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Published: December 16th 2011
So first time in Sri Lanka.. Why did i come?
i do have friends from Sri Lanka, both in Australia and in Kuwait, so that helped. but if i am honest its two additional litigating circumstances that forced the issue.
A) the Muslim faith (I live in Kuwait)where the government has a wonderful policy of allotting holidays for every possible reason. this time was just and a big occasion. The EID holiday and the time for giving. So much so they gave me 4 days leave fully paid. Add this to the Arabic New Year based on the lunar calendar and I had myself the time.. B) the reason, why Kuwait is a wonderful place to work because of what it affords you. in this case a decent tax free salary and most importantly the gate way to Asia and beyond. Travel is a must. So in the hastily arranged flights the local region was already done, and the 5-6hr flight options Sri Lanka offered the visa on arrival stress free option.
My plan was to arrive spend the night in Colombo and then who knows. I am built like a whale
and colored like a polar bear, born and bred Scottish is not so beach appealing to me or the other bathers I’d guess. So the mountains and the coolers climates was the options. My Sri Lanka friends were keen I stayed in 5 star accommodations etc. The Hilton the resorts. But who wants that? Too be honest if you do then that’s cool too, it’s my profession after all working in Hotels but if I want Hilton Heineken and KFC i can find that a lot closer to home.. So Kandy Budulla; tea country was my direction. But all that would have to wait until the train could be booked. Nothing was available online or via credit card. Frustrating but reassuring I was heading in the right direction. So after a bumpy and tiresome airport taxi 2000 rupees (i could not bother with the haggling so early in the holiday) I arrived in the front lobby of the Grand Oriental. it’s the oldest hotel in sir Lanka, sits right on the port and was a legacy of the British rule when the port the train stations and railway lines were built to transport tea to England. Before I am told
the locals all preferred coffee; money talked even back then. So the hotel was built as an army barracks to house the troops and port officials and merchants. So it is Grand in size and once upon a time I am sure it was grand in appearance but it was showing its age, 1843 i think so the old duck deserved to look tired. But it was beautiful and colonial in its own way, huge rooms and corridors where you could picture it being better suiting to the barracks model it was designed for.. I certainly never got a officers quarter but the room was clean and no insects or the other possible worries. Huge four posted bed which was hard but sparingly comfortable, a 4.55am flight tends to do that to you. The breakfast was form the 4th floor vantage point of the old docks.. The view was what i would describe as Sarah Jessica parker way, interesting enough to stare and wonder. Without being traditionally beautiful. Similar to how I envisaged the locals to think when they were staring at me. But I know really it was just to ask if that really was the WWE Big Show?
I bought my 750Rupees to Budulla, it left 8pm and was an overnight sleeper. I got the last berth in sleeping compartment. But was told it was the top bunk. The station master repeated this a little too often that did alert my sense to fear or what to expect. Was I to be coffin like pressed against the roof. Or would I risk life and death of those below by crushing the small bed made for the modest body size of a local.. time would tell.. So a day in Colombo before I left on my train. So what to do? no plans nor anything jumped from the pages form the rough guide book. So a stroll down the coast around the lakes and try and find a Scottish Church that was marked on the map. What the locals must have thought of the white Scots arriving insisting to build the Scots Kirk (church) in the middle of such a colorful land. Was Sri Lanka ready for the dour Scottish glass half empty approach of the fear driven church. I am unsure as I never found it. But noting it was the only one in the
country I was slightly happy they locals had agreed with me.. I did however find me a Maldives local Mubarak. He worked in a bank and was here for 2years. After helping cross an near deserted road he opted to take me to a local attraction I simply couldn’t miss.. it is only open to the public 2 days of the year and since I'd arrived in New Year’s celebration (I hadn't noticed). After commandeering a Blue Tuk Tuk (government approved) he zipped me away to a little Buddha shrine, it was pretty cool and had a smarting of tourist so I was happy I was not about to be stung for a tourist trap sting; or was I? He asked if I had changed as I had only big notes. Suspicious? but for 100 ruppes who cares. We then did a brief circuit. saw some amazing hand crafted carved and painted walls. A huge tree Buddha was meant to have been born under and died under. This may way have been in the spiritual sense of the word as he was Indian by birth and died back in his ancestral home a very wise and old man. But hey
why am I so suspicious. I guess because the man would also not be in a photo with me. He assured me in his country we should not take pictures? but again why should I be so suspicious? I guess perhaps because our tour and drop off from the tuk tuk ended in a local gem store. "Approved by the government" was the claim all over the entrance, but my worry was why it was approved by the Mr Mubarak so readily. Local holiday so best price, no tax or duty free.. Having no wife or daughter I felt the need for a precious gem or moon stone to be limited. But I was on holiday and the prices were cheaper than I had ever been offered for such beautiful Gems. Did I mention this was my first ever Gem shop? I won’t tell you what I bought or i couldn’t say if they were blood diamonds or not. But if I ever learn who to shape mount and mold gold around precious stones then I will be quids in... The rest of the day was spent wandering aimlessly snapping photos of the umpteen religious sites and monuments in the
city. Asking the Age long Question WHY?????????????? Why have I just bought 4 stones on day one of my travels for no wife or daughter? Still it killed time and permitted my conscious to merit it was beer o clock and the thunder clouds were building. A beer and a stab at my latest blog would fill time till my coffin trip to Budulla..
So I survived the train to Badulla. Not sure how, it was by no means a bad train just any train for 11hrs is like one way to hell.. I opted for sleeper 750 or around 7$ shared double bunk in private carriage. Sadly my flat mate was happy to batten all hatches and close all windows and doors for a sleep for the night.. Meant my exploring of the train and views of the memorable landscape would have to wait. The biggest fear of a train is falling out of the bed. my compartment had the beds to the front but I guess the adjacent was to the rear.. wonderful thing cemetery and balance you see, sadly as the train rocked along I felt I had neither and
feared I would be rolled backwards out of bed. So never really slept or enjoyed as much as I should. When I did venture out to see the train I was pleasantly surprised to find 3rd class passengers appeared to be in much more comfortable array of sleeping positions than the second class. You see they had leather benches. so like in an airport first come first served and everyone seemed to be fast asleep in a comfortable ish fetal position. The second class chaps however had individual seat, with arm rests the lots. So their upright plights seemed to be much more torturous and ridged. that made me smile, I like to see the little guy The David so's to speak get one over on the rich toffs of goliath.. As long as I was so far removed not to be drawn into the class war as I was delighted to get back to my bed and hang on for cheap life..
Budulla rudely awoke me at 7am.. truly the middle of nowhere. To the tuk tuk army my preferred option to walk annoyed a few, perhaps they were 3rd class fans
and had no reason to dislike the train I however was stiff and it had nothing to do with a 7am rude awakening.. I wondered occasionally reflecting on my 7 year out of date rough guide. you could ask me to swap for a brand new one but never. I love old used and recycled versions. Pass it on as some crap Hollywood movie once said. But you find some many scribbles and folded pages and circled maps to read so much more.. My book was 3rd hand as far as I know. BigEd was they benefactor of this book and the inspiration to this trip. Big ED rather than Big Head although both are accurate. Lovely chap with a unique claim to fame of falling in love within one week of landing in Kuwait. Not an easy task might I add 4+years on... Anyway I had the option of 3 hotels. Please note Bakery's call themselves Hotels.. But more in the cafe idea than room.. Still it did make the local non-English speaking baker if I could sleep with him... It made him smile.. If not slightly scared him.. So sticking to the rough guide was the only way.,..
after all the 3 sleeping options on offer had stayed the test of time, not like these new flash hotels.. So Oryx was my stay, pleasant surprise to have satellite TV and even pleasant surprise to remind me why i wanted to be in Sri Lanka with its old fashion quaintness than back home in the west where we are slowly growing fatter and greedier by the day.. Both virtues I myself am slowly attaining with great ease..
Budulla has not much to be honest, bar stunning beauty and a window on real Sri Lanka. If I am honest to spend some time here with a loved one would be perfect. I mean what’s a man to do at night on his own. But during the day walking trekking, tuk tuk exploring and the simple joy of meeting the locals was much fun.. "I white man, I come in peace" some of these kids were obviously not familiar with a portly bald (ginger) tattooed giant form Scotland. Then again why would they be.. I stopped a school just by waving, roll call to the hundreds of lined up girls in the playground. The
few I saw obediently replied to their names and skipped into the building post acknowledgement. I viewed for a while smiled and waved, then monsoon of amazement and screaming and laughter added a bit of Chaos to the normal proceedings. For a moment I felt like a Beatle, perhaps Ringo; less skilled or talented but still highly sort after.. Budulla has water fall 7km to the north, with a further 1 1/2km trek through the jungle I showed both my age and weight on delivery to the gushing wonder. Pretty cool, still not so cool to linger and view for 2hrs but I was well and truly FUBAR with my unaccustomed exercise. The trek back was less so, I knew what to expect and stop for sweet tea with an old man along the trail. 30ruppee bought me water form a stream and tea and sugar in the communal glass. Still I shared my emergency rations with him and his wild puppy dogs. he seemed happy and the dogs were ecstatic. the evening was quiet, the food very good bar the beef was dried and not fresh.. Easier to store and keep fresh so's to speak; but it did also
diminish the taste.. Still i shared my hotel with a bridal party who were more impressed with me and my tattoos than their beautiful daughter..
The options to return from the far outpost of Budulla were similar. bus over terrible roads or train over very slow single track. The train won out when the station guard assured me he would give me the best seat. True to his word I sat proudly at the rear left of the train looking backwards out of a single giant glass observation carriage. Very nice indeed. For about $5 US dollar you were entertained with stunning scenery and a gentle rocking 40KM an hour ride. Nice indeed, perhaps not 8hrs nice but must not grumble I was in the VIP set after all..
The train was not full but busy, still a nice mix of old and young, locals and Europeans. I nice Italian lady sat next to me for 4hrs, seeking to take advantage of my VIP status and my premier viewing stance. /our bazar little courtship consisted of more dialog in 4hrs than i have had with my father in 4years,, Now
CIMG1216
Not as comfortable as i had hoped, but for $5 who can complain?I love my father but perhaps not to the same degree she loved to talk.. Now her English was good but I can only image the word count had she been firing on full Italian cylinders.. She had a friend which i later discovered who she had simply left 4 rows back to seek an upgrade with my seating wasta. I received a sympathetic smile form the lady was I left to wonder back up the train to the buffet cart. The kind of smile that said thank you without saying a word. I jest my talkative Iti was wonderful and did more to open a window into my life and culture than her own. Us brits really are reserved.. 9years ago when I left home to travel a firm handshake was all i needed or was offered from my father.. The double kiss greeting thing never caught on in Scotland; we recognised that as foreplay. New Year’s resolution, be more Italy less single UK male, it real is the way ahead. Not much to add about the trip to Kandy, Past some tea plantation. Hard job it looks (almost entirely women’s work). Opted out of a lunch and shopping
trip with my ITI girlfriend; could I have waved goodbye to Mrs. Garry Crowe. But really shopping then a further overland trip by car to Kandy.. I had a pack of bourbon biscuits, who needed lunch. Plus the look of envy from fellow passengers blocked of the most stunning views by my slight frame was becoming fun.. like the look you give business class passengers as you breeze through their "here's what you could have won" cabin, as you squeeze into your chicken battery seat in economy.
Kandy was very nice.. Like a huge village; less of a 2nd city feel of it but I liked it.. Set around a stunning lake the leftover of the empire was less vulgar and more suiting in Kandy. Tropical garden were lovely. didn't do the orphan Elephants. The must do tag is a sure method to repel me if I am honest. Plus this love affair with Elephants and dolphins etc is flawed. If they were less cute and didn’t appear to smile all the time they would not get a sniff of the tourist dollar. Save the Elephant or save the whale etc. No one
ever wants you to save the kraal..
I did get 3 car keys cut for $1,50 I did enjoy the markets and enjoy the civilized comforts of a proper city. Plus I stumbled upon a hidden gem of a place. Then after several hours stumbled out of it also. it’s called the "PUB" not to be mixed up with "the pub" down the high street. Its lofty perched bar restaurant overlooking the lake with stunning views, lovely people and great food. Happy hour 5-6 from English Dave (or was it Mark). Not sure if he was a new owner, but was the new boss. After a long refurb he seemed to have done himself he had a great bar. Reasonable prices, live local music (cheesy but when on holiday a Sri Lankan in a cowboy hat doing Elvis and Christmas carols was fun). Live soccer where an unlucky Newcastle wet down 3 nil to Chelsea when a draw might have been fairer. Still the bar was big enough the singing and views were never interrupted by the cavemen and myself watching soccer in the back.. Also WIFI I am told.. With a guest house attached it gets
train Journey
Cant be bought online sadly my vote, ideal to tour the area and work as a stop gap for the island tours and treks..
The final stage of my journey was form Kandy to Negombo. Negombo is a small town 10min form the airport. It is on the sea shore and next to a huge sea water lagoon so has nice wildlife and fishing. Couple this with a long line of resorts café pubs tourist shops and numerous Germans and you have a haven for beach lovers and lovers for that matter. It’s a nice place to hang and chill. Especially (at my time of visiting) if you like to hang out with Germans.. I am sure a lot of people do, almost all of Germany for example. But it is a nice place for a little bit of western luxury after hard treks or train journeys. Plus hiring a motor bike was easy and fun way to zip around and see the coast.
In summary Sri Lanka is for me, it’s a perfect blend of everything in once smallish island. You have juggle and wildlife, you have old and new,
you have traditional and colonial. The religions seem to work, providing faith and support without causing conflict or closed minds. (from what I saw might I add) Its cheap and fun. Will I be back for sure…
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Target Travels Sri Lanka
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Great Photography
You have added some great shots from you recent travels. Cheers