Welcome to Anna’s Diary
On life, health and nature
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Dengue or flu?
In Sri Lanka, everyone is scared of dengue fever. There was just an epidemic, and several people have died due to Dengue. There is a vaccine, but it is not 100% effective.
My friends told me that the first time is not so dangerous. But the second time you get bitten by the Dengue mosquito, you might have Dengue hemorrhagic fever.
You cannot really tell the difference in the first two days if you have Dengue or influenza with regard to symptoms. A test based on blood count is needed. There is a dangerous phase of Dengue infection, and that is when the fever drops and you believe you are recovered. Plasma leakage and bleeding complications may occur.
I found this interesting writing in the Sri Lanka Daily Mirror:
There is a quiz at the bottom!
Aedes aegypti (Egyptian mosquito) -
Spices, fruit trees, and spiders
It is raining for quite a few months in Sri Lanka. Recently, a few hours ago, there were heavy downpours that quite quickly gave way to sunshine. The greenery is wonderful, and this morning I had a short walk in a garden belonging to Anu’s family. There were mangoes, bananas, papayas, coffee plants, cinnamon, and other interesting plants used in cooking. Chili peppers were there, too—the kind I eat with the coconut porridge in the morning. Moreover, instead of fields of oats or wheat, rice is grown here. I have also seen rubber trees, which are cultivated for export.
Papaya There are snakes, but thankfully, they’ve remained out of sight. I did, however, find a giant spider in my room. I didn’t scream, as I usually would—perhaps because its sheer size made it feel like an individual in its own right. With a little bit of help, it soon made its way out onto the lawn.
I traveled to Sri Lanka about ten years ago, and this time I’ve seen Colombo—a major global city with connections to many countries. Here, the value of a car can actually increase after purchase, and the cars share the busy roads with tuk-tuks. We saw queues at gas stations, with cars lined up—perhaps a reflection of the current global uncertainty.
Lotus Tower, Colombo This hasn’t been a “sun holiday,” but I did spend some time in the sun this afternoon. It was just the right amount of sun and warmth. I am starting to prepare, and remind myself, for my return to the Nordic region. There isn’t much daylight there right now—and I believe the clocks go back this Sunday for wintertime. The reserve of sunshine I have gathered here will surely be useful this winter. I will also remind myself of the feeling of being on the move in my everyday life.
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Spicy Sri Lankan food
Dear readers, you know I love to cook, and I really enjoy spicy Asian food. I do not eat beef since the cow is considered holy. Actually, vegetarian food is good, so I have mostly had veggie with seafood.
Yesterday we went for a tour to southern Sri Lanka. We had a very nice lunch by the Indian Ocean. It was rather windy, and the waves were rough.
I have also learnt that Sri Lankan spicy food for breakfast wakes you up: rice, chilli pepper, and banana!
Veggie with shrimps and chicken -
The hunchback of Notre Dame
This holiday has been so active. Lots of things to do every day. Today I am just having a lazy day since my friends are working at the hospital. I am staying very close to the beach, listening to the waves. Ships are on the horizon, and I know India is there, but I cannot see the land from here in Colombo.
Anu brought me to a concert on Sunday, and we saw the wonderful musical based on Victor Hugo. It was really a Broadway show. Three hours felt like three minutes. Sri Lanka is tightly connected with the United Kingdom, and the play was somehow sponsored by Oxford Business.
The hunchback of Notre Dame -
Peace and quiet
It has been relaxing to leave Sweden for a while. The Ukraine tensions are present in Stockholm. The military and the police have been present in Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka, and I notice that they are very serious in their work. That feels good, and I have felt safe and comfortable. So many shootings in Sweden.
However, there are unpredictable acts of terror, like the bombing in Colombo in 2019, where civilians were killed by an Islamic State-related terror attack. A holy day meant for rest and worship turned deadly in Sri Lanka. I am just a block away from one of the hotels that was bombed.
I have not met so many Europeans, but in Kathmandu I had a chat with a couple from Belarus. They immediately said, “We are not from the war”, and they also seemed happy to leave Europe for a while for peace and quiet.
There was just a little writing about SpaceX Starshield, as you can see below, from Delhi Times:
SpaceX Starshield -
Sri Lanka, Colombo 🇱🇰
E-visa accepted in Sri Lanka My e-Visas have been accepted everywhere. Sometimes I was not sure whether they were fake websites when I applied. My friend Anu and her husband picked me up at the airport, and it was wonderful to meet them again. Last time I visited Sri Lanka, I made the tourist tour. This time is more chill. We’re going to the theater today.
I have so many impressions, so I have a lot of writing to do. The world is developing rapidly, driven by IT. Electric cars are getting more common. People are aware of recycling, global warming, and water – in the middle of this, we have to focus on life itself. To emphasize happiness in everyday life. Similar to this Indian newspaper below.
Global everyday life
