Departure to Sri Lanka

We have finally set off on our journey from Germany to Sri Lanka, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam before heading to the Philippines. Our Swedish friends are excited to meet us again at the end of July and live together in Palawan.

We started our trip by taking the train to Frankfurt to catch our flight to Mumbai, India. After a four-hour layover, we then flew to Colombo, Sri Lanka, our first destination.

Our first accommodation was just five kilometers from the airport, but it was nicely quiet. We relaxed here for one night before moving on to the next stage. From a tree in the garden, we had our first exotic fruit on the journey; a cinnamon apple. In the evening, we enjoyed a curry with naan bread at a nearby food court, and there was a large fruit platter. It rained heavily and thundered, which was beautiful to watch.

The next morning, we picked up two adapters for the English sockets and then took a Pick Me taxi a hundred kilometers further to Kandy. In the Philippines, we used the “Grab” app; in Sri Lanka, the equivalent is “Pick Me.” Here, food and taxi services can also be utilized.

The ride went quite smoothly since the roads were in better condition than I expected. After about two and a half hours, we arrived at our accommodation.

In Kandy, it was a bit slow going, as preparations were underway for the visit of the Vietnamese monk with his dog on the global peace walk. People had dressed up and were eagerly standing by the roadside for the spectacle.

Towards the end of the journey, our taxi driver worked up quite a sweat as the road became very narrow and steep.

We really like the accommodation for the next few days. From the balcony in the communal room, you look directly into the jungle and can observe various birds like parrots, and squirrels occasionally run across the power lines, while bats fly over the house in the evenings and geckos scurry across the walls.

One evening, a large cicada found its way into the house and flew noisily against the walls.

In the room, there are two large beds with mosquito nets, which are much needed. For cooling, we have the choice between ceiling fan, standing fan, and air conditioning. Generally, there don't seem to be wardrobes in the accommodations, but we make good use of the silent butler for airing out our clothes. The exploration tours certainly get you sweating.

Water and tea are available at any time and can be made whenever we want. Water bottles are also available upon request, and there is a laundry service.

The owner is often present and keeps people entertained with conversation or drives tourists to various destinations.

So far, we have received quite intensive support in the accommodations. At the first hotel, the bathroom was located outside the room, and you had to walk past the employee who was there late at night and very early in the morning. Personally, that was a bit too much for me.

In the afternoon, we took a trip into the city of Kandy. The descent was steep and the paths weren’t always clear, but the locals are very kind and helpful and show you the way. However, you have to be cautious of the dogs, as they bark immediately when you walk by and follow you for a bit. There are occasionally bites, which is why we walk slowly and steadily without making eye contact as we pass the dogs, and so far, we have managed quite well.

Some monkeys also crossed our path, but they didn’t seem too interested.

In the city, we visited the old Bogambara prison from the pre-last century. The British colonial prison built in 1876 was only decommissioned in 2014. You can see the old dilapidated cells and bathrooms and a few paintings on the walls. Overall, not particularly much, but you can get a good idea of the conditions the inmates faced.

Next, we went to the market, where Simon bought a pair of long pants for the temple. Otherwise, there was plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat for sale; although the fish stalls had a bit of a nasty smell.

After that, we strolled to the lake and observed the fish and water birds.

We took a break in a mall and apparently ended up in the tourist zone, as the food cost twice as much as what we paid on our first night at the food court.

The city itself is quite crowded with people, and there is a lot of traffic from buses, cars, tuk-tuks, and motorcycles. However, you can still manage to cross the street somehow; if necessary, you walk across with a local. Even when walking along the roadside, vehicles keep a good distance.

With taxi drivers, you have to negotiate a bit or use Pick Me to avoid being overcharged. Here, prices can sometimes be a bit exaggerated. I find it perfectly fine if we pay more than the locals, but it should remain reasonable.

The way back was again a bit of an adventure through fields and between houses where no European usually walks... admittedly, we often received surprised looks and were asked why we were walking instead of taking a taxi. In the evening, the owner of the accommodation couldn't believe we had walked. He said he had only walked from the city back once in his forty years here; that was enough for him.