Author: susan

Blue sky today and very sweaty. A rather late start for a couple of unwinding travellers. Then out our front door and into a Tuk Tuk to go directly to the Fort Train Station to get our tickets for our ongoing journeys. That was easy enough as the man in the Tourist Information place just did it all for us. He then tried to sell us a driver for 3 days to get from Anuradhapura to Kandy and around. We said we’d think about it but for $287 we thought not.

Then we walked off around the Fort area looking at the lovely colonial buildings and ended up at the Dutch Hospital. This is as it says, an old Dutch Hospital but very now full of boutique, trendy shops and restaurants. One of the best restaurants in Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Crab is there so we booked in for a lunch, mainly because I wanted to. I munched on delicious, messy garlic, chilli crab while Rose had a chicken curry. It was an expensive treat for me, one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was inspired by a woman at the table next to us who was travelling alone and sitting up there by herself with a whole bottle of wine, munching away on her crab. No idea where she was from but she was a role model.

Then we went off by tuk tuk to the floating market which wasn’t really a floating market and then to the Federation of self-employees Market, which was a real market but we had to walk around in circles to find it. We wanted to get a wine glass to replace said breakage and some beer to take home. Couldn’t find either so got in a Tuk Tuk and came home for our afternoon sit on the verandah with a glass of wine /beer and our books. Rose had to buy her beer at the House of Wine (aforementioned) which sells beer for $5 a stubby, that hurts.

The owner of the place we are staying in is an author and we bought his book at a Dutch Hospital trendy shop. We have an afternoon chat with them which is good because they give us some good ideas, and he signed the book.

One of the good ideas was to go to a nearby posh hotel called Red Cinnamon for a cocktail on their rooftop bar. We did and it was a lovely thing to do. Gorgeous views an infinity pool perched up above Colombo and a bar with divine cocktails. We restrained ourselves to one then walked off to a restaurant fairly nearby and had curries and hoppers but they didn’t have alcohol so we came back to our verandah fairly quickly walking the dark back lanes of Colombo (you do feel very safe here).

Another early night as we adjust to heat and walking +++. I’ve got the inevitable blisters again but keeping them well strapped up!!

A traditional send off last night with Ham and Az taking us out to the airport, dinner at P J O’Briens with the traditional paras. Lots to drink before embarking on Malaysia Airlines for the overnight flight to Kuala Lumper. Crap flight in a tired old plane with below average seating space, seat belts that left no room to move and grumpy flight attendants who were not impressed with the request for a second glass of wine. No sleep on the plane meant that the 5.30 am arrival in KL was akin to torture. Then 3.5 hrs of trying to stay awake and somehow trying to feel vaguely normal.

Sri Lankan Air leg to Colombo a vast improvement. Better seats, seat belts, food and service. 3 hours later we landed here and simultaneously the heavens opened. We had to get off the plane onto the tarmac and into a bus amidst a torrential downpour. Anyway all OK, got a Kangaroo Cab to our Airbnb at 17 Flower Road. Had to run the gauntlet of other cab drivers at the airport who made it hard but all good in the end.

Our airbnb is great.. A cottage at the back (but attached) to a beautiful colonial villa. We have our own large verandah, an upstairs bedroom for Rose and a downstairs bed for me. And…there’s more…a ‘House of Wine’ over the road…..how perfect is that!!

We settled ourselves in and then headed off by foot to find (with a modicum of difficulty) the National Museum which isn’t far from here. Got there with the weather holding out and as soon as we got inside the heavens opened again…thunder clapping around us but we were safe exploring the museum. Definitely not the most engaging museum ever but it had its points of interest. We weren’t so lucky when we left there and ended up pretty drenched on our walk home, via, of course, the aforementioned House of Wine. And now really relaxing for the first time on the verandah under the fans planning where to go for dinner tonight. Our host here, Mandy, just came and gave us a few tips so we’ll go out before too long for a real Sri Lankan meal.

Rose fell asleep so I decided we didn’t have to go out and id let her sleep. She then woke up and splattered a glass of red wine onto the floor and staining irreparably the soft stone floor. Oh shit, glass and stain everywhere!!

Then a Tuk Tuk to the Cinnamon Grande Hotel that has this fantastic outdoor Sri Lankan bistro under a massive Banyan Tree…the restaurant is called Nuga Garma (for future reference) and it was $24 for all you could eat. Delicious food in a perfect setting and the rain held off.

N.B. Problem we have found with the cost of eating is that although its cheap, every bill adds 10% service charge + 10% tax and then your expected to tip (we’ve shown a lack of enthusiasm in that department).

Tuk tuk home and straight to bed exhausted to sleep the sleep of the dead!!!