Yep, this is way way way in advance. But we've had some things change here that affect it. In a good way.
We're moving. To a bigger, nicer house. With four bedrooms, four bathrooms, two sitting rooms, a living room, dining room, and two kitchens.
Overkill, I know. But it's available, and it has A/C, which we need desperately.
What does this mean to you, oh travellers, who are saving up to visit me? It means we can accomodate more people, that's what. No hotel charges when in Colombo. A cheaper holiday, that's what.
Okay, the papers aren't signed yet - we just saw the house yesterday and confirmed all the details today. But I sincerely doubt the lady will change her mind - the house has been vacant for half a year. She needs tenants!
And yes, I'm well aware that I'm very good at getting ahead of myself!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Two kitchens? I know why I would love to have two kitchens (one for Passover), but why would you need two kitchens?
Oh, and congrats! Enjoy the new digs! Posted by Theca (Member # 1629) on :
Wow, that sounds great! *Starts thinking about possible trip*
That house sounds like a good house for an extended family or a mother in law. Are extended families a common concept behind nice houses there?
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Thanks! I'm going to enjoy! Oh, and it comes furnished, which means we don't have to worry about furnishing the place.
One kitchen is western style and western standard. I checked under the sink, and I won't have a problem with using that cupboard. Or any of the others, for that matter.
The second kitchen is for the maid/servant. See, it's common here for the rich/foreigners to have servants. So common that when we didn't have hired help, people looked at me funny. It's just not done to not, you see. The second kitchen isn't as nice - it's Sri Lankan standard. It's really only a propane burner, sink, and a few cupboards, but we can also put our fridge & stove in that area, as well. The stove in the good kitchen is electric, not gas, so when there's a power outage, we won't be able to use it. Our stove is gas, so perfectly fine during the frequent power outages here. Good reason to keep it.
There aren't servant's quarters or a servant's toilet & shower, which does surprise me for a house this size. With a house this size, I imagine that all previous tenants would have had two or three daily staff. Fahim and I will have our maid who currently comes in ever other week, but we'll probably have her come in once a week in stead, perhaps twice a week. She could use the money, and that place will take more work to clean simply because of size. OTOH, it'll require less intensive cleaning because it is tiled with decent tiles, not this stupid clay tiles that absorb everything and are always dirty no matter how recently you cleaned 'em.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yes, extended families are very very common here. It was actually expected that when Fahim and I married, that we would move into his parents house and stay there for five or ten years, perhaps longer. Of course, not expected by his parents what with them disowning him, but by all the rest of the locals. It's common to have grandparents down to grandchildren or even great grandchildren living in the same house, perhaps for their entire lives. If the house becomes too cramped, then the happy couple will find a house of their own.
And yes, please, start thinking about the possible trip.
So*, for whoever's thinking about coming, you'll want to consider that you'll want to see other parts of the country as well, like the cultural triangle, Kandy, or the coastal areas. But while you're in the Colombo area, you'll of course be staying at our place, and use our place as the base of operations. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Interesting. Servant's quarters I've heard of (I even know some houses around here that have a "maid's room" or the equivalent). Don't think any of them have a separate kitchen as part of it, though.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Okay, Fahim tells me there is a servant's bathroom attached somehow to the second kitchen. I don't remember seeing it, but that doesn't make it impossible. And the second kitchen is large enough that it could accomodate servant's quarter's, so it looks like that's what it's intended for as well. Yeah, okay, I can see it.
Why there's a separate kitchen, I actually don't know. Perhaps for particularly messy cleanups or preparation when there's company over? No idea.
And there's a patio upstairs and a deck sort of off the living room downstairs. And I'll have room to plant a few things, like basil, oregano, thyme, chives, mint. That'll make me very happy indeed. Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
Oh wow are you really truly inviting us? I SO want to come. Hopefully it will be possible by then, though I can't tell at all right now. How kind you are to extend such a great invitation, and how lucky we are to receive it! Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Of COURSE I'm inviting you! Do you want an engraved invitation? Or will this work as an official invitation? That's also why I'm posting this now - hopefully, give more people more time to save up. Airfare ain't cheap.
And we don't have a pool. But come anyway!
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
I would come visit, but I don't think I'm allowed...
Though, with an American passport (which I'll have, as well, in a few months), it'll be easier for me to travel to those areas of the world!
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
To middle-eastern countries, I can understand, but I don't believe there are any restrictions for Jews/Israelis to come to Sri Lanka. That's what you're talking about, right? If you like, I can find out.
If you can come on an Israeli passport, it'll probably be cheaper than on an American, but I'll find out about that, too.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
Thank you, quid!
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
I checked here, and if you go to the part labelled Shedule A, you'll see a long list of countries whose residents can get a 30 day tourist visa at no charge. Israel is on that list. So nope, Raia, that ain't gonna work as an excuse. Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
Score!
I sit corrected. Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Excellent!
So, are you saving to come? :puppydogwaggingtailgraemlin:
Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :
If I can work it in with our planned round-the-world trip (which may be in 2006 but may also be in 2007 - or 2008 if we our saving goes that badly...) I will so be there.
Ooh, no visa for Australians either.
Looks like return flights are between $1000 and $1500... We'd definately have to do it as part of a bigger trip in that case.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
I... I don't know! I'll try!
I need to find out how much it costs, and so forth, first! A LOT of research will go into this before I commit to anything.
Though, not for lack of wanting to meet you and Fahim!
Posted by ElJay (Member # 6358) on :
My expenses have unexpectedly gone up lately, but I still hope to be able to do this end of 2006/early 2007. We'll see how it goes. And you're new place sounds just lovely, congratulations!
Posted by Kama (Member # 3022) on :
this is not necessarily impossible.
what will you do if you get to many people?
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
How do you define "too many people"?
With three spare bedrooms (and a bathroom with shower in each of them), two sitting rooms, a very large livingroom, there's also loads of room to put people on the floor. Get some foamies (5'x6' 4" mattress, for example, runs around $40 US) and you're set.
We could pack 'em in.
But if we get more than, say, fifteen or twenty or so, we could ship the extras off to a hotel.
I'm optimistic.
Eljay, I hope you can make it work. Thanks for the congrats. Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Oh, this is awesome! I absolutely want to cross the Pacific Ocean next - I've never done it, unless you count the flight to Hawaii (I don't.). This sounds great!
And congrats on the house. Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Technically, flying from the continental US to Hawaii isn't crossing the Pacific, just flying over a bit of it, so no, it most definitely doesn't count.
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And the second kitchen is large enough that it could accomodate servant's quarter's, so it looks like that's what it's intended for as well. Yeah, okay, I can see it.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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But come anyway!
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