found a gorgeous house at a substantially reduced rent because it's been empty for quite a while.

So, due to popular request (well, o.k. then parent request) here's a few photos.

We just love having a garden. Joe spent the first day running continually through the house then the garden, spinning round, in absolute glee at all the space and being able to go outside on his own.

What a dude.

I've started in my new job as National Water, Sanitation and Environment Manager, overseeing the construction of:

• 108 school kitchens, toilets and wells
• 450 + tube wells and open wells
• 1800+ household and school toilets
• 18 canal clearances
• 175 rain water harvesting schemes
• 400km+ of piped water networks restored, enhanced or extended
• 118 package plant water treatment unit installations at schools and clinics
• 225 hygiene awareness programmes
• A major hospital water supply scheme
• Reconstruction of a major water pumping station
• 4 cement block manufacturing programmes
• Reconstruction of a fishing harbour
• 4 districts' solid waste (garbage) collection, handling, disposal/ recycling facilities
• 4 municipal sewage treatment works
• Establishment of several hundred Community Based Organisations to coordinate the maintenance of water and wastewater treatment systems
• Water quality testing of 2000+ water sources
• 800+ home composting schemes
• Water bowsering supplying drinking water to 4 districts
• Provision and management of 9 gully suckers (emptying septic tanks)
  

Frightening!

Anyone want to swap? I'm actually enjoying it, but it's a huge task. You eat an elephant one bite at a time.

Whilst all that's been happening, Joe's been ill with Gastroenteritis, then conjunctivitis, and now flu, and Luke's only 10 weeks old! He's been waking every 2-3 hours throughout the nights.

We've been organising mosquito nets, a fridge, tv, fixing plumbing, beds, doors and electrics on the house whilst that's been going on . . . so we're looking forward to our lovely Christmas holiday booked in Laos this year. - Dare we dump the kids on our friends there and then sleep for a week?

But . . . somehow or other, we are enjoying being in Colombo, enjoying our house, and enjoying our gorgeous children and gorgeous each other!