Hikkaduwa - part 1

After we said goodbye to Pradeep, we checked into our beachside hotel which was to be home for the next 10 days. We were a bit disconcerted at how quiet and deserted it seemed with just a couple of local men sitting at a table. We were led up to our rooms and then the doubts did start to make some more noise...the rooms were quite dingy and while clean on the surface, on closer inspection the hard rubber mattress was visible thorough the thin, stained sheets. The aircon seemed to work but the room reeked of cigarettes and stale water and nothing short of a complete refurbish would be likely to shift the smell. Not to be deterred though we ventured out to the beach and checked out the pool on the way which looked okay. Once on the beach we were approached by a local who was worried we were going for a swim, "Not safe! An Australian died here not long ago". Well that really didn't go down well with the kids. So we decided to go for a walk into town and find some lunch. After a short discussion and some serious begging from the kids we decided to check out some other options a bit closer to the town centre and a bit more upmarket. After a first knock back due to fully booked hotel (who knew a thousand junior chess players with their large families from all over Asia would be in town - it's supposed to be the quiet time!) we found a lovely place with rooms available for a couple of nights and possibly longer. Three tuk tuk trips later Rich and a very happy Dan (he had been desperate for a ride in a tuk tuk since we arrived) had transferred the luggage and we moved into our very clean and light rooms with interconnecting doors and ocean views - heaven! Fortunately I hadn't paid for the other place although Rich paid for one night as an apology (and told them it was me who refused to stay there!).

The kids were soon in the pool and peace restored. The staff are lovely and have made us feel very welcome.

Over then next few days we explored the town and found the safe beach for swimming. Apparently the best time to come for surfing, diving etc is in December & January. Now is the end of monsoon season for the south, so the sea is really rough and dangerous on the beach, it looks like pretty spectacular surf for a braveheart. Away from the surf beach there is a reef running along the coast here and about 5 minutes walk from our hotel is an area where the reef forms a protected lagoon type area. It's lovely and clear and warm in the water, and right next to it is a reef area that you can stand in and watch all the fish swim around your legs. Beautiful!

On our first night at the hotel we were treated to a special show that was being put on for the cricket film crew who were also staying there. It was a peculiar mix of traditional fire dancing performed to loud duff duff music with the 2 performers dressed in gold sequinned outfits. It was pretty funny really with the crazy music and over the top dancing with flaming batons while the cricket people stood around looking cool and drinking cocktails. The kids enjoyed it and we were able to boost the applause for the performers.

 

On Sunday we ventured to the market behind the railway station. It was absolutely heaving - noise, smells, people, dogs (always) and rows upon rows of veges and dried fish, with some kitchen tools and fabric mixed in. There were about a thousand stalls and sellers shouting and yelling. We found it pretty chaotic and intense but the shoppers and sellers all smiled and said hello and looked at us as if we were a bit mad being there!

 

 

Once we made it out the other side it was straight to the beach for some serious hole digging and swimming. There were lots of other people there as it was also a holiday weekend with people coming from Colombo for the weekend. The kids attracted a lot of attention as always, with a group of young boys shadowing them in the water. Dan was soon digging a hole in the sand and was then joined by some helpers. The 2 young men were a bit boisterous though and collapsed the hole. One punished the other by sitting on him face down in the sand and getting Dan to join him. Dan wasn't too sure about all this but took it well (although later he admitted to being very sad about the hole collapsing). The locals are very chatty and interested in us and in what we think of their country. They are happy to sit and talk and ask questions, and answer ours. One young man commented on how lovely it was to see our children having so much fun in the water, "your children are very funny".

We started to relax and enjoy not being on the move. We found a couple of good eating places for dinner, including one which makes fabulous fresh pasta and great pizzas...very happy children!!! We bought some bread and cheese and Vegemite (!!!!) and have been able to have a simple lunch in our room which has been a nice change from the 3 times daily feasts we had been having.

Dan

• The hotel because I didn't like the other one
• The beach because it's awesome
• Dinner because I had pizza
• Fire dancing because it was fuuuunnnnyyyy!
• tuk tuk (pronounced took took) ride because I had 6 of them !!

Sarah

• The fire dancing because it was interesting to see what they could do
  
• Dinner because it was delicious
  
• The hotel it's much better than the other one
  
• The beach has awesome waves
  
• Going in the new pool because it's heated
  

Rich

Best thing. The view - over the 'new' hotel pool across the coral reef and out to the mighty crashing surf and the noise of the waves breaking onto it. There is just something about the sea.

(I could almost say the relief on my families face at changing hotels)

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Day 10 - Last day of tour & farewell to Pradeep

Today we left our Tissa base and drove along the south coast to our final destination for a while. Pradeep pointed out the areas where development has picked up including a new international airport and an expressway which will link up with the one between Galle and Colombo. This will make access to the south much easier and bring a lot more tourist and other trade to the southern areas. A new port is already operating which provides a much needed fuel stop for the shipping routes. The country is certainly developing fast although I do hope the changes don't affect the culture too much. I'm still overwhelmed at the friendly nature and generous spirit of the people here. A smiled greeting is always the first response, and politeness in all things is the norm. Even to be asked not do something is done with respect and tolerance. If only we could bottle this and spike the westerner water with it!

As we followed the coast we were able to see the coastline which is clear and picturesque. We stopped near a beach where fishing boats were landed and fish being sold. No need for trailers and boat ramps, just lots of willing hands to haul the boat up the beach. The helpers are paid with fish which they then sell. A clever co-op where everyone benefits and no vehicles are tearing up the beaches.

 

 

We also stopped to look at a lone stick fisherman. We had to be very quick and take the photo from the window of the van as they are onto the tourist game and have family waiting to pounce asking for money. Pradeep was a bit nervous too so we tried to be subtle and didn't hang around long.

Just off shore there was a very small island with a lone house on it where a very wealthy person lives. Not sure it would be all that comfortable with pounding waves and wind non stop!


We eventually came to Galle which has a large and very old Dutch fort next to the cricket ground. The fort has high, thick walls surrounding it and during the tsunami the walls prevented worse damage to Galle although many people were killed and buildings destroyed. Pradeep pointed out the new bus station where many children had lost their lives as they were there for Sunday school lessons. Very sobering and terrible to imagine given the crowded streets we see now.

We carried on through Galle with a quick glimpse of the cricket match underway between Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Not long afterwards we arrived at our beach hotel and the dreaded farewell to Pradeep. We were all feeling very gloomy as we not only valued him as our guide, but also as a good friend and mentor. He is a very special person and it was very hard to see him leave. We know he was missing his young son and wife so we were glad he would be home with them by the end of the day.

I will do a separate entry about the things we learned in general but while I'm on the subject of Pradeep, I would like to recommend him as a guide to anyone thinking of coming here. He can arrange a complete itinerary for any number of days, including hotels, entry fees, everything. He even knows the best places for 'washroom' stops (vital with the kids!). All you need to do is get yourself to Colombo. I think it's probably a much cheaper option to deal with him direct and really I think having a guide is the best possible way to see and learn about both the history and the current culture of Sri Lanka. It is also much safer to have someone diving who understands the road etiquette!

His email address is: bandarapradeep@gmail.com

And of course the minute we no longer have Pradeep with us, it all goes a bit wrong.....But first over to the rest of the family...

 

Dan

• Stick fishermen
  
• The coast because of the fishing boats
  

I could only think 2 thing because I was to sad to say good bye to Pradeep

 

Sarah

• The fishing boats because they were really bright and coulorful
  
• The stick fishing men they were really cool
  
• The house on the island it was funny
  
• The last drive with Pradeep was upsetting
  
• the gentle cruise along the cost I was not car sick YAY
  

 

Rich

Best thing Pradeep.

I enjoyed the gentle cruise along the southern coastal road, beautiful beaches and views with Pradeep explaining and showing us how much of this area had been decimated by the tsunami, but how it was redeveloping with new highways and an airport to open up the tourist and commercial routes to the beach life of the south. Still in all Pradeep's the man.

I guess the best thing today was Pradeep, and in many ways most days really. It is hard to over state his influence on the trip. While we have merrily highlighted all fantastic things we have done on this blog, they were all "framed" by him. As a guide and mentor he has been fantastic - the ease of transport, entry to sites negotiation, cultural understanding and therefore the quality of the trip were all so much enhanced by his presence. His kind and gentle manner will be greatly missed - he is a beautiful soul!

Day 8 & 9 - Down the mountains & wild elephants

We said goodbye to our Very British hotel with a morning of driving ahead down the mountains. We soon noticed the different landscape of vegetable plots terraced all over the slopes. Pradeep explained that the climate is best up this high for growing veges all year round. They have had some ice in the highest peak once but it must be pretty much frost free and very fertile. This area produces veges for all Sri Lanka.

Along the very winding road with the usual cows, dogs, people, tuk tuks, buses etc to navigate (again we were so grateful for Pradeep and his skill at the wheel) we saw some fabulous scenery and waterfalls. So very green and lush even in the dry season. I'm not sure I would be happy to be on the road in the monsoon though.

We arrived at our next stop in the south,Tissamaharama, and again were met with smiles, cool drinks and an awesome view of the lake across a double swimming pool. We had a free afternoon so the kids were soon in the pool. It was a welcome break and the next morning we had a very relaxed start and another swim before heading off to see some wildlife at the Yala National Park.

Our ride was a tiered set of seats on the back of a 4WD, pretty high up and open sided. These vehicles are everywhere in Tissa and while we were waiting for ours to collect us we had many offers from others. It's a quiet time of year so business is a bit slow (which is good for us if not for the locals!). Our driver looked about 18 and drove faster and more erratically than we've have become used to. With no seatbeats and his desire to get us to the park in record time it was a pretty wild ride. He would hit the brakes and skid into each speed bump on the dirt track leading to the park. He mistimed one which sent us all flying into the air. I was in the highest seat in the back and ended up with a fairly large lump on my head from slamming into the cross bar. Big ouch! When we stopped to get tickets, Pradeep had some quiet but stern words with the driver so the rest of the drive was a bit more controlled!! Pradeep also worked some magic on my head with some baby lotion he got from the small at the entrance (go figure) and the bump was more bearable half an hour later.

The park is a huge area right on the coast and is crisscrossed with dirt tracks for the vehicles. We charged about the place (holding on more tightly) and stopped each time a local bird or beast was spotted. Pradeep was the best spotter and when we did a count up at dinner of all the animals and birds we saw it was around 26. We didn't manage to find the elusive leopard despite the best effort of our driver who I think chased after the other 4WDs in hope they were on the trail. We were incredibly lucky though to come across wild elephants right next to the road. Just wonderful! One was quite small and was playing in some water being very silly. He seemed to realise we were there and came out onto the road for a look.

We stopped by the beach where we saw the remains of a hotel that was destroyed in the tsunami. A lot of people at the park lost their lives and the park itself was cleared by the wave. The animals didnt suffer too badly as they'd sensed the tsunami well ahead of time and headed inland. Make you wonder about how clever we humans really are. We could see a fishing village further up the beach which had been built.

We had to be out of the park by 6pm so it was another wild ride back to the gate. Once we were back on the sealed road I think the driver was keen to get back as he drove flat out and overtook everything (clear road or not). Needless to say we were all relieved to get our feet on the ground back at the hotel. Not a big tip for the driver this time!

We had time for a last swim before a good nights sleep in preparation for the last day of travelling for a while.

Sarah

• The safari because we got to see animals we did not even know existed.
• The waterfalls that we got to see on the way to our new hotel.
• The safari because wild elefants walked right infront of the jeep
• The pool because there is a spa and an extremely deep pool.
• Having lasagne for dinner for the 1st time in a while.

Dan

• The waterfall because i'd never seen one before
• The vegetable Gardens because they were massive
• The safari because we saw a bird that was critically endangered
• The safari because the elephant was so close
• The pool because it had a spa

Rich

Best thing was the safari

For a long time I thought the best thing was getting onto a straight road! The long stomach churning ride through the mountain roads almost had me reproducing my breakfast on several occasions and was only slightly alleviated by spectacular views!

Arriving at the hotel I thought it unlikely much would beat the view from the deck over the lake. Spectacular!

However the safari did accomplish this (although the blow to head, for both Rob and I, from a poorly negotiated bump on the track may have affected our judgement, I think we both saw plenty of stars and tweeting birds!!!!)

The reserve itself was a maze of driving tracks. The jeeps weren't allowed to stray from these paths although on several of the one way tracks we simply drove in reverse instead to avoid being fined!!! It was great to see so much wildlife in its natural environment, even from a little more distance, crocodiles, lizards, birds, elephants, buffaloes, deer, boar and peacocks to name a few. What made the trip was a couple of very close encounters with some elephants. Speeding round a corner we came across a medium sized elephant casually eating some tree branches we pulled up just centimetres from her which was a real thrill. Just yards away a baby elephant was "horsing" around in the lake and then came right up to the vehicle to say hello! Then, just before we left we came face to face with a very large male elephant. Simply awe inspiring.

 

Day 7 - Tea in the mountains

Before we left Kandy, we made a stop at a wood carving workshop. We were shown the different types of timber used and given samples to hold so we could feel the difference in the weight and texture. We were also shown the way pigments are made using wood shavings mixed into hot water, and then using the magic of chemical reaction watch the colour change dramatically after adding lime juice then calcium carbonate and then stirred with an iron blade. Fascinating to watch. The pigments made from the natural sources last hundreds of years (such as the ones on Sigiriya). We watched the craftsment hand carving furniture, elephants, chess sets etc. The work is incredibly detailed and they have commissions from all over the world. We were shown a set of drawers being made for a couple in South Melbourne for their wedding aniversary.

Outside the showroom were 2 enormous carved elephants made from a single piece of timber each. Inside we were confronted with hundred of masks, elephants and every style of furniture imaginable. The salesman was very keen for us to buy an elephant nearly as tall as Dan, shipping included for $800. Tempting but we really couldn't see where it would fit in our house!

We left Kandy and headed further into the hills, climbing higher along winding roads. We stopped for a roadside snack of Red bananas, which were short & fat with bright red skins. Very sweet & delicious.

We soon began to see the tea plantations which are spread along every surface of the mountains. The tea needs a cooler climate and the area is called Little England as the Sri Lankans find it very cold (down to a chilly 12C at night sometimes!). We stopped at a tea factory and we were taken on a tour through the process of tea making. The picking, sorting and drying of tea is a very manual process and while electric fans are used to dry the leaves, the handling and moving the tea to each machine is done manually using baskets and tubs. It's a surprisingly natural process, with no additives and the only difference between types of tea being the size of the leave used, and steaming to make green tea. We were able to feel and smell the tea at the different stages. The 20kg bags of finished tea are sent to Colombo to be auctioned off to the tea companies like Lipton for repackaging and export.

Another great experience although the kids are still not keen on drinking tea but did try some. Trivia fact: The word 'tea' stands for Tannin Enzyme Acid.

We travelled further into the mountains to Nuwara Eliya and our hotel. We stayed in the former British governors house, which was just magnificent with manicured English styled gardens and grand rooms. The kids were briefly disappointed that there wasn't a pool (it's too cold for a pool!!) but soon recovered in the play ground which had a roller slide that was a new experience (why don't we have these? So much fun). It was a step back in time to stay here. The decor is very much unchanged with the original bar and pool room, vast ballroom and wide hallways. We had heaters instead of aircon in our rooms this time although we really didn't find it too cool! We went for a wander into town and for the first time saw jackets and fleeces on sale, as well as woolly hats and ear warmers. Everyone looked half frozen (but still smiling as always here). We ran into Pradeep who was very unhappy with the cold and thought we were mad not having long trousers on!

A good night sleep in very comfortable beds...with blankets!!!

Dan

• The wood making place because they showed me how they carved wood.
  
• Tea plantations because I learnt what tea stands for: tanen enzyme acid.
  
• We stayed in the best hotel so far.
  
• The hotel because there was a big park.
  
• The wood place because there were interesting things in the gift shop.
  

P

Sarah

• The carving place because we got to see all the things they made.
  
• We stayed in the best hotel in the world.
  
• The hotel because it's really comfortable.
  
• The tea plantations because I learnt how to make tea.
  
• All the interesting things in the gift shop.
  

Rich

Best thing today was the tea plantations.

A difficult choice though, I found the the wood craft workshops very interesting, all hand crafted - old fashioned skills - no machinery anywhere! Dan was unsurprisingly fascinated! The hotel was the old Governors house and reflected the colonial glories and habits of the British empire. Still the plantation was my choice today.

The drive up the mountains surrounded by mile after square mile of tea bushes was a fantastic experience in itself. An entire valley of mountain sides as far as the eye could see sculpted into small flat terraces to support the little tea bushes. Once at the plantation itself i really enjoyed learning all about the process of making tea. About how the Tea is farmed and the plantation is maintained and keeping the bushes short for picking, and only using the newest leaves. Watching the tea ladies pick and carry bags full of leaves up the steep mountain slopes, the bags slung from their heads like a head band. Then seeing the whole process of producing the tea from the arrival of the picked leaves through drying, sorting, cutting, more drying, sorting, and boxing. All with the beautiful smell of tea bombarding your nostrils! Learning the different sorts and qualities of the tea and then finally tasting them!!! Everything is still very manual, which is good in some ways i guess, giving a lot of jobs, but is a very hard life. The pickers for example meeting targets of 25 kilos of leaf tips a day for 250 rupees (2 dollars) A really interesting experience.

 

Day 6 - Kandy

We had a busy day exploring Kandy. We started with a visit to a gem producer where we watched a video about how gems are mined and processed. The method is not too different to gold mining and is very manual to avoid damaging the stones. The soil is very wet and loose though so supporting the tunnel walls is fairly challenging. Pradeep told us that recently a truckload of gravel that was spread onto a new road was found to be full of gems. You can imagine what happened once the word got out. The local government ended up auctioning off small plots on the road with a portion going to the local village.

The gems were we're shown were stunning with all colours of the rainbow. Sapphires are very high quality here and come in many shades and colours. They don't have diamonds or emeralds which we found surprising.

Afterwards we went for a walk through the botanical gardens, the largest in Sri Lanka. These were originally the pleasure gardens for the royal family and then the British added their own plants and trees along with some buildings which are still there. The Brits also built a narrow suspension bridge across the river which we walked across and watched locals washing in the river below. The gardens are stunning and we saw some trees we had never come across before, such as the cannon ball tree which has lovely smelling flowers and enormous fruit that really would make great cannon balls as they were rock hard and very heavy.

We then visited a batik workshop where we watched the process of wax resist being drawn onto cloth and learned how the many layers of colour are built up. The wax is drawn on both sides and is removed between each colour in boiling water. The Sri Lankan style has many tiny dots and is very fine compared to other batik I've seen. The showroom was somewhat overwhelming but we managed to find some pieces we liked of course!

Next stop was the last temple on our itinerary and the most important and sacred - the Temple of the Tooth - where one of Buddha's teeth is kept. The location of the tooth determines where the capital must be is, and so Kandy is the latest capital in a long line of historical places. It was a quite busy yet peaceful place. Many people sitting on the floor around the room where the tooth is kept, quietly meditating. The paintings and artefacts on display were fascinating, and the kids were able to read the story behind the tooth. Also on display were photos of the result of a car bomb attack by Tamil Tigers which damaged the front of the temple badly. This was a terrible act given the importance of the temple, and yet there was no retribution as it is not the way of the Buddhist people. Security was tightened though and signs of this are still at the front.

The last stop in a very full day was to see a 'cultural show'. We watched traditional dance and drumming which was colourful and loud. The costumes were spectacular and we felt dizzy just watching the men spinning very fast. It made street dancing look slow! The kids laughed at the 'demons' that are the cause of ailments. The grand finale was fire walking which had the kids entranced. They were worried about the men catching fire and were sure that they must have had something protecting their feet.

We were all ready for bed once we made the winding trip back up the mountain!

Sarah

• The cultural dance because it had ten different funny dances.
• The gem mines because they told us all the different gems for all the different months. Such as January:garnet March:aquamarine August:star Sapphire.
• The cultural dance because they walked on fire and had nothing on their feet.
• The gardens because there were exquisite plants and lots of space to run around.
• We went to a batiks place and they showed us how to make wax paintings

Thank you for all comments especially Lexi, Diya, Millie and the year fours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dan

• The cultural show because the demons were really Funny
• The fire walk because they walked through fire
• The gem place because there were really big gems
• The botanical gardens because there were bats sleeping
• The suspension bridge because it was wobbly
• The temple of the tooth because the Buddhas tooth was in a golden stupa and when you were allowed to see it you could only see it for 1 second!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rich

Cultural show was the best thing today.

I loved the tranquility and beauty of the botanical gardens especially given the mayhem that is Kandy just outside the gates! I was also amazed by the complexity, planning and workmanship involved in the batik here. Still I surprised myself by enjoying the cultural dancing most. Just a really fun if not totally professional show. Fantastic costumes with some crazy head gear and an interesting mix of dances. The spinning and acrobatics of the men was particularly enjoyable. The show culminated with fire dancing and walking which just about made Dan and Sarah's eyes pop out of their heads. Brilliant!