Blogs from Kandy, Central Province, Sri Lanka, Asia - page 19

Sri Lanka. Where to begin? The plane ride seems as good a place as any. I arrived at the Detroit airport at noon for my flight to Chicago, scheduled for an hour and forty five minutes later. I had my luggage packed into one suitcase - twenty pounds overweight - and a backpack with a frame which would prove to be rather cumbersome in the Chicago and London airports. In any case, I waited in the nonexistent line to check my bags and procure a boarding pass. I should have known then that there would be problems. “Did you know that your visa expires in thirty days?” The desk attendant starred quizzically up at me from the United Airlines computer. I had not known the visa would expire, but I was sure that it wouldn’t be ... read more

Hi Everyone, we reached Sri Lanka late on the 29th July. One day in Colombo to organise our train out to Kandy and that was enough!! We wouldn't recommend this capitol city to anyone. It may have some redeeming features, but we certainly failed to find them!!!!! (I suppose having a civil war going on doesn't help the atmosphere but.............) We left Colombo the next day at 7am prompt (better than the UK train services!!) and reached Kandy by 9.30am. We travelled in 2nd class, 1st class and the observation car were fully booked but in 2nd class we had a very comfortable and scenic ride up into the mountains of Sri lanka that surround Kandy. Kandy is a little cooler than Colombo and usually quieter, however we arrived at the start of the Annual Perahera ... read more

Our next feat was to climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress. It was originally built around 477 AD as an impenetrable fortress by King Kasyapa of Sri Lanka, and much later (16th and 17th centuries history tells us) it was used as a monastery by Buddhist monks. It is the 8th Wonder of the Modern World... The rock stands over 200m tall and there are 1200 steps carved into the rock face, some easy and some not so easy, which takes us right to the top. Elsie and I started our climb around 9.30 in the morning, and it was nearly midday when we got up there. It was hot, it was sweaty, but once we reached the summit, it was such a sense of accomplishment :) ...and what a view we had from the top...... read more

So we arrive by taxi and not public bus as we once again wus out as we were offered a pretty cheap deal to our next destination - Kandy. A little while ago you may have read we were in the Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean, and while we were there we met a great kiwi couple called Leigh and Gail from Auckland. As it turns out one of their good friends lives in Kandy - and also lives in a large house and had some spare room for a couple of wondering souls and very kindly offered us a roof over our heads while we were in Kandy - Danny you’re a star. So after we’re dropped off at the pub it’s not long until we meet our new host and then it’s a ... read more

Dear friends, After such great intentions, sadly communication let me down (as Tony Hadley sang). I've actually finished my four weeks of volunteering now, and you've not heard a peep out of me, very sorry, but there are mitigating circumstances! I've been living in a small village on the West coast. The nearest internet cafe was a 30min bus ride away, where it was nearly $4 per hour for a dial-up connection. I managed to get there maybe once or twice a week, but couldn't afford to spend that precious time blogging. Right now I'm in Kandy, in the centre of the island, where things are a little more civilised, they even have broadband! However, I now have four weeks worth of highs and lows, joys and sorrows to write up, far too much to get ... read more