Bill and Wendy's ickcillint adventures

Warning, some graphic content Fertility Temple These last couple of months, we have been in Jaffna more often than not and so on weekends and left to our own devices, we explore.    Our explorations are also driven by the realization that the sand in the egg timer is running out and we don’t have a lot of time left to explore this strange area of Sri Lanka that we currently call home. In June, when our VSO friends were visiting from Trincomalee, we hijacked their van and attempted to reach Delft Island, the closest point in Sri Lanka to India.   Although the Lonely Planet warned of an “intermittent ferry” we set out on the one hour drive to take our chances with the ferry schedule.   As luck would have it, the ferry to Delft was cancelled that day.   However, as luck would have it, oceans of people were at the Ferry Terminal to go to Nangadeepa Island, where an impressive 18 day festival was going on at the Naga Pooshani Amman Kovil.   This t...

One day a week, on Thursdays and for three hours, the Security Forces Swimming Pool is open for ladies. Ladies are not allowed to swim at any other times. Pool time: 3-6:00 pm. Cost: 200 Rupees So, on Thursdays, us VSO ladies hustle home from work, grab our Speedos and swim goggles and head to 2 nd Cross Street where the pool is embedded in the grounds of St. John's College. The ticket man serves as security guard so no men can enter the compound and a female lifeguard attired in a Sari or a Shalwaar keeps us safe from drowning; guarding us from her deck chair as we swim our laps. There is usually just two or three of us ladies in the pool. When I was about ten and my brother Glenn, eleven, we earned our Mile Swim Award. We patiently swam all 64 lengths of the 25 metre McDonald Pool to earn a square bright green Mile Swim Aware badge. I still possess this badge which is stored in an old clear plastic Tupperware container with all my other swim badges and awards. The ba...

July 6, 2012 Dear Chief Saman Sigera Headquarters Inspector File Number: CIB 2/40/65 On June 6, 2012, I made a complaint to the Jaffna police department regarding a man on a push bike who made lewd gestures about my breast, followed me into my lane and then tried to grab my breast. I was well treated by the attending officer and yourself. Today, at about 1:15 pm and approximately the same time as the last incident, a man on a push bike passed me as I rode my bike along Colombothurai Rd. He then rode very slowly in front of me causing me to pass him. He followed me along Colombothurai Rd and then followed me onto Vidhans Lane. He then sped up and as he passed me, he ran his hand up along my entire back, from buttocks to shoulder. I swore at him and he cycled past me, but continued to make hand gestures as if he was still stroking my back. He continued on down the lane and I quickly cycled home. I am pretty convinced it was the same man. He was in his early 20's, ...

Last Sunday, we decided to go back to Point Pedro beach. Point Pedro is a small heavily occupied town, situated on the most northern tip of Sri Lanka. Despite the longish drive (1.5 hours on a motorbike), we love the sumptuous white sand and shell seeker beach there. So, VSO pals, all straddling Honda Peppy Scooters clearly marked VSO, and in caravan, roared off from Jaffna down Point Pedro Rd. On the way to the beach, we detoured off the main road to see St. Anthony's church buried in sand. Long ago, St. Anthony's was moved to a new site and the old site is nearly buried in a white dune of sand. An attached graveyard is now mostly buried as well, but new additions to the site (graves) were placed after the 2006 Tsunami. Near the church is a resettled village. Anyway, after walking the site, we hopped back onto our trusty Peppies and back onto the dusty red road, to ride the last 10 minutes to the beach. POW! Our rear tire punctured, forcing the bike into a danger...