FOUND IN THE TEA TRAILS

By Vikram Seth - Tom Issacs.
You have no idea what you missed, if you didn't sit in for this session. I'll post more about it, soon.

THE HIGHLIGHTS

After all the Carl Muller reports from last year, almost gave this a miss. If not for the Tim Severin lunch at Kogalla, might not have made it for this. Muller had his wits about him as he tracked his brushes with the law, getting in and out of jail, crashing his computer, reminding himself to Read The F****** Manual 'I call it RTFM, to his new book that a publisher in Madras has picked up. 'I can't help it, if it bears resemblance to a certain character we know only too well.'

They've got the beat - Jeet Thayil and Suman, were the stars of the slam. Catch them wherever you can. It's worth staying up all night.

Expected someone straight out of the sets of The Pirates of the Carribean. Explorer, adventurer, film maker, writer Tim Severin surprised me. His adventures put every other travel trip to shame.

Pioneering women all. Sri Lankan authors Punyakante, Yasmine Gooneratne, Jean and Vijita. They showed us, if you've got to write, you will. Jean, though needed a session all on her own.

Alexander McCall Smith had made exactly the same speech a couple of moons ago in Singapore. Yet, who can resist the company of the 'Number 1 Ladies Detective', the books are travelling at the same pace, he told us. Mechanics are still mechanics. 'Lots of things are happening at other sessions at this festival, serious stuff is being discussed, not here. Like my books, very little happens in my talks,' he told the crowd in the Hall de Galle.


They told us we took ourselves too seriously. Wonder if that's a bad thing. In any case if the session isn't going the way I expect it to, I'd rather let my legs do the talking.

OH ISLAND

In the setting sun...

IT'S A SIGN CITY

You can get 'brand new old antiques', 'antiques made to order' or live in 'old new forts'.... go ahead take your pick....

SO FAR

If there was a fear of that underlying threat, it wasn't evident on the flight. Singapore-Colombo aboard SriLankan Airlines was fully booked. There were traders, a big group of them, who make weekly trips to Singapore. Ask them about the business, "it can be better but it's good." There is optimism, hope and a radiant smile. It's the way to land in Sri Lanka.

When I ask my driver, Sumanacna about the bombings, he tells me "nobody cares about it anymore. See so many people are visiting." The shadow of the gun may be there right outside the airport, but it isn't scaring people off. Things seem perfect till I yank out my camera. There is a rush followed by a stern warning, "no pictures." Later in the night Mihiri Weerasinghe and Lakshman enlighten me about the dangers of wielding the camera. Lucky to have got off with just a warning.

How else could I have seen the beauty of Casa Colombo?

Driving on Galle Road, nothing gives away what awaits you. A vintage car pulls in ahead of us. "That must be the one," Sumanacna says before turning in. He is here for the first time too. "It's very nice, Mam," he tells me. It's breath-taking. It lives up to its top star billing. As the sun sets, the last of the day's rays make this 200 year old The sun is setting, the 200 year old Moorish mansion shine in all its beauty.

The lights are switched on. Pink bounces off the white, the short walk way looks like its lit up in gold. More surprises await. Ambra makes me feel like I've always known her. Amila won't let me head to Odel alone. It's past 6:30, he tells me. How easily one forgets? Along the way, there are tips on what to see, what to do, it almost feels like I never left home. The room is so gorgeous, that I feel sleep is wasted. I could go on looking at the ceiling, the gold leafed wall, the little touches that blend modernity with tradition. Like this laptop that's letting me say all of this. Soon there shall be pictures to complete the rest of this tale.....