Sri Lanka - The South: Safari and Beaches

We’ve been busy since our last blog making our way from The Hill Country and down to the south. 

Before we left Ella we did the most incredible cookery course run by a local restaurant called Matey Hut. We learnt to cook TEN different things - banana curry, pineapple curry, dhal with spinach, pumpkin curry, aubergine curry, beetroot, okra, coconut sambal, savoury roti and dessert roti stuffed with a coconut treacle mix. The lady who ran it, Madu, was a no nonsense woman who got us all to chop everything by saying “like this, like this, ok now you!” And when you didn’t quite slice it right she waved in your face to get you to do better. 

We made coconut milk from scratch by freshly desiccating a brown coconut with a contraption you might find in a D&T classroom. Then adding some warm water and squeezing it all until the most delicious fresh milk was made. Coconut milk is added to EVERY dish. 

We all took it in turns to make a dish. Madu knew all the spices and quantities by heart. We were surprised how all the same spices are used - curry powder, chilli powder, cinnamon, fenugreek, cumin, cardamon, pandan leaves and more - in each curry but all taste so different. 

If you come and visit us when we’re back we’ll definitely be cooking you some Sri Lankan curry! 

All of the spices

Desiccating the coconut

THE MOST DELICIOUS FOOD!

Before we leave Ella, Alex climbs Ella rock again on his own and beats the previous days record! 

We travel from Ella to a place called Tissamaharama, Tissa for short. We base ourselves here to do a safari at Yala National Park where there is the highest density of leopards in the world. We’re a bit unsure about the safari though as we’ve heard the amount of jeeps chasing to view one leopard is a bit much. 

We met up with our friends Hana and Usman here and we’re all so happy to all be together after nearly 3 years after their wedding in Malaysia. Usman does all the talking in Sinhalese and we manage to get better food and a cheaper safari! Result! 

The safari ends up being quite bumpy, dusty and hot but we still had a great time and saw lots of animals - a herd of elephants, peacocks, mongoose, toucans, crocodiles, lots of water buffalo, lizards, wild boars, spotty deer, monkeys, lots of birds. The highlight is seeing two leopards, both sleeping. Some deer got quite close to one and he got up and we thought we were going to witness a chase but the leopard just moved to a shadier spot to carry on sleeping! Our guide was great and avoided the crowds, he looked about 20 but was in his 40s. We didn’t feel like there was too many jeeps where we were which was a relief for us and the animals. 

Leopard prints 

Spot the leopard!!

There is a leopard there, promise! 

After the safari we start making our way along the coast.  First stop Mirissa and we also met up with Loraine and Steve, Rach’s friends parents. They’ve been travelling round Sri Lanka for the last month too and we’re really glad we managed to meet up. It’s really great to spend some time with good friends and see the gorgeous beach sunset and eat good curries together. 

After Mirissa we head to Galle just the two of us. An old fort town built by the Dutch and Portuguese it’s incredibly hot but picturesque. Bring here we are reminded of a previous trip to Georgetown in Penang. We try and fail to recreate the Chinese tourists posing so fabulously around the ramparts! 

We’re sent lots of pictures from back home of the snow and we’re in complete opposite weather where we try and find aircon to try and escape the searing heat. One of these times we go to a maritime museum and can’t work out why it was so expensive and where the whale skeleton or the tsunami education bit is as promised by the guide book until hours later we work out we were in the wrong museum!

We’re currently in a beautiful beach town called Hikkaduwa. We’ve been to visit a museum and photo gallery dedicated to the people who lost their lives in the 2004 tsunami. It also works as an education centre for the locals making sure they know how to recognise signs of a possible tsunami and know an evacuation route. It was utterly heartbreaking to see the photos during and after the tsunami and listen to the stories of the couple who ran the photo gallery. There is a huge Buddha that was built after the tsunami looking out to the sea in a pose meaning fearlessness and protection.

For the rest of our time we’ve mostly been spending it sat on the beach drinking the most delicious and refreshing king coconut (aiming for at least two a day), sun bathing, reading (Becoming by Michelle Obama and the Cormoran Strike series - highly recommend both), swimming, more sunbathing. Oh and also snorkelling on the coral reef and watching turtles coming to feed on the seaweed at dusk! 

We’ve only got two nights left in Sri Lanka. We can’t believe where the last month has gone. We’re going to miss this gorgeous country but very much looking forward to our next stop - Japan!

Rach and Alex xx

Interlude - When in Rome...

Dear reader, 

Forgive the delicate subject matter of this instalment. If you are of a nervous disposition, please don’t worry we will get through it together and be enlightened at the end. 

For me “when in Rome” while in Sri Lanka applies to eating local food, surviving public transport and now, how to use a toilet. 

You may have noticed on your travels to Asia an innocuous little water hose next to the lavatory. If like me you are a true stiff upper-lipped Brit you’ve probably ignored them and continue to use the toilet paper or bring you own when there is none. I never knew or wanted to know how things could be done differently. 

On this trip however, I was encouraged to try using what I am now calling the ‘personal hose’. In case you aren’t sure what I’m talking about it’s a flexible plastic hose attached to the wall next to the toilet. Usually with a chrome head consisting of a nozzle at one end and and lever at the other. It’s raison d'être is for cleaning up after a number 2. Having seen them on my gap year over 15 years ago the idea has taken years for me to get used to.

The first time you direct a jet of cool water at your most delicate area with intent is an extraordinary moment. Hovering in position. Thumb trembling over the trigger. “There is no going back after this”, I thought to myself...

...and why would you? It’s a most exhilarating and refreshing experience. Clean fresh water when and where it is needed most. Truly not what I was expecting at all, it leaves you feeling fortified and hygienic. 

So that is the story of how I learned to poo Sri Lankan style. Congratulations on making it this far with me. I hope my little story has been insightful and educational and I do hope that when the opportunity presents itself, you too will be able embrace something new or different no matter how trivial it may seem and no matter how long you have resisted. 

Alex 

Sri Lanka - Hill country

We’ve had a great 10 days in the hill country. It’s the central area and a lot cooler than the rest of Sri Lanka which has been a nice relief. 

We arrived in Kandy to torrential rain and got plonked in the middle of a very busy market by the bus. We negotiate past the many calls from tuk tuks to get in, market stall owners to buy some food and general stares (getting used to this now) to get to the railway station to buy train tickets for our next few days of travel. Turns out Sri Lanka has a strange ticket buying system. The reserved seats go on sale 30 days in advance and usually sell out very quickly. Then the only option is to turn up on the day you want to travel and queue up with everyone else. There is no maximum number they sell on the day. 

Kandy has a big lake where the Temple of the Tooth sits. We have to admit that we’re a bit templed-out and admire it from the outside only and imagine what the tooth looks like, as you can’t see it in real life anyway. Kandy has great views of the hills around and a huge Buddha sits on one the highest ones looking down on the city. But Kandy is very very busy and so polluted. It’s not our favourite place. We’re using it as a stopover before going to climb Adam’s Peak the next day. Alex gets in a game of pool while watching a gorgeous sunset so he’s very happy!

The train ride from Kandy to Ella is described in the guide book as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. The views of the mountains and tea plantations are something else. Problem is, everyone else has the same guide book and Sri Lanka was named the Lonely Planet country to visit for 2019, specifically that train ride, so it’s BUSY. Not fun. Luckily we don’t have to battle for space for our big rucksacks as we’ve left them in the hostel to come back to Kandy after Adam’s Peak to do some trekking in the Knuckles Mountain Range. 

We buy second class train tickets but it’s so busy when the train comes we can’t get on the carriage but managed to squeeze in third class instead. We stand the whole way but luckily we only did part of this journey. Men with huge buckets walk up and down the carriages selling delicious snacks. We can’t get enough of these deep fried lentil cakes which are really similar to our favourite Mauritian snack gateux piments (literally, chilli cakes). The trains move super slowly and jerk so hard at each station everyone falls over. Taking a train in Japan is going to be very very different. 

The girl behind is eyeing up that lentil snack! 

We arrive in Hatton and get another bus to the base of Adam’s Peak. This mountain is also known as Sri Pada by Buddhists. They believe the footprint on the peak belongs to Buddha. Hindus believe the footprint is Lord Shiva’s. And Christians and Muslims believe it was Adam’s first step. Whatever you believe it is a very important pilgrimage route to the top involving 5000+ very steep steps. It’s traditional to climb in the middle of the night to arrive for sunrise. 

First view of Adam’s Peak from the bus

Our hostel nearly poisons Alex with all the dairy which made for a very grumpy start at 2.30am but we eventually make it to the top after 2 hours 40 mins being passed by locals in flip flops or even barefoot. We rang the bell at the top to signal our achievement of making it up. Sunrise really was spectacular and very special to see. It made the thigh burn very worth it. We were lucky that it wasn’t too busy on the top. A few days later on full moon which happened to fall on the weekend we were told it would take nearly 7 hours to get to the top.

The lit path from half way up 

Snuggling at the top to keep warm before sunrise

Walking down we got to see the wonderful sites that were pitch black on the way up. And marvelled at the people carrying huge loads on their heads up to the many tea shops which line the route. 

We treat ourselves to a nights stay in the middle of a tea plantation looking out onto a reservoir and sleep for 12 hours straight. The hotel grows its own veggies and Alex takes pictures of all the plants to show to his Mum. Food was delicious. Apparently there is a super luxury hotel around the reservoir where you get dropped off by sea plane from Colombo. Not quite in our budget, maybe next time!?

Heading back to Kandy we manage to buy third class reserved seats and it’s so much more comfortable. We get to hang out the train doors and watch the world go by, nursing our very sore calves from the climb hoping they’ll stop hurting for yet another trek the next day. 

Alex’s cousin recommended a trek in the Knuckles before we left so we made sure to fit this in and we were so happy that we did (thanks Will). With our amazing guide Chandi we walked in the foothills of the mountain over 13km stopping at viewpoints over the central province that went on for miles, swam in a cold but refreshing waterfall, walked through the tea plantations and rice paddy fields. We also learnt about the many spices that grow in Sri Lanka and how fresh they smelt and tasted picked from the trees. We managed to avoid any leeches and snakes (actual possibilities!). Phew!

View from Leopard’s Rock 

Pepper!

We splurge on another nice hotel which looks like we’re back in England. When the English came to Sri Lanka they found somewhere a bit cooler and planted all the tea and basically tried to recreate England there. This hotel had tennis courts, a croquet lawn, badminton courts, period furniture and rose gardens! It also had an outdoor heated pool with a magnificent view and a full body massage for £20, so we loved it and didn’t want to leave. 

After that we went to Haputale with yet more tea plantations. We stayed in a great homestay with no luxuries but with more breathtaking views and delicious home cooked curries where we sat and ate with the other guests. A group of Aussie uni students on their summer break are very friendly. We are gobsmaked to realise that when we were at the same stage of uni as them, they were only 2 years old!!

Steps down to our guesthouse 

We saw the views from Lipton’s Seat. Which again is on top of another giant hill where Sir Thomas Lipton of tea fame would sit and marvel at all his land, or something like that. 

Lipton’s Seat 

Rach’s Rock?

We’re now in Ella, a very nice town but quite touristy. We’re staying a little way out of town looking out on Little Adams Peak (named as it looks like Adam’s Peak but much smaller) which we climbed up yesterday. The sunrises from here are gorgeous. We also walked along the tracks down to Nine Arch Bridge, a feat of British engineering. Trains move so slowly and infrequently here walking along the tracks is standard for locals getting to work or town. We’ve hired a scooter from our guesthouse and roads feel a lot quieter and safer to drive on compared to everywhere else. The version of a petrol station here is a young lad from a little shop filling up the tank from old whiskey bottles. Alex climbed up Ella Rock this morning as Rach’s legs were done. 

Tonight we’re going to do a cookery course at Matey Hut where they serve the most amazing food (thanks for the recommendation S&M). 

And then tomorrow we head south to meet up with Hana, a friend of Rach from medical school who is married to Usman, a Sri Lankan. We plan to do a safari and hopefully see lots of elephants and possibly a leopard. We’ll also meet up with Loraine and Steve, parents of Rach’s primary school friend Hannah. It’s going to be great to see some familiar faces.

Rach and Alex x