Sri Lanka

Trip To Sri Lanka

Shandy — Thu, 03 May 2007 10:34:00 GMT

As posted on my Sri Lanka blog I am due to fly out to Sri Lanka shortly. The main objective is to install a SQL Server 2005 server onto our Sri Lanka network. We have just purchased six PowerEdge 2950 servers; all to be configured to run SQL Server 2005. Four of the servers are to be based in the UK and two in our overseas factories - one in Morocco and one in Sri Lanka.

This is the first part in a major project to upgrade our current systems to .NET. Currently we program mainly in VB.Classic with SQL Server 2000 as our backend database. The first phase of the project will see us migrate our core database to SQL Server 2005 and the second phase will see us upgrade our core applications to VB.NET 2005.

The server for Sri Lanka was shipped out last week and allegedly landed in Sri Lanka last Saturday. Currently our Sri Lanka factories are closed down for the Wesak holiday but should be re-opening tomorrow when I hope to get confirmation that it has cleared customs. One of my colleagues has pre-configured the server so my job will mainly be to plug it into the local network and make any configuration changes to get it up and running on the local domain as well as ensuring we can remotely access it and also to ensure the local IT department are able to support it.

I have a couple of additional tasks to perform at our Sri Lanka factories if I get chance. I have to audit the factory scanning system I developed to ensure it is working as required and also to see if I can get Skype up and running.

Imagine Cup : Sri Lanka Results

Shandy — Sun, 22 May 2005 14:33:00 GMT

My apologies go out to the other Sri Lankan MS MVPs and the participants in the Imagine Cup for missing the Imagine Cup presentation. Many thanks go to Manzi and Wela for blogging about it. See Imagine Cup 2005 : Latest Update from Sri Lanka, Imagine Cup Sri Lanka Results : Wela in London? and ImaginCup Sri Lankan finals ... my team WON !!!. Sadly my work load has meant getting back to Colombo much before 20:00 in the evening has been difficult and it simply wasn't possible to make the presentation.

Good luck to Wela's team. I hope they go onto even greater success in Japan!

Announcing My New Sri Lanka Blog

Shandy — Tue, 12 Apr 2005 22:52:00 GMT

I have decided that I wanted my vbCity blog to concentrate on VB & .NET related issues and so my intention is to post my more personal blogs entries (and those specifically related to Sri Lanka) on a new blog, Shandy's MobBlog. I'll see how I get on using the two blogs. It doesn't mean there will be no personal blog entries here but there will be less.

My new blog is at MSN Spaces and has a couple of features that will make personal, and particularly holiday blogging easier. These are

The ability to email blog entries

An easier method of uploading pictures

The flip side of this will be that there will be more technical blog entries on this blog. I am keen to start producing some articles for devCity and also newsletter articles for the devCity Newsletter and posting them here first gives me an ideal opportunity to get some feedback first and iron out and mistakes.

Wela Is Now Blogging

Shandy — Sun, 10 Apr 2005 15:01:00 GMT

Great to see Wela is now blogging. I think that means all the Sri Lanka Microsoft MVPs now have a blog.

Shonar Bangla, Bangladeshi Restaurant, Colombo

Shandy — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 21:48:00 GMT

For lunch today I went to the Shonar Bangla restaurant at Premier Pacific's Pinnacle on Duplication Road. I have mentioned this excellent restaurant once before in my blog but the food is so good I'll mention it again :) Today I had Mutton Biriyani served with a kebab (basically a small mince meat ball) and sauce accompanied by a chicken curry in gravy. It was excellent. I used cutlery today as last time I used my hands to eat with (a common custom in Sri Lanka). My only issue with eating with my hands is no matter how much I wash my hands afterwards if I rub my eyes after eating a meal with Chillie in it always gets into my eyes :(

I arrived around 13:00 and was the only person eating from the restaurant. The eating area is a communal one shared by a number of outlets. The views over Colombo are impressive. My only criticism is that the air conditioning is a little too fierce. The breeze generated by it blows paper napkins off the table if they aren't held down and the temperature is consequently a little cool. Anyway the meal today cost 330 rupees including a sprite.

Haircuts In Colombo

Shandy — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 21:29:00 GMT

Whilst I was out for a walk today I thought I'd get my hair cut. I use a barbers recommended to me by Pete Abrahams, now sadly departed back to the UK. I believe the road it is on is Vajira Road, between Galle & Duplication Roads, just a few roads down from Premier Pacific Pinnacle. I like it in there because I never have to wait. There are usually about 10 barbers working at any one time. I've been three times now and have no complaints. It costs about 200 rupees (£1) for a trim. You have to pay the bill at the cashiers desk so I always tip the barber 100 rupees or so. I have had a head massage there, which I can recommend. Really gets rid of tension. If memory serves I think I paid 200 or 300 rupees for that.

The first time I got my haircut over here I went to the Trans Asia hotel. Although they did an OK job, it was no better than the barbers I go to now and cost considerably more. I also had to wait. I think most of the 5 star hotels have hairdressers but my advice is to try elsewhere. Like most things at 5 star hotels over here it is overpriced and overhyped.

I think the haircut I have now is probably the most severe I've ever had. 6 years ago I had my hair half way down my back. Today I have it cut on a number three. How times change!

Internet Access In Colombo

Shandy — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 21:13:00 GMT

I have to say that internet access in Colombo is pretty good. I have an ADSL connection into our apartment and most of the time it is pretty reliable. Today, admittedly, is not one of those days. It seems to be up and down every 5 minutes or so. Whether this is to do with the series of power cuts we have in the building today or due to something else I'm not sure. Anyway I've no complaints with the general service provided. The download rates are good and I have no more problems with the line than I did in the UK.

One word of warning about ADSL in Colombo. They are currently pretty short of ADSL connections. When I moved from Rajagiriya to Colpetty, even though I ad ADSL in Rajagiriya I could not transfer the ADSL line because in was on another switch. I had to wait around 2 months to get connected again.

Dial up is also pretty widely available. When I was without ADSL I used to use scratch cards. These provided you with a number ot dial, a user name and a password. You could buy them in various denominations and your connection was simply dropped when you ran out of credit. The cards were pretty easy to buy and use.

There are internet cafes all over Colombo and the rates are pretty cheap. I haven't actually used one as I've got internet to the apartment but there are so many you should be able to pick and chose to find an internet cafe you like.

The Power Supply In Colombo

Shandy — Sat, 09 Apr 2005 21:02:00 GMT

I've spent most of the day, bar a couple of hours, in the apartment today. During that time we must have had at least half a dozen power cuts. I doubt whether many of them lasted more than 10 minutes but when I'm working on the computer they are infuriating. Although I understand the power supply situation is much better than it was a few years ago it is not uncommon to have a power cut. Back in the UK I'd expect 2 or 3 a year. Here expect 2 or 3 a month, maybe more as I am not in the apartment usually during the day to notice them. I've been told the area we live in, Colpetty, is one of the areas in Colombo least effected by power cuts. Whether that is true or not I'm not sure.

Where we used to live, in Royal Park out at Rajagiriya, they had their own generators. It was good in that they could be switched on whenever there was a power cut in the area. It was bad in that twice a day they used to switch over between generators. This meant that the power went off for a few seconds. A real nuisance if you were cooking in the microwave on timer or frightening if you were in a lift at the time.

Anyway today the main thing is that the beers in the fridge are still cold ! ;-)

Edit: We have just had another powercut and now it is dark I noticed the lights in the surrounding area were still on. I checked downstairs with the guards and it looks like the problem is isolated to our buildings' electricity supply.

Bump In The Car

Shandy — Wed, 06 Apr 2005 02:44:00 GMT

Well I managed to have an accident in the car I was driving yesterday. First one in 12 years. It was a company car and I assume we've been short of drivers at work (A driver usually takes me to and from work) as I've been asked to drive myself for the last week. I should have refused to drive the car as it turned out to be an automatic and I HATE automatics. I drive using gears & breaks to slow down (too many years driving two seater, mid engined sports cars I guess) and with an automatic I lost the ability to use the gears to slow down. I could never get the damn car to accelerate properly either as with an automatic it seems to be fairly random when the acceleration kicks in.

Anyway the accident was my fault as I ran into the back of the van in front. Just heard a squealling of brakes, realised the driver in front had locked up his brakes but either he had better reactions than me (entirely possible) or he could see what caused him to brake and had more time or a bigger gap between him and the car in front to react in. I don't remember seeing his brake lights come on and I should really have checked whether his brakes lights were working after the accident but I was a bit shaken up and forgot. The car was still drivable afterwards in that the engine still ran and the wheels appeared to be free from obstructions but the bonnet was bent up and in the UK it would not have been legal to have driven it. Anyway after a few hours we managed to get everything sorted (many thanks to Noel, one of the company drivers, who came out to help me) and I got a Bajaj into work, arriving only 2.5 hours late.

In case you're wondering why I have a driver to take me to and from work. Driving in Sri Lanka is an educational experience. To someone who is used to people generally using indicators most of the time, main roads being free from pot holes and other road users generally being friendly and courteous and using reasonable lane discipline Sri Lanka is a completely new experience. I have driven over here and have a Sri Lankan driving licence but always using a car with a manual gearbox and generally only at the weekends.

Review Of The Namaste Restaurant, Colombo

Shandy — Sun, 03 Apr 2005 22:44:00 GMT

The Namaste Restaurant is a relatively new restaurant and is part of the Hotel Renuka situated on Galle Road. It is located in the northern of the two buildings.

When we arrived around 19:00 there were a few tables already taken. The drinks menu was delivered promptly and I ordered 3 coins lager and my wife a fresh lime soda. There was an excellent choice of curries on the food menu and it tooks us some minutes to come to a decision.

I ordered Butter Chicken Masala, Allo Gobi Masala and my wife ordered Gosht Taar Korma. We ordered Steamed Basmati Rice and Paratha & Garlic Naan. We were served with complementory plain & spicy popadoms with three accompyments, rata, (lemon tasting) chutney & one other I couldn't identify. I have to say the meal was magnificant. As good as anything I have had so far in Sri Lanka. Tasting not disimilar to the type of curry you can get in the UK the curry was spiced to perfection, hot but not overly so. Once we had finished my wife ordered Creme Caramel & I ordered a coffee.

The bill came to 2400 rupees (around £13). The service throughout was excellent and even the bill arrived promptly. We both agreed that this is probably one of the best restaurants we have been to so far in Colombo. It is one we certainly shall be coming back to again and although not the cheapest it is certainly worth paying the little extra compared with other, similarly styled restaurants.