The area has returned to its normal cycle of life & laid back beach feel. The recent announcement of recommencing Peace talks later this month has injected a sense of optimism.

A few adventurous travellers and surfers have returned the surf has been 3-6 over the full moon period with those in the water not believing they have the waves to themselves!

Let us hope the optimism continues, with all parties fully committed to a peaceful solution to the Islands troubles.

1 week after the situation “normality” has returned. The incidents of last week were a sad reflection on the state of affairs in Sri Lanka at the moment as it struggles to put the foundations of a peace agreement back together.

Too early to say this was an “Isolated incident” but given the peaceful nature we have enjoyed in “ABay” for many years along with the local communities regrets over the incident we believe it is. The curfew has been lifted, ABay has a few more visitors than this time last week + Pottuvil is vibrant as usual.

It is a quieter month with Ramadan (Muslim fast), being observed.

Weather is good & surf is good.

The safety of visitors is paramount to the community and no visitor has been involved or directly threatened here.

I drove in from Kandy yesterday and the route in is clear with the normal checkpoints on route.

Quick update.

I have checked in with my partners in ABay and all is calm and continues to return to normal for now. However UK FOC have added Arugam Bay to the “Do not travel” to list, therefore everyone must travel at own risk and any travel insurance you have will not cover you for the area, you might have to check with your insurer if you are covered at all.

Curfew relaxed and a normal day. Police advise curfew will be lifted if all remains calm over weekend. Let us hope, so we can put this behind us as an “Isolated” incident.
Spoke too many today who believe it is and isolated event as never happened in the bay before. Next few days will tell.

Further unrest today to the extent most tourist & surfers have left in order to continue their holiday elsewhere. Further information on www.arugam.info

The update on the safety issues around Arugam Bay is unfortunately, not good for the area. Sadly, there is bad news.
10 Local Muslims were found to have been killed in the Southern part of the area, Panama.
Current reports of who is responsible for such a gruesome massacre is everyone blaming each other. Investigations are taking place.
Rumors abound but without foundation and each one stranger than the previous.
Foreigners are not directly at risk but of course, the atmosphere is solemn and possibly volatile.
In such tense and delicate situations extra caution should be taken and as much information as can be verified sort. If anyone is coming over to Arugam Bay, it is eerily quiet but stable.

The old Tech and the new Tech meet head-on in Arugam Bay East Coast Sri Lanka.

I have seen the future! One all of us who suffer or have suffered the daily commute to and “grind” of the office. One we might have all hoped for and dreamt about but have not got around to trying or taking the final plunge to follow; changing our daily commute to the office along with how we utilise modern technologies and communications.

Not all will agree with it. I would embrace the way of modern technology that can add to the quality of life of our working existence.

A new paradigm in the life of travel and earning a living.

“Yesterday morning, I was travelling 20kms north of ABay to see a fairly large expanse of beachside land, 200 acres or there abouts, which I hope to put together a proposal of development for investors in UK & Dubai, (Here is one dilemma, development of the undeveloped beauty) in order to get excess the owner needed to contact the watchman to let him know we are coming.

Mobile phones exist but this is an area as yet without one of those towers with the array of listening and sending devices on it so no signal.

No Landlines for Mr Alexander Graham Bell’s invention so no telephone, fax or internet of the modern world!

200 years ago or so the great modern invention was the “Telegraph” where a man (typically) would tap away with Mr Morse’s code sending a message to another man some distance away who could understand the “dot, dot, dot, dash, dash, dash; put it onto paper and have the local postman deliver.

This method was the way the colonies around the world communicated, the romance of a “Telegram” arriving! Good, bad or bland messages, delivered by hand, opened in excitement of: Happy Birthday- Stop. Sorry auntie Bessie cannot make the journey – Stop. She died yesterday- Stop. Funeral Thursday – Stop.

The first words by telegram from Mr Morse in 1844, poignant even today – “WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT- Stop”

And this was how the watchman was informed of us ascending on him. “Man coming to see land – stop. Please show him around – Stop”

Later in the day a friend, (Lee, owns Tsunami Hotel here in ABay) informed me by email and text and mobile call (all advances of and because of the telegram) that a friend and college (A mentor as Lee put it of his new and recent change in career) was visiting ABay and needs internet excess.

Not a problem. Modern technology has supplied me with laptop and mobile phone that when married together in the correct way, will give you access to the “World Wide Web”

No Lee explains he needs a faster connection as he trades on the NYSE! A Trader! Suited and booted, Rolex on wrist, special lining of bright blue to otherwise plain pinstripe suit coming to ABay???!! To Trade on the New York Stock Exchange! Have I miss heard? No. Have I missed the reality that modern technology can allow such things? No.
Have I forgotten that this was thought to be a possibility for working from Sri Lanka? No.
Had I never had the gumption to try? Yes.
Had I never thought that someone would fully mobilise modern technology to really enhance their life style and make money while sitting in paradise, watching the rolling surf, palm trees & white sand beach? Yes

So last night I had a pleasant conversation with Darren, his Father, George and Mother Susan. A travelling family unit, family comforts and values with technology, trading on the NYSE with Messer’s Goldman & Sachs all in a laptop (well 3 laptops), ready to take on the stereotype of traders and live their life anywhere in the world, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Nepal, India.

3 Months they have been travelling in this style with another 3 months to go!

I went to see them “Work” at a local bar with the fastest connection in the Bay 128kps, sufficient speed only for one to operate successfully. Not deterred by this, Darren shows me his screen, one that anyone who has been to or seen ob TV the readouts from any exchange, a mass of company names with numbers next to them, showing either in green (value of stock, therefore company going up) or red (value of stock, therefore company going down) a dynamic montage of colour and numbers.

In the bottom right hand corner was the telling piece of information though; A horizontal bar that progressed left to right, also in green if he was making money and moved right to left as prices moved against him, ultimately I suppose following the “exchange” indicators of turning red if he was losing money.

Thankfully it stayed in the green for the period I saw and next morning after his “Day” had finished; given the time difference between Sri Lanka and New York his “day” is 8.30pm to 4am early hours, quite fitting dealing or trading with the City that never sleeps!

I left at midnight “lunchtime” but lunch is for wimps in this world. However I had consumed a few beverages so a pleasant “lunchtime nap” was needed.

Next day I was informed that although the night had been a “neutral” one at $750 up on the night, given the drawback of restricted speed allowing only one connection, they needed to move on to somewhere else. No problem the West Coast picturesque City (World Heritage Site, no less!) of Galle would prove a stunning new “office” and will have the necessary connection speed for an operative “office”

With all the cables, chargers, batteries and gadgets I now carry, as part of my “backpack” there is a profitable use I could put them to? If only I had the knowledge, disapline, money and motivation, not yet for me but who knows? Old dogs’ new tricks?

One bit of information that illustrated Darren’s expertise and commitment to his career is that he has an industry formula named after him the “Darren Formula” and people who come into professional contact with him on realisation say “Ah, so you are Darren”.

On the other end of the scale, I operate the “Steve screw up formula!” I do get the same greeting “Ah, So, you are Steve!” the intonation of their voice is likely to be a little less impressed!”

Steve Jones
ABay, Ticker, Ticker exchange

9th March 2006

Other famous Telegrams:-

April 15, 1912, the Titanic sent its last wireless message.
SOS SOS CQD CQD TITANIC. WE ARE SINKING FAST. PASSENGERS ARE BEING PUT INTO BOATS. TITANIC.
•
In 1933, Western Union introduced the singing telegram and became the source of a famously macabre joke: A woman, finding a Western Union messenger at the door, exclaims: “Great, I’ve always wanted a singing telegram.” No, she’s told, it’s just a regular telegram. The woman pleads. The messenger finally sings.
DUM DE DUM DUM DUM. YOUR SISTER ROSE IS DEAD.
•
Robert Benchley, arriving in Venice for the first time sent to his editor of The New Yorker.
STREETS FULL OF WATER. PLEASE ADVISE.
•
In 1897 to illustrate Spanish atrocities in Cuba
EVERYTHING IS QUIET. THERE IS NO TROUBLE HERE. THERE WILL BE NO WAR.
reply:
YOU FURNISH THE PICTURES, AND I’LL FURNISH THE WAR.
•
Mark Twain heard that his obituary had been published, he telegrammed from London in 1897.
THE REPORTS OF MY DEATH ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED.

6 December 2005
Arugam Bay Rebuild Road
One Road – Self Help

What a day! Blisters, redder face than normal but a day of achievement and personal satisfaction! A unique day!

Today the community of Arugam Bay did something to support it’s self and paid for it! Cash! It helped itself to help itself (you know what I mean) and improve the community.

Began a couple of weeks ago when a meeting was advertised by Fred at Siam View; It did not happen the first time but we managed to get a second meeting organised. At this meeting, it transpired that we did not have an overview on what was and had been happening as a community in ABay. Therefore another meeting was required to get facts about what the NGO’s had been doing and what plans for the future.

The invitation went out, a week later than had hoped (See my bad back etc) and not to everyone we had hoped. (Invitation & Minutes on www.lookinglost.com ) Now, I am a great believer in things happening for a reason, and to cut a long storey short, the highest priority that the members of the meeting came up with was “The Road”.

The only road through ABay is a joke! No work or maintenance has been done on it since Tsunami; the only work was done in the sight of international press to repair the section that leads to the bridge we depend on. Even since this was completed March 2005; No! Work of maintenance has been done on the new 200m section and the 1km through ABay has disintegrated to worse than a “Dirt Track” Craters, gullies, potholes, collapsed embankments not a “Road” at all.

So with no help from Government or the Tsunami agencies (they offered but government refused permission!) the old saying “Sometimes it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission” came into play.

The meeting came up with an estimated cost of $500 to level and repair, not tarmac but hard pack surfacing “Backfill?”

With the remaining funds I have available from the/your donations, I undertook to underwrite the cost to a budget of $500; meeting happened Friday 2nd December the enthusiasm and empowerment was such that date was set for today Tuesday 6th December.

One thing taking on a “Community Project” Another getting community to assist?

The local supplier of the “Mud, Backfill” or whatever it is called did his bit and gave a good price, the instigators managed to get a “Chain Gang” including themselves together and willing supporters joined in to play their part in a unique way.
Have to say a little disappointed in the turn out of the community in helping us to help them and get stuck in on the “Chain Gang” BUT what was new, unique and a great effort by supporters was “Tin Rattling”!

Every one who came up or down the road,(as we shifted many tons of dirt), by foot, bicycle, tuk tuk, van or truck were near enough attacked by initially, 2 great Dutch girls and 1 very pregnant lady, Liz, then as the idea caught on the local supporters joined in to obtain contributions from all who use the road. To the extent, they collected nearly half of the end of day cost!

Everyone who saw what was going on or who contributed said, “What a good idea it was” to repair the road and in most cases they understood why they should contribute! A Revelation and success by my standards!

Started at 8am waited till 10 for the first tractors to arrive full of dirt, mud backfill or whatever it is called, 6 hours later we had completed the objective, the worst sections including those at the bridge, repaired to a standard equal or greater than the “Road Authorities” had achieved!

Budget $500, actual cost $377 - 25% under budget!! + Contributions mean an actual cost of our funds $212! What a result!

52 loads of the stuff, 6 hours of back breaking; blistering work, a chain gang, 20 odd people helping, organising, working together (of course sometimes more supervisors than workers).

Result a road you can pass without feeling you are on the Paris-Dakar rally and a sense of achievement as well as hopefully an inspiration to others to take on the task of “One Road- Self Help” approach.

Question remains of why we had to do it and not the Government or it’s agencies but for now I rest, deep heat on aching back, drink a few beers with satisfaction that it HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD DAY!

Thanks to you for the funds, thanks to all those who cared enough to give their time and energy to the cause!

Citizen Jones reporting
For
www.lookinlost.com

Photos are on the site.
Steve

Post Script: - The road has now been graded and levelled. On the 7th of this month, USAID laid the foundation stone for the building of the new bridge to replace the current one damaged in the tsunami.

Around 150-250 people showed up for the ceremony, including high-ranking officials from the American Embassy along with local dignitaries and officials.

“Is Arugam Bay Safe?” - Many people have e-mailed and phoned me to ask this before they got here - The answer is YES!

Arugam Bay is on the South East Coast of Sri Lanka, a beautiful natural area famous for its surfing and wildlife, the most unspoilt beach destination in Sri Lanka.

Current safety reports about the “Conflict” often state “The North & East Coast, as no go areas for visitors”

Arugam Bay is unique in that it is not part of the disputed area and historical conflict here in Sri Lanka; it is many years since any problems occurred here 15+

Do not get me wrong, there IS a real “Low intensity war” as it has been officially labelled, in the North, North West & North East but this is not a forum about the wrongs of war or the continued hardship people are suffering in those areas. Nor is it a political forum.

The British FOC warning, states it applies to areas “North of Pottuvil” (over the bridge from Arugam Bay). Now the FOC has to err to caution, in reality the area for many kilometres north of Pottuvil is quiet but is not an area tourist would normally visit accept “Potty Point” or Komari, which to date are safe and show no signs of unrest.

People on the West/South Coast rarely travel to Arugam Bay therefore have little or no real knowledge of the situation here; Drivers and other tourist connected individuals would prefer not to venture here, mostly because they are ill-informed of the situation and perhaps with a little bias to keeping tourist £, $, Euros with them, in these hard times.

People from Arugam Bay and East coast on the other hand frequently travel to & fro around the country, therefore are happy to risk coming home!

The bay is quiet now at what should be “Height of Season” partly because of this, although 100 or so came out of the woodwork for last night’s huge all-nighter at “Mambo’s Cafe”.

Families are here (family of 7 in the restaurant at the moment!) + Many other surfers, travellers and tourist’s alike.

So if a driver or tour company advises against coming to Arugam Bay, treat wisely, and check for yourself by contacting people who live here or one of the Arugam Bay Tourist/Hotel associations. If you need a driver & transport then we can arrange for you to be collected anywhere on the Island.

Public transport details remain the same as on the site but the bus journey is longer than stated due to the checkpoint searches on route.

I can be contacted at steve@roccoshotel.com or steve@lookinglost.com or +94 7766 42 991.
I will endeavour to update this frequently.

Steve Jones
Rocco’s Hotel
Arugam Bay