2011 Apr 18 — Duncan’s Childhood Blog

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 18 Sun

We climbed several stair-cases outside to get to Sigiriya Rock Fortress, an ancient king’s palace. Twelve hundred or so steps later, we arrived at the summit and drank more water. The views over jungle and lakes and gardens and buddhas were great. Then we descended before the rain descended. There was a snake-charmer near the base, and I was allowed to hold a python! It felt like plastic, but heavy.

View from Sigiriya Rock Fortress -- photo 2

Before the rain descended, we ascended into a metal crate on the back of an elephant who wasn’t in a fridge. The mahout however got me to step out of the crate and onto the elephant’s neck...

Oh I’m riding an elephant.
Up down up down up down steer (or not).
And it’s very relevant.
Up down up down up down - squirrel!
To learn that the turn of events.
Up down up down up down steer.
Lead to wet and happy elephants.
Up down up down up down steer.

And wet and glad humans like Dunc.
Up down up down up down steer.
Were sprayed with water from the trunk.
Up down up down up down steer
We saw birds and butterflies and other
Up down up down up down steer
Creatures from the swampy river.
Up down up down up down dismount.

(That was based on a poem called “Up Down Steer” that I’d composed in 2006 whilst horse-riding. It’s not on Duncan’s Childhood Blog because it’s really bad.)

Lunch was coke and a delicious set of ham-and-pineapple sandwiches.

Then we went back to a hotel. And left some hours later to discover whether a different hotel would give us better food than was at least better than last night’s craziness (sick). Yes. I had devilled “cattle fish” (sic) from the “a-la cart” (sic) group of options. I’d have spelt them “cuttle-fish” and “à la carte”; oh well, hay-hoe, their ar sum wiered Inglish splelings inn plaices arrowaned hear, ass inn dat sine reeding “Mustered” at the spies-gardings of the 17th. Its knot harred two spel wurreds rung. Eny-weigh (eye sore “any” spelled “eny” onn ah lory’s back-sighed) the devilled cuttle-fish was delicious. It wasn’t spicy. Mum thought that it would be spicy, because “devilled” is like “Devil”, and the Devil apparently lives in Hell (I thought you had to be dead to go to Hell), and Hell is traditionally seen as hot...

I had chocolate ice-cream for pudding. Out of thirteen possible desserts, only two didn’t involve fruit, unless chocolate contains fruit (cocoa beans?).