Article for 2011 Apr 12
Part of the “Sri Lanka” series.
2011
2011 Apr
(the first two articles in this series mention vomiting)
Throughout this series of articles, there are several phrases with the initials “IBIS”, alluding to my avian life-list, the Index of Birds I’ve Sensed, which I often added to whilst in Sri Lanka. The frequency of such phrases declines when I see fewer examples of new species. How many can you find? Some examples to start you off are:
- “...in beds (I slept)” (2011 Apr 10)
- “Iridescent birds including sapphire-green...” (2011 Apr 11)
- “I became increasingly soaked.” (2011 Apr 12)
- “Indeed, bee-eaters (II species)” (“II” being Roman numerals for “two”: I was getting desperate) (2011 Apr 13)
- “...is banned if swallows...” (2011 Apr 14)
- “Interesting. But I’m supposed...” (2011 Apr 17)
Apr 12 Tue 
I breakfasted in side, ingesting bits of spaghettified rice called string-hoppers, which are very nice with curry. I know how true this is because I sensed it between itsy-bitsy string-hoppers.
In big inflatable sun-lit rafts we went white-water rafting. My family members, guides, and I became increasingly soaked. It became increasingly sunny. I’d brought into Sri Lanka a water-proof and transparent camera-case; I let my mum take photos of us white-water rafting. And indeed birds! I saw small black cormorants, not the species common in Britain. I sighted individuals born into several species.
I became in shallow water. I bathed. I swam. I boarded inflatable ship. I birded. I showered. I beclothed myself in sensible attire.
We re-entered the mini-bus. I bird-watched. I slept. Elephants! In a National Park! And an exclamational mark!
For lunch I ate an omelette. I admired crows - Indian jungle crows - on the restaurant roof.
Dinner, in a restaurant with several cute lizards, was, for me, Nasi Goreng (or “Nazi Goreng” as the menu called it!), an Indonesian dish featuring chicken satay and poppadoms and rice. Delectable.
Crickets are chirping like air-conditioning units. An irresistible banquet, I suppose. Into bats insects sped. An interesting bird is screeching as I write this - pea fowl! No foul pea.
