The Adventure Begins...
Romain, Ben, Kristine and I boarded the 12:40PM Mihin Lanka flight to Sri Lanka on the 6th of February. We deplaned four hours later in Colombo and after haggling with the taxi driver for half an hour, we were off to the scenic town of Kandy, 116 kilometers off Colombo.
On the way, we couldn't help but stop and take pictures of the first elephant on the road. It's not everyday you see an elephant trudging along a highway of fast-moving cars and speeding trucks!
We spent the night at a charming hotel called Queens which stood proudly in the middle of Kandy district, its majestic facade boasting of grandiose Portuguese/Dutch architecture.
We visited the Royal Palace and The Temple of the Sacred Tooth. The temple's interior and exterior walls were bedecked with intricate paintings, drawings and bas relief sculptures of gods, royalty, warriors, beasts and protectors. It was sad to learn that such a beautiful shrine of heritage and worship suffered from a sacrilegious bombing in 1998.
Reaching Adam's Peak
Legend has it that this mountain bears the sacred footprint of Adam/Buddha/Shiva at its summit (whose footprint it was largely depends on your religion). With an altitude of 2243 meters, the trek to the top is approximately three to four hours long, 7 kilometers walk with a total of 5200 steps! Though I've never climbed a mountain before, I was motivated by the fact that climbing Adam's Peak could earn you 50 good karma points.
Romain and I woke up at 2:00AM so we can catch the sunrise from the top of the mountain (as recommended by Lonely Planet). Armed with thick sweaters, a bottle of water and vegetable sandwiches, we set off on our grueling journey to the crest.
Stopping only four times to rest and relieve our bladders, we made it to the top in two and a half hours! I quietly congratulated myself for such courageous display of endurance and strength - it was one of my proudest moments!
Note: My calves now resemble a man's.
The Infamous Mister Veejay
Mister Veejay, our driver who had 'commission' tattooed on his forehead, which occasionally wobbled from side to side like the bobblehead on your dash, was quite a character. I'm afraid he was quick to lose temper, but would quickly regain his composure, probably worried that each outburst whittled his tip.
Riding the Wave
The last leg of our trip was spent in Hikkaduwa, where restless waves crashed treacherously on the shore. Surfers were quick to mount their boards to catch the ride. There wasn't any doubt that these were pros, and it was amazing to watch them conquer the perilous thrashing of the sea.
The waves were too daunting for beginners like myself and I could not stay long under the scorching sun. I tried bodyboarding which was a lot of fun, but chose to spend most of my time relaxing on the beach (disrupted from time to time by peddlers offering everything from body massages to weed).
The Funnies
Spelling abominations always make for good laugh trips. There was "Meanieu" (Menu), "Sandwitches", the "Impregnated" matchbox (below) and the winner? "Smashed Potatoes"!
