The driver seems nice enough, but not much of a talker, and we have occasional mutual difficulty understanding one another. And I think he's a little miffed at me - I asked him how much I should tip my server at lunch. He said 100 rupees was good (about 75 cents), but my bill was 2800 rupees and that just seemed far too little, even considering it was a buffet, so I left 200. He seemed somewhat disgusted by this. So to make up for it, I asked how much to tip the bellboy and followed his advice.
Driving here is a crazy thing - lanes are regarded as mere suggestions, and drivers keep a *much* narrower clearance around their vehicles. Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, buses, and the occasional cow all share the single lane provided for all traffic in each direction. The first three hours of my drive was constant swerving to avoid hitting or being hit, and lurching forward to pass, or back to avoid crashing. It is a thrilling experience to be sure! Thankfully the last two hours were much smoother - the road from Puttalam to Anuradhapura is much less populated.
Am still adjusting to the time change - still experiencing everything with a vaguely stunned sensation (though that is probably in part due to the drive) - my ears ring a little, and my eyes feel uncomfortable.
It is so hot here. Thankfully I can retreat to my air-conditioned room, though all wifi is near the lobby, which is "en pleine aire." I need to stay awake until bedtime - took a nap yesterday and learned that wasn't wise, as I was still wide-awake at 3 this morning - but have nothing to do until the morning. I think I'll take a walk around.
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