Sri Lanka 2002
Monk on Sigiria rock
Info
This trip was done in March 2002 by Birgitte & Erik Futtrup. I (Erik)
have been to Sri Lanka 3 times before, and it was the first time for Birgitte.
Previous travelogues to Sri Lanka: Traveling very budget scale with my
brother and a friend in 1991 and my
second trip, traveling one month alone on a tight budget in 1993.
Since then I have been there in 1995 just for one week, combined with a
trip to Southern India.
I now own 4 copies of Lonely Planets Sri Lanka, which is always very useful.
Route
Mon 18: Kuwait
Tue 19: Mirissa (beach)
Wed 20: Mirissa
Thu 21: Mirissa
Fri 22: Tangalla-Kataragama-Tissamaharama
Sat 23: Ella
Sun 24: Adam's Peak
Mon 25: Adam's Peak - Ratnapura
Tue. 26: Polonnaruwa
Wed 27: Polonnaruwa - Sigiria - Kandy
Thu 28: Kandy
Fri 29: Kandy - Pinnawala elephant orphanage
Sat 30: Kandy
Sun 31: Negombo
Costs
We traveled comfortably this time, with our own driver most of the time.
Costs are for 16 days, two persons.
1730 US$ Plane tickets return from Copenhagen, Insurance, Train from
Vejle to Copenhagen.
295 US$ Car and driver for 10 days, 1280 KM, incl. tip
600 US$ Hotels, meals, airport tax and other travel expenses (37,5
$ per day)
Total 2625 US$
1 DKR=11 Rs
1 US$=8,50 DKR=94 Rs
As you can see, the costs are still very low in Sri Lanka. A good
hotel costs about 10$, and dinner 4,25$ including. soft drink.
The airport tax is 1000 Rs
Hotels
Most places we stayed at cost 1000 Rs (about 10$) and are in the mid
price range in Sri Lanka.
Mirissa: Giragala Village. At the southern end near Parrot Rock and
a shallow bay. 850 Rs + 10%. They have both cabins near the beach and behind
the palm tree garden. We enjoyed it very much here. The staff is very friendly.
Tissamaharama: 'Tissa Inn'. Very nice, and good value for 1000 Rs
(incl. tax). Clean and new. They have drivers quarters. The restaurant
was also nice.
Ella: Our driver wanted to go to 'Ella Gap' (950 Rs + tax), where
he also could stay, but there are no views from this place, and this is
kind of the reason why you go to Ella. So we chose 'Hill Top Guest House'
(850 Rs + tax), which was much nicer - but a driver cannot stay here; they
prefer independent travelers. They have good food, and are building more
rooms. The owner were very friendly, and we borrowed a laminated map and
description to get to Ella Rock.
Adam's Peak: Our driver chose 'Wathsala Inn'. It was overpriced
and very bad. We paid 950 Rs for a basement room. Admitted, it had peak
view. A rat fell from the roof, bad food and with bad recommendations in
the guidebooks. Other travelers later recommended the Green or the Yellow
house.
Ratnapura: Kalavati Holiday Resort - chosen by our driver. 1200
Rs. Nice place, but the mosquitos were immune to DEET. Ratnapura is usually
out of the tourist way, so there are not many hotels, and you are not going
to meet many tourists here.
Polonnaruwa: 'The Village' in Giritale. The place was OK, but expensive
food. It is actually a restaurant which caters for all tour groups and
people with own drivers who pass by. They must give very good commission
to drivers here. They also have a few rooms (about 1000 Rs + tax), which
are fine.
Kandy: Ivy Banks. A rundown place, and not very nice. 1200 Rs +
tax (incl. breakfast). It is close to a road with much traffic. Sri Lankans
like it. Westerners don't. We left the next day, and found another much
better place - Sharon Inn, where half of all westerners stay - it is great.
1200 Rs + tax. They charge 300 Rs extra if you bring a driver. They have
Internet for your use, and can in a few minutes have a van or three wheeler
ready for tours to Pinnewala (1200 Rs for up to 9 persons, 8 hours), Sigiria,
or wherever you want to go.
Food
I have never been very fond of the Sri Lankan food - they eat Rice &
Curry for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and many cannot imagine that it
is nice with something else for a change. Even worse is the bad smelling
rice (I forgot it's name). Just the smell of it makes you loose your appetite.
Some places (like Sharon Inn in Kandy) serves 'Red Rice', which is much
better.
At many places you now have options to have other kind of 'travelers'
food like vegetable noodles (from Thailand). Pizza's are not an option,
though there now are 2 Pizza Hut's in Colombo. Asking for a sandwich for
lunch was also often possible, though it was not on the menu.
The good news is the fruit. They have so many kinds like rambutans,
bananas, pineapple, passion fruit, coconuts, mangos etc. Enjoy!
Car with driver
I had previously traveled by busses and trains, and opted this time
for a car with a driver. We were a bit surprised about the several problems
that it meant, and we would like to
We paid 250$ for 10 days, 1280 KM and 0.18$ per extra kilometer.
(we drove about 1320 km). We paid half in advance (on arrival), and the
rest at the end of the tour + 25$ tip to the driver.
CBTT
177, 2/2A Galle Road
Dehiwala
Sri Lanka
Phone: 0094-1-718692 or 1-735000
Our contact was Mr. Asok Kumar
e-mail: cbtt@sltnet.lk
Sunday 17. March, Copenhagen-Kuwait
After sleeping af some friends place in Copenhagen, we left on time
for Frankfurt. In Frankfurt, the plane coming from Kuwait was 15 minutes
late, which meant it lost it's slot and was delayed one hour. We only had
half an hour to change in Kuwait, but we hoped the Colombo plane would
wait on us. It didn't. We were about 15 people from Frankfurt who didn't
make it, so we were send to a hotel within the airport with absolutely
no access to the outside. A prison with guards. It said 4 stars - which
it wasn't. We could take our bags from a wagon, if it didn't contain anything
with alcohol - which meant that most people had (reluctantly) to put their
duty-free bottles in the checked-in luggage. Those who 'overheard' that,
had their bottles confiscated at the hotel - the hotel even had a x-ray
machine!
Monday 18. March, Kuwait Airport Prison
We are woken for breakfast - not because we are going to leave; probably
because they want to finish the breakfast buffet. People hang around, and
3 germans get to go - they are going to Sri Lanka as we are. But only they
got away. Nobody informs us of anything, and after we ask, we are told
that we are going in the evening. They were almost surprised why we wanted
to know when the plane was leaving. We wanted to inform the company which
was waiting on us in Colombo. I was obstructed of taking a photo of a water
pipe because the runway was in the background - 'the americans are here'
they told us. Maybe we should have gone ahead and taken the picture - and
they would have thrown us out of the country? Later we could see on tv
that it was Collin Powers from the US that was on a visit to the president
(or what the Kuwaiti leader is called) before going to Israel. We could
see the planes from our window. I wonder if was the Air force One that
he had borrowed from Bush.
We are bored all day, and finally get to go at 8 pm. We fly to Dubai
in the Emirates (their slogan here is 'Fly, Buy, Dubai' - and it was an
amazingly big shopping complex here). Onwards at 3 am in the morning. They
have computer games, but I figure it is better to try to sleep.
Tuesday 19. March, Colombo - Mirissa. 31 degrees
Smooth immigration. The banks are now in a separate section before the
exit. No ATM's though, but quick withdrawal anyway on my debit card. Our
driver 'Abe' (pronounced 'Abi') waited on us, and we were quickly on our
way to Colombo. At the travel agency they even had a 'file' on us; printouts
of all our e-mail correspondence. Our contact Mr. Kumar is a very nice
person who had arranges this for us. To find out about the VISA swipe card
thing took 3 persons to figure out. Sri Lankan efficiency :-) We were very
tired now and we got going south. In Hikkaduwa (a beach resort town) we
stopped for lunch and smelled the Indian ocean for the first time. Great.
Hikkaduwa is a very touristy place. That's it.
Not so far to Mirissa - about an hour more. We got there around
5 pm, which made time for a quick swim. There is a protected part of the
beach in the end where we stayed, so it was safe to swim here. Other stretches
of the beach have quite big waves, so you can't go everywhere. Beautiful
sunset (as always here).
Back
at 'Giragala Village' where we stayed. We had grilled prawns for dinner.
The place costs 850 Rs + 10% s/c and had a large palm garden with hammocks.
We decided that Abe might as well go back to Colombo to his family until
friday since we wanted to relax here, and would not need him Mr. Kumar
called the next day from the agency and asked worriedly why Abe was not
with us.
Wednesday 20. March, Mirissa. 31 degrees
12-14 hours later we wake up. Lunch at a beach restaurant at 2 pm, snorkeling,
relaxing in the hammocs, more swimming.
Mirissa is a great place. It is 6 small hotels (all with cabins)
and two beach restaurants. It is our favorite beach, and we asked many
others, and if they were not desperate for discotheques, they most often
answered Mirissa (the other opted for Unawatuna). There are not too many
people here so it is very, very pleasant here. The perfect beach. Sunset
from Parrot Rock and dinner afterwards.
Thursday 21. March, Mirissa (diving Weligama)
Erik took a Tuk-Tuk (three wheeler) to Weligama Bay Beach Hotel, where
there is a dive shop. It is a German owner and it looks quite well organized
though I'm not an expert on that. It was actually 4 years ago since I last
dived in the Philippines, so I had bought and read the PADI manual. It
cost 25$ for a dive and we were 4 diving + the dive master. We went to
the Yala point and dived to about 23 meters. There was not so much to see.
Some beautiful fish, but very little coral. They explained it all died
during La Niña (they said El Niño, but it must have been
La Niña since it was the rise in temperature) some years ago, and
only was slowly recuperating. At our hotel, the owner said the dead coral
was because of the dynamite fishing - maybe it was both. It was fun to
dive again. The water was 28 degrees, so the owner looked at us funnily
when we asked for a wet suit. It wasn't necessary at all.
Lunch back in Mirissa at the Blue Moon, which was very nice. Swimming,
snorkeling, sunbathing, relaxing in the palm garden.
Again sunset at Parrot Rock (it is a large rock at the end of the
beach with good views) and on our way back, a beach runner said that new
hatched turtles were running to the water at the other end of the beach.
We got to see the turtles run for the water (except the one Erik stepped
on). Since they were running from the doorsteps of the Paradise Beach Club
(a bit up market hotel), we were sure that the turtles were sponsored by
the hotel. Birgitte actually liked the rice and curry she got for dinner
this evening.
Friday 22. March, Tangalla - Kataragama - Tissamaharama
Abe arrived at 9 as planned. We decided to go to Kataragama this evening
for the 6:30 poya (offering) and stay in Tissa. And then maybe early up
to go to the Usa Walawa elephant park. First we went to the Weherahena
Temple. It is 8000 Buddha story paintings in a comic strip style. And a
huge sitting Buddha.
What I thought was most interesting was that they also had a Buddhist
'Nåså'er' picture. (don't speculate on this, if you are not
Danish :-) A 'guide' attached himself us and showed us around. He was the
type of 'Mind your head here', 'This step is a little higher than the others.',
'Sorry about the dog shit; I will have it cleaned'. As you can see on the
picture below, it is quite well done, and impressing that they can fill
hall after hall with all these paintings on all walls and ceilings for
6 stories.
Next was the Wewurukannala Vihara (also seen in the Lonely Planet
video from Sri Lanka). They had a 50 meter (8 storied) sitting Buddha -
and a hall of horrors with status and pictures of the punishment for doing
something sinful - like peeing near a temple might cost you being boiled
alive etc.
We had lunch near the beach just before Tangalla at the southern
tip. It was a place Abe knew. After lunch there was time for a swim - we
had a 2 km long beach for our selves.
We come to Tissa around 5 pm (2 hours from Tangalla) where we went
to the Tissa Inn. Actually it was quite comfortable and felt new. After
a little relaxing on the balcony, we drove to Kataragama. It is one of
the two most holy places on Sri Lanka (Adam's Peak is the other). There
are shrines of Kataragama - the same as the Hindu war god Skanda - and
also of Buddha and the Hindu God Ganesh (the elephant god). The evening
puja is the most interesting and colorful, I think, since it is dark. The
offering of fruit and things are in one Shrine. In the Ganesh shrine blessings
are given by a hindu priest. Most interesting is the smashing of lighted
coconuts. Abe told us it was when a wish had come true, they gave thanks.
We were told something different the last time I was here, but it sounded
right.
Saturday 23. March, Ella (the mountains)
The trip counter on the car showed 250 km for the trip last day, and
we had calculated it to a maximum of 170. Abe admitted that he didn't trust
the odometer, so we used my GPS for the trip to Ella (and afterwards) to
count the kilometers. Beautiful driving up through the Ella Gap. I had
described the gap as something comparable to Grand Canyon and a fantastic
experience. Since then I have been to many other beautiful places, but
this is still a very beautiful drive. At the Rawana Ella Falls we stopped
to take a picture. A man asked Birgitte for some coins from Denmark, since
he collected coins, while another asked if I would buy some Danish coins
(he had about 50 Kr) since he could not change them in the bank. Birgitte
suggested him that he could change with the man who collected Danish coins
:-) They are not always too bright, but it apparently works.
In Ella we had the first 'conflict' with our driver. We thought
'Hill Top Guest House' sounded nice, but he suggested 'Ella Gap Tourist
Inn'. We insisted on checking the first one out, and it was great, with
a wide balcony overlooking the gap to the plains. The problem was that
they did not have a drivers quarter. We realized that the drivers always
make us go to places where there were lodging for the driver. We agreed
to see the Ella Gap, but it was not special, no views and more expensive
as the Hill Top. We agreed to pay Abe 300 rs, and he would pick us up the
next day. We might be a bit demanding, but we really liked the first hotel
better.
We took a walk up through the tea plantations to a place called
'Little Adam's Peak' - an hour outside Ella. Ella is in 1000 meters of
altitude, so it was a pleasant walk and many hello's with Tamil tea pickers.
We met many of their children who live in small camps near the fields.
Relaxing and dinner at the guesthouse. We talk with a German couple
about having a driver. Their driver could stay here, but he was a relative
to the owner. The guesthouse owner explains that drivers don't pay for
lodging and food, and they don't want them here; they prefer independent
travelers. We ask the Germans about their favorite beach, and they say
'Mirissa', definitely. It turns out that we had been at the turtle hatching
at the same time the other day. Funny.
Sunday (Palm Sunday) 24. March, Adam's Peak
We walk up to 'Ella Rock' (1109 meters - N 06'51.096', E081'03.152'),
which is the sheer rock face on the south side of the gap. We get a small
laminated map from the guesthouse, and walk on the rail track half of the
way. The last stretch is scrambling up a rock field and a bit difficult,
but very rewarding views from the top.
Abe picks us up at 1:30 pm and we go through beautiful hill country;
tea plantations to Adam's Peak. Through Bandarawela, a quick lunch in Nuwara
Eliya (which is high situated town with many old English mansions), through
hundreds of tea plantations, Hatton to Dalhousie.
Now, the place Abe choose - Wathsala Inn was really bad. Overpriced
(900 Rs for a small cellar room), but with nice view of the illuminated
Adam's Peak. A rat fell down from the roof - one other stayed there. We
had this musty rice - it's smell ruins everything. From the menu, one could
have 'Brake Fast'. I wonder if it is when people are rolling down from
the mountain. We asked for a towel, and the boy came with only one - he
excused: 'others are in the shower' :-)
Went to sleep at 8:00 pm and was mistakenly woken at 1:45 am and
2:20. The boy could not understand that it was not us who wanted to get
up at this time.
Monday 25. March, Adam's Peak - Ratnapura
We got up at 3:00 am and left 3:15. I think we were the last to leave
this night (most Sri Lankan start before midnight for some reason). We
took it quite slowly and were up at 6:15 (3 hours). I have made way points
available and a web page with info about Adam's
Peak
It was my third ascend and a good hike, which we enjoyed. We met
maybe 150-200 people going down (those who started early and forgot clothes
to stay on the top). We just passed one another western couple going up,
and I don't think they made it; we did not see them on the top later. On
the top there were also about 150 waiting for sunrise (at 6:39). The peak
shadow was not so clear today, but could be seen. The last time I was here,
it was very clear on multicolored clouds
Anyway, only the 3 other westerners and the Buddhist monks seemed to know
about the shadow; the rest either went down, or participated in a Buddhist
morning worship. It is a pilgrim site for 4 religions, but I would say
95% are Buddhists.
We walked down the 14 km Ratnapura path (also illuminated in the
night). From the many wandering looks, I don't think it is everyday that
non-srilankans do that. The Ratnapura path is quite strenuous; going down
is OK and it took us from 7:30 to 1 pm (5½ hours) on a slow steady
pace. Going up this way: either you are a very devote believer, or very
crazy - 14 km of steps going up. I recalled when we walked down with backpacks
in '91 and that was about equally stupid. (read about it in the Adam's
Peak web page). I'll have to ask my brother how on earth we could have
gotten that idea.
A dog followed us the whole way down from the top. Maybe we were
the first not o kick it hard. When we rested, so did it. The Sri Lankans
we met wondered why these crazy tourists would have such a flea infested
dog with them. We were at the main road in the village of Pallapadalla
(?) in the Carney estate at 1 pm and Abe arrived almost at the same time;
we had just had time to enjoy a cold coke.
In Ratnapura we changed some dollars in the bank and went to Kalavati
Holiday & Health Resorts. Nice Place, 1125 Rs. Too many mosquitos,
immune to DEET.
Tuesday 26. March, - Polonnaruwa - Safari, 31 degrees
Driving north took most of the day. We were in Giritale, a little south
of Polonnaruwa about 1:30 pm and had lunch. The rooms connected to the
restaurant 'The Village' (not really a hotel), cost 1200 Rs incl. breakfast.
We asked for a 'jeep safari', which started at 3 pm. It was to a tank called
Kavudula, we could not locate, but later I could see from my GPS that it
was 20 km due north of here, close to the road to Trinco. We saw peacocks,
eagle (Brahminy Kite), parrots, small crocodiles, several herds of elephants
which 7 jeeps chased. No, we always parked at a distance and watched a
herd until they got tired of us. They were in groups of 5-10 elephants.
The two on the picture here were charging each other; playing it seemed.
The place we stay at, 'The Village' is quite nice. Good food here
at the restaurant. It is a stop for many drivers; probably because they
get free food here - but still enjoyable to be here.
Wednesday 27. March, Polonnaruwa - Sigiria - Kandy, 31 degrees
Up and going at 7:30 to Polonnaruwa. Wanted to see the museum first,
but it did not open until 9, so we took the tour of the ruins first. It
took until about 11:30 to satisfy Birgitte's curiosity. The ruins are in
a quite large area, so you need a car or a bicycle.
The museum was also quite interesting with good explanations, and
exhibits. We just saw 2 other 'white' people (but many Sri Lankans), and
a few more in the museum. The museum is divided in different parts, relating
to different sites plus one for the hindu temples. This was the most interesting.
When Birgitte left, a tout tried to trick the ticket from Birgitte,
saying she'd have to hand it over (she didn't). I went to the 'People's
Bank' to get a cash advance on my VISA card, since the banks were closed
the following 4 days (Thursday Poya Full Moon, Good Friday & Weekend).
It was a funny experience. The lady inspected my card carefully and repeated
'visa card'. After a while she said that she didn't think they took visa
and I should try another bank. Another banker passed by and said he thought
they did, and send me to a higher ranking banker, pushing 10 Sri Lankans
sway, and putting me in a chair in front of the manager. He also looked
at the card, and several more bankers came with good pieces of advice.
Finally they tried to slip it through the card reader and punch in the
amount, and they were surprised and repeated to each other 'approved'!
Then the hassle about where and how many places to sign the slip, but finally
I even got to get the copy of the slip and the money.
We drove back to Giritale and had lunch here, and Abe suggested
that we had a nice rice & curry - probably since we did not spend enough
money there. We just took the sandwiches (not on the menu card). We came
to Sigiria around 3 pm - a huge rock with an old fortress on top in the
middle of the jungle - something like Ururu. It also costs 15$ for foreigners
here. It was HOT and sweaty. When we saw the 'damsels' - frescos of lovely
ladies from the 5th century, the postcard seller let us on to a closed
section when nobody saw - here were maybe 6-7 more. A Fanta cost 100 Rs
here, (usually it is about 30 Rs) but it was just so hot. We spend a long
time on the top where there were particular many monks today in their colorful
robes.
Great views and it got 'cooler', and with a little breeze it was
quite bearable and enjoyable. We sat on the 'throne' for a while and enjoyed
the views - some monks commented it as 'not suitable' - what did they mean?
Birgitte is a queen in my eyes and quite suitable to sit there in my eyes.
When we left at 5:30, only a few persons remained - a very good
time to go in the afternoon. Abe was not so content when we came back;
maybe because we took so long time. He wanted to go to Kandy which was
OK with us. We came there about 7:30 pm. It was not a very nice place -
Ivy Banks, close to a heavy trafficked road. 1250 Rs incl. breakfast. We
did not want to argue with Abe, just settle things. We had just driven
39 km more than the 1280 km included in the price, so that was fine. We
called Kumar at the agency in Colombo, and Abe wanted me to find out about
the kilometers for the days he went back to COlombo while we were in Mirissa.
'Drivers expense' said Kumar. I don't think Abe was happy about that. We
paid him 25$ in tip (about 10%), which he didn't look happy or sad about
- he was probably also happy to get ridge of us. We later cleared things
out with Kumar, and he promised to tell all new clients that driver's food
was included, but accomodation was not always, depending on which hotel you
stay at.
The dinner was OK at the Ivy Banks.
Thursday 28. March, Kandy. 23 degrees
The owner was not happy about us not wanting to stay. Abe had apparently
told him that we'd stay a couple of days. We walked up to Sharon Inn and
found a great room and place for the same price (1200 Rs) and 10 times
nicer and better! Took a TukTuk to get our bags with a 'slimy' driver as
the manager called him. He wanted to take us to Sigiria in his TukTuk :-)
We walked around the lake and saw the Temple of the Tooth. It is
a sacred site with (so the Buddhist say) a tooth of the Buddha. Birgitte
thought the stuffed 'tusker' elephant was especially interesting.
Afterwards we were caught in a shower at a supermarket, and after
waiting 20 minutes we took a TukTuk back to Sharon Inn where we had a good
talk with the owner about drivers. He did it the right way - charged 300
Rs extra for the driver, which is quite fair. He said that it wasn't always
people understood that, and that drivers would rather go somewhere else
where they had better conditions. Coffee and relaxing on our balcony.
(Good) Friday 29. March, Kandy - Pinnawala elephant orphanage. 34 degrees
After breakfast, we used the computer for ½ hour - not much had
happened back home. 6 others British people had organized a van to Pinnawala
elephant orphanage, and we could join. About an hour to drive out there.
200 Rs entrance fee. There were 30-40 elephants and it was unbearable hot
- 34 degrees from a cloudless sky. We saw the feeding with milk to the
youngest, and later bathing in the river of all elephants.
It was like a giant show with restaurants around the river - but
a quite good easy going atmosphere.
On the road to Kandy, there were many shops with foot rests (puffs),
leather chairs etc. Perediniya botanical gardens (150 Rs) for an hour.
Not really us. We sat near a lake for the hour.
Saturday 30. March, Kandy. 25 degrees
After breakfast, we walked to the post office and sent postcards. Passed
by Laksala (shopping place), and relaxed a couple of hours reading the
newspaper and swimming at the Suisse hotel's pool (150 Rs). It started
raining and we hurried home. When it rains, it is showers and lightning
for about an hour. Then it stops and disappears.
At 5 we walked to the Kandyan Cultural Center and saw the 'Kandy
Dance' and fire walking. It was OK and lasted an hour.
Beautiful sunset afterwards over the lake. We walked to 'the Pub',
which is a very good western style restaurant with big screen MTV music
and good food. They had a large range of red wines too. They don't have
rice & curry on the menu, which was nice for a change. Had a good mixed
grill - their most expensive item for 350 Rs.
In general we paid 80 Rs for a TukTuk to and from Sharon Inn. Most
people stay at Sharon Inn, and we really liked it here.
Easter Sunday, 31. March, Negombo
I recalled last time I was here, also in Easter. I remember that Kandy
was all closed at that time. It was different now. Both on Poya full moon
(thursday) and easter sunday, there were really many shops open.
At the bus station we stood in line for the bus to Negombo - a town
close to the airport on the west coast. A guy came asking for passengers
to a specific place we did not know, and asked where we wanted to go. We
told him, and after 5 minutes he ran around shouting 'Negombo!', also to
us. Negombo? Yes? Come with me... It turned out he had a van, and probably
changed his destination in order to drive us. It was not very expensive
(150 Rs), so we agreed. Of course we would have to fill the van first,
and it took about 20 minutes, driving around a bit. At a nearby tank station
(after filling the van), the driver discovered that a couple with a small
child could not pay the 150 Rs (the normal rate would be maybe a fourth),
he sent them away. We told the driver that we would pay for them, and we
picked them up again, and drove to Negombo. After unloading the passengers
in Negombo, we had him drive us to a hotel, hotel Silver Sands; a hotel
which could have been in Morocco. We paid about 850 Rs for a room upstairs,
with sea views from the balcony. It was quite hot today, so we relaxed
with an ice cream and some reading on the balcony, and a little swimming.
We later walked along the beach north, where there were hundreds of Sri
Lankans on the beach, enjoying the holiday. Just before sunset, we had
a pizza at King Coconut restaurant, and when people were waiting for the
sunset, a big shower came - it was a pity for all the families there. It
cleared up a bit later, and some came back to the beach.
On the way back to the hotel, a jung guy came up and told a silly
story about coming from Jaffna on the train, and had not money to go back,
etc. After a while we told him to go away and we didn't believe him.
We went early to bed, and it was a bit difficult to sleep since
it was so hot.
Monday, 1. April, Kuwait - London - Copenhagen
End of vacation. Up at 4 and left 4:15 with a taxi ordered by the hotel.
We shared the taxi with another couple, and had paid 500 Rs the day before.
We were quite surprised when the driver paid us 150 Rs back - he said the
other couple had only paid 350 Rs. One have to be at the airport 3 hours
before, which is quite sufficient, probably so one can use some dollars
in the duty free. We left around 9, direct to Kuwait. Onwards to London
Heathrow, and with SAS to Copenhagen. Since 1. April is also a holiday
in Denmark, we had to wait 2 hours to catch the last train to Jutland,
and were back in Vejle and home at 3 am in the morning.
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