Go Lanka

After a pretty average night's sleep, a visit from a large stick insect, a breakfast of yesterday's fruit and a second breakfast of Malaysian style McDonalds (the sausage patty very strongly resembles chicken) we were on our way to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The three hour, twenty minute flight went reasonable quickly but allowed us to gather plenty of useful tidbits from the friendly guy in the seat next to us. Upon arrival in Colombo, we took his advice and found an ATM then purchased a prepaid taxi fare to Colombo Fort train station. Our new friend Graeme giuded us on to the most entertaining train ride of our lives. The train was packed to the brim to the extent that men hung out the doors as we hurtled along the coast. Suddenly sitting on the roof seemed very appealing. Let us paint you a picture...Imagine you're squashed in a mosh pit. Then multiply that sensation by three. Imagine the rock music of the mosh pit has been replaced with crying babies, old men selling snacks, blind men singing and the clang of a rickety train. Imagine that if you lift your foot off the ground for a moment, or lean a particular way, that bit of space you had is filled with bodies instantaneously so you're stuck bent over a chair with only one foot on the ground. People passed their bags and children around to strangers in an attempt to find some level of comfort. This went on for three and a half hours. I made it almost to Galle before succumbing to the repercussions of not eating or drinking for 8 hours. The blood rushed from my face and I slumped to sit on my backpack surrounded by a sea of bottoms. Then, as if by magic, the sea parted and a glowing basket of lush mandarins came into view. Sugar. I was cured thanks to Chris' quick purchasing of said fruit.

The train ride wasn't all bad though. Monkeys, goats, cows, frangipani trees, endless coastline, lakes, jungle and one very cute baby that Chris taught to boop my nose made the whole experience worthwhile. We have witnessed already the courteous, trusting, helpful nature of the Sri Lankan people. From men letting woman squeeze onto the train while they're forced to hang out the side to people sharing their seats with whoever needs one, the feel of this place is somehow calm and slow.

The train dropped us at Weligama where a friendly drive and surf instructor directed us to the appropriate bus stop which would with any luck get us to Mirissa. Graeme's friend that recognised us from the train boarded with us, payed for our tickets and ensured we got off at the right stop. Or so we thought. After wandering through the dark back streets of Mirissa, thanks to Graeme's friends' daughters' vague directions we found a Tuk Tuk drive that "knew where our accommodation was." After asking 3 or 4 people along the way he delivered us to the dark alley that led to Amanda Resort and, thankfully, they were expecting the kiwi. In fact, they showed us our room after asking whether Chris was from New Zealand and nothing more. Not even our names. Trusting folk these Sri Lankans.

We ditched our bags, finally, and headed out in search of food. And we found it. Sun Set is right on the beach. We went all out and ordered cuttlefish, chicken, beef curry, rice, roti and three litres of water to fill our very empty tummies before our first night's rest in this beautiful country.