Hit the Road and don't stop til you reach the beach!

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We were up far later than we meant to be having slept deep and long until half nine and almost missed breakfast in the hotel. It was a delicious breakfast including pancakes with bananas (so much more banana than at home, should be BANANA!) and PINEAPPLE (by the same criteria) and honey.
After we had packed we headed to the station in a taxi to travel to Unawatuna. There we were met by a friendly and solicitous man named Karu of whom we were initially a little suspicious. He guided us to buy our tickets and to a café where we could eat and drink. After we had settled he came back to talk to us about where we were headed and with photo’s and his visitors book, urging us to come to his guest house which he is rebuilding post Tsunami. He was not rude or overly forceful and we asked him to leave us alone while we made up our minds. It was hard to separate out the guilt but we were also tempted by somewhere off the beaten tourist path. He was clearly shattered and was getting no customers and so had come to Colombo to try and find some. We agreed to visit for a couple of days - his rates were very good and he was very keen to help.

The train ride was a delight - modern and clean and airy with open windows and doors, and wonderful views along a beautiful coastline, with evidence all around of the devastation of 2004. After delicious tea we walked the two minutes from the simple but clean guesthouse to the sea and had our first swim in the Indian Ocean - glorious. Everyone should swim in the Indian Ocean! The water was warm and the waves in the afternoon playful - although you could see that at stretches it was very dangerous. Jake said it was wonderful and finally seems to understand why we have come. Even Nicky stayed in the water for more than an hour. We walked back through coconut and mangrove trees with much evidence of the Tsunami and a lot of land for sale. How often we see beauty and tragedy sitting side by side.

We have marvelled at the local wildlife, having seen scampering chipmunks,multi coloured bids and Elliot spotted a mammal 3 times, which when he described it to Silva was identified as a mongoose. In the last of the light we saw a huge bat like creature which must have been a flying fox.


Our evening meal was a bucolic feast. A splendid Sri Lankan take on a western meal served in an unwalled garden dining room with a coconut tree supported tiled roof. We had fresh tuna -even Jake - with rich garlic buttery carrots, beans and cabbage, and spicy home made chips. A fleeting firefly briefly lit the outside as we negotiated tomorrow’s activities.

We retired for the night falling asleep to the strangely soothing sound of yet another torrential downpour.

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Photos

Verandah
Our Balcony in Akurala

Comments

[Andy w]

:)
Sounds great. Apart from the rainy bit :)