It has it all, Sri Lanka

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We jetted out of London on the ‘worlds 5* airline’ Qatar Air (if their ads are to believed) and it was pretty good with on demand movies and TV. Doha was a bit horrid. We arrived in the middle of a sand storm, but the turnaround was fast and we were soon on our way to Sir Lanka. Given the recent outbreak of swine flu we arrived to a health check. Even though Scott was exhibiting all the signs due to a cold; sneezing, red nose, watery eyes we were waved through. Our host was standing waiting for us and we were soon on our way to Negombo. The country was very lush and tropical and boy was it humid. The guesthouse was simple, clean and only 1min walk to the beach. The beach was full of people playing cricket and the yellow/golden stand stretched on for miles. After a wander up the very quite main road we had a quick ‘rice & curry’- the staple for the trip - and were soon fast asleep.

Over breakfast we started to hear that the government were saying that they had killed the leader of the Tamil Tigers. There has been a vicious war in the country for centuries and one chapter of this had been playing out over the last 3-4mths up in the north east. It was a very interesting time to be there. Our driver/guide was called Mahesh, full name Bernard Mahesh De’Silver, origins Portuguese Catholic. After a quick tour around Negombo, a predominately Catholic region with churches popping up left, right and centre we were soon on our way to the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage. When we arrived they were all merrily playing in the river, and some were being scrubbed by the handlers, 80+ elephants in all. There were also a couple of baby elephants that can’t have been much older than a month. Before we left we watched them all run back to their living area. They are so quiet. I expected a herd of 80 elephants to make a hell of a noise, but it isn’t until they are right next to you that you noticed. The rest of the drive north and in-land was stunning; coconut groves, rice paddies, jungles and busy colourful towns. As we drove we started to see more and more golden Sri Lanka flags attached to the side of the road and tuk-tuks. That evening we stayed in Sigiraya, below ‘Lion Rock’.

We woke to the news that the LTTE leader had been killed along with his closest commanders. The streets were full of smiling people, 1000’s of crackers and golden flags. It was an exciting time to be in Sri Lanka during this historic turning point. Our first stop of the day was to see a grand Buddha built in 5AD. Along the way we passed one of the many ‘Tanks’ in the golden triangle or ancient cities. Tanks were basically man-made lakes, providing an irrigation system to the local communities. Genius for the period BC! We then drove on to Anuradhapura (everything and most people have super long names, no chance of me spelling or pronouncing them correctly). It was the capital for a very long time from 3BC to 16 AD. We were the only western tourists at this world heritage site, although there were lots of local tourists relaxing in the shade of the surround trees. We visited the Bodhi Tree which has grown from a sapling from the Bodhi tree Buddha gained enlightenment under in India. There were also multiple Spuba’s including the largest in the country. Another we saw was the 3rd largest brick structure behind the pyramids of Egypt. All the people we met have been warm and friendly, a couple of women sparked up a conversation about where I was from and were very keen to understand if I was enjoying visiting Sir Lanka. The increased civil war has deterred tourists over the past months. The centre of the new town was full of celebrations; more fire crackers and flags. Disturbingly we saw a hanging effigy of a man with LTTE pinned to it, yikes. We then visited Mihintale Monastery, which provided sensational views across the country side, lush, green and very pretty. The temple flower, the frangipani fragrance was in the air ... a great day. We listened to local radio and nationalist songs all the way home.

Our departure time was a little later than the previous days, probably because Mahesh realised we were being a little tardy thus arrived late, but for once we were on time. Today it was announced the government had officially identified the LTTE leaders body. There was TV coverage of it as they took the body to Colombo and the follow day was announced as a national holiday. There was more ad-hoc parades, nationalist songs, adverts and of course more fire crackers as we headed towards Polonnarwa. This was the second capital from 10-12 AD, the structures were in much better condition and the complex huge, crumbling ruins every which way your turn. My favourite area was Quadrangle, only the King was allowed into this area. The ruins were very cool including; bodhi tree shrine, dogoba, charter house and lots of statues. There was a huge monastery complex as well. By midday I was melting as I had to be covered. For most of the areas you had to take your shoes off, my poor London shoed feet did not cope with the stones or heat. Our last stop was four carved Buddha’s; standing, sitting, in a cave and reclining. They were near a pond full of pink lotus flowers. It was here we discovered some other western tourists, just 5 though. It is all rather sad for the local communities, but with the news of the current war over they were hopeful. That evening heavy rain clouds rolled in that evening. Also we asked for a typical Sri Lankan dinner, as spicy (well nearly as spicy) as they would have it. The food was absolutely delicious; little bowls of spicy this and that with poppodoms and rice. The bats always show up around dinner time it is made for an exciting experience. The food is distinctly different from Indian, a lot lighter I think.

Early the following morning we visited Sigiriya, or Lion Rock. It is a rock fortress built in the 5th AD. The highlight, apart from the view, was the beautiful paintings of buck-some beauties ... they had very large boobs! There were two large paws on either side of the flight of stairs before making your final accent to the top of the fort, thus the name Lion Rock. We then made our way to Dambulla cave temple, and were confronted with a huge kitsch golden Buddha, terrible. Lucky at the top of the mountain there were caves full will 1st BC drawings of Buddha’s, there must have been 1000’s. It was a very peaceful place. Then it got a bit weird. We stopped at a spice garden; most of the workers were away celebrating the end of the war as it was a national holiday. But suddenly Bobby appeared with two other fellows. All was going well drifting around the small garden looking at cinnamon, vanilla, pepper, etc. Then we went to a little demonstration hut and off came Scott’s top at the instruction of Bobby ... a head & back massage. A naked man in the middle of the jungle getting a rub down, it was all a bit surreal. A few hours later in the pouring rain we arrived at Kandy, the hill country capital. It is situated in a bowl surrounded by hills with a lake in the middle. Population is just over ½ million, and it is the 2nd largest city in Sri Lanka. Given there are 20m people in Sri Lanka, you can now start to imagine how over populated Colombo is. Our guesthouse was better than expected with a lovely view overlooking the lake. All the neon lights lit up as the sun came down. There is advertising everywhere in this country even on the police/army barriers and in temples. They love it.

In Kandy we started to see a lot more tourists, surprisingly the older generation rather than the usual 18-25 back-pack crew. It was another rainy day, but out we headed to a tea factory. It was a huge run down building some of the machines were over 106yrs and still in good working order. For some reason it felt very sad, like it was past its hey-day and the people there were trapped. We enjoyed a cup of tea, well I enjoyed two as Scott doesn’t like tea. Then we went to the Botanical Gardens, it was a massive site and as the rain come down the young Kandy couples hid under the trees stealing kisses. The university is was close by. The coolest thing in the park was a HUGE tree its span was massive. Next we walked around the lake in the pouring monsoonal rains, it absolutely hosed it down. When we got back to the centre of town it cleared a little which was good as it gave us an opportunity to explore the local produce market which was bustling with people. The fruits and veggie were plentiful and so fresh. The street sellers were running around with little plastic bags on their heads to shield themselves from the rain. That evening we attended a traditional Sri Lankan dance show at the Cultural Centre. Sometimes these things can be a little cheesy; however this was rather good the dancers were great. The funniest moment was when a male dancer was suppose to do a back flip, leaped up into the air and landed directly on his face, ouch! The dances reminded me of a cross between Indian, Thai and pacific Island. Then onwards to the real highlight of the day ... the Temple of the Scared Tooth Relic. There was a lot of security as it had been bombed back in the late 90s by LTTE. The temple was in the style of the ruins we had been visiting; large stone columns with the structure made of wood carved elaborately. We managed to catch a glimpse of the bell shaped spoda that held the Buddha’s tooth. It is said there are seven of these golden cassettes until finally you get to the tooth, like pass the parcel.

Sadly the following morning we woke to the heaviest rain yet, and it did not stop as we wound our way to Dailhouses the start point for the hike to the top of Adams Peak. The drive through the hill country was beautiful. Tea stretching as far as the eye could see along the slopes. We arrived at the Yellow Guesthouse and spend the afternoon reading and watching the rain steadily pour. Not entirely sure we could do the climb. And in the end there was no climb. It continued to hose down and there was no power, thus no water. Our concern now was if we could get out of the area, so we decided to make tracks. At this stage we were actually considering bolting the country. However, after checking the internet and calling the airline we decided to stay on. The tea pickers were out in the driving rain, soaked to the bone. We made our way to Hatton and jumped on the train heading for Ella. But only after causing a wee bit of a commotion at the station; they tried to charge us triple the price for observation class (1st class). As it turns out you need to pay the full fair from Colombo until the end of the line ... madness. So in the end we sat in 2nd class, and it was good fun. Plus you could stand in the doors and get a fab view. The only real issue was the smell wafting from the toilets when the train stopped at stations, yuck. The view from the train was special as we climbed up and over the mountains passing through all the major tea posts. We looked out upon stunning waterfalls, wood groves, valleys, veggie farms and kids playing cricket, the works. Mahesh was waiting for us at Ella and we enjoyed a sunset cocktail with a magnificent view down towards the coast. Due to the rain we decided to change our little tour, so we will now head for the coast and national park a little early.

Another drizzly morning awaited us, who decided to come here in the monsoon?!? But we decided to go for our guided hike away. Kumar came to take us, he was a lovely guy and one of seven Tamil families living in the area. He mentioned that Ella has not had any trouble like up north. He led us around the valley partly along the railway track and then up the mountain we had been looking upon the previous evening. On return we headed for the coast, a very pleasant drive through the low lying towns arriving in Tissa Wera where we were staying overnight before rising early to go on a safari into Yala National Park. I had high hopes of an elusive leopard spotting. We should diffidently see a elephant and crocodile!
So what a Monday morning, absolutely wicked! Up at 5.30am, in the back of a jeep and off to Yala National Park. We drove past the Tissa Tank with storks standing regally and the Sri Lanka eagle swooping around us as the sun came up. Once we got into the park we realised we were only one of four jeeps, thus practically had the part to ourselves! We trundled around for a while spotting a jackal, deer, bee-eater bird, wild boar, huge crocodiles, stags, buffalo ... we starting thinking not that exciting. Next thing you know BAM, we turned the corner and there were the three other jeeps and a big prowling leopard - holy-moley! He sat in the under growth looking around, yawning and finally got up and starting stealthy moving around. Amazingly it decided to stroll across the road right in front of us, not a care in the world. But he did keep an eye on the jeeps at all times. He was a beautiful creature, powerful yet so graceful. We were super lucky they usually only spot a leopard once or twice a month. After he disappeared into the bushes we tore off to find some other cool stuff, including a large owl. We went down to the beach front for a little rest and visited a memorial to the 46 people that died in the Tsunami. They were right where we were standing when the wave roared in, no chance. The next outstanding spot was completely unexpected... baby sloth bears x two! They jumped around, ran back and forth, like any kids, so cute. We had been super lucky. On the way back to the hotel we saw a turtle.
=Photos from the park
Now the next exciting thing to happen, not animal related was breakfast the next morning. We had been itching to have a local breakfast hoppers, sambol (tomatoes, chillies, onion) and dhal. Yumbo. The hoppers were made from rice flour, and where like parcels with a crumpet in the middle. That is one thing that is a little strange here; everywhere we have been we have had to ask for local Sri Lankan food otherwise you get a western menu. The food we have had has been SO tasty and delicious, the cooking in brilliant. We were now very much looking forward to see what the coastal food had to offer. That afternoon we drive to the coast and stayed the night at a pretty average hostel and beach. That afternoon/evening we decided to play cards and drink the local Arrack to pass the time. After being bitten top to toe at the guest house we headed towards our next stop Unawatuna. It was a good drive, but sad. This was the part of the coast devastated by the Tsunami, and you can see why as all the towns are built very close to the ocean and there is no high ground to speak off. We also past the stilt fisherman, famous along the coast, the positions are so coveted that they are passed on father to son. We arrived at our retreat at Unawatuna and to our relief it was a paradise. We were the only people staying at the time. The Retreat was 2mins walk to the beach and set in a rocky jungle grove. We took the rock room, it had a huge veranda with a hammock, chairs, writing table, and there was a huge rock chair in the room ... lovely. There was also a gorgeous natural pool and monkey’s playing in the surrounding trees. That morning we wandered down to the golden sand bay, it was idyllic. Sadly the Tsunami took out the reef so the beach is 50m shorter than it use to be, thus the water lapped against the restaurants dotted along the beach edge at high tide. That evening we have a candle lit dinner on our veranda. The following day we had a little bit of pool side action, but not too much since we were both very white from a long British winter. In the afternoon we had an Aruvendic massage and followed by a private Hatha yoga class and meditation, super relaxing. That evening we had another candle lit dinner, but this time by the ocean. On our final day on the coast we visited Galle a fort town about 10km from the town we were staying in, we took the local bus. By the time we arrived in Galle, it was melt-o’clock. The entire old town was run down and crumbling, there were few tourists but enough hawkers to make the walk through town unpleasant. We decided to high-tail it back to the retreat, but some crazy eyed man decided to follow us and yell after we refused to engage in a conversation that NZ had rebuilt his house (a known scam in the area to get people chatting). It was a little frightening. But that unfortunate visit to Galle was soon a distant memory as we enjoyed a candle lit dinner pool side with chilly crab.

The following day we took an exciting train ride up the coast from Galle to Colombo.
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The train rushed past villages, fields and up the palm lined coast. This was the same line that led to so many deaths when the Tsunami hit, a lot of people jumped on the train to flee but the wave hit the train and rolled it right off the tracks. You could see the little white crosses and markers. You could tell when you arrived in the most populated part of Sri Lanka - Colombo. The train was whizzing through people’s back yards and right through make-shift villages that had sprung up around the tracks. The city itself felt very tense, and we encountered many road blocks and check points. There was a huge security presents outside the hotel we had decided to stay at. The iconic Galle Face and Regency, over 145yrs old and place were most tourists end up for a drink during their visit to Colombo. It was a lovely hotel, even if the army was practicing their victory parade on the huge national lawn next to the hotel. Yip, there were huge tanks and army personal everywhere. We heard many load fly-bys of the air force. That evening there was a fashion show on the famous veranda. Surreal, as there we were sipping a cocktail, watching a fashion show with snipers situated around key points of the hotel, machine gun armed patrol and a gun boat floating off just off shore. That evening we had a lovely meal at the state of the art fusion restaurant 1864. Sadly the following day I feel horribly sick with a fever and muscle pain, couldn’t leave the room. Boy was I thankful we were in a nice hotel!
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Our trip to Sri Lanka was fantastic, we saw and learnt so much in a short amount of time and even got in some relaxing beach time as well. It was also a very historic time to be in the country - I hope the peace time lasts.

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