A teardrop in the Indian Ocean

December 13, 2010, 5:59 am
Filed under: In transit

Sri Lanka has always featured in our travel plans, in fact back in March we had initially intended to visit as part of a “Visa run” to extend our Indian visa. But as the unexpected changes of the Indian bureaucratic beast unfolded this dissolved such plans. So we were even more excited that we managed to fit Sri Lanka into our final destination list on the way back to Australia. By the time we exited Colombo airport, having walked past duty free shops offering the visiting Sri Lankan expat community the opportunity to find their local families a state-of-the-art washing machine, fruit mixer or car, was the same time European brisk autumn weather had started to take it toll on us. The humid pre/post monsoon (strangely this rather small island has quite complex patterns of weather seasons) temperatures was too much of a contrast, demanding that we were to ease leisurely into the final leg of the pigeon’s flight path. Colombo with it’s handful of sights proved the perfect remedy for a slow start. My highlights were visiting the former office building of local architect Geoffrey Bawa and munching on prawn pie’s at the Pagoda Tea Room where Duran Duran filmed their “Hungry like the wolf” clip on the very premises. Although the pies were oven fresh and after seeing the video clip again, it seems that neither the interior nor staff have changed.

Stretching our spines and bums’ last layer of patience on local bus seats, we spent the next fortnight zig-zagging around the place in relative comfort. However finding a spare seat could be a little tricky as countless rows were blocked out for clergy, pregnant women, elderly with a disability and the rest of Sri Lankans with a limp, but we managed most of the times not to sit with writing above our seats.

The tourism board labelled central Sri Lanka’s “Ancient Triangle” as a must-see to provide a superb insight into the rich historic past. Ruins and relics of the Buddha hint of great architectural and monumental achievements gives one the sense of past mighty kingdoms that are deeply revered in modern society today. Centuries old monasteries, countless temples and fresco covered caves show of ageless spiritual devotion and dedication.

Today seeing Sri Lanka in a state of flux as it moves into a new era as Hindu, Buddhists, Muslim or Christians seek strength and solace in their respective religions to overcome present day tragedies. Especially in Srio Lanka’s North and East coastal regions, the wounds of a 30-year long civil war and the horrific tragedies of the 2004 Tsunami are still raw. Refugee camps, military patrols and shiny UN vehicles are a regular presence. One hopes that Sri Lankans can leave those hardships and uncertainties behind and move forward. Their amazing kind-hearted nature deserves no less.

smiles everywhere

The lush hilly region from Kandy and beyond provided an welcomed relief from the hot dusty plains. Monsoonal clouds dumped their loads reliably in the afternoons, washing off the sweat gained from our morning hiking excursions through the tea plantations. Our enjoyment of the brew still filters down to the hard working and low waged earning Tamil ladies, who pick the lucrative tea leaf by hand. Back in the day an especially constructed, windy train line took care of the next logistics leg in transporting the roasted tea to warehouses for export. These have now been replaced with faster moving, daredevil driven trucks which leaves the train to function just as a popular carrier for local commuters, school kids and visitors alike.

In return for the equivalent of 30 cents, the immaculately uniformed stationmaster in Ella handed me a beautiful old-school, cardboard printed 3^rd class ticket for the first train of the day. Not interested in a seat anyway, I did what the locals do and took up position, hands firmly gripping on the carriage door handles, and hung from the carriage’s door frame. Despite only the first light rays poking through the clouds, we passed the mountain settlements where the daily chores were well under way for humans and animals alike. Goats and cattle chewing on the still dew laced grasses; gaggles of school kids either walking along the tracks or waiting at a crossings; housewives busily scrubbing the washing in the creek or sweeping their shack’s surroundings; and the men wading around their paddies, preparing the soil for the next rice cycle. Aside from observing all the going-ons I had to keep my eye on the oncoming potential dangers. Palm leaves, tunnels and signposts posed a constant threat of whacking you in the head. This very hour on the rickety train ride delighted me with joy and pleasure. Wind in hair and bugs in the eyes I reflected about the past 1 ½ years on the move, all the passing things, people and landscapes Katrina and I had seen and I felt really fulfilled and content with life.

train ride companions

There was plenty of additional time to reflect as, upon our departure from the hill stations we planted our white skins on the lovely beach of Mirissa in the South. We stay for nearly two weeks at the wonderful guest house Long Wave rest with a balcony sea view less than 15 metres from the water’s edge. Apart from eating local hoppers and seafood, drinking king coconut juice or fresh lime sodas, and playing countless hours of Scrabble, we didn’t do much at all. It seemed the right thing do to. After all our travels over the past year and a half it felt right to have a well deserved holiday from such a journey and begin to reflect on all the people and experiences we have encountered throughout our travels. Not to think it could be so easily done again…