Day 1 : Tough Introduction

A very early start for Dave – 5am to the airport to collect his bag, thankfully it was there and costumes (and fresh pants) were aligned for the morning Group Pics and “Flag Off”

First stop was Negombo Fish Market for a challenge of selling fish to locals. Lots of lively interaction with friendly locals and shouts of “Zorro” and “Ninja” to those who had not witnessed Hong Kong Phooey before. A successful sell of a fresh tuna to a local and the Loonies were off on the rest of the route, and were in the lead !

Complacency set in fast and a pit stop for a chicken drumstick and slice of cake saw other teams cruise past. A swap in Driver / Navigator duties then led to a wrong turning and 40km / 20 mins lost. The day then became a bit of a slog – pot-holed roads, troublesome buses, more directional issues and a total of 280km driven in total (it should have been 165 km)

All the days woes fell away with arrival at the Aliya Resort near Sigiriya – an amazing place with a fabulous pool and view over the Sigiriya rock itself. Beers in the pool and the knowledge that we arrived third overall and other teams were spread out in various locations and with various problems made us feel rather humble and a bit worried about our competitors. Thankfully, all have now arrived safe and stories are flowing thick and fast over dinner and drinks.

A shorter distance awaits tomorrow, but no doubt more challenges and adventures. Stay tuned…….