The Big Push South

The monsoon and our little bike in Arugam Bay

Ok...it's not funny anymore. Stop raining!!!

Again, we woke to the sound of pouring rain beating on the roof of our beach cabana. As the roof starting letting the odd draft of misty rain come in and land on our bed, we made the decision to get as far South as possible in a dire attempt to escape the monsoon once and for all. We considered doing the trip over a couple of days but decided, for the sake of our sanity, to try our very hardest to be wet for only one more day.

Our room at Paradise Inn was to cost us 2000 LKR. Only problem was that we only had 1912 LKR and the closest ATM was back in Pottuvil. Thankfully, with some gentle persuasion, the owner accepted our offer and even let us keep our 2 rupee coin. So, with 2 rupees to our name, we set off in the torrential rain to the sound of laughter from those around us.

The road was good when it wasn't covered with water. Numerous times we slowed to tackle up to six inches of water which covered the road.

Again, we convinced ourselves that if we rode hard and far enough, the rain would surely stop. Surely, as we left the East coast it would stop. It didn't. Surely, when we got out of the hills it would stop. It didn't. Surely, once we reached the South coast, it would stop. It didn't. Surely, as we headed West away from the monsoon it would stop. It didn't. We were battered with seven and a half hours of non-stop rain over almost 300km, travelling at a pain staking speed only ever reaching 60km/h. When we hit Tangalle it eased enough for a few people to lower their umbrellas, before it escalated again and then, finally, ran out of juice as we rode into our destination of Mirissa.

We rode straight to Sun Set Resort, where we had our first dinner in Sri Lanka, what seems like a lifetime ago and booked in for a week of sun (hopefully), sand, naps, massages and general recuperation. It feels to be back in Mirissa, a place that we know quite well already. To know where to eat, where to swim, where to stay makes this week coming an easy one. Well, so we hope.

Baby turtles

As we waited for our dinner to arrive, we spotted crowds of people down the beach. We took turns to investigate and were rewarded with the sight of newly hatched baby sea turtles making their way across the sand and into the ocean. Pretty amazing.

Tuk Tuk wisdom: "Time and tide wait for no man."