Arriving in Colombo, I was greeted by a hobbling Laura and overwhelmed by the breath taking heat. Not quite the sunny Sri Lanka I had imagined, more over cast with a slight hint of rain in the air! After staying in Colombo for the evening we began our seven hour journey to Matara. My first experience of the roads of Sri Lanka was… let’s just say my life flashed before me but a few times. The tuk tuk didn’t stand a chance against the buses driving what felt like a hundred miles past an hour past us! Travelling along the coast in a bus, (luckily with air conditioning!) the views just got better as we left the city. The beautiful views and picturesque scenery were not impaired by the graveyards and derelict houses from the 2004 tsunami. If anything these eye opening relics added to the realism of the tragedy and remembered those who lost their lives, their homes and their loved ones, inspiring memories. When we finally made it to Matara, I couldn’t believe the difference from the dusty, busy Colombo! The beach on the front door step of our guesthouse was so tranquil and peaceful, a perfect get away from the hustle and bustle of the city! After attempting to build up my tolerance to spicy food before I left for Sri Lanka (not very successfully), I felt nowhere near ready to tackle my first taste of Sri Lankan food. Let’s just say, I’ll never go by Laura’s ‘it’s not very spicy’ judgement again! My taste buds felt well and truly destroyed! After unpacking and settling in, I was given an update by the team on what the programme had achieved over the past three weeks, and it made me even more excited to join in and get involved with the success of the rest of the team. Overall, a stunning country, amazing locals, and beautiful team mates, what more could I ask for!