The drive back to Colombo was uneventful. Roads were busy and twisty, with little in the way of shoulders. LIttle in way of beautiful countryside once out of the hills and I didn't see anything that made me wish I had cycled instead of being driven, in a small somewhat decrepit hybrid by a somewhat taciturn driver.

A few days until my flight and some time to kill. My total riding distance for Sri Lanka was eight kilometres below 2000 so I went out for a short ride. Then repeated the ride the following day for some photo-ops I had noticed. Bringing my kilometerage (?) up to 2010.

It was Buddhist New Year, just before I left the country. It involved lots of eating at specified times determined by astrologers. This year, it seemed, there was disagreement over some inconvenient timing. I was given a blue shirt and a blue sarong by Matu, blue being significant for the occasion.

Another special occasion was a visit to a talent-cum-reality show. Some relative of Matu's who lived in Galle, was competing against five others to proceed to the next round. Her family had been bringing her to Colombo on weekend for competitions for some time now. Six performers, no obvious potential stars amongst them, flashing lights, raucous crowds, on live Saturday night TV. Matu's relative came third, high enough to proceed to the final, so our entourage was happy.

It struck me, whilst milling in the crowds outside the TV station waiting to get in, that I was the only Westerner in a large group of Sri Lankans, unaware of what was being said around me but very comfortable. That says a lot about my feelings for the country.

That said, three months was enough. Especially the exceptional heat which was beginning to wear me down. And it felt time for a change of scene. I'm not sure I'll revisit - there is some unfinished business (like cycling in the hills) but there is not time for everything, everywhere.