Blogs from Central Province, Sri Lanka, Asia - page 5

As we set a 7am alarm at midnight after a very long day of international travelling we wondered if we were being a bit too optimistic, but we really wanted to make the 8:30am train to Kandy. It turned out no alarm was needed, our bodies were tired but too confused to sleep properly and so we’d woken every hour and by 6am were wide awake, albeit not inclined to move. Marie’s colleague had recommended a place he stayed at when he extended a work trip at his own cost. A simple but really nice tidy room with great bathroom, good wifi and in a quiet area. We were stoked to have it booked for our return to Colombo. While not our main destination Sri Lanka was somewhere we both wanted to go, and it fit ... read more

I went back to the hostel and met my two new roommates, Victoria and Deepali, friends who are travelling together. We decided to go out for dinner and we ended up back at the Garden Café due to the fact that it was the only place within walking distance to the hostel and because I was still thinking fondly of my lunchtime curry and I wanted to sample their other offerings. This time I ordered the vegetable kotthu, a Sri Lankan dish that I had never tried before made up of thinly sliced roti, vegetables, and curry, all hacked together to create a delicious, spicy mash-up. The making of the kotthu is a show in itself with the man behind the counter chopping away with his two cleavers in a distinctive clattering rhythm on the sizzling ... read more

We are breaking the return journey with an overnight stop in Kandy. This time we take the express train. It is a modern Chinese train with an air conditioned first class carriage. It’s quicker, more comfortable and we face the direction of travel. But it doesn’t have openable windows so it’s not so good for viewing the scenery as we descend towards Kandy. The difference in altitude is 1400 metres, so whereas we chugged slowly uphill two days ago, our return involves hurtling downhill at breakneck speed. It is a relief to reach our destination as a selection of small children have swung from the seats and parcel shelf for much of the journey. We reach Kandy around lunch time. We check into our hotel and head straight to the rooftop pool to cool down. It ... read more

One last adventure before we begin our journey home is a train trip to the Hill Country. It consists of a 6 hour journey and a 13 degree difference in temperature. We go to the station for our 9.45 train. The rolling stock looks like it belongs in a museum. However, at 9.46 a whistle blows, and we’re off. One minute behind schedule – how often can Southern Rail manage that? We have tickets in Observation Class, which is supposed to offer a good view, but the seats are facing backwards, so looking out of the window for too long makes me dizzy. Once out of Colombo we start to climb, a total of 1889 metres in total. The scenery is stunning but the journey is like something from a nightmare. We are crammed into a ... read more

After breakfast, looking out over the pool and river, Upul took us to The Temple of the Tooth. Again because of his hernia opp. he found us another guide to show us round. We arrived just in time to see the ceremony. After buying flowers and taking off our shoes we were ushered into the temple past all the other waiting people until we were in front of the little door where the Buddha’s Tooth is kept. I have no idea why we were prioritized over everyone else. Men dressed in red and white were walking round the structure where the Tooth is housed banging drums and playing a flute. The guide pushed me between two Indian women and instructed me to work my way forward. It was such a squash. Everyone was waiting to see ... read more