The flight came in on time to Colombo’s small airport, after the gigantic ones we are used to across the world especially since we were flying out of massive Heathrow. Whenever I travel I think of Mum and how she would have loved to travel with us all over the world and she could not, due to a fluke accident.

So here am I sitting in the Colombo airport waiting for our connecting flight back to Bangalore. Colombo was warm as we touched down and here am I sitting in my thick sweater and warm inner blouse, with my coat on the chair waiting to cast off my warm garments and get back to my shorts and t-shirts.

I head for the toilet to take my insulin shot for the day and am greeted by messy bathrooms all over again. Why are we so dirty as a race I wonder? Even in a national park the rest rooms were spick and span in the UK. Guess its a cultural problem. Here in Colombo the toilets are messy, paper everywhere and water splashed across the floor making it difficult to use them.

BUT what’s nice is in Asia the internet is provided for free in airports so it’s good to be connected again. Infact my whatsapp messages began to pop and sing into my phone when we had barely come into the airport. So I could message the boys and thank them for the wonderful holiday we had shared together in London. I like getting the family together for the season as only then will the cousins bond, as they live in different countries.

Bonding is so important when their kids are young so there is thoughtfulness and love for the other.My Mum and Dad tried with us siblings, but unfortunately the viciousness spread by their spouses, has destroyed any semblance of caring and love. Money and the greed for more dominates their lives and colours their dealings with the other.

One shop is filled with elephants which are bric-a brac being sold to tourists. At 9 $ each I decide to skip them as they are far more ordinary than the ones we get in India. I did want to pick up one but the 9$ price tag for a small 4 inch one put me off.

Walking down I come to my favourite tea store. There are hundreds of teas on display and sale, but I have gone used to Dilmah. Why you might ask? Dilmah has a wonderful gold coloured liquor and in the airport a bag of 400 grams was being sold for 4$ each. I collected my stock for the year -- 3 packets of tea to push into my back- pack to take home to Bangalore. I miss my Sri Lankan tenants who lived in my apartments and who religiously brought me bags of the stuff when they went home. The building is sold has we are consolidating our assets to buy a holiday home which belongs only to us.

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