3rd March

I.O.M. an efficient organisation.

It's been a long and tiring day today. We travelled into Colombo to meet with Dr. Marion Staunton from I.O.M (the International Office of Migration, who are arranging our forthcoming performance and workshop sessions in the East of Sri Lanka.) We had a good meeting - they are a very efficient organisation. Our accomodation in the East (Trincomallee, Batticalloa and then Ampara) has been sorted and most of the venues for our performances and workshops have been arranged. Apparently our visits are greatly anticipated!

Getting a P.A. system

After the meeting Charlie and I then had to source a portable P.A. system that we can take with us to the East, as the sessions will be much easier with good amplification. Sourcing the P.A. took about 5 hours of to-ing and fro-ing around the Colombo in tuk-tuk taxis. We eventually got a workable system organised, with a lot of help from an extremely patient electrical shop. They are the Swedish Trading Audio Visual Ltd. I want to name them as they deserve a mention for their efforts. if you'’re ever stuck for a P.A. in Colombo, go and see them!

Tropical thunderstorms

There have been tropical thunderstorms off and on all day today - the last time we were here in November and December last year, and it rained this heavily, Colombo became flooded, and some roads around the country were impassable. let's hope this doesn'’t happen this time and interfere with our journey East! Fingers crossed!