With Laure in the driver's seat and me on the passenger side, we set off tentatively at first. A lady staying at the same guesthouse in Kandy had warned us three times about the roads of Sri Lanka. As with everything in life, one must find out for oneself!

 

An expat German with a strong Scottish accent advised us "not to worry about what's happening behind- concentrate on what's coming at you!". This emphasised the fact that many a tuk tuk, car, bus or motorbike has no qualms about taking over another vehicle on a blind corner- we were to meet a victim of this stupidity on the other side of the Hill Country.

 

Taking advantage of the freedom of movement afforded by the car, we started to veer off the public bus routes. We fully appreciated being able to greet people and to stop to take a look at the views. The Hill Country towards Elkaduwa and Matale is beautiful and full of tea plantations and forested hillsides. Greenery surrounded us and almost everywhere we passed, people smiled and waved to us (the look on some of the faces of the locals when they saw a young western woman speeding along the hillside roads was priceless!).

 

We stopped to check out the cave temples of Aluvihara and the temple ruins at Nalanda on the way to Dambulla and Sigiriya. One frescoe at Aluvihara showed the Buddhist hell realm with cringe worthy images of men's genitalia being cut off! We got shouts, giggles and greetings from school children on the climb up the rock face on the way to the cave temples of Dambulla. In the 1st Century BCE King Valagamba took refuge with some Buddhist monks in the caves after fleeing from an invading army. He thanked them by arranging for the sculpting of many statues in the caves, with very pleasing results. The reclining Buddha was impressive- a popular sculpture in Sri Lanka. We spent the following night in a charming hotel near Sigiriya.

 

The next day we visited the site of Sigiriya (Lion's Rock). It's an amazing geological and cultural phenomenon that rises from the surrounding forest. The rock itself is a large remnant of a volcanic plug (hard rock that wasn't eroded as fast as the softer rock surrounding this former volcano- I apologise for being a geography buff!). At the base are the formerly extravagant gardens and on the top of the huge rock are the remains of a former palace according to legend and local Sri Lankans or a Buddhist monastery if you believe the archeologists- Laure and I saw evidence supporting both theories....Whatever the facts, the views from the top were great! It had commanding views of all the surrounding countryside and is located near the geographical centre of the island so we had a real feeling of being in the heart of Sri Lanka. 

 

On the afternoon we made a beeline for Polonnaruwa, the site of an important royal capital. This was the furthest east we would go and we passed several military checkpoints, a huge army base and four wheel drive vehicles belonging to the many western aid agencies that operate in Sri Lanka. The site itself has a charming collection of ruins. We avoided the touts and guides this time- one can’t help smiling at some of their tactics. We then aimed for the oldest ancient capital: Anuradhapura and got there before sunset. A Raj era guesthouse that was rustic and cozy tempted us but was unfortunately beyond our budget so we took a cheap, drab and dreary room in a hotel next to Nuwara Wewa Lake (although it was run by an easygoing Sri Lankan family).

 

The ancient city of Anuradhapura became capital of Sri Lanka in 380 BCE and remained a centre of power for 1000 years. The site is spread out over a large area so we were grateful to have the car. We saw various dagobas (stupas) in different stages of restoration; monks’ living quarters were dotted around and some temple ruins had well defined moonstones set at their entrances (moonstones show the basic path to Nirvana through carvings). After the umpteenth temple ruin and three days of culture cramming, we had pretty much reached our limit, so we jumped back into the car and sped off to Elkaduwa, stopping to see the 12m Aukana Buddha carved out of the cliff. After visiting a spice garden and being shown around by a creepy guy obsessed with his sales pitch for miracle cure natural creams, we managed to reach Elkaduwa in time to see a spectacular sunset from a hillside guesthouse- a brilliant way to end the day!

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Green View Hotel definately had an awesome green view of possibly the greenest country we've been to so far. It was simply stunning. We enjoyed it so much we decided to stay an entire day and do some hiking amongst the tea plantations.
 
It was a great hike that took us past the Tamil tea plantation communties. We dropped in on an Child Education centre and listened to some children singing songs in Tamil. Most children were happy to see us but some were hysterically frightened- with my dark hat and sun glasses and panting like Darth Vader after a climb up a hill, I'm not surprised! On the way to the Hunnas Waterfall a local plantation worker showed us the discreet Coffee, Eucalyptus, Clove and Cinnamon trees by the roadside (naturally he wanted some money for this). After a short break next to Hunnas waterfall we made it back to the hotel in time for lunch.
 
Since we had the car we decided to take it for a spin in the mountains. We passed through many places that were off the tourist trail and saw how the managers weighed and counted the sacks of tea coming in from the afternoon
pickings.
 
On 15th February we had a long but scenic drive through the Hill Country to get to Hill Safari Eco Lodge next to Horton's Plain in the south of the Hill Country. We passed through Kandy then made an accidental detour to Gampola before arriving a Nuwara Eliya, a typical colonial style hill station. Nuwara Eliya is located next to Mount Pidurutalagala, Sri Lanka's highest mountain (2524m). From there we drove through beautiful woodlands to arrive at Ohiya and finally the eco-lodge. Laure showed off her driving skills on the way down the mountainside track to get to the lodge. The owner himself was impressed! Mr. Perera (a Catholic Burgher of mixed race) was a very welcoming chap who insisted on stuffing us full of delicious home cooked food. His lodge was rustic, clean and homey with a very lived in ambience. We felt instantly at home here and ended up playing on the Carrom Board all night (a type of finger pool).
 
The next morning we filled up on a substantial breakfast before being waved off by Biggles Perera (he wore a leather pilot's hat) and his humble cook. We made our way to Horton's Plain National Park. This is situated on a 2000m high plateau and is covered by wild grassland and pygmy trees. At World's End the escarpment drop of 880m- not a good idea to get too close to the edge. Here one has views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka and on a clear day the sea too. We couldn't see the sea but the views were worth it all the same.
 
After the hike around Horton's Plain Laure drove us to Uda Walawe National Park via Haputale and Balangola. We lodged ourselves in a hot, run down, tourist starved hotel that offered cheap safaris. It was a difficult night and the stale air was made worse by the dust choked air conditioner and on top of that the fan didn't work. DOH!! As Homer Simpson would say!
 
A safari in Uda Walawe and a cheerful guide was enough to blow away the grumpy morning blues. we saw many individual herds of elephants (Sri Lanka has two sub-species: the Ceylon Elephant and Ceylon Marsh Elephant. Tuskers among these species are rare and adult females lead herds of around 10 pachyderms; males being banished, sometimes form their own groups. We also saw some golden jackals and ubiquitous peacocks. Our guide was an ex-Sri Lankan Army soldier who in fact abhorrs violence (maybe he was conscripted) and believes in Buddhism, Christianity, Islam and Hinduism. Who said there was only one path to Nirvana and inner happiness? He also saved four lives during the 2004 Tsunami, including his wife's, daughter's and two of his neighbour's children.
He lost his house and belongings but is happy to be alive with his family intact. 450 people died in his village alone. It astonishes me to meet people who have seen so much death and destruction and yet remain outwardly cheerful and upbeat.

 

We spent the rest of the morning getting to the hill station of Ella via Tanamalwila and Wellawaya with a stop at the large Buddha carvings of Buduruwagala. We settled that afternoon at the charming 'Lizzie's Guesthouse' - the oldest in Ella. The owner could spin a yarn or two about life in Ella over the years. She had her entire extended family living next to her on her land. Each son or daughter had a house, guesthouse or shop of their own.
 
After a fresh cup of tea we hiked along the railway line (and had to jump off the tracks to let a slow passenger train past) to Ella Rock. Near Ella Rock some creepy 'guides' followed us for a long time trying to show us a place we already knew how to find. They wouldn't leave us alone and were quite persistent. Being in an isolated spot I didn't want a repeat of the Tibet situation so I picked up a big stick and we headed straight bag to Lizzie's (there had also been warnings in the guidebook about this particular place).
 
The next morning Laure drove back to Kandy and we had to say goodbye to the car. Mr Malik, the owner of both the Lakshmi guesthouse and the car, was happy to see that we all made it back in one piece! We met an interesting French couple, Matthieu and Audrey on the train to Hatton the next day. We all took a taxi from Hatton to Dalhousie where we stayed the night in the excellent value 'Green House'. This place is at the foot of Adam's Peak (Sri Pada). Adam's peak is revered by Christians, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus alike. Many pilgrims pay hommage to the giant footprint believed by Christians to be the footprint of Adam or the apostle St. Thomas; by the Muslims to be the print of the Prophet Mohammed; Hindus beleive it to be the footprint of Lord Shiva or the patron deity of the mountain, Sri Pada; and Buddhists believe it is the print of Lord Buddha.
 
Pilgrims start visiting late at night and sleep next to the path up to the summit. Many believe in the mountain's holy powers. Sick and injured people often make the pilgrimage with the help of family and friends. We woke up at 2am and set off at 2.30am. We got blessed at a Buddhist temple before starting the ascent then plodded upwards until we reached the summit with the French couple at 4.45am. It was still dark and dozens of pilgrims were huddled in corners. Dawn broke slowly across the horizon and at 6.15am the sun showed its face and we beheld the spectacular scene of misty hills from this 2243m peak. Prayers were said to the mountain's deities as we went to the other side of the peak to glimpse the mountain's pyramid shaped shadow on the mist below. It was a moving experience and a highlight of our Sri Lankan trip so far.
 
A hearty breakfast and a siesta prepared us for the journey back to Kandy. We said goodbye to Matthieu and Audrey and were back in Laksmi Guesthouse by mid-afternoon. The staff there gave us the best room for our last night. For them we were surely customers of the month!
 
We were sad to say goodbye to Mr. Malik and his team as they had been great with us. On 23rd February we went to Galle, on the south west coast, by train. We passed out of the Hill Country and through the capital Colombo on the way. We were now entering our final week on this fascinating island nation.

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It was late afternoon when we arrived in Fort Galle. Being a World Heritage Site it was difficult to find a budget hotel with clean sheets. Mrs. Khalid's Guesthouse had good furnished rooms but unfortunately Mrs. Khalid herself was one of the most unwelcoming hosts we had met. Her renovated Dutch style rooms were her saving grace and we stayed much to Laure's chagrin. We woke up to the sound of the sea crashing against the fort walls and wandered around the old town and along the walls. It was quite a charming old town with churches, mosques, Hindu mandirs and Buddhist temples concentrated in a very small area.
 
That night was Friday night so we went clubbing for the first time since New Year's Eve in an establishment called 'Vibrations' in Hikkaduwa with a new found Sri Lankan friend called Rasita. He is a very cool yet reserved party animal. A regular member of Vibrations, he introduced us to the Sri Lankan liquor called arrack, which is made from fermented toddy, a substance derived from the Kitul Palm. Needless to say we had a great night dancing to the house music and live drumbeats that were simply sublime!
 
With cloudy minds and small headaches we hired a motor scooter from Rasita (he managed this business that was set up by an American lady wanting to help after the Tsunami) and sped off in search of a turtle conservation centre near Kosgoda. We had a fun time dodging the Sri Lankan traffic and made it there alive!
 
We saw three of the five turtle species of Sri Lanka: Hawkbill, Green, and Olive Ridley. Due to mankind and other predators the natural beach hatcheries get violated on a regular basis. Conservationists therefore pay local children 8 rupees per turtle egg and bury them in a protected hatchery. They monitor and assist newborn turtles to reach the sea under the cover of darkness. They keep some of each specie at the centre for research purposes. The chief conservationist told us the sad story about the total destruction of the conservation centre and loss of all of the turtles and eggs. It is fully functioning now and relies mostly on the goodwill of visitors to keep the centre running.
 
We bought a colourful and elaborate mask in Ambalangoda on the way back to Galle in a family run shop. The brother did the carving and the sister did the selling. For the first time we lost all our will to negotiate a lower price. The sincerity of the mask seller when she told us she couldn't give a lower price was written all over her face. Only after the purchase she told us we were the second customers all week and the first of the weekend. She averaged two sales a week and was crying out for business.
 
The saddest experience of our journey so far was when we met and spoke to a Sri Lankan woman next to a Tsunami monument. We could see the ruined foundations and shells of former houses all around us. This woman had lost five close relatives: her mother, son, daughter and two grandchildren (sons of her daughter). Some of the international and governmental aid had reached her. She now had a new house and a small mobile fruit stall. She sells mostly to local schoolchildren. Her husband was once a good fisherman who brought in good catches every day. Some sea water entered his ear and now he is sick on a regular basis and only fishes twice a week. The woman calmly explained what happened on 26th December 2004, a date engraved in her memory. Her mother, 25 year old daughter and two small grandchildren were taken by the first big wave then her 22 year old son dived into the water to rescue them and perished when the second great wave hit the coast. This humble woman has another son and more grandchildren, who were living in Colombo the capital at the time and they provide her with some happiness. But after losing three generations of her family she is now a broken woman who will never fully recover from that tragic day. That could be seen in her eyes and sensed in her voice. We shook her hands, bought some of her fruit and tried to give her some words of encouragement but it was difficult to find the right words (if there were any).
 
We spent our last days in the surfers paradise of Hikkaduwa. Indeed this is where I surfed for the first time. I had a couple of lessons and took to it like a fish in water. Craving the big waves I hired a board and paddled to a place where the waves break. I was exhausted and half drowned by the time I caught my first big wave- I lasted four seconds standing up!
 
One morning a deaf Sri Lankan man called Anura sold us a small handicraft boat made out of wood and palm leaves. We arranged to meet him the next day using sign language. He took us to see the Southern Province Deaf Association where we met its President. We then went to his father's house (his own house was destroyed by the Tsunami one month after he and his wife Harshani moved in after their wedding) where we met his father, mother and wife who was also deaf. She is a lovely woman and suits him well. They met at the school for the deaf in Colombo. Harshani sews covers for cushions, while Anura makes handicrafts using local materials. Both are very talented and are living proof that hearing impairments cause hardship but ultimately don't prevent people from making a living and contributing to society. After the Tsunami Anura survived for three days by climbing trees to pick coconuts to provide him with food and juice. he and his wife are two of the most enduring characters we have met on our travels. They are trying to save money for their own house now as Harshani doesn't get along with Anura's father and mother. They don't speak sign language and therefore get frustrated when Harshani fails to understand their speech. Well good luck to them- they deserve a new house and more!