Land and People

... you get to know them best when you travel alone. 💁🏼‍♀️

Although there are exceptions, as Claudia and Ralf show.

I mentioned before that we understood each other right away because they, like me, grew up in the former East, especially in Berlin.

They let me participate in their plans every day and it fascinates me a lot. I'm also getting a little hooked on the idea of traveling around the world. (Don't worry, my dear friends, it won't happen so quickly, but... everything starts in your mind first) 🙃

First daring small things, then bigger ones, then world travels - always knowing that nothing bad can happen to you. Or maybe just good things. 🙏🏼

They sold their house 🏡, bought a camper van, and want to take three years to eventually settle in Indonesia 🇮🇩, which they have already gotten to know through their travels. (They're about my age)

Felix just came by. He's showing me how AirDrop works. 😅 A young man, quite tough at 28 years old, who unfortunately is leaving today. He has been studying in Munich for a very long time. Something international, which is why he speaks English so well. He practices yoga every morning, just like us, and is interested in many things. Wishing you a good flight and a successful completion of your studies. 🙏🏼✈️

After officially saying goodbye to Felix, Claudia and I head to the beach. 🏝

She armed with an umbrella, me with my phone. It looks funny. Two white women on their own. 👱‍♀️☂️👩📱

It's a 10-minute walk and even though it's very hot, we enjoy moving.

The people here in the small town of Balapitiya are very friendly. Everyone greets us and asks how we're doing. Surely, they also want to practice their English skills from time to time.

The path becomes narrower and winds through the lush nature. There are lots of stray dogs running around us. Sabine, you would be delighted. 😃 But of course, one should still be cautious.

Now, in some corners of our route, the smell starts to stink. Garbage dumps are the cause. Sometimes small, sometimes big.

It should be known that there is no waste disposal in Sri Lanka. People simply throw their trash behind their house, on the street, or right in this wonderful nature. That's why you occasionally perceive an unpleasant and toxic smell. Here, the garbage is simply set on fire and burned.

This is definitely, besides poverty, the downside of Sri Lanka. 🥲

However, a consciousness for recycling is slowly developing here.

• Dr. Ajantha Perera is to blame for that. In Sri Lanka, she is called the "Trash Queen". She has declared war on the garbage dumps and is developing global concepts together with former DAAD scholars.
  

It's worth mentioning that the Sinhalese language doesn't even have a word for recycling. Perera created one: "Prathichakkrikaranaya". A compound of "prathi" for "again" and "chakkraya" for "cycle".

Claudia tells me that in the past, people here used to only eat food made of natural materials, like coconut shells. It was only when the plastic age arrived that the garbage dumps grew.

We finally reach the beach. 😀 It's much more beautiful than I saw in the previous photos and I'm experiencing one of those moments again, being allowed to be here. 🥹

The ocean offers everything it has today. Watching the huge waves surrender with full force on the shore is a spectacle like no other. 🌊

The beach isn't crowded, but we are curiously observed by the locals.

And before we can jump into the waves, we have to change into our swimsuits.

Easier said than done, since we can't show any bare skin here. We put our things on a fishing boat and hold each other's towels. Done and into the water.

The sea is as warm as my bathtub at home.

At around 6:00 PM, the sun sets and we hurry to leave. 🌤 On one of the fishing boats 🛶, there is an old man sitting, whom we promptly approach and ask if he would go out to sea with us tomorrow morning. He tilts his head slightly and smiles at us with his big tooth gap, which probably means yes.

Let's see if we're still brave tomorrow. 🤔