New Year’s resolutions

One of my blog readers asked me if I had a New Year resolution either personally or for my business. In my case personal and business is the same as it is the lifestyle I have chosen that intertwines both inextricably. That’s in a way easy to say but difficult to achieve. Actually since I returned to Sri Lanka at the end of November 2004, my resolution has broadly been unchanged and I am still on course albeit exceedingly behind schedule.

I want to build a small agro based enterprise, where I directly supply my own and neighbors’ products direct to consumers. Anyone interested can be my paying guest visiting and staying at my establishments, enjoying the fruits of my labor and the beauty of the surroundings in which I live. I would like wherever possible to be their personal guide to showcase these places that are not generally presented to traditional tourists, and where their presence does not interfere with traditional rural life except perhaps to enhance and regenerate skills that have disappeared, by marketing to a ready clientele.

They sound very noble objectives, which are very hard to achieve in a world that is changing even in rural areas beyond recognition. I have struggled hitherto with every obstacle placed before me as my blog can testify, but I remain steadfast in my resolution, that what I am doing is right and achievable. I am still hopeful that I will eventually be able to achieve a level of satisfaction, and with so many people both personally and through the blogs telling me that they wish they could be doing what I have embarked upon it gives me courage to pursue and overcome the inevitable obstacles.

More specifically for this year, I have hopes, that I would finally be able to finish the work on my forest lodge to house my guests. The ‘Kumbuk Pokuna Lodge’ www.ratmale.blogspot.com and to build a proper bathroom at my Raja Ela property, Kumbuk Thuduwa, so I can accommodate visitors both for meals and overnights, so that they don’t have to stay in hotels as is done now. I would moreover wish for a reliable driver cum man Friday to take care of my weekly sales so I don’t have to be rushing driving myself in the dead of night on a Sunday to meet my delivery schedule to my home delivery customers in Colombo on Mondays.

If I were to dream, I would like to get a second covered delivery vehicle to more frequently deliver fresh produce to eager long suffering customers.