Sri Lanka Beaches and Mountains by Tuk Tuk

Excellent trip and report. Its an eye opener isnt it as I spent 3 months living in Midigama on the side of jungle when I was into surfing. Travelled up through mountain tracks to the top of Sri Lanka on an old XR250 although I didnt pass a test as it was during the civil war over there. Too many memories to type about but certainly a different world and I wish I had the luxury of hotel when I was staying. Very different these days as it was 2001 I went
 
Summary

Great place to go. Probably an easier "Asia" trip than India
It's cheap! Despite eating in nice places, and enjoying nice drinks, we only spent £500 in 12 days on food and drink (all costs except accommodation and flights). That's only about $20 per person per day. Most drinks are about $2. Street food for lunch is usually just a couple of dollars. We had some lovely evening meals (including Lobster one evening) and again, very well priced.
The Tuk Tuk rental was about $20 per day. It sipped fuel.
I fed the local populace a lot. The mozzies loved me. I'm still scratching at times! Strangely they barely touched Andreea!
Credit Cards are not widely accepted.
Sri Lanka is getting through it's internal issues. Fuel can be hard to get at times. There are power cuts...
It felt very safe. We never felt threatened in any way. The people were very friendly and always happy to help.
It's fascinating. The drive into the mountains was amazing. Leaving a gorgeous beach in the morning, driving past Elephants, tea plantations and rice paddy fields, then into the mountains... Amazing.

It's a good time to go. After 3 years of difficulties, Sri Lanka is blooming again.

Thanks. I'm working on the missus! We've been to India twice in the last decade now. I loved it immediately. She loved it ... eventually. Travelling with the locals on buses and in second class on the train is a fantastic way of gaining insights into the country. Your 5 hr sardine trip may have been more enjoyable than you think!

Her nibs' uncle is buried in a CWGC grave in Colombo so a visit to pay our respects and a wee tour of the island may just work out!

Thanks again for the report. :thumb2
 
Thanks. I'm working on the missus! We've been to India twice in the last decade now. I loved it immediately. She loved it ... eventually. Travelling with the locals on buses and in second class on the train is a fantastic way of gaining insights into the country. Your 5 hr sardine trip may have been more enjoyable than you think!

Her nibs' uncle is buried in a CWGC grave in Colombo so a visit to pay our respects and a wee tour of the island may just work out!


Thanks again for the report. :thumb2

We did the train round trip between Ella & Kandy in 2020 and on the train was fine and the scenery was great, it was just the 3 1/2 delay for the train to get back that spoilt it a bit, we didn’t dare leave the station in case it turned up as there were no updates on arrival time!
After reading Martins report we are in the process of booking bike & flights to go back in March.

Al.
 
We did the train round trip between Ella & Kandy in 2020 and on the train was fine and the scenery was great, it was just the 3 1/2 delay for the train to get back that spoilt it a bit, we didn’t dare leave the station in case it turned up as there were no updates on arrival time!
After reading Martins report we are in the process of booking bike & flights to go back in March.

Al.
Ha! Amateurs! :D Our record was 5hrs waiting on the platform for fog to clear en route to the Taj Mahal. Then the all day train journey to Kerala being quizzed by locals trying to improve their English. Followed by several hours on a bus heading into the Ghats, rear door flapping open as we careered around hairpins with huge drops to the side! (I had to hire a car and driver on return to Cochin as her nibs was very reluctant to repeat the journey going downhill!)

Still a wonderful experience though. Sri Lanka should be a walk in the park!

Sent from 2023
 
Had a week in the south around Mirissa before taking the train from Galle up to Colombo, a great experience, very “authentic”, was there for wifey’s work, stayed in the Shangri-La in Colombo which got blown up a year later
 
Ha! Amateurs! :D Our record was 5hrs waiting on the platform for fog to clear en route to the Taj Mahal. Then the all day train journey to Kerala being quizzed by locals trying to improve their English. Followed by several hours on a bus heading into the Ghats, rear door flapping open as we careered around hairpins with huge drops to the side! (I had to hire a car and driver on return to Cochin as her nibs was very reluctant to repeat the journey going downhill!)

Still a wonderful experience though. Sri Lanka should be a walk in the park!

Sent from 2023

Your wife seems a very sensible lady!!

Al.
 
Had a week in the south around Mirissa before taking the train from Galle up to Colombo, a great experience, very “authentic”, was there for wifey’s work, stayed in the Shangri-La in Colombo which got blown up a year later

We stayed in Mirissa and was hoping to see a few days of test cricket in Galle until Covid shut the Island down.

Al.
 
Great trip report! Makes me want to hop on a plane and get back there. As Richie says it's an easier going place than India (You get to meet strange folk in India, eh Richie ;) ). I loved the atmosphere there so put my flight and motorbike rental back two extra weeks. A whole month touring and I could have stayed longer. Well recommended for a holiday. A four hour flight, I'm sure it won't be long till your back again.
 
Fantastic to read and brings back good memories! I was there Feb 2020 for a friends wedding and it was where we first heard about Covid from one of the taxi drivers who was getting worried about it.

Amazing place and really friendly people, I'd love to go back again.

We did the train trip from Ella and it really was worth it. We booked late and couldn't get space on "the" train that everyone goes on about, however we managed to get on a much newer one which had loads of space, comfy seats and doors that opened fully, so I spent most of the trip admiring the views out of the open door. Definitely a trip to remember
 
Then the all day train journey to Kerala being quizzed by locals trying to improve their English. Followed by several hours on a bus heading into the Ghats, rear door flapping open as we careered around hairpins with huge drops to the side!

Sent from 2023

Aaah that brings back some great memories. Travelling 'poorly' certainly shows you the true country and people. I did it when I was in my early 20s, not sure I could now! Those buses - my worst was travelling from Kathmandu to Pokhara - the winding mountain roads were tortuous enough but there had been heavy rain and numerous landslides. Sometimes there was JUST enough room for a bus to get past, edging at snail's pace past a landslip, the view from the window a very long drop down into a ravine with a gushing river way, way below... it actually gives me the shivers even now.

But that's kind of the point isn't it? 40 year old memories that are way more vivid than six month old ones.

Thanks again OP for sharing this, I am sure you've inspired quite a few, including myself.
 
Great report and nice to see the photos which bring back memories when I stayed over there for 3 months surfing up and down the coast. £1 a night for my digs and the same for food living on the edge of the jungle :cool:. It was during the Civil War so that was interesting to say the least. I hired an XR250 and every time I got stopped at check points they just waved me through quickly with zero checks.
 


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