Team Sri Lanka left from Newcastle Airport (almost) on time on Friday morning. After a couple of comfortable emirates flights, punctuated by a brief stop in Dubai with an authentic McArabia kebab, we arrived intact at Colombo. Our swine flu ‘infected’ country of departure meant an additional grilling by department of health officials. However, we all cleared this and customs to be greeted by our driver for the week Richard.After a few minutes on the Sri Lankan highways we fully appreciated Richards’ driving expertise, demonstrating aptly the local techniques of double-overtaking and utilizing the full width of the road (and pavement).

Mid-way through our journey to Jaga Bay we stopped at the Tsunami memorial and admired the beach and the statue of Buddha that was erected exactly one year following the disaster that cost so many lives. After stretching our legs we returned for the final leg of our twenty-seven hour journey.
Arriving at Jaga Bay Hotel we were greeted by our friendly hosts who took us to our rooms before we settled down to our first, of many, local beverages. The food was also good, the team tucking into a variety of local fish and vegetable curries.
The man himself, Jagath, welcomed us to Sri Lanka and invited the team to celebrate the Buddhist full moon festival in Weligama town the following day.

After dinner conversation was, presumably, affected by the sleep deprivation amongst other things. The team began by discussing the task ahead during the following week, quickly derailing into world religion, politics, murder and sex. Craig’s face falling into his curry hinted to everyone that it was time to go bed.

The Stats at the end of Day One:

• Members of team: 5
• Number of ants in bedroom: 237
• Sri Lankan words learnt: 2
• Tropical storms: 1
• Mosquito bites: 2
• Cases of diarrhoea: 1