Surprise Surprise

My lovely friend Bec sent me a text inviting me for a girls lunch in Hikaduwa on 16th October and added that she wouldn't take 'No' for an answer. It's not unusual for us to occasionally head out of Unawatuna for some 'girl time' so I happily agreed.
So when the day arrived we took a tuktuk up to Hikaduwa and went to the Amaya Reef. It looks quite nice from the outside and as you walk through reception you are greeted with a view of a lovely pool edged with palm trees and beyond that the ocean. However, when you look back at the rooms you notice that it has a tired look about it. The patios and balconies are furnished with a couple of uncomfortable looking metal chairs and that's it. I think that if I had paid to stay there as part of a package holiday I would have been very disappointed. But as a venue for lunch with the girls it was OK, after all it was the company that was most important.

We sat awaiting the arrival of our other friends and I had taken a seat that gave me a view of the pool and the entrance to the hotel, for no particular reason other than I hate having my back to open spaces (and OK, I like to see what is going on and who is moving around - I guess it's my police nature). Then I noticed a man entering the pool area and I recall idly thinking "he looks like Chris". Chris being my brother-in-law. I don't think that my brain really registered it; it's not unusual for me to draw comparisons between people especially if I squint and put my head on one side - I could see similarities between anybody. Just as I was musing over this similarity to my brother-in-law my little sister appeared behind him.

I'm not sure, but maybe my jaw did actually drop in surprise and I think that everybody around the hotel heard my exclamation "F**k, it's my sister" at which point I bolted out of my chair to engulf her in a massive hug.

It truly was the most incredible surprise of my life and I keep replaying that moment when I first saw them. I don't think that Cilla Black could have done better.

Sally had contacted Bec through Facebook to find a way to surprise me. So huge huge thanks to Bec for agreeing to take part... I know it was quite a fraught week wondering how I would react. I don't think my reaction could possibly have been anything other than overwhelming joy.