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Published: February 8th 2006
Tha last few days have been very busy and we have seen a hole new side of Sri lanka - mostly hills!
We took a delightful road trip to Ella over two days with ourgorgeous surrogate grandparents Mark and Michelle. With a greatdriver who made stops for us to try local specialities - buffalo curd with kittul treacle is a must if youare ever in the Yala park area!
We stopped in Tissa for the night in a friendly guesthouse with a blind owner, who despite his lack of sight took Sophia on tour of the fabulous garden pointing out every plant, mango, tamarind, aloe vera, franipani...and the two pet tortoises
In the evening we took a trip to Kataragama one of the most holy places in Sri Lanka, with a prk that host temples to Buddism, Hindu and Muslim. Despite the conlict in the country it is a place where evryone gets on regardles. We took a stoll around and had bracelets tied onto us while a holy man sang the kataragama chant and gave us orange spots on our heads - winning us many God points.
There were the obligatory children asking for money, sweets and pens - "hello bonbon...hello school pen..."
So we played up to them asking for bonbons back and tasting their imaginary treats, a different taste and reaction to each one they gave us, with them sqealing in laughter. Mark also gae them ten ruppees each with they were delighted with.
The next day took us to ella with a short stop at a waterfall for corn, mangos and monkeys. Dropping Mark and Michelle at their very plush hotel with fine views of Ella Gap it was time to sadly say goodbye and find our own budget accomodation.
And Budget did we find, after haggling with the guesthouse owners we discovered they knew friends of ours in Unawatuna and immeadiately the price dropped again - the power of the Unawatuna Mafia!
In the evening we realised that we weren't ready to cut the unbilical cord with Mark and Michelle just yet and took a hair raising tuktuk rise up the hill through the clouds to their place for dinner. Our job was to find Vodka or Gin which in Ella was impossible - arrack only town!
The following morning we climbed little Adam's Peak in training for the big one - we were up and down in a few hours and quite pleased with our fitness levels! In the afternoon we paid a visit to the Dowa temple caved into the rocks where we were mobbed by about 15 8-12 year olds, who found us most amusing!
A few days later we made the trip to Delhousie via a magnificent train ride through the hill country to Climb Adams Peak/Sri Pada. Adams Peak is the other most holy sight in the country where the four major religions make a pilgrimage to the top to see the sacred footprint which could Adams footprint when he landed from heaven, Budda's when he left to paradise, Mohammed's or Lord Shivas.
We set out at 3.00 am on a starfilled, cloudless night to reach the summit for sunrise, climbing the 5000+ steps in the stairway to heaven. Gaining many God points for the climb and getting a few bits of cotton tied to us and God spots on our heads with buddist chanting to help us on our way!
We soon realised our training was pointless and our fitness low!
The trail lit all the way, became very steep very quickly, there were times it seemed that the summit was unreachable. Sophia became motivational coach forcing us to focus on the chanting of the monks from the top and seeing how far we ahd reached on the trail. Just before sunrise we reached Sri Pada, exhusted but exhilarated and saw the most beautiful sunrise with a fiery red sun appearing from the mountains to the chanting of Buddist monks an Kandyan drumming. Once the sun had risen it was a dash to the oppostite side of the summit to see the 'Shadow' magically the mountain creates a perfect triangular shadow just after sunrise. which could be mistaken for another mountain or pyramid.
We were all kitted out in our hiking gear but most of the local smanaged it in barefoot with babes in arms, on crutches or at an age we would we would sitting by the fire. Most amazing was the camarderie between climbers, egging each other on with words of encourgement. Suba odensina (good morning) and hari hondai (very good) endeared us to many locals, who were amazed we had learnt tika tika(little) sinahalese.
The descent was harder than anticipated with Legs shakes a gogo! But made bearable with stops for tea, ginger beer and chats with monks (one of which has now becoe an email buddy!)
After the climb we were treated to a tasty breakfast at our guest house (the greenhouse) and a herbal bath. who knew bathing in a dirty bathtub with bits of leaves could be so refreshing!
Now we are in Kandy, our legs a little relieved of the aches after an ayervedic massage this morning, with plans to vistit the tooth temple and see some Kandyan dance.
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non-member comment
wow!
that sounds the most amazing experience going up the mountain. good on yer both! i should think it was a bit humbling. when you see great sights it makes you feel very small. when do you fly out?will try and email from espana