Sunday we went to town to check the bus we'd take to Tissimaharama. On Monday morning we really wanted to surf, but there was no way that was going to happen - the season was over - the waves were not good at all... Sadly we said goodbye to our amazing surfspot....
We took a tuktuk to the busstation and the bus was waiting there for us (and many other people). Obviously we had to pay for the 2 seats that our surfboards were blocking, but then it was still só cheap! Less then 4 euro's all together for a 3 hour busride.
The hotel where we were staying picked us up from the busstop and brought us to a beautiful place with an amazing view over rice paddies and the lake.
We borrowed 2 bicycles to go to town to buy some water and food for the following day. Didn't have the energy to watch a movie in the evening - we surfed a bit on the internet and went to bed early, because we would leave at 5am for the safari.
The next morning we were ready right on time. After a pineapple juice we hopped in the Jeep and went to Yala National Park. The driver was really nice and our animal tracker as well. He was really on it! Within 5 minutes he spotted a crocodile and many different kinds of birds. It was a beautiful morning and we really hoped to see an elephant. They wrote on their website that there was a 98% chance on seeing leopards, but after I asked how many leopards there were in the park, I knew that was probably not going to happen (15 leopards, 100 elephants).
We had a nice breakfast on a big rock, where we found some mountain cristal :) and we drove for about 7 hours. We saw lots of buffelo's, birds, monkeys, peacocks, deer and may other animals and in the end we did find the elephants! A mama with a baby, hidden in the bush, about 6 meters from our jeep.

After the elephants it started to rain and it was time to finish the safari - we had a great time, but it was time to see the ocean again - we missed it!
They arranged a taxi for us and Yasith, the taxi driver, woke us up, because there was an elephant on the road! I mean, seriously! We looked everywhre for elephants in the National Park and here they are, walkinig on the road and chilling out in the field next to the road... Owowow. We saw the most happy elephant ever a bit later on, enjoying the fresh green grass.. In the evening we arrived in Arugam Bay on the east coast of Sri Lanka. We were staying at Mambo's, which was the closest to the main point break. Since the season didn't really start yet, they were still building and making the place ready. It also meant that we payed half the price of what one normally pays for a cabana as we had - which was really nice. The beds were really comfy and our veranda was just perfect! We went to town for some rice and curry and we bought some fruits and water for breakfast the next morning. At the reastaurant we met a guy from Denmark that had been living in Sri Lanka for quite some time, helping the people to rebuilt after the tsunami of 2004. He (and his pregnant American wife) lived on donations given by people (often through the church).
The next moning we went for a surf at the main point. We we got in the water there were about 10 people in and the waves were about shoulder high with some bigger sets coming through occasionally. I caught a couple of waves and one really long one! It got crowded wuite fast and Lilian didn't feel really comfortable with that many people in the water. Going in was easy and going out as well - it was only a ahort paddle, so not too much exercise...
After the surf we had an amazing and sweaty yogasession on our veranda (I so want one of those later!) followed by a very long savasana (45 min) and breakfast.
We were really tired, so we didn't do too much the first day, just checking out the town and going to bed early.
The second day we went to the surf even earlier and there were about 6 people in. The waves were a bit smaller and it was really nice as was the yogasession afterwards. In the afternoon we went to chill out at the beach - we obviously wanted to go home with a nice tan.
In the evening we had a vegetable roti with Neill and Chris (the best ever - the roti that is;) ) and watched a movie (how great simple life can be).
On Friday the surf picked up and the waves were huge! To get out was quite a challange as was catching waves. There were about 30 surfers in the water and that was not so nice. We did make some friends though ;)
In the afternoon we found the perfect tanning spot halfway the beach: there were some sunbeds and it was so nice there! We met a lady that was visiting the country with her son. They did some voluntary work in the south and had one week holiday left. They live in England, but she was from The Hague and had actually still family in Scheveningen, very close to the place I grew up - such a small world. We had roti, rice and curry at the same little restaurant again and it was só good!
On Saturday again the surf was huge so in the afternoon (after chiling on the beach) we decided to go surf at Visky Point (lots of people call it Whisky point). We took a tuktuk there together with Rory. The wave is a bit more mellow, a beach break, next to some rocks and less crowded and as we experienced - a great surfspot! A really nice wave with some really big sets soming through. After 3 hours I had spagetti arms and was completely surfed out. So many nice waves and so much fun in the water - a great energy with the other surfers and the locals.
In the evening we had some dinner with Rory (same place again) and went to the beach hut where he was staying for a drink and a chat. It was a really nice backpackers place with tree houses and lots of young people. We were home around midnight and the tuktuk to go to Visky Point again was picking us up at 5.15 am, so it was a very short night.
Our last morning we had a great surf again and afterwards only a short yogasession - me that was - Lilian's feet are quite swollen thanks to some reef... I told her before our trip to buy a pair of reefbooties, but she likes it better to be barefeet in the water and well, she did, but her feet didn't. So that Sunday she skipped yoga and lay in bed for a bit with her feet up.
Our taxi driver Yasith (with the best van ever - we could just lie down and sleep) brought us to..... Poya villa - Alon's place. But first we passed by all the elephants again and his house and we met his wife and two children. They served us fresh papaya and chai and it was really nice to see how a Singalese person lives... there was a couch in the living room, 2 nice chairs and a couple of plastic ones. There was plastic on the floor... very basic. The children were só sweet! 2 boys.
We were invited to stay over next time we'd be in Sri Lanka.
On our way to the villa, we stopped to buy some fruits and water. The villa was the best place ever. It was beautiful as was the garden and the view - the most amazing place ever!
Unfortunately the surfseason was really over: the first morning it was raining and there was a thunderstorm, so we slept in (till 7am, which doesn't sound like sleeping in) and only did some yoga. Then it was time to lie in the garden and enjoy luxury life :) Later on we went to Welligama to do some last minute presents shopping (well, Lililan did). We were back in time for an afternoon surf session, which was blown out, white water soup, but nice anyway. I mean, seriously: warm water, sunset session - doesn't matter what the waves are like - it's something we will miss lots back home where the water is very cold and the waves are s***ty anyway - most of the time.... Before we went in, we had a talk with a local boy, which was still there when we came out. He offered us a coconut - well, he didn't have them, but he climed the tree and took out some coconuts, which he opened using the rocks and his hands... That was seriously the best coconutwater I've ever had! I want a man who can do that!
No energy left for a movie - early night and early morning surf - the last one - again the following day. Since the surf was still a bit blown out, we went for a short paddle/party waves fun surf. The yogasession we had afterwards was one of the best ever..
We only had an hour to pack and get ready. It's crazy how time flies. I've been away for over 3 months and it feels like I left home a week ago. And I don't want to go - life is great here...
After a tuktuk - bus - second bus (and a bus we didn't take, but that nearly took my surfboard - I was just in time to save it!) - last tuktuk and in total 6 hours of traffic we arrived at the airport.
Lilian's plane left at 8.30 pm and mine was going to leave at 3.15 am. We met in Dubai where we took the same plane to Amsterdam...
We will miss the coconuts, the warm ocean, the surf, the people, the fruits, the weather, the yoga and we'll miss each other...
It was the best time ever!