I enter Sri Lanka from the Maldives. A short flight. And I am greeted with another first!!
Sri Lanka is the first country I have visited since the Rona Chaos began in 2020, that has dropped PCR testing requirement. Halleluiah!!! Let’s hope the trend continues.
My visit to Sri Lanka was a challenge. One of most difficult places to explore I’ve ever traveled. Sri Lanka is the ultimate Yin-Yang example. A country of contrasts and struggles. Chaos, yet hope. Sri Lanka is an island that has been in the crossroads and crosshairs of world powers throughout its history. India, Portugal, Dutch, English … all have controlled Sri Lanka. Called Ceylon originally, it got independence over 75 years ago, but has not found its way yet. Just emerging for a civil war 10 years ago with Tamil terrorists, Sri Lanka is still finding its path forward.
Yang: I arrive in Sri Lanka during a time of civil unrest and calls for a government change. Tens of thousands protest in the streets. I experience a National Lockdown attempting to suppress the demonstrations. A Fuel shortage is creating chaos, endless lines of people and cars and trucks at gas stations. Sri Lanka has no money to pay its bills, desperate for another IMF bailout. The country is on the verger of defaulting on its National Debt, has closed its stock market, it is rationing fuel at the pumps, no medical supplies, has a humanitarian crisis of food in the North Tamil region. Rolling blackouts everywhere, every day, 10-13 hours. Without a backup generator, and fuel – life sucks here! The restaurant options extremely limiting and not-very-good. People are fleeing Sri Lanka whenever they can, even to India by boat!! Every transfer between cities is a major event! Bumping around in taxi’s on difficult roads, the driver’s beeping their horn every 10 seconds, for hours and hours on end! Pollution and fumes everywhere on the tiny two-lane roads. I arrive sore and exhausted always!
Sri Lanka has 80% Rona Vaccination – they proudly tell you. But yet have no antibiotics, no insulin, no medical supplies, no sewage treatment - just pipes dumping into ocean, eat with their fingers - yet wear masks. The list of shortages is long… but yeah!!! ‘We are vac’ed and boosted’. Does no-one see the paradox? The hypocrisy ? - Definitely a Yang!!
Yin: Beauty and ancient history. Temples, and exotic cultures. Tea Plantations. I feel safe everywhere. Wander the streets, jump Tuk Tuks, always comfortable with my safety. Most things are cheap, except transfers around the island. Thru it all, the people express hope in a future. Believe in their country. Believe they are NOT a poor country…Just one with poor leaders. … And Elephants on the streets, definitely a ‘Yin’. And of coarse, cows wander everywhere – city or country roads – they seem to own everything. And Buddhist and Hindu statues/temples every few Km. Always catching my eye and thoughts. They have outstanding Tea – everywhere, yet horrible coffee!! It’s a country of Yin and Yang !
Onto the story: Lots to share and say of Sri Lanka. A true adventure. What have I gotten myself into?
I have arranged for an airport pick-up, but that was a mistake. It was a hassle, and they overcharged. Oh well. I’ll just arrange a transfer on arrival next time.
I spent a day just sleeping and catching up on life. Camelot Beach hotel, Negombo. A budget beach-side hotel. But the following day I take a great Tuk Tuk ride and tour of Negombo (1500 LRP). The fish market was stunning!! More fish than I’ve ever seen on land. Net fishing!! Are there any left in the ocean ? But the odor …. overwhelming. Dutch canals, mostly Catholics here in this part of Sri Lanka. (Buddhists and Hindu religions dominate Sri Lanka.) I visit a Hindu temple here, the first of many. Colorful boats, woman mass-cleaning and drying fish. Packed roads along the Indian ocean, people filling the busy streets. It’s chaos reminds me of cross between Bali, Indo and Cebu, Philippines,,,,But unlike Cebu, everything feels total safe – and unlike Bali life here is in chaos, polluted and a struggle!
I’ve managed to come up with a loose itinerary. Learning Sri Lanka on the fly. I ended my second day here poolside with Shisha and a Lion beer. All-in-all, Not a bad day!! Maybe one of my best of this visit.
Curiously, I notice a ton of jewelry stores, they are everywhere!!. Apparently jewelry is a big deal for Sri Lankan’s. Such a paradox for a poor country.
There is an extreme country-wide diesel fuel shortage, and a growing petrol shortage, rationing gas at the pumps. Trucks in 3k long queues to fill up, 13-15 hour rolling brown outs everywhere, food shortages. The better hotels and shops have backup generators…but they can’t get fuel for them either!!.. What fuel they do get, is from Russia. It’s a mess here. Its like the West is pushing them into Russia’s hands. I cross paths with several Russians here, hiding in this remote corner of the planet...Unable to go home, unable to travel. Like citizens without a country. I only encounter Russian, English, and a few German tourists. Zero Americans in over 3 weeks here. Most hotels are at 10% or less occupancy, empty souvenir shops and tourists attractions always. 200 room hotels, with 4 rooms occupied, restaurants closed ... how can they even open the doors? pay for the lights ? And with the current country-wide chaos, next month tourist bookings have dropped further,,with no end in sight. Wow, pray for these people!!
I transfer from Negombo to Kandy. Ouch!! The ride was bumpy, and difficult. I’ve learned that moving about the country is VERY difficult here. They try to get you to hire a guide for the entire trip, but he sits around if your not traveling or touring. Not the independent solo travel solution for me. No options to fly around the country either – even in Africa there are planes. Strange.
My Kandy stay includes a trip to Sigiriya. A huge rock rising dramatically from a valley with archeological ruins surrounding it. It is a 45min hike, up up up. But worth the view and experience.. My Best overall experience in Sri Lanka.
I also visited the Dambulla Caves and Golden Buddha Temple in this area. A huge ginormous Golden painted Buddha. And the caves had another 100 Buddha statues; some cool reclining ones carved from the rock.
I wandered the Kandy streets by day and night. Visit the Tooth Temple and its museums (one of Buddha’s teeth is here as a relic and worshipped), I jump about in Tuk Tuks. Kandy is Sri Lanka’s second largest city. The city surrounds beautiful Lake Kandy, packed with Tuk Tuks, and people saying hello … then offering to sell you something, anything. Everyone promises, overcharges, then plays an angle on the tourist. I was overcharged several times, manipulated many times. That aspect of this culture is not my favorite. Normal maybe, or desperation brought on my current Global Lockdowns – I can’t say.
Almost every inch of every major road has shop’s back-to-back. 99% of all roads are just 2-lanes. Small family run shops pack the roadside. Selling their specialty. Everyone has a specialty. No big stores..just millions of little ones.
I manage another Taxi to the North of Sri Lanka. My taxi is stopped 3-4 times and checked by the police,,but no bribes paid that I could see. I make it to the Trincomalee region. Nilaveli Beach specify. I’m here to dive. Another impossibly difficult transfer.
Uh oh!! Now a National Lockdown. Economic chaos has caused the people to begin protests. Demanding the President resign. Sri Lanka makes world news, friends at home take-notice of my location. Interesting to travel poor countries!!!
Lockdowns cancel my first day of diving. Relax, its all normal to be in a country in Lockdown!!! Been there-done that! Calling for a regime change!! Yeah, normal.
Finally I dive. Tuk Tuk diving for several days. We travel to the boat with our equipment stuffed in Tuk Tuks. Unload, and pull/push the boat into the ocean. Another adventure. The far Northeast, Nilaveli Beach and Pigeon Island. Not very good diving, poor actually. Shallow dives, struggling coral, a few reef fish. Poor viz. But I’m in the ocean. I find a few Nudibranch – that’s cool. So much over fishing, dynamite fishing, net fishing, pollution, sewage dumping. And the local officials not understanding the need for tourist money. Strange. They are in a cycle and can’t get out. Yet…the world insists its Global Warming. Ahh, definitely.. Dynamite will do that too.
Nuwara Eliya next. Little England is its nickname. Reminiscent of England’s Lake district. I find a great hotel Araliya Green City. I walk the Victoria Gardens, and Lake Gregory, and tour the Pedro Tea Plantation - all beautiful and lush. A curious Horse racing circuit in the center of the town – but its not season, so I don’t get to enjoy that part of Nuwara. I hop a few Tuk Tuks here, But everyone is desperate. Always trying to cheat and overcharge for rides. A hassle. Again, as everywhere in Sri Lanka, terrible food. For a spice island…why do I have to ask for pepper at every meal? It’s never on the tables – strange. Huge lines of people waiting for fuel everywhere, rain or shine. The economic stress is thru the roof here.
But, in spite of the challenges of travel here. I find this part of Sri Lanka, the central high mountains, the prettiest of the island so far. Lush and green. But I’m grateful for a good Hotel WiFi. Lots of onward travel to arrange!! Hope this works out!! Day to day here.
I travel thru Ella next, another mountain city. Just passing thru unfortunately, but enough to see tourists on the streets - the most I notice in all of Sri Lanka, cool restaurants and café’s. This looks like the place to be in Sri Lanka. I'll make this a priority if I ever return. Lush mountains, with the town tucked within. Many people take the train to Ella. It’s said to be a fantastic experience. But..not with dive gear!!!… So I skip the train and continue with taxi’s.
And I travel thru the cities of Bandarweia and Wellawaya, Like everywhere I travel here, lines for fuel, packed tight streets with shops, pollution, chaos. I do stop at an ancient rock carving of Buddha’s – Buduruwagala. Over a thousand year old carvings on a rock face. Very well preserved.
Finally, I make it to a Safari here, the deep south of the island. Udawalawe National Park. Elephants. I hire a taxi/guide for 3 days for this part of Sri Lanka. I worry about getting stuck with no transportation,, travel here is stressful with civil protests and food shortages and fuel shortages. And I’ve booked the perfect Safari Hotel – The Grand Udawalawe. An oasis in the storm of travel here.
A Udawalawe Safari isn’t on the same level as the African Safari’s I’ve been on. More orchestrated. More like a drive around Disney Wilderness Lodge. About 100 trucks crisscross a dozen bumpy dirt roads – I see the same trucks 4-5 times. So many, that most of the animals stay well back of the roads. Photographs of most animals not possible without an ultra-zoom. But,,they do have Asian Elephants here!! I see about 30 in the wild. Almost all solo, grazing. Only one small heard with babies. The largest of the Male Elephants is about the size of a juvenile Elephant in Africa. Still big!! But with small ears, and tiny or no tusks. Interesting physical aspect, is the spotted pink of the ears – different, interesting.
My driver brings me by several small groups of monkeys, one single crocodile, a heard of Water Buffalo – all tagg’ed, some deer. They have peacocks everywhere – they are all over Sri Lanka. I did see some interesting birds, but all the many trucks chase them off! The entire Safari experience seems rushed here. Get you in, get you out.
My visit to Udawalawe also includes a visit to an Elephant Rescue Sanctuary. Here, I get my best up-close photos. Its like a Disney show, feeding the younger Elephants milk. These Elephants are like pets. Have always known people, have NO predators. No lions here to challenge them. They are tame. But regardless of the limits and tameness of a Safari here in Sri Lanka, its still a must-do on a visit. Just don’t confuse it with Africa.
Moving onto Galle, back on the western coast. Heading toward Colombo and the end of my time in Sri Lanka. Galle Fort was first established by the Portuguese, but hugely expanded by the Dutch. This is one big city/fort. A cool place for tourist, streets and alleys, restaurants and hotels. I enjoy wandering this place, the views of the Indian Ocean from the forts ramparts are gorgeous! Exploring this area of Sri Lanka, I add a River cruise on the Madu. Not much of an experience, But you do stop and put your feet in a school of ‘Mozambique’ fish!! They bit!! But tickle. Good for your heart they say ... Making you laugh!! And as everywhere, more Temples,,and donations that they pressure you about. Ahh, but this is not my country, I oblige.
One last true experience here in Sri Lanka.. A Turtle conservation. I get to give ‘birth’ to a green turtle. Adding it to their holding tanks. Without this program, no sea turtles would survive here. The people eat and gather all the turtle eggs. Only conservations like this one, that buy and raise the turtles, releasing them back into the sea… hoping a few survive.
Back to Colombo area and the airport. Onward my next adventure.
Sri Lanka was flush with cash and rising prosperity in 2018,2019. But the steep drop from prosperity to poverty, in such a short time - has shocked its people. They are lost. I receive outstanding support from hotel staff, but encounter desperation on the streets. One Taxi driver spoke of Communism as the answer to their problems, looking to China and Russia for help. The trouble here has only just started. How many more countries must implode due to the Global obsession on Rona? Chasing zero as the goal China and others sell. Rich countries can survive the Global Lockdowns, poor ones can not.
The Backpack Patch I collect from Sri Lanka was a well earned souvenir. I explored here without a plan, without any arranged tours..just day to day. Hopping from city to city. It was a lot harder than I expected. But for sure, I’ll never forget Sri Lanka and its people.
Thanks for reading my travel adventure blog. If your look at the top of the page, there are menu links to all my blog posts and their categories. Take a look if you have the time.
Yorumlar