Sunday 28 July 2013

A Bangkok Bonanza!

24 July

So today is Weds and I have only just had the chance to to write my blog!  That should tell you how crazy things have been. 

Flight over was fine. Quite a difference from Emirates' fine hospitality but good all the same.  The food was nice with a number of options to choose from.  I arrived in Bangkok (BKK) worrying that they'd ask for proof of onward travel particularly as I'd already spent £10 on phone credit attempting to download the blooming thing.  Thankfully, it was a breeze and my bag was even one of the first to come out- result!   

I managed to meet Raj okay and we took a cab to his place.  I say place, more like palace!  He was not kidding when he said it was nice.  I had a shower etc and we made our way to Soy 11 aka the 'expat drinking hole'.  The flight attendant had kindly offered us to drink with the crew but we opted for a few quiet ones.  I met the others who were all lovely and very welcoming.  It's such a refreshing change to meet a group of lovely girls.  We stayed out for a couple of hours including sampling some Thai rum and drinking in a VW camper van before heading for food then bed! Roc a rol!

Saturday was my day of rest.  We woke up late and eventually dragged outselves out to the Chatuchak Market.  The market is very famous and one of the largest in the world at 45 acres.  Although its somewhat similar to Camden, it's also very unique.  Every corner brings something different from candles, flowers and furnishings to live puppy dogs dressed in dresses.  After a couple of hours, we headed back for an evening of Boardwalk Empire and takeaway pizza.

Sunday mean only one thing wherever you are in the world...a lie in and brunch!
This being said, brunch in Thailand is a little different!  We turned up at 11.30am only to start ordering Mojitos at no additional cost.  By about 3pm, we were all fairly tipsy so decided to continue onto a sports bar and watch the cricket.  At 7ish, we headed to Soy 11 and sample the delights of The Alchamist's infamous cocktails.  The night could only end in one way after that- Khao San Road.  Also known as travellers paradise, Khao San is Club 18-30 heaven.  The only difference to that of its western rivals is that it still maintains some Thai culture in its choice of cuisine.  Thankfully it hasn't resorted Bangers & Mash or a full English for under 100 baht just quite yet!  The rest of the night continued along the same direction, we had a couple of buckets between us (reminded me of Tenerife all those years ago) and ended up in 'The Club'.  A few hours later, we were safely back in bed.

The next few days were a bit of a right off as I became ill.  What I thought was just a simple hangover turned out to be the dreaded travellers bug!  No matter how many times you wash your hands, you still can't avoid not getting sick.  I won't bore you with the details but it wasn't a pleasant couple of days.

As I am feeling a little better today, I decided it was time to get out of the flat and back in the game.  We first went to the Vietnamese Embassy to get our visas and then onto Soi 11 to find a travel agent and book a tour.  I ended up choosing The Bridge over the River Kwai.  In the afternoon, I took the BTS (metro) down to the river bank then the tourist boat to the Palace.  Although, I thought I'd left it a little late as it shuts at 3.30pm, I think I timed it just right!

Looking forward to my trip away and I'll update you upon my return,

K



Saturday 20 July 2013

My final thoughts on Sri Lanka...

18 July 

As I prepare to depart Sri Lanka, it's time to reminisce on what has been, for me, a life-changing 8 days:

1. Getting Around: Sri Lanka may seem like a small Island but as we've discovered, looks can be very disceiving.  It often takes a couple of hours to get anywhere so having someone drive you around sure makes life a lot easier.  Although public transport is possible, it's not ideal as buses are crammed and trains are extremely infrequent. 

2. Culture Shock: Particularly in Kandy, I found myself forgetting that I was in a developing country.  Then I'd turn a corner and it suddenly hit me in the face like a splash of cold water on a hot summers day.  This country is certainly going through the stages of regeneration.  Looking up the 'high street' you can see new buildings going up but then next to it, a row of run down almost derelict buildings.  Likewise, as you walk down the river, all you can see are shanty towns for miles around.  Seeing someone washing their clothes in a river, in real life, is a true eye opener and something I will never forget.  

3. The People: The Sri Lankan people are some of the kindest people I have ever come across, stemming from the hotel staff to Ravini's family.  We Brits could learn a lot!  They are never afraid to help in anyway they can and boy that makes a difference. 

4. The Food: Having a fairly delicate stomach when it comes to spicy cuisine, I was a little concerned coming here but *touch wood* I have been okay thus far.  I have steered away from heavy curries and edged myself onto more spicy food gradually, always washing my hands at any given moment.  This seems to have done the trick so I will continue to follow this method for the next part of my trip. 

5. The Future:  What do I think the future holds for this magnificent country?  Well, I hope it continues to build a stable economy and the expected tourist boom in the peak season of 2013 comes to fruition.  I would love to come back here in 3, 5 or even 10 years time to see how far this country has come along. I think it will be a fascinating journey to follow.

I can only hope that my children and my children's children continue to visit this incredible country.  

K


Wednesday 17 July 2013

Retracing my Gran's footprints, what a feeling!

16 & 17 July

Well, as most of you know, this trip to Sri Lanka is a very special one.  Not only do I get to see a good friend but I have also done my best to recreate my Gran's trip here, all those years ago.  She is the reason that I find other cultures and traditions so fascinating and I admire her greatly for all that she's seen and achieved.  This being said,  I probably don't tell her this enough!

So Tuesday, we headed up to Kandy, the 3rd capital of SL.  This was yet another 3.5 drive, so as you can probably tell, you don't get anywhere fast in this country!  Our first stop off was at the famous elephant sanctuary in Pinnewala. This government funded place is home to 76 elephants but what makes it really special is how well they look after them.  It was originally set up to take care of the injured elephants after the war but it now also takes care of those who can't be released into the wild for any reason.  I remember seeing photos/videos of this place when I was a youngster, so it brought back some great memories!

My guide timed it perfectly, we arrived just as the first set of elephants were having a bathe in the river.  From baby to mum and dad, they all seemed to be enjoying playing in the water.  It was pretty amazing to watch how the keepers communicated with them, telling them where to go or in one case what not to do (taking a number 2 in the river is apparently not quite seen as the thing to do!). One thing my guide was very good at, was sourcing the right spot to take photos.  He made me move so that I was in the perfect position to take photos as the Hurd walked past us back to the orphanage.  I could touch them, they were that close- an incredible sight. 

We then followed them back to the orphanage where we saw them in their own habitat.  It's clearly moved on a long way since when my Gran visited.  They have lots of room to roam about and are not caged up like some tourist attraction waiting to be snapped.  They have miles to wander around at their leisure under the watchful eye of the keepers and security guards.  The one remaining elephant which was hurt in the war has his own little pen and keeper to look after him.  My only disappointment was that I didn't get to feed the elephants as apparently my guide hadn't included this within the price.  I have a sneaky feeling its because I refused to give him an extra 3,000 rupees at his request!  Still, I managed to stroke one of the baby elephants who wrapped his drunk around my hand- cute or what?!

At around lunchtime, we arrived in Kandy.  A city much prettier than Columbo and one which in some areas, particularly by the lake, could easily be mistaken for Geneva or some other Western European city.  We walked up to the Golden Tooth Temple which holds the tooth of Buddha.  It amazed me at how big it was!  Everything about the temple, as expected, was beautiful and elegant.  Well worth checkin out!  

Although my guide isn't the most knowledgable guy in the world, when it comes to the temples, he knows his stuff.  So much so, that another guide stopped him mid-tour to ask him how he knew so much.  In fact, the other guide was so focused on following us around that he lost his clients! What a fool...

In the afternoon, my guide, Ruan, took me to a gem museum.  We observed the workers in the factory and watched a 10 min video on how the jewellery is made before being shown to the showroom.  It's amazing how someone's attitude changes once they know you're not interested in buying anything!  Clearly my guide gets a decent cut from this place as he was just as forceful in making me want to buy something.  Luckily my bluntness prevailed and I responded "No means NO!"  

As I was only in Kandy for 1 night, Ravini was keen that I stayed at the Thi Lanka hotel.  A very reasonably priced 4 star hotel.  Rooms were very modern and could probably given the Hilton clan a run for their money!  The staff were helpful and happy for me to sit by the pool looking out over the rooftops of Kandy until the early evening.
The disappointment of this hotel came at dinner.  I sat down at a table and waited to order a drink and see a menu.  They offered a buffet for 2,000 rupees which isn't bad for a tenner but I was never going to eat it all so I ordered off the menu.  45 mins later, my food arrived...but cold!  I politely sent it back and waited.  When it came back, it still wasn't much warmer and they'd clearly just left it on the hot plate.  Although i was distinctly not impressed, I couldn't be bothered arguing and waiting another 45 mins.  Realising I was still a little miffed, the restaurant manager offered me a dessert of my choice, on the house!  

The entertainment for the evening were a Sri Lankan band who were great and happy to play requests.  This certainly distracted me from my cold food.  The restaurant was full and the band were a hit with everyone.  From traditional songs to The Eagles and Bob Marley, we had it all.  I was so impressed that I decided to buy their cd for a fiver, not that I can understand any of the lyrics mind you!

One thing I have noticed whilst being away is how kind other travellers are.  A Dutch couple saw me sitting on my own and asked if I'd like to join them for dinner.  At first, I politely declined but the lady insisted that I join them.  I'm so glad that she did.  We spoke for a good couple of hours exchanging our opinions on the monarchy, politics, families, love, life and obviously our experiences of Sri Lanka. It was their 18 month anniversary and I felt honoured to spend it with them.  They met travelling, so fingers crossed there's hope for me yet!

Today, we finally set off in search of Melfort, a tea estate which my Gran visited all those years ago.  Located about 1.5 hours from Kandy, Melfort is set way up in the hills.  So much so that my guide was a little reluctant to even take me.  We drove up through the estate and there was not a sole around.  This had me thinking, is it even open anymore?  We were greeted by a large white almost school-like building with smashed windows.  It looked a sorry state and made me a little sad.  The place was rundown and unsurprisingly exactly the same as in my Gran's photos.  We wandered to the back of the building where the green tea is produced to be greeted by stares from curious onlooking workers.  Luckily, we managed to stop someone who told us that although the factory still produces tea, it stopped welcoming visitors 9 years ago.  I'm not going to lie, it was a little disappointing but they kindly allowed me to take a few photos for my album, and we went on our way in search of another one.  Luckily for us, tea plantations are a plenty in this area so it didn't take us long.  

My guide, Ruan, took me to one called Basilur.  In contrast to Melfort, this estate was set lower down the valley into the rock.  A large open plan almost tree house welcomes you as you turn off the road.  We were then greeted by a guy who took me around the plantation demonstrating the different methods and equipment required for making tea. It was quite fascinating particularly seeing it being done in front of you.  Once the tour was complete, we were offered a complimentary cup of tea of our choice.  I picked English Breakfast unsurprisingly, but I also tried midnight rush and mango passion.  The EB tea was devine, so much so that I bought a tin (of tea bags) to remember my visit.  

On the long way back to Columbo, we stopped for lunch at our usual pit stop place.  I tried 2 veggie pasties (similar to a samosa) and spotted some traditional Sri Lankan fudge which I gave to both my guide and Ravini's parents as a small thank you. 

Tomorrow is my last full day in SL.  I can't believe how fast a week has gone by!  I think the plan is to having a relaxing day by the pool then a few drinks in Columbo in the evening.  Not a bad way to end an otherwise great trip!

K x

Next stop: Bangkok, Thailand





Monday 15 July 2013

A day of firsts...

14 & 15 July

Saturday night was no different to a standard night in the UK, except for the distinct lack of reality/entertainment TV shows.  We ordered a takeaway pizza, sat in the living room and headed to bed for 10.30pm. This may sound dull to you but it was exactly what I needed.

Sunday morning, we took the National Express (equivalent) to Galle, a town on the coast. An hour and a half went by in no time giving Ravini and I a chance to properly catch up.  Upon our arrival into Galle, you could clearly spot the impact the Tsumani had on this poor town as stretches of homes and building are left derelict.  Even some years later, this part of the island is still recovering from one of the worst natural disasters of my lifetime and one which emotionally hit us all. 

No trip to any foreign country would be complete without experiencing some good ole fashioned public transport.  We took the bus from the Centre of Galle to our hotel.  I'd seen plenty of buses in Columbo and to be honest, I was slightly apprehensive but it wasn't that bad!  Just imagine a very VERY old E1/number 12 bus, half the size, remove the doors and add some sort of boom box to blast music to the passengers and you've got it!  I say this, there's no way you'd catch me on one in Columbo, that's for sure!

Ravini had been recommended this hotel by a lady she'd met on the bus only a few weeks ago.  Although, it looked pretty basic from the outside, it was clean and but that suited me just fine!  We were greeted by a very friendly British guy (Malcolm) who showed us to our room.  We had an upper floor room with views of the beach and out to sea.  The rooms were basic, slightly old fashioned but importantly clean with warm water!  After all, we were paying £30/night so what do you expect?!  As we dumped our stuff in our room and took a few mins to soak up the sun, Ravini spotted the lady she'd met on the bus, Florence.  Florence has worked at the hotel for 17 years and is truly a delight.  She clearly took a shine to us and asked the hotel manager (Malcolm- same guy) if she could show us around.  We saw the £45 rooms, which were obviously much nicer than ours but we were happy. Malcolm then kindly offered to take us on the grand tour, which allowed us to grill him about his connection with this fascinating country.  Originally from London, he gave up his job in the City in search of his heritage as his mum is Sinhalese.  5 months on and he's transforming this hotel.  He's created a bar area which is modern without looking out of place including Mahogany tables, benches and cushions creating a very relaxing ambiance.  Heading upstairs, he's created a tradition Italian stone baked pizza oven for an alternative option to the main menu at meal time.  I tried one and it was probably one of the best pizzas I've ever had!  The same colour scheme is continued upstairs adding a seated bar so that you can watch the sunset whilst enjoying the faultless hospitality.  What impressed me the most other than the friendly staff was the desire to use local produce.  From pepperoni to mozzarella, all their ingredients were sourced a maximum of 10 mins down the road.  Pretty impressive considering they're making authentic Italian pizzas!  

The afternoon didn't end there, Malcolm persuaded us to head into Galle, explore the Fort and try out Crepe-ology (yes a French creperie in the middle of Sri Lanka! Confused? I was too!).  After being sent here, there and everywhere we finally found it - a quaint rooftop restaurant tucked away.  So well-hidden that its no wonder we walked past it!  The food was delicious and their ice blast & smoothies were divine.  A true hidden gem!  We eventually dragged ourselves away and headed up to walk the walls of the fort and wait for the sunset (another Malcolm recommendation).  Surprisingly, we weren't the only ones that had this idea.  We wandered up and down taking in the view and even watched the crazy cliff divers, who for a donation would jump off the fort walls into the sea.  A popular attraction it seemed!  We also spotted a guy fishing with a 2ltr coke bottle.  Yes, that's right!  He attached a line onto the end of the bottle and used the bottle as a weight to secure the line.  He then launched the line into the sea and waited... Less than 5mins later, he actually caught a decent sized fish, which could easily feed a family of 4!  I'll certainly never look at fishing in the same light again.  Unfortunately, the rain arrived (yes it rains here too) and we grabbed a tuk tuk back to the hotel meaning we missed our sunset. 

The evening was spent drinking wine and 'chewing the fat' as my gran would say, with Malcolm and his Kiwi head chef David.  4 hours and 2 glasses of wine (which we now realise was almost as expensive as London and not half as nice) out night ended and we crashed out at about midnight. 

Today, we woke up for a leisurely breakfast at about 10ish - note to self : must befriend the Hotel Manager more often!  I then headed to the beach for an hour or so to soak up the sun and grabbed a couple of sun loungers where Florence entertained us with many a story.  After lunch, we packed up, took a tuk tuk back to Galle and hopped on the National Express back to Columbo.  A pretty easy day really.  

Back in Columbo, we persuaded the driver to drop us off near Rav's house.  I say "drop off" it was a brief 3 second stop.  I think the bus started moving again before I'd even got off!!  Having never walked down a dual carriageway or a road with no pavement/pedestrian markings, I was pretty shocked to see a public bus do a 3-point turn in the middle of a busy road at rush hour.  Clearly this is normal practice here as nobody even matted an eye-lid! I don't think I'll be quite so inclined to insult drivers as much when I return to the UK.

Tomorrow, I am heading back off with my tour guide for some more sightseeing as I only have 3 more days left in this magnificent country...



Saturday 13 July 2013

2004 steps up a mountain- hakuna matata!

13 July

Yesterday, my tour guide drove me 5 hours to Sigiriya.  Its not somewhere that instantly jumped out at me during my preliminary research, but a good friend of mine recommended it.  It is now on my list of "must-see" places to visit should you ever come to Sri Lanka.

On the drive down, my guide stopped by a number of small remote villages including one which is famous for growing Cashew nuts and even let me try the Sri Lankan fruit "rambutan". A very sweet fruit which is quite odd looking with its clear flesh and bright red, spiky skin. 

Anyway, back to Sigiriya, this beautiful rock was once the home to King Kassapa.  It's divided into a part fortressed town, part palace with water gardens.  A personal recommendation from me; book a tour guide if your local guide doesn't provide it.  It's well worth the additional charge.  

The walk up to the rock in itself is breathtaking but its a long way up, so a bottle of water and pair of decent walking shoes are essential. About a quarter of the way up is a metal spiral staircase which leads  you to the earliest surviving pictorial art in Sri Lanka- definitely worth a look!

As you climb a bit higher, you realise that all that pain was worth it, just for the views alone.  About 3/4 of the way up, you stop again to view the lions head which leads up to the palace at the top.  Don't be thinking that this is the top, there's still a long way to go yet!  What can only be described as an old rackety metal staircase winds it way to the top.  This is without doubt the worst part of the entire walk as I often felt like it could give way at any moment.  However, once you get to the top, it really does take your breath away.  The views across the valley are breathtaking and unforgettable.  It reminded me of that scene in the Lion King when simba is held up for that's exactly how it looks!  Totally worth it...

If you go to Sigiriya, I would strongly advise you to invest in a tour guide.  Not only does it mean that you'll be driven from place to place but they are also great at getting cheaper hotel deals and provide you with that extra bit of information to fill in any missing gaps.

Today, we visited the Golden Temple in Dambulla which houses the golden Buddha.  My guide then walked me up to the rock temple at the top of hill.  It consists of 5 caves which all house different Buddha's in them as well as great views over the city.  The walk was not quite as steep as yesterday but still provided a decent workout in the heat.

It's almost Saturday night here, lets see what the city of Columbo has to offer...

K

Friday 12 July 2013

And so my adventure begins...

12 July

Well, this is it, I have arrived in my first stop, Sri Lanka.

The flight over was pretty good with a stopover of just 2 hours in Dubai. At 1am, this was more than enough time to travel from one gate to the other via the shuttle train and have a quick peek in airports shops. Dubai airport really is something else! It was everything that my friends had told me it was. This being said, I'm not entirely sure I'd actually want to visit the place itself. As for Emirates, they are a superb airline, particularly for long haul. From the check-in staff to cabin crew, nothing was too much trouble. 

My arrival into Columbo started off well. I stood in the queue for immigration expecting to be interrogated but to my surprise and annoyance, it was a breeze. I say annoyance, I wasn't annoyed at not having to wait but more the fact that I didn't get asked for the Visa which I'd paid for!! The immigration clerk merely looked at my Landing Card and waived me through. Then came picking up my bag and Sod's law it was the last one out. Stress over? Not quite...My friend had arranged for a local taxi firm to pick me up from the airport. 2 hours later (11am) and £20 of phone credit later, he gave up the search. Luckily, we found another firm who for an extra 200rupees was happy to take me.

I arrived at the hotel at approx mid day to be greeted by some of the friendliest hotel staff I have come across who went out of their way to make me feel settled. They even managed to find me an adapter so that I could recharge my phone. Something so simple goes a long way when you're feeling jet-lagged. The room, over looking the beach, was clean and modern. A bargain for £40/night. 

Dinner in the evening was yummy; Thai Crab fish cakes with rice whilst watching the sunset, not a bad way to end my first day eh?!

Initial thoughts on Sri Lanka? Its a pretty, up and coming country with very friendly, welcoming people. A random thought though, why would you have a shower linked to your toilet? The Brits have bidets, the Sri Lankans have "bottom washers" as my Sinhalese friend likes to call them. On that note, I shall bid you all good night...