After a 15 hour, 9,344km stint from Heathrow and through Dubai, we landed in Colombo at about 10am local time(4.30am UK time) on Wednesday 2nd February. We'd already booked 2 nights in The Hornbill Hostel, Colombo and so took a taxi from the airport which took about 1 hr and cost 2800 Sri Lanken Rupees (approx £18).
Once we'd arrived, we couldn't really sleep and so took the 40 minute bus ride into central Colombo. As we were operating on a maximum of 3 hours sleep, we were hugely jet lagged and so the experience of having countless vendors relentlessly hawk their various products (flip flops, sunglasses, bags, food...) under our noses was a lot to take in and a bit of a sensory overload. We managed to summon the energy to find a small 'hotel' (cafe) and have some dinner. Admittedly we were overly cautious and only had a couple of bakeries and a coke each, but it went down well. Exhausted, and slightly overwhelmed, we headed back for an early night.
Waking up the next morning, we wanted to head of the busy city of Colombo and chose to head across to Rambukkana for Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage, a 2 hour journey by train. This was our first experience with Sri Lanken trains, but it was a good one. There was no need for reading or listening to music as the train provides all the entertainment you need - from looking out the window and seeing vast jungles and women washing their clothes in one of the countless shanty towns we passed to the people on board selling everything from books and rubix cubes to corn on the cob and tea. Then there are those that are hanging out of the trains side doors and casually strolling along the tracks, acting blasé as a train hurtles past in the opposite direction inches from our face.
Pinnewala was amazing, incredible, fantastic. It was the Sri Lanka that we'd set out to see. Elephants of all shapes and sizes were roaming around right next to us as we watched them being fed. There were only 6 or 7 men controlling what must have been around 40 elephants with noises and sticks. About an hour into the visit, the elephant keepers started rounding up the elephants. As we stood behind a small wooden fence, the elephants were driven down a dirt path, out of the orphanage and through the streets of a small town before arriving at a river to wash.
The day held a number of lessons. The first was one the train, where in transpired that we had bought 3rd class tickets but were sat in the second class carriage. This was only because we had been ushered to our seats by a gentlemen who seemed very helpful and who assumed worked for railway. It turned out he was from the school for the deaf and expected money for his efforts (which he got, but was somewhat undeserved). Also, whilst we were watching the elephants wash, Richard was approached by what he thought was a restaurant manager trying to persuade us to eat at his establishment. After shaking Ashley's hand, he went to shake Richard's but as he extended it the man flipped it over and held Richard's wrist - he'd just been conned into a palm reading. Turns out he'll live until he is 97 and have a boy and a girl!
Later we had a chance to "make peace" with Colombo having a nice meal of vegetable rice, hopper's and parathi. It tasted good, but the enjoyment ended when Richard saw a rat scurry to the far corner of the room - bleurgh!
The next day was spent travelling to Anaradhapura, the first stop in the cultural triangle and our most northerly stop. It took 7 hours by train, 2 hours longer than scheduled, due to severe flooding in the region. This wasn't a problem but once you're on a train you have no idea if you're going in the right direction until you have reached your destination.
We had two nights booked at the Milano tourist rest, a 15 bed hostel with bar and restaurant giving it a lot more atmosphere than the Hornbill.
Today we hired a tuk-tuk with a driver/tour guide called Fernando who took us around Anaradhapura's ancient city, allowing us to take in several Buddhist temples and relics and ancient ruins (including a Buddhist monastery). His driving was amazing considering the majority of the roads were flooded. We also had the chance to see the effects of the floods. Apparently 1,000 families are now homeless with the flood waters reaching 3/4 foot in areas - some of them were pitched up at a dry side of the road. It was a really interesting, fact-filled and insightful day.
Once we'd arrived, we couldn't really sleep and so took the 40 minute bus ride into central Colombo. As we were operating on a maximum of 3 hours sleep, we were hugely jet lagged and so the experience of having countless vendors relentlessly hawk their various products (flip flops, sunglasses, bags, food...) under our noses was a lot to take in and a bit of a sensory overload. We managed to summon the energy to find a small 'hotel' (cafe) and have some dinner. Admittedly we were overly cautious and only had a couple of bakeries and a coke each, but it went down well. Exhausted, and slightly overwhelmed, we headed back for an early night.
Waking up the next morning, we wanted to head of the busy city of Colombo and chose to head across to Rambukkana for Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage, a 2 hour journey by train. This was our first experience with Sri Lanken trains, but it was a good one. There was no need for reading or listening to music as the train provides all the entertainment you need - from looking out the window and seeing vast jungles and women washing their clothes in one of the countless shanty towns we passed to the people on board selling everything from books and rubix cubes to corn on the cob and tea. Then there are those that are hanging out of the trains side doors and casually strolling along the tracks, acting blasé as a train hurtles past in the opposite direction inches from our face.
Pinnewala was amazing, incredible, fantastic. It was the Sri Lanka that we'd set out to see. Elephants of all shapes and sizes were roaming around right next to us as we watched them being fed. There were only 6 or 7 men controlling what must have been around 40 elephants with noises and sticks. About an hour into the visit, the elephant keepers started rounding up the elephants. As we stood behind a small wooden fence, the elephants were driven down a dirt path, out of the orphanage and through the streets of a small town before arriving at a river to wash.
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| A couple from the elephant orphanage - frustratingly, we can't get Richard the right way up. |
The day held a number of lessons. The first was one the train, where in transpired that we had bought 3rd class tickets but were sat in the second class carriage. This was only because we had been ushered to our seats by a gentlemen who seemed very helpful and who assumed worked for railway. It turned out he was from the school for the deaf and expected money for his efforts (which he got, but was somewhat undeserved). Also, whilst we were watching the elephants wash, Richard was approached by what he thought was a restaurant manager trying to persuade us to eat at his establishment. After shaking Ashley's hand, he went to shake Richard's but as he extended it the man flipped it over and held Richard's wrist - he'd just been conned into a palm reading. Turns out he'll live until he is 97 and have a boy and a girl!
Later we had a chance to "make peace" with Colombo having a nice meal of vegetable rice, hopper's and parathi. It tasted good, but the enjoyment ended when Richard saw a rat scurry to the far corner of the room - bleurgh!
The next day was spent travelling to Anaradhapura, the first stop in the cultural triangle and our most northerly stop. It took 7 hours by train, 2 hours longer than scheduled, due to severe flooding in the region. This wasn't a problem but once you're on a train you have no idea if you're going in the right direction until you have reached your destination.
We had two nights booked at the Milano tourist rest, a 15 bed hostel with bar and restaurant giving it a lot more atmosphere than the Hornbill.
Today we hired a tuk-tuk with a driver/tour guide called Fernando who took us around Anaradhapura's ancient city, allowing us to take in several Buddhist temples and relics and ancient ruins (including a Buddhist monastery). His driving was amazing considering the majority of the roads were flooded. We also had the chance to see the effects of the floods. Apparently 1,000 families are now homeless with the flood waters reaching 3/4 foot in areas - some of them were pitched up at a dry side of the road. It was a really interesting, fact-filled and insightful day.
We were going to have some photos to accompany this post, but the internet connection on the computer's here is telling us that it will take something ridiculous like an hour and ten minutes to get them up - we're paying by the minute so we'll hold fire for now and try again soon.
We're now off to enjoy a Sri Lankan beer and devilled dishes.
x
Update: we've managed to upload a few photos of the beginning of our trip from Ashley's camera. Click here to see them.
Hi Richard & Ashley if you've had 2 messages with no names on them they are from me, Auntie Kim, I am still trying 2 master the apple mac! Hope you got the other messages, if not I will write again. Hav a gr8t time in India we r enjoying reading the blog and seeing photos. Take care love Auntie Kim
ReplyDeleteHi again, now I know you haven't got the other messages they must have deleted! Really enjoyed reading all yr blogs 2nite. Sounds like you r having a gr8t time and meeting some amazing people. Food sounds gud too, hope you haven't had any deli beli yet! Thanks for yr postcard. How hot is it in India? The clocks go forward here 2nite. We have had some warm spring like weather this week, but that has all changed 2day and has become v cold again. I never realised that they produced wine in India, did it taste gud? Chris said he will send u a comment 2mrw as it is late here now. Take care love Auntie Kimx
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