10 Brief Explanation about Sri Lanka

Hello!

Just like a bread, serve it while hot! Now I wanna write down some stuff I experienced in Sri Lanka, since I just came back from that country 🙂

The Lion statues in Independent Square in Colombo. Lion is the symbol of Sri Lanka.

 

The 10-days trip in Sri Lanka might be counted as a short journey, but at least, I was able to see few places around Sri Lanka on this trip. I am kinda happy because I can see Sri Lanka for my own eyes, even I am now feel very tired because the road trip I had there.

I will tell you later about my journey there. In short, I visited Colombo, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Galle, Unawatuna, Colombo (again), Kandy (again) then Colombo (again) to fly home. And yes, that was all happen in 10 days (yups, call me crazy!). But as my cliche reason, I always have limited time and huge determination to see many places in one’s country as long as I can.

 

From this trip, I learned many things, such as my first feeling emerged about how suck it is to travel alone in unknown places. Me, who always happy to travel, for once in my life, I wanna have someone around me. God is good, since He delivered me a good girl who later became my travel partner in more than half of my journey. I was so lucky!

 

Right now, let me give you 10 brief explanation about Sri Lanka from my experience :

1. I was full of surprised when I see Colombo, especially in Hotton Palace area, when you can see this city is really green and full with old beautiful buildings. There is an irony of pro and cons about old building becomes shopping arcade and a Dutch Hospital becomes place to hang out for young people, but I think it is so much better to renovate it without leaving it’s original interior into that kind of places, since it’s more functionable for people and with that reason, people will maintain it’s cleaness and building.

Some of the student just finished their study and wanna go home.

Look at how green the town is…

2. Sri Lanka is a tea country, for sure! This is the place when you can get a real proof how tea can influence human’s life.

I’m enjoying an Earl Grey Ceylon Tea with Vanilla Ice Cream and Mint leave. Yumm!

One of nicest Tea Lounge I ever had 🙂

3. Always, public transportation is 10 times cheaper than Tuk-tuk (or they called it as taxi!). If you are ok to take bus or train, I suggest you to go with it, since it’s always able to go somewhere by bus/train. Train ride to the hills is definitely a worth to try. If you are in Colombo, you can use TukTuk with meter, while in other town they don’t have meter.

Inside of the bus in Colombo.

Tuk-tuk (Taxi) has meter in Colombo.

4. If you are a forgetful person like me, be remember, ATM machines mostly available in big city such as Colombo and Kandy, in other city is very limited. And if you use card as mine with Cirrus and Maestro logo only, you need to run to Sampath Bank or Commercial Bank to get the money. The rest mostly Visa or Master Card.
5. I am joining Couchsurfing – a travel community. But be careful if you ask help from Couchsurfing in Sri Lanka, since many new members which is probably have suspicious purpose in their invitation. Always talk to member who already joined since long time ago and have lots of positive reference from people around the world. I am lucky cause I meet many nice and generous with information Couchsurfing people in Colombo.

Meet up with some of Couchsurfers in Colombo.

 

6. Men in Sri Lanka can be so aggresive. They maybe want to help you but use your guts because in the end, some of them will offer you for this and that. To avoid this, distance yourself with them, not smile too much. Travel solo in the evening for female is not recommended while in day time, it is fine.
7. In some part of area – especially in temples, they are many monkeys. As long as you don’t bring food, you will be ok. They don’t steal your stuff as in Bali (yeah, I hate to say it, but it’s true). And black crows, you will see it a lot everywhere – they wake you up with their noisy voices, hehe.

 

I saw this beautiful creature when walk around Colombo.

This monkeys take a nap in Sigiriya, don’t care with people who took their picture 😛

Never I’ve seen a monkey eat Lotus Flower.. until now.

8. If you read “Hotel” board in many places in Sri Lanka, make sure it is not hotel, but street food. Even for some hotel, they still use hotel too, or rooms, or guesthouse – yes I know, it’s a bit confusing. But if you want some traditional snack, go to that “hotel” around the street.
9. If you are crazy for coffee, you better bring your own coffee. Because they only sell hot coffee and no coffee with milk or creamer. For me, it’s kind a bit of turtoring since I love cappucino so much.
10. Food in Sri Lanka tend to be the same if you living for long time here. They don’t have so much variety as in Indonesia, but their food is delicious. I can find “Nasi Goreng” – food from Indonesia which really delicious in Nuwara Eliya. And remember, Koutou is a food only in the evening, while some restaurant only serve rice and curry in Friday – yeah, I don’t know why 😀

No, there are not hotel.

Delicious snack I used to eat and their rice and curry meal. Yumm!

 

So that’s all what I want to share to you at this moment. Since I am lack of sleep because of the trip, I am gonna fresh my mind before write another stories about Sri Lanka.
Wait for me!

Dea Sihotang