HI folks,

So this has been really outstanding for me, these past 3 weeks!  My father and my sister had gone on a trip to Sri Lanka and here's how it went.

First of all a little background, to set the scenario:

So my father is old (76) and has short term memory loss. He is diabetic and smokes a lot. So we are kind of surprised that he is still alive......

My grand mother (father's mother) is almost 100 years old, and is living in a very nice, old folks home in Sri Lanka.

My sister is a bit neurotic when it comes to my family. We often refer to our parents as your mother, and your father......We feel it necessary to distance ourselves from time to time, even though we may still be spatially, in the same room, at the time.......

My father has never wanted to have anything to do with Sri Lanka or his mother, since he left there 40 years ago.....yep, this is true.....

My story:

My sister booked her trip several months ago. Toronto to Sri Lanka is about 18-20 hours of travel, including flight changes. So to make things, not so simple, my father decided to go as well.....but at a different time than my sister.....because being an independent, proud, being , at the mercy of his little - big ego...he calls the shots right....okay then...

After a lot of haggling and lack of communication between my father and my sister. She finally wrestled him down to taking his trip at an almost, mutually convenient time.  That was only the first hurdle.....

So, she has to go  couple of weeks prior to my father because otherwise she would not be able to spend time with her friends. She knows that it's going to be full time occupation, taking care of my father, on this trip. But, before she leaves, she has to print out a list of things he needs to bring, including his insulin and the type of clothing etc. he will be needing. My mother gave up on doing these things for my father some time ago. So, okay it's 2 days before his plane takes off, and big sister (me) is worried that he won't make his flight transfers in Brussels and Mumbai. So, more calls to sister in Sri Lanka and the airlines to make sure my father will be corralled onto the right plane. And by this time, my father is TOTALLY FREAKING OUT!  I mean, have you ever seen a rabid animal.....not a pretty sight....hmmm, sigh......  Okay time for me to do some heart clearing for my dad. Yep, it continues for 3 whole days.... So he finally get's his bag packed  (it barely closes and there's no lock on it....) My mother has tagged his black, bag with a red ribbon so he is able to find it on the conveyor belt. Big sister has called in several Lemurian Angels, some dragons and one giant has shown up, out of pitty, to help with the luggage.

Miracle #1:  He arrives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, baggage in tow.

He was never sooooooo happpeeeeee to see my sister! The poor dude.....

He was totally out of his element in a 3rd world country, albeit his own, that he left 40 years prior. He held my sister's hand like a little boy, where ever they went and FOLLOWED  all her instructions like a small child.......unheard of in my memory of my father.....miracle #2

Other miracles that ensued: My father was not dehydrated by the hot and dry climate (yes, yes,....I know...they guy was born there.....) but biology does not keep pace that instantly when you change countries......his body should have acted like a Canadian one, and my sister too. Unlike her other trips, she acclimatized very well and did not have a bad reaction to the food. They both got about and saw people and sites without getting on each other's nerves....mostly....and managed to get the things done that they were supposed to. Including finding the right bus out of town to go to where my grandmother lived.

The most miraculous of all:  My father managed to stay in the same room, with his mother, on more than one occasion!!! Halleluyaaaahhhhh!!!  It was very, very difficult for him. On the first day, he managed 10 minutes before he ran out of the room.....for a smoke...his exit code.... It went better and better on the following days and finally he was able to see her every day for a few hours or until she was too tired to sit up with them. Hurrah!!  Yes, the angels, dragons and giant were with them for the whole trip.

Next to last miracle: My father managed to fly back by himself without getting lost.  Hurrah, hurrah!

Last miracle: My sister has retained her sanity.  And to maintain, thus, saved sanity, she will, not see my parents, though she still lives in the same house, for the next several weeks by going to work and seeing friends in the evenings.

That, is life sometimes and that too, is entertainment folks....after the fact;)

We thank Almine and the Angels, dragons and the wonderful giant, for their grand efforts for my family. Big hugs everyone:)

Dhani