Dinner with the boss ...

Duncan's colleague from Galle, Katja, leaves today - for Somalia! She is this effervescent, charming German lass, who after doing 9 months of tsunami reconstruction wants to test herself to see if she can handle more, so has signed with the UN for a 3 month contract in war-torn Somalia. Need I say more?

To thank her for all her hard work, the UN Habitat regional boss Lalith, holds a farewell at his house, which will be Duncan and my first trip into a Sri Lankan home. We arrive with Tim, Madeleine and Katja to a non-descript alley and walk into this amazing open plan home centred around a central courtyard that is open to the sky. Lalith was an architect in a former life and it shows - his house which was built to his own design 20 years ago looks as modern as ours, built last year. Gradually a procession of Duncan's colleagues (all Sri Lankan) join us. What a jolly bunch. They have all been working for UN Habitat for 10 year's plus and prior to that all worked for the Sri Lankan Housing Authority, and boy do they have some stories! I am treated to one about how you can measure civilization by whether a town has a chinese restaurant, and then how they found one in downtown Gambia - the story takes a while to tell as it is punctuated by giggles - they are priceless (and not a day under 50).

At about 8.30 the food arrives - Sri Lankan delicacies - home delivered. We all squeeze around the table and I follow suit and eat with my hand (right only). The Sri Lankans (as you'd expect) are much more delicate than I, and no-one comments on me licking my fingers! The food is all vegetarian (heaven) and mostly hot, hot, hot. At 9pm their colleague Christina (from UNDP) arrives having just left the office. It is her job I'm interested in as she leaves at the end of February - but 9pm??? Anyway I get a chance for a good chat - let's see if it leads anywhere. After we are finished, all the drivers come in to eat and are very good natured about the fact that the food must be cold by now.

After speeches we head back to our apartment where Robyn awaits with driver in tow to take herself and Katja to the airport. Lots of flights here leave at 2/3am - those living around the airport aren't rich enough to complain about the noise, unlike Sydney. Shame to say goodbye to Robyn and Katja so soon, they are both good value.