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Published: December 1st 2006
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Adam's Peak Sunrise
This photo sums up the sunrise. All inspiring. I ended up staying in Hikkaduwa for an extra day, being Sunday (I had completely lost track of what day it is) as I am extremely hung over from last night. Turns out Saturday is a big night here with a massive beach party at one of the bars right on the beach. So as usual not knowing anyone I’ve rocked up, wandered around made friends with a few British and Hong Kong volunteers and sipped on a few cocktails down by the beach. Well that’s how I remember it, sort of, then it gets a bit blurry after that.
Ended up getting stuck into a few of the local spirits, Arrack to be exact, which is kind of a bourbon style drink, that mixed with a few liter bottles of Lion, vodka and goes knows what else and it turned into a messy loose night. At one point I think there was a group of us dancing erratically to the ‘Chemical Brothers’, jumping across the sand a little out of control, I think you’ve all seen this once or twice before. Classic night to let the hair down (so to speak), and I did make it home safe and
Rice Fields
Throughout the lower hills rice farms are every where sound, albeit without my thongs…..(bugger it they were band new). Hence due to no fault other than my own I needed a recovery day by the beach to sober up from last night……oh well things could be worse.
So with the temptation to stay by the beach ever increasing, I figured it was time to pull my finger out of my arse and move on. Arriving reading about the delights of the country I decided to head to the center of Sri Lanka to the hill country, known as the summer retreat grounds for the rich and famous (or not), escaping the heat of the coastal towns for the cool hills and perpetual spring settings.
Due to the limited time in Sri Lanka I avoided the public transport system and hired a tour taxi to take me up to the mountain areas (at an extortionate price might you). The 6 hour drive winded through the scrolling mountains past endless fields or rice paddy farms, tropical forests and of course the infamous Ceylon Tea Plantations some 1400 meters above sea level. (While driving through the ranges we also past the river and setting of where they filmed the movie,
Rubber Tree Farm
This woman wanted 50 rupees for this photo. It all costs around here. "Bridge on the River Kwai") There are hectares and hectares of plantations, rows and rows of trees and appear to cover entire mountains, no matter how steep, tea trees will grow. , The people in the hill country look a lot poorer compared to the coastal villages, they also look like they work a damn sight harder as well. Some of the loads that the women carry on their heads is astonishing, they would put me to shame. The faces are significantly different to, the Sri Lankan’s here are a lot darker, and I think that more people in this area have a Tamil background, originating in South India. As we winded through the landscape I stopped to take photo’s of the rubber tree plantations, and women working the fields, and you soon realize that a photo also means rupees. Nothing is free around here, everything costs.
After laying on the beach for so long, it was time to do something a little more adventurous, and physically demanding. I was heading to a town called ‘Dalhouse’ to a mountain called Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada). This mountain is a sacred pilgrim site, a trek up the 2243m summit (over 7000
Tea Plantations
Sri Lankan's like their tea, theres enough of it. feet) is completed by devoted pilgrims of all religions, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian. Depending on which denomination you follow, Adam’s Peak is the place where Adam first set foot on Earth after being cast out of heaven or Sri Pada, sacred footprint left by Buddha as he headed to paradise. Either way the journey it’s is a grueling 2 ½ hour hike or 5200 steps up the mountain, through the tropical bush land, to be rewarded by a spectacular early morning sunrise.
The main climbing season doesn’t start until next week and I was advise that I will need a guide to take me up the to summit. So with a 2.30am start, pitch black, wrapped in trousers and a jumper (it’s a wee bit chilly up here in the mountain areas this time of the morning), I started the hike with my new found friend, Sarath Senavirtna. It was at this point I kind of realized I was in the arse end of nowhere, in the middle of a country I had no knowledge of with a dude I didn’t know, kind of a weird moment. The first hour started with a comfortable conversation about, life, home,
River
The river where Bridge on a River Kwai was filmed. religion, cricket…. a bit more cricket, before the talking ended and all concentration focused on sucking in air to the lungs and lifting the foot up to the next step. No it wasn’t that bad, but it certainly took a lot out of the legs. The steps became higher, lnger and more frequent until finally it became a continuous stair way (to heaven). Thankgod this was not a busy week with pilgrims and whatever doing the walk, Sarath informs me that during the season this place will have 100,000 climbers in a weekend, jostling with others up this hill would be extremely hard work.
Upon our arrival to the peak at 4.30, a little early for a 6am sunrise, we found ourselves in a spot of bother as it was about 4 degrees and blowing a gail. But thankfully Sarath knocked on what appeared to be a cupboard door to wake a couple of security guards (apparently they live up here) from there beds so we could take shelter. Now we awoke 4 guys sleeping on 3 beds in a room about 3x3 meters, tiny. I don’t think that they were overly impressed with our arrival but I shared
Suspension Bridge Over
Now you know i dont like heights this is as far as i got. some chocolate with them while they made me tea (at a price of course) to warm up as we await the all inspiring sunrise. And it did not disappoint. The view from the hill was amazing, truly spectacular. The mountain floats high above the entire region, clouds lye silently below while the beams of light cast across the sky. Pictures speak a thousand words as I can not write the feeling and aura of the location and the picturesque setting. As the sun rose there is also an amazing sight other than the sun rise itself, and that is the shadow that is cast behind Adam’s Peak, of the mountain itself, silhouetted against the us forest background.
After spending an hour or so taking in the sunrise, the challenge is to get down before the heat of the morning sun takes hold. Although hiking up the mountain is strenuous, down is a killer on the knees and ankles. But the one thing you do notice is the views and environment of the surrounding landscape that were missed in the early hours of the morning darkness. The backdrop of rock face, tropical forests, water falls and of course the Dagoba
Best Curry so far
I ordered a chicken curry and got all this. (Buddhist Temple) at the base of the climb.
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