WYE VALLEY TSUNAMI FUND

Wales win the Rugby.......

Just managed to get the rugby results. BRILLIANT hope somebody has a video for us. It must have been fantastic in Cardiff to night, 27 years we (us lucky ones born the right side of Offa's Dyke) have been waiting. James I think is fed up of me telling him that Wales used to be good, he is only 21, NOW HE KNOWS FOR HIMSELF

Today I have been about 25 miles south of Galle, I went with one of the guys from the hotel to see his father and brothers, his mother having died in the tsunami. They lost everything. It was his fathers birthday 64. We bought some cakes lots, and jars of sweets, I think some of the shops owners around here don't know what to make of me, 24 family sized sponges and 3 jars of sweets please. As you go south the devastation get worse much worse. What amazed me and I was glad Sally did not come was the fact that the little towns we passed through most of thru buildings housing the shops have survived, have been cleaned out and re stocked and are up and running almost as if nothing much has happened. Most of houses however have been totally destroyed. I know the road quite well but couldn't get my bearings. Long stretches of road that previously had loads of little houses reduced to rubble mile after mile with few people about. Some of the houses were very simple buildings, others nice colonial style properties all treated the same by that bloody sea. It gutted me. Tents have been erected by the survivors on the spots where there houses once stood amongst the rubble. Some spend all their time there others at night go to camps to sleep as they are frightened. Government officials come round regularly during the day and check up that the people are still on their property. Apparently one day when they decide what the peoples future will hold for these people. No plans in place yet. People tell us that the government is telling them that the government can not do anything as they have no money and the money promises has not been forthcoming. Whether this is true who knows !!

When we arrived his father had forgotten it was his birthday but so pleased to see us. They have just about rebuilt their little beach side shop and hope to re-open at the end of the month next week end 26th is the end of the three month mourning period. Some Sri Lankan have not observed this tradition and straight way got on with re building their lives (the majority from what we have see) other like this family partial compliance as a mark of respect and other total respect and have done little. (Some have used this as and excuse to do nothing understandable perhaps given what they have been through. The younger brother showed me a picture of his mother one of the very few things that they managed to salvage from the mess. They sleeping in a tented village close by that has been set up by the Belgian Army. 80 tents, 10' x 10' set on a concrete slab, one camp bed provided, one light bulb, community kitchen. Quite well set out though. Yesterday 316 people were registered as staying there, with 104 under the age of 18. I will be going shopping again today !! , but Mrs Doble is telling me to slow down, I can't, this is a doddle compared with being in work !!!

It is 07:30 Sunday morning now, I am sat on the balcony, monkey in a tree near by, it is probably about 27 - 28 degrees (80 in old money) and brilliant. Will try and send this down the wire but last night we had a fantastic lightening storm and lost mobile signal and TV.

That is all for now folks

Sally and Kelvin