Final thoughts

I woke early, showered and discarded all the empty containers of toiletries. Breakfast featured sausages, the first accommodation in Sri Lanka that offered it, along with eggs, toast, butter, fresh fruit and tea.

The tuk-tuk driver who had shrewdly booked me for the trip to the airport was waiting outside ahead of time, so we set off and I reached the airport with time to spare. Spotting an exchange booth, I changed the remaining LKR to €. Even leaving Sri Lanka was a hassle: first I was delayed at the check-in counter behind a family with heaps of luggage, then at emigration the official left his booth to attend to another case, leaving a dangling queue for a while.

The flight to KL was uneventful. I got a tandoori wrap for lunch again. At KLIA2 I checked into the Sama Sama 2 transit hotel to get a few hours nap before the overnight flight home. It is just like a normal hotel but with higher rates as it can be rented for a minimum of 6 hours, and saves entering Malaysia. A couple of hours before the onward flight I had a snack at the food court just outside the hotel.

Sri Lanka climate is hot and humid on the coast, and fortunately cooler in hill country. I don't like hot and humid weather and find it hard to enjoy the surroundings when sweaty. I’m also not fond of sunbathing, or seabathing for that matter. Some of the European visitors may be escaping northern hemisphere winter, but even if I were, I don’t feel the need to go to the other extreme.

The people were generally friendly. Most of the time I was taken for mainland Chinese. This is a change from the past when I was taken for a Japanese. I saw quite a few Chinese couples or families. Some shops in Galle had Chinese signs. It’s a sign that the mainland Chinese are venturing further out into the world. Russian signs show that they also have been coming here to escape winter. Most people understand a bit of English, especially numbers, many can make a basic conversation.

The greatest deficiency in transportation was the lack of good information on routes, schedules, and prices. I often had to consult several search result pages to find an answer. Next was the lack of an established backpacker transport network. You have to hire your own driver, or join the locals on the public transport system. Connections can be dicey, and I wish I had done a bit more planning. Their railway system is quaint, but works after a fashion. Buses are dirt-cheap but take ages to get anywhere due to traffic, and picking up and dropping off passengers frequently. Walking isn’t pleasant for more than a couple of km due to the lack of good footpaths, obstacles and uneven surfaces. Not to mention the climate, again. Riding tuk-tuks wasn’t exorbitant, but the cost of the trips add up. The need to bargain and be wary of overcharging due to lack of an official fare structure got tiresome.

I hated how the Sri Lankans toss rubbish everywhere. It not only degrades the environment but also spoils the beauty of the landscape. Not to mention encouraging crows, mosquitoes and other pests.

Sri Lanka sights were underwhelming to me, partly due to the messiness of the surroundings. It’s hard to get to most places under one’s own steam. Joining a tour is a good idea. But these seem to be not as organised as, say in Thailand. Many of the offerings such as whale and elephant watching I have done already. I prefer the crisp atmosphere of alpine peaks or dry Mediterranean air to the hazy air of tropical Sri Lanka. But looking at the photos, they seem more vivid and colourful now than at the time. Perhaps scenes look better in retrospect, especially when comfortable.

Negombo

Breakfast was in the non-aircon top floor so I went as soon as it opened. It was skimpy, only bread, omelette, butter, jam and tea. I chatted with a Swiss couple from Basel who seemed to be mother and son. They had come to Sri Lanka several times. Perhaps the idea of a tropical holiday island appeals to Europeans. The son remarked how much easier the Internet made searching and booking of accommodation, and collection of travellers' opinions.

I consulted the Internet for points of interest in Colombo. I might have visited the National Museum or some famous temple but nothing appealed. I was suffering from holiday fatigue. So I waited until 1100 and caught a tuk-tuk to the Old Dutch Hospital again. The driver didn't know it and had to ask bystanders for directions.

The Heladiv Tea Club is a well-appointed oasis of comfort and cool, and they make good coffee. I ordered a latte and sipped it while surfing.

At noon, I ordered a chicken wrap for lunch. It was small, but adequate for my appetite in the warm climate.

From there I caught a tuk-tuk to Fort Station. It could have been a 20 minute walk but I was happy to pay 100 LKR. One cabbie quoted 300 LKR. I told him to GTFO, well, not exactly those words. Colombo was the only place in Sri Lanka where I encountered brazen attempts to overcharge.

I hopped onto a rattling commuter train to Negombo just as it was pulling out of the station. The reason for spending the last night there was the proximity to the airport, good for morning flights. Besides it's a beach resort in its own right, and I had booked a room in a boutique hotel to enjoy a last night in style.

The carriage wasn't crowded but all the seats were taken. I watched the GPS to check that I was on the right service; the right fork of the line continues up the coast towards Jaffna. Progress was slow of course, it took over an hour to travel some 40 km.

From Negombo station it was a short tuk-tuk ride up the coast to the Binnacle Hotel. It was a fantastic choice, of recent construction and very well-appointed.

It was also the only place I stayed at in Sri Lanka that had a pool.

I lost no time in taking advantage of it.

Ah, this was luxury, after enduring hot and humid Sri Lankan weather.

A well-tended garden too.

Around dusk I walked down to the beach to catch the sunset.

Not the most picturesque beach but serviceable.

The backdrop was not as attractive as Unawatuna. Those clouds opened up with a thunderstorm not long after I left the beach.

Last sunset for me in Sri Lanka.

Another advantage of Binnacle was that it was just around the corner from Lords Restaurant Complex. This is the top ranking eatery in Negombo. I reached it just as it started pouring.

The decor and ambience are modern, attractive in a quirky way.

The koi pond.

One of its residents.

My lassi drink, and nibbles.

Starter of crepes and crab paste.

Main of fish roulade with sides.

If you don't find these dishes in the current menu, then obviously they have varied the menu since.

Lords is also involved in Sri Lankan dog and cat welfare as part of their social responsibilities.

A most enjoyable splurge and cost just over 30 AUD which would only get you one main back in Australia.

Back at the hotel I chatted a bit with who I took to be the caretaker, but turned out to be the entrepreneur owner, looking after the place in the evenings. I paid for the room so that I could checkout quickly in the morning. Then I totally repacked before turning in.

Colombo 2

My host agreed with my decision to take the air-con bus instead of the train because I had already seen the best bits of the Colombo-Badulla railway. He said that the buses left regularly from near the Central Market. I bade goodbye, walked out to the main road and took a tuk-tuk to the terminal. Eventually a bus turned up and passengers started boarding. The bus was totally packed, they even used the aisle for swing-out seats. The biggest problem was that there was no luggage compartment and my backpack would not fit in the overhead compartment. So I ended up propping it up on my lap. I had to keep shifting the weight from thigh to thigh to avoid leg fatigue for the 3+ hour journey. In the middle of the journey I noticed that if I passed a back strap through a window bar, it would take a lot of weight off my lap. That made it a bit more comfortable but I was very relieved when we reached Colombo.

The bus terminal was not at Fort Station, the main one, but about 200m away. I decided to start walking towards the Old Dutch Hospital, and take a tuk-tuk if a metered one accosted me. My destination was the Ministry of Crab, a famous restaurant.

I was very sweaty on arrival, but they very kindly seated me inside. The open architecture allowed a refreshing sea breeze to blow through.

View from my table.

I ordered a small crab cooked in garlic, vegetables, bread and an iced tea soda. The waiter tried to upsell me but by the end I felt that I had ordered just the right amount of food.

Close-up of the crab dish.

Of course after eating crab by hand, one needs to wash one's messy hands. They provided lemon soap for this, just under a poster with a most admirable sentiment. They had also provided a single use plastic apron with the same slogan, which I never needed to use so I got to keep it as a souvenir.

It was a most satisfying lunch and reasonably priced.

They also run cooking classes.

From the Old Dutch Hospital I hailed a tuk-tuk to take me to the Metro City Hotel which was only about 10 minutes away as the fare was cheap enough to not have to get sweaty again walking.

It was a joy to retreat to an air-conditioned room and have a refreshing shower.

In the evening I walked to the nearby Galle Face Green, an ocean-side urban park.

Stallholders were starting to set up for the evening.

The backdrop of the Green.

The promenade. The stallholders were selling very similar offerings.

Waders at the water's edge.

Kites against the upcoming Colombo skyline.

Getting only their feet wet.

More intrepid souls.

The viewing platform and ubiquitous crows again.

The middle of the walk. That WiFi sign did indicate public WiFi, but only for subscribers of that telco. In any case I had mobile Internet access.

Waiting for sunset.

End of day.

Evening market now.

Lit up public buildings.

The tuk-tuk I took to return to the hotel went the wrong direction. I pulled him up short on that and showed him the right way to go (I had a good mental map of that area of Colombo). On alighting I gave him a piece of my mind and 120 LKR for what I reckoned was a 100 LKR trip. I don't know if he was genuinely clueless or playing dumb to take me on an expensive scenic tour.

Kandy 2

In the morning, my host served up a sumptuous breakfast, made by the domestic help. I walked out to the main road and hopped onto a bus getting off at the lake shore rather than the city centre, so that I could walk the semi-perimeter. The fare was only 15 LKR.

A driver stopped and reversed, causing a bit of traffic blockage in the process and got my attention. I told him I wasn't local, thinking he wanted directions. Actually he was offering his chauffeur services. No luck with me.

The lake is lined with premium hotels that are in another price bracket. Maybe if I visit again, I'll enjoy some creature comforts.

Naturally, I encountered waterfowl.

A place to have egrets.

Sri Lanka is a birdwatcher's destination, particularly in the national parks.

A telephoto shot of the other side of the lake with the Temple of the Tooth in the background.

The artificial island.

The head of the lake and the buildings fronting it.

From here it was a short walk to the markets.

One part of the market is devoted to apparel and personal goods.

The produce section was more interesting to me. One of the walkways. Some traders tried to interest me in tea. I wasn't sure if they would pass quarantine and anyway I don't drink that much tea.

Spices I think, not sausages.

Grains and pulses.

Dried fish.

Confectionery.

Fruits.

Outdoor section, pineapples and bananas.

Bananas galore.

Colourful vegetables.

Large selection here.

Avocados were cheap from my point of view, about $1/kg, but none of the fruits I handled would ripen before I left Sri Lanka so I had to give up that idea.

The market entrance.

The clock tower in the town centre.

From here I wandered through several streets in the shopping district where mundane things were being sold. Then I lunched in a shopping centre and rejoined the lake on the north side.

I eventually decided that I wasn't that interested in the relic in the Temple of the Tooth to join the crowds, even though it's the top Buddhist attraction in Kandy.

So I took some pictures through the railing and continued my perambulation around the lake.

Part of the temple complex.

Nice views.

Yes, confirmed that it's an island.

Cormorant I think.

This pelican.

Don't look now, he's taking our picture.

At this point, a monkey ran towards me and tried to grab my shopping bag, which contained bananas and manioc chips. He missed but his claws poked holes in the bag. I've turned the incident into a cartoon.

Finally back to where I started.

I returned to the city along the southern side, bought some fruit and snacks, cooled off and had a coffee in the shopping centre. Then I had a late afternoon meal. A thunderstorm erupted after I finished, so I had to wait it out before hailing a tuk-tuk back to my lodgings.