Sri lankas splendours:
•the countryside- it's so green and unbuilt-up! Plus so varied; it's undeniably an incredibly beautiful country.
• it feels very safe; bikes are left everywhere, hostels are left open and I haven't heard of anyone getting robbed.
• public transport is well established and relatively easy to navigate, plus cheap!
• the food!! So many fresh fruits and great curry dishes! Plus cheap!
• most people are pretty helpful and friendly; I've had people give up their seats for me on buses (they do it for other white people too, hopefully they don't just think I'm pregnant). People have gone out of their way to show me directions.
Sri Lankas sub standards:
• the tourism- not just the masses of people at some of the big sights, but the government are manipulating it with relatively extortionate prices for the big sights.
• tuk tuk drivers- these are some of the not so nice people who will lie to you about buses not running and not give you directions.
• ATMs give you big notes (5000s and 2000s) whereas a bottle of drink is 70 and a meal 120 and a tuk tuk 200, so no one can ever change your notes and it's a nightmare getting change. It was the same in India though.
Wednesday: a chilled morning in the hostel- laying in the hammock reading. Then we got picked up at 1.30 for the safari, it worked out about £22 each and there were 4 of us: an English engineer, me, a Swiss physio and the English guy (who's a doctor)- we did say all we needed was a nurse and we could set up a hospital. We drove to the national park and then spent 4 hours cruising around the plains. We saw over 70 elephants- they were counting as we'd had a bet on how many we'd see (I was way out with my pessimistic bet of 4). We didn't see much else- buffaloes, birds, reptiles, a fox that caught a hare- but it was a very enjoyable afternoon! The Indian elephants are far smaller than African elephants and have smaller ears; we saw lots of babies too, which was cool. We had dinner back at the hostel and me, the dr and physio had to sleep on mattresses on the floor in the hallway as they had no more beds- it was like a sleepover as they decided to make dens with the mattresses?! Nice people though!
Thursday: I left about 8.30 to bus to Ella- I wasn't sure what to do with my last few days, but there is some hiking to do and it's quite a chilled place to relax before heading home. It was a long day!! I had to bus to Kandy, which took 3 hours. Then I could either bus or train to Ella. I was told there wasn't a bus for a couple of hours, so I walked to the train station and he told me to get a bus to the next train station to get a 12.30 train!! I hopped on this bus but it was sooooo slow that I missed the train and so bused back and got the bus to Bandulla which took 4 hours (stunning views though), then another bus to Ella! So finally arrived about 6, but it's my last long day of travel as I just need to get back to Colombo after this. I grabbed some food and then got a tuk tuk to the hostel- it's a strange place, more like a mans little house where he's turned a room into a dorm- great views though! But it had a few guys staying here, although everyone was out and even the owner went out and asked me to show someone new who was meant to arrive his room! So I was just sat chilling til some of them got back and we chatted a bit.
Friday: the hostel included breakfast- some good traditional stuff. The 4 guys I was sharing the room with all decided to do the same hike so we climbed up to Ella's rock to some great views. There was a Brit, German, Swiss and Indian. The Swiss was flying his drone and got some great pictures. We walked back and into town where we all got dinner- me and the German had to change hostels as there was no spare beds in the last one and the Indian left to catch a bus. Then the 4 of us climbed up to little Adams peak for sunset- a gentler hike than this morning, but more stunning views. I debated moving on tomorrow, but wherever I go means long bus journeys so I decided to chill here for my last day before heading to Colombo- it's a bit touristy here, but a chilled and beautiful place.
Saturday: me and the German got breakfast, then met the English guy to walk 8km to a waterfall. It wasn't the most impressive, we walked back and stopped at another cave/temple thing but they wanted 150Rs (75p) to get in and none of us wanted to pay so we left it- I was pleased that I'm not the only who's tight when it comes to these things. We got some lunch, then I was moving hostel again- last nights was a bit of a s*** hole and this other one was cheaper, but I am basically in a tent in someone's garden. Then me and the German had booked massages and it was quite funny as they obviously thought we were a couple and so we were in the same room, which was a bit odd as I lay there with nothing on, haha!! But it was a good massage- a little coming home treat for myself! We grabbed a tea and then I went for a much needed shower and got chatting to a few people in the hostel. The British guy and German messaged me and we arranged to go for my farewell drinks and I got 5 people in the hostel to come along and they bought a couple of others from their hostels, so we had quite a crowd- Dutch, German, French, Chilean, Irish and Spanish. In town we saw some sort of Hindu festival where there were several men were being hung from cranes by hooks through their skin!! It looked barbaric and as though they were torturing people, but there was singing and dancing by the locals. Some of them got food then we went to a bar where they all had beer and I had shisha!! We stayed there til they chucked us out about midnight- it was a nice night!
Sunday: I called at the station yesterday and the only train I could tickets to get back to colombo was at 6.40. So an early start!! Luckily my hostel was just across the track so I joined the locals walking across the tracks. The train was 20 minutes late and pulled up on the far side tracks so the 100-odd people on the platform were clambering down with all their luggage and trying to climb up on to this train- it was very amusing and would never happen in the UK!! It was a 9 hour journey, the first half is notorious for it's stunning views and was beautiful! I'd booked 3rd class, so it wasn't too comfy but I dozed a bit, listened to music, read my book and for the last hour or so an old guy next to me befriended me and was translating out conversation to the other locals around us- they find it strange to see females travelling alone and I think he was disappointed I was going home and gave me his card for if I come back! Haha! I walked from the station to the same hostel I stayed last time and then went out for some much needed food! Had a tasty fish kottu- I'll miss the food here (and in India) and miss the prices even more- don't know how I'm going to cope with English prices!! Chatted to an Irish girl in the hostel who had just arrived, so I shared my advice and passed on my lonely planet!
Monday: a chilled morning in the hostel with the free breakfast. The sun come out and so I spent an hour reading trying to catch the last few rays. I bused to Colombo Fort (the centre) where I had my last Sri Lankan meal for 75p- good old spicy rice and fish curry! I was sat at a table with a local lady and we were chatting and she bought me a yoghurt for dessert which was very sweet of her! I mooched the market a bit- taking in the last of the Asian atmosphere! I felt pretty sad as it's a magical place- the sights, sounds and smells! Men carrying huge sacks of veg on their backs and heads, the market sellers calling, the colourful attire of the women, the conductors hanging out ancient bus doors calling, the huge selection of fruits and tat on sale. Then got a bus to the airport which took about an hour and only cost 65p even with air con! Saudi airlines were a bit disappointing, none of the nice extras you get with some of the posher airlines. There was no alcohol obviously and people were told they weren't allowed to wear shorts. I was surprised most people on the flight were white tourists going back to France, Spain, England, Israel, etc. I watched a film and they blurred out all shots where women were wearing revealing tops or skirts or in bikinis or comments about sex. We had a Muslim prayer before take off and announcements as we flew over Mecca. Saudi Arabia was hot even at 9.30pm! Had a 5 hour wait in the transfer lounge- it was really busy and the middle of the night Sri Lankan time, but I finished my book (a rather relevant tale of a backpacker finding his way in life). A rather uneventful final 6 hour flight to Heathrow, although an hour later than scheduled! And there was father waiting for me.........
I had a great last week; I think that once I had my flight booked I could relax and really make the most of my time. I felt more sociable and so met some great people and had a lot fun! I've even connected more with the locals as I become more patient and open again- I think after my experiences in India and Jordan I become a bit too suspicious and untrusting. Looking back the last 6 months seem like a dream- I can't believe I really saw and did all of that! I am a complete mixed bag of emotions- one minute I'm sad about being home, then excited, then proud, then fearful of what reality will bring and one minute I'm thinking I can't wait to get a job as an OT but then the next I'm planning my next trip! I was blubbering like a baby on the plane as I watched some stupid film (and I never cry at films!!) but the world is my oyster and we'll see where the wind takes me....... So until next time!! Thanks for sharing my adventure with me!