Category: Sri Lanka

What a big day!! We are finally at the airport after having the day you have when you know you have to get to the airport. Check out at our homestay joint was 11.30 so we started off hanging about the room until 11am doing the packing, ablating, hair washing etc. Then we set out. It was my express aim not to end up in a pool of sweat immediately today not wanting to take the taste of sweat home with me. We had decided to just have a leisurely day of the long, slow lunch under a fan etc. But of course as soon as we set out there I was dripping away!! We went to places we had liked along the way. The first place we went to Rose had a beer and I had a white wine…we thought this was OK because it was after 11am!! We had little snacks and sat under a fan being relaxed!!

Then we moved on to another place for more small dishes and another beer and white wine. Also under a huge fan. Now what I have been meaning to mention is that the Jehovahs Witnesses have had a very large convention in Colombo and they moved into Galle in their droves. We kept seeing all these people with green lanyards and wondering what the fuck they were doing with their name tags on. But it is one thing about the Jehovahs, they are very friendly (possibly hoping to gain another soul), so we had a conversation with one couple who explained it all to us with great pride. So back to the second watering hole today, we’re sitting there and in walks a little group of JW’s. The place is empty and they sit at the table right next to us…uh oh!! We kept them at a distance until they were leaving…but we cut that short!!

So after a sojourn at this next place we set off again, just to make sure the sweat was in full flight. We bought a most delicious ice-cream and headed back to our homestay for our cases and a Tuk Tuk. You should have seen us piling into the Tuk Tuk with our cases, extra bags etc. I just wish I’d taken a photo.

Next adventure, the train up to Colombo. First class, so there we are with 4 Chinese and 2 Indians…no air/con. A big observation window that was great until the engine came and attached itself and all we could see was engine. But there were fans in the roof and we opened all the windows. The train was late setting out and an hour late getting in which doesn’t bode well for the 2 most anxious people in the world when it comes to getting to airports on time.

Anyway we got in to Colombo and were immediately accosted by a taxi driver. We then had a fight as I was bargaining and Rose just wanted to get into the fucking taxi. Long story short we were only 4.5 hrs ahead of our flight and here we sit waiting for time to pass once again!!

Friday night: Home now. Dear Jule picked us up at the airport. Tired but happy to have experienced Sri Lanka. End of Blog until the next saga

Really our last day although tomorrow we have time on our hands before we set off for Colombo and then the airport in the afternoon.

This was a fairly laid back day if you can be laid back while pouring sweat and plodding the streets. We went off to have breakfast in the AM. That was nice and relaxed. Then we were going off to the New Town outside the walls to the Dutch Market and a state run tourist shop for souvenirs that Kathy Kimpton had recommended. We decided to get a Tuk Tuk there because we didn’t really know where we were going. The Dutch Market that we’d heard so much about was a complete fizzer. We then went to the Tourist Shop and lo and behold…another fizzer. So we scuttled back into our Fort. We went home to use the loo (always a rather unpredictable experience in this part of the world) then set off for lunch. We went back to A Minute by Tuk Tuk and had some food and fluids then set off again to do a bit of shopping. Shop, shop…last day…panic, panic.

Then we came back to the accommodation to drop things off. Stayed briefly and then set off again for a bit more shopping. Interspersed with a couple of Singapore Slings on the balcony overlooking the sea. Then back home for the nicest couple of hours of the day sitting on our balcony overlooking the ramparts and watching the sun go down with Sri Lankans walking along the ramparts and playing cricket in front of us. I swear one of those guys is a member of the Sri Lankan Test Team, he was so good!!

Time to go out for dinner. We had been planning for a special swanky dinner for our last night and we achieved this, it was delicious at a place called “The Fort Printers”. I had the lobster I was hankering after…so divine!! It was marred only by the fact that I swiped a glass off the table at the very last minute… so bad. But we got over that…Rose was mortified, but again not the end of the world. Home we came and tomorrow we start to pack up to get ourselves back to the people we love the most!!

For some weird reason we both slept badly last night. I think its that thing of starting to think about home and moving your head into the problems you have to face kind of space. And the place we are staying in is also weird. So I think that contributes.

Notwithstanding, we were up and about before 9am. We had to go to the Galle Railway Station to get our tickets for the trip up to Colombo on Thursday. We set off on foot…only 700 M each way, we got our tickets, no worries and started walking back. All just too easy except for the heat and the sweat that started to pour off me until I was in a lather before breakfast!!!

We went to a nice place for Brekkie (this homestay is the first that hasn’t provided it) and had a yummy breakfast that was best for the break it provided and the fans that helped dry up the sweat!!

Then we were on a mission to do the walking tour of the fort around the ramparts…it was only 3 kms, normally no problem at all but in fact the sweat…OMG the sweat!! It was up and down steps and along the ramparts but by no means a hard walk except for the melting factor!! It is really lovely and we looked down at Galle International Cricket Ground…hallowed turf, we looked out over the bay and we walked down through the streets. We stopped for a juice and then carried on, visiting the Dutch Church (where John Irwin is buried), the Anglican Church, the beautiful old Colonial Hotel etc. We ended up at the Dutch Hospital which we slid into on a slick of my sweat and had firstly a drink and secondly a lunch overlooking the ocean at a place called ‘A Minute by Tuk Tuk” which naturally reminded me of ‘5 Minutes By Tractor.’ I had the tuna, Rose the devilled beef – hot hot hot – she says it made her eyelids sweat.

Then back to this homestay to flop down under the fan and the a/c in an attempt to dry up. But guess what, the electricity went down and it all cut out. The sweat continued to pour.

We set out agin at about 5.00 and went back to the Dutch Hospital precinct to have two pre dinner Singapore Slings. Then tootled off to a restaurant for dinner – pretty ordinary though. Saving the best for our last night tomorrow night.

Hoping for a good night’s sleep under the fan and the air con tonight.

On the move again. Paradise Lost as we breakfasted and said goodbye to our little piece of heaven. Mind you the bill brought us rapidly back down to earth. Nonetheless it was a beautiful respite from the hustle and bustle that is Sri Lanka.

We had booked us a driver to take us to Galle but soon discovered that the lovely manager at Coco, Ninuka, was taking us himself. It was his day off!! Thats not to say we didn’t pay for the privilege but it was nice to have him take us. It was also the first ride on the Sri Lankan roads where we weren’t holding our breath most of the time!!

Along the way is the place where the stilt fishermen are found. Now, this is an ancient tradition of fishing and it is the iconic photo of Sri Lanka so of course you have to stop to see. But the reality is that it is now staged for the tourists. So, we walk onto the beach and the first thing we see is a group of Japanese Tourists; and the second is one of the fisherman asking us for money to take photos. So I handed over my hard earned (Rose took the role of observer) and a fisherman hopped on his stilt and pretended to fish. The really hilarious thing was that two Japanese tourists, who must have paid more than their fair share, also hopped on stilts and pretended to fish. Certainly not a great photo opportunity for us. But really it was priceless !! We stayed a few minutes and left…but needless to say I have my photo!!

We were dropped at our next place in Galle, Villa de 19, another homestay and a very considerable step-down from Coco. But you have to be satisfied with the level you can sustain and we are satisfied!!

Galle is so totally different from every other experience we’ve had in Sri Lanka. The whole town is UNESCO World Heritage listed and is really beautifully preserved, a bit like similar towns in Japan. Hand in hand with this is that we suddenly find ourselves well and truly back in the tourist scene. It is buzzing with white fellas from all over the world. This is a rude awaking from the towns we have been in since leaving Colombo where we were often the only foreigners. But it is quid pro quo because along with the foreigners comes all the tourist infrastructure. You can get coffee, gelato, wine and you can shop til you drop if thats your thing!!. There are lovely shops to poke your head into all over the place, restaurants with all manner of food and more importantly they are in beautifully preserved heritage buildings from the Dutch and Portuguese eras.

So out we went walking to get some wine and beer, home to drop them off then out again to eat at a classy restaurant called Fortaleza. That’s all great but at the same time expenditure has also matched the move into an upmarket world. We just keep telling ourselves to stay cool, its our last 3 days!!

Back to have a nightcap, a shower and hit the hay!!

Another delicious breakfast, and another bright day ahead. After brekky we set off to walk into town because it was market day. Our plan was to explore the market and go to the bank then walk back. The heat us like a wall and I was very soon sweating like a pig. By the time we got to the market which seemed even hotter, the sweat was pouring down my back. However, I love a good market and this one was no exception. Bustling with people, every kind of fruit and vegetable known to man, and a very friendly atmosphere as well. Having perused the stalls and taken a few mandatory photos we started walking back passing more little stalls along the way including the man sitting with his one fish (in the stifling heat), cutting off little bits and selling them.

By the time we got back to our beautiful hotel my little straw hat was wet!!!! But we didn’t yet succumb to the desire to jump in the pool. We took a breath, sat under the fan to dry out and set off in the opposite direction to find a place for a bit of lunch. We were again stalked by a weird young man on his motorbike just as happened yesterday. We’re not sure what they’re up to but it is a bit unsettling in what is otherwise a very safe and friendly country. Anyway we found a place for a beer, a glass of red that had been open for maybe 6 months and a small bowl of chips to share…most uninspiring and then we walked back.

Really the best place to be is right here, we cant equal it anywhere in this town and it is such a relief to flop inside. On with the bathers and we headed poolside for a few blissful hours. Then its shower, more downtime and now preparing to enjoy our dinner. The food is so good that we can’t wait. They were trying to get me a lobster but I don’t think they were able to.

After dinner: No lobster but a most delicious Sri Lankan Curry and Rice. Fish for me and Chicken for Rose…it was really lovely. Bummer for Rose for desert…Banana Fritters. Absolutely yummy but while they weren’t looking Rose heaved a fritter from the dining room table out over the balcony onto the lawn. Immediately afterward a staff member walked down to the lawn…god knows if he trod on a fritter!!!

Goodnight!! XXXXX

I guess I’m raving too much about this beautiful, elegant place we’re staying. We keep having to pinch ourselves that we landed so well on our feet. We sat up and watched the waves roll in as we had the best brekky EVER. It was eggs Benedict Sri Lankan style and so delicious. I must admit that not having curry, samosas and coconut pancakes for brekky has been a welcome relief.

After brekky we set off on a little excursion to a nearby blowhole that blew a little but certainly didn’t blow its head off. We went by Tuk Tuk and he waited for us while we waited for a number of blows. Then he took us to a nearby harbour where masses of fishing boats were unloading the catch for the day. I loved that, I love the colour and the excitement and all the fish, the weighing and selling, the noise and the slosh. Anyway, he then took us back to near our hotel so we could walk into town around the waterfront. That was lovely for a while but it got more and more deserted and for the very first time in Sri Lanka a weird guy sort of stalked us on his motorbike. He looked very dodgy and followed us, then stopped by the side of the road and waited for us. It is the only time we have felt unsafe so we headed up for the main road as quickly as we could.

Rose had found some place for us to go for lunch and we got in a Tuk Tuk to take us there. He took us off the beaten track, down by the beach through an area that in the high season would be bopping with hotels, beaches etc but now is deserted and definitely uninspiring. We got to where we wanted to go and it was no longer there so we paid the driver to take us back…a Tuk Tuk ride for absolutely nothing!!

He dropped us back in town and we went to find the Wine Shop/ Dive for some beers and a little bottle of Gin for our G&Ts at Happy Hour. Did I tell you that this place isn’t licensed to sell alcohol but they are happy for us to buy our own and bring it in. And they do supply some under the table like our lovely bottle of wine with dinner last night. For our Happy Hour they supply the Tonic, a lime and ice and we have our little hip flask of gin. FYI Sri Lanka has a law that says women are not allowed to buy alcohol…can you believe it!! Doesn’t seem to apply to white women though.

Anyway by this time we had chased a few red herrings and had firmly decided that our place was the very best place to be…by our very own pool in our very own colonial mansion. So back we came and that’s what we did…spent the afternoon plopping in and out of the pool having a delicious sandwich and the odd G&T while we watched a family of monkeys playing in the tree next to the pool. Yesterday a large Monitor sauntered past the pool. We had seen them swimming in the lake in Kandy and Rose was worried in case this one decided to take a swim!!

They have dinner planned for us …fresh calamari followed by fish for me. They are planning on getting me a lobster for tomorrow night!! The charge for the meal is $30 each. Hugely expensive for Sri Lanka but for us…3 courses for $30 is amazing. We are indulging ourselves for 3 nights. Its back to homestay in Galle after this. No pool and no gourmet food!! Though we understand there are lots of lovely restaurants and shops to explore.

Now its bed time, another divine dinner has been demolished although we are worried about our chef who has a very painful foot following a cut. Hope he lasts the distance for us!! Tomorrow is another day and our last in paradise!! In the distance there is what sounds very like the Call to Prayer but I understand it is the Buddhist version…I find it very soothing whatever the religion. My bed is covered in Frangipani and Bougainvillea petals.

We were supposed to have a relaxing morning and then make our leisurely way down to Tangalle but we were both up and going very early and Rose got impatient, so after our last enormous and delicious breakfast with our hovering hosts, we asked for our driver to come early and he arrived at 10.30 in a tiny car that was just one step above a Tuk Tuk. We had said no air con because it’s cheaper but this was ridiculous. Our cases occupied the front seat and we jammed in the back. Rose had a seat belt this time but none on my side.!! These drives are definitely not for the faint hearted, but we both have steely hearts that are getting steelier each time we set out.

We came down to the coast to Tangalle. Now this is the hotel we changed at the last minute after feedback that the seas are rough and monsoonal so we decided we wanted a pool to make sure we got a few swims in before returning to winter. So we booked into the Coco Tangalle. Our compromise because it was more expensive was to only book one room.

But WOW, it is a fantastic old colonial home and we soon discovered we are the only people here so we asked about getting a second room at a discounted price. So…we now have a room each, the second at half price. My room is the ‘king coco suite’ which is MASSIVE with my own gorgeous balcony overlooking the pool and the ocean ( which is indeed thundering), My bathroom is the same size again with a palm tree growing out the roof in the middle of it…I’ll send a photo or you won’t believe it.

The first thing we did, of course, was don the bathers and head for the pool. A few swims and a drink and some wedges by the pool set the world right (not that it’s been wrong). I’m now sitting out on my balcony while Rose is luxuriating in a shower.

Our little bottle of gin has come in handy as we got some tonic and enjoyed our time watching the waves roll in and the monkeys (monkey actually) eating fruit from the ? mango tree just in front of us. We are now waiting to go in for dinner. We’re starving and the smells emanating from the kitchen are pretty good. It will cost us but its hard to avoid when you’re staying in a place like this!!

We are now just back from our most amazing and delicious meal. I had beautiful fresh tuna and Rose chicken, both cooked to perfection and utterly lovely. There is no doubt that this is our best effort yet. And to top it off they provided a complementary bottle of really nice white wine (when you know how much wine cost us in this country that is exceptional).

After a most yummy meal back to our rooms to find our beds covered in frangipani petals and the bed prepared for the night. They just can’t do enough for us…now we start to worry about what we should tip them…It’s off to bed now. I just need to remove my petals!

Up at 5am and off on Safari at 5.30am. The moral of this story is to keep your expectations low and maybe, just maybe you will be delighted. And such was the case.

Now, Safari Sri Lankan style is never going to be the Serengeti with its overwhelming and diverse array of grand African animals, but we had a fantastic safari for the elephants, crocodiles and bird life. We had spoken with other tourists on our way down here who described seeing maybe 4 or 5 single elephants. So when we saw herd after herd of up to 14 elephants with their babies we couldn’t have been more thrilled.

The other lovely thing is that we came across herds and we were the only people there sometimes for ages. The elephants were right by the jeep, sometimes a meter or less from us…Rose at one point thought one was going to try to kiss her and she leapt out of her seat!! Another time we saw a large herd bathing in a dam and playing with the very little ones, having a ball. Sometimes we’d find a herd and other jeeps would join us in a bit of a bustle but other times we had it all to ourselves. The driver was great and just turned off the engine for us to sit quietly amongst it. It really was a delight.

Incidental animals included Jackals, huge Monitors, Mongoose, Crocodiles and Water Buffalo. And especially for Hammy I made big effort to remember the names of the birds we saw which were another highlight of the trip…a Serpent Eagle, White Throated Kingfisher (superb), Green Bee Eater, Malabar Pied Hornbill (incredible, like a double-beaked toucan) and a truck load of Peacocks and Peahens. Our guide was very knowledgeable about different sorts of Sri Lankan birds and had a bird book on hand at all times so we knew exactly what we were looking at.

We were there for 5 hours and when we arrived back the guesthouse we had a huge breakfast waiting for us – samosas, stuffed rotti, friend lentil patties, dhal, hoppers, eggs, honey and coconut wraps!! etc. The other exciting thing for me was that I climbed up into the back of the truck, and back down without too much indignity!!

We were at a bit of a loss about what to do when we got back. The only other think around here is the Elephant Transit Home. Baby orphan elephants are kept here until they can cope back in the National Park. We got in a Tuk Tuk and went there for 12md feeding time. We weren’t going to go there but it was lovely to see all these baby elephants being fed. One elephant (that wasn’t a baby) had lost a leg and had a prosthesis. Rose was particularly intrigued by this.

We came back and went into the little town and got supplies of wine and beer and came back here to hang around for a couple of hours. Then we went to the poshest resort in the area for a drink, and walked back (a life threatening exercise with buses and tuktuks storming past) to await the meal supplied by our guest house. I must say, for my part, that you really can get sick of ‘curry and rice’!!! But they do it very well here.

After another delicious, massive meal cooked by our hosts its back and time for bed.

I have a friendly gecko living behind my toilet and during our meal fruits bats were flying around us…Rose wasn’t too keen on that idea. There is now something on the roof…probably a monkey or a squirrel.

A leisurely breakfast this morning as our driver wasn’t coming until 11.30 to take us to Udawalawe. So we sat on our balcony (we moved to one balcony so they could clean a room). Plowed our way through yet another huge Sri Lankan breakfast, then paid our bill and went to meet the driver they had arranged.

My god if he was over 15 (and I assume he was), he didn’t look it. Rose naively asked where the latch for the seatbelt was…uhhhh no seatbelt, but then again we’re used to this. Today is the Festival of the Full Moon so a holiday here…no alcohol and no meat allowed, all shops closed other than a few selling street food stuff and the roads were PACKED!! In every town people were lined up in long queues to donate money and receive food so there was chaos in every single town we passed through. Drivers playing chicken with each other all the way there and people stopped everywhere to picnic, particularly when we got near the national park. Our driver wasn’t bad but it is always a relief when you get to your destination. We paid our $65 and off we went.

We are staying in the town at a place called Bright Sun Safari. There are 2 safari huts (in the town mind you) and we have one each. Another over-attentive host who stands on guard over us and is always rubbing my arm (there’s something about Sri Lankans and older people). We went into town to buy a bit of food and found some rather dodgy looking roti filled with curried vegetables which actually tasted delicious but fingers crossed!!!

We had our little bottle of gin bought yesterday but of course couldn’t find Tonic and somehow Gin and Lemonade isn’t quite the same!! Nonetheless we sat outside on our verandahs and waited for the accommodation to produce dinner. Again a dinner with the host hovering over us…but a delicious meal nonetheless.

Tomorrow we are being picked up at 5.30am to go safari’ing. Its true that once you’ve been to the Serengeti everything else is likely to pale but we’ll see. Goodnight for now.

Firstly we just love our accommodation, Ella Grand View. We each have a spacious room and bathroom with the most fantastic view from the balcony and squirrels playing around us. This morning they served us what seems to be the norm, a massive breakfast of fresh fruit, eggs, toast, spicy dal and coconut, sweet pancakes and rotti. Amazing!! The hotel guy advised on places to see about the place and off we set after brekky, along the railway track to see the Nine Arches Bridges. It is 2 and a half kms along the railway through lush tropical forest area. We got to the bridge and joined the throng of tourists waiting to see the train come. Which we did!!

In the meantime we wanted to go to an iconic restaurant in the hills called 98 Acres, that overlooks Adam’s Peak which you can climb should you feel so disposed. There is a short route from the 9 Arches Bridge but it is a small, treacherous path up over the mountain. Rose scouted ahead and decided it wasn’t for me. The alternative is a circuitous Tuk Tuk ride down massively steep, winding roads that goes for about 10 kms instead of the 1.5 or so if you climb over the mountain…we paid for the privilege and Tuk Tukked.

So it was a light lunch in an amazing setting of mountains as far as the eye can see and Adam’s peak perched in front of us. We decided not to climb the peak, although I did try to persuade Rose to go by herself, fearing that I was holding her back from doing things she would normally do if it weren’t for me…but no, she was fine to admire the view from where we were.

We came back to our guesthouse wanting to just enjoy some downtime in our lovely accommodation. We sat on the balcony and had a drink and are now about to set out along the train track once again to go into town for an early tea so we can get back along the tracks before it gets dark.

Later: We’ve been in to town, pounding the tracks once again with (in my case) the utmost concentration. Every time I lift my head to greet someone I’m in jeopardy. But nonetheless we got in without misadventure. We had to go to a bank and then back to the same cafe which does seem to be the best one in town. We can get a drink there and I had a yummy curry although I can never eat it all and Rose was able to get a burger. We decided that as we’re moving on tomorrow to a very small place near the National Park, that we’d buy a small bottle of gin so we could have a G & T. Again we had to run the gauntlet of a dark, dingy cave full of men…we look so out of place…female, white tourists! Anyway we have a small hip flask of gin for our alcohol free venues.

Anyway mission accomplished and it was hit the train tracks again….always much harder after dinner I find but here we are back again. We’ve had another long chat on the balcony with our British neighbours here, who were advising us yesterday…and we are quite satisfied with our itinerary when we compare it to what others have been doing.

Now its shower time. We have a driver taking us to Udawalawe tomorrow…as always a relative of the manager. We’ll leave around 11.30…next stop a safari lodge. Ella has been great.