*sunny* Sri Lanka!

This summer was one to remember. And, I’ve been thinking about how to put together everything that I saw, all the happy people I met and the yummy food I ate, when people ask me, “How was Sri Lanka?”

I’ve decided to re-live some of the *crazyfuninterestingamazing* bits through some photographs!

Colombo

Since it was raining most of the first week I was there, we went armed with umbrellas (incase of rain and unwanted male attention!) and explored Colombo. We went to quaint cafes and welcoming boutiques. Barefoot, Coco Veranda, Commons and Paradise Road were some places that I really enjoyed. I really wish we had a place like BAREFOOT (http://www.barefoot.lk/home.htm) in our cities; it has a fabric/handicraft store, a bookshop, a cosy café and an art gallery. I could live there!

My friend also took me to Colombo Univ. which even during vacations is brimming with character: the torn posters & notices, plain tea in steel cups from the canteen and the sludgy grounds all hold a unique charm.

*Sizzle* as the name suggests is a restaurant where everything sizzles, from the main course to desserts! A must have is the blueberry cheesecake (in pic). It’s yummy. And, purple!

I’m vegetarian, so I did not sample all the sea-food that SL is famous for! (Except a tiny bit of prawn)

String hoppers, Kiribath (milk rice- tastes a little like pongal), pol sambol (dry-tangy coconut chutney like side-dish) and lamprais ( rice that is wrapped in banana leaf and baked is a dutch influence) all were new experiences at the table. I enjoyed eating as much as listening to the history behind some of the preparations.

And, Desserts.Mmm-mm. Apart from chocolates and ice-cream everyday, I had rhubarb for the first time and also curd with treacle (as dessert!).

Kandy

The first chance we got we headed out of the city towards the hills. Kandy, was beautiful. The hills, the mist, the Maligawa (Temple of the sacred tooth-relic of Lord Buddha), the lake.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage- on the way to Kandy, was where we got to see elephants of all shapes and sizes being bathed. The baby elephants were quite adorable!


Yala National Park- is my current favourite wildlife spot. (It’s competing with the rainforests of the western ghats!)

The view of the park from an observation deck is breath-taking. It’s tree tops and green shrubs that merge into the ocean. You can see the white sea spray, hear the waves and the crickets while you breathe the magical forest air! And, it was extra special because I saw my first wild leopard at Yala! :)

Galle

Reminded me of Pondicherry. An escape from confusion, it has this serene façade. The fort ramparts, the old shop fronts, the wooden gates and the churches made me want to conjure up a pot of paint and a sheet of cardboard so I could capture the colours and the peace.

Bentota Beach

Was the best day of the whole trip! And what made it that?!

We first caught the wrong train.*calm* Got off at the next station. Caught the right train. We stood and chatted about the many different shades of blue that we could see from the train, the dry fish stalls that left a lingering smell in the train for a few minutes, the many angles that the coconut trees made along the coast, Umbrella lovers on rocky beaches and prawan-vadai vendors on the train. I think we were SO caught up in the little thrills that a train journey provides, we forgot to get off the train at Bentota! Yes. We missed the station, even though we were staring at a board that said –"Lihiniya Surf Hotel, Bentota". And, we did the craziest thing ever.

We *jumped *off the train a few minutes later when the train made an unscheduled stop at a clearing! NO platform. I’m short. Yes, I could’ve broken my legs. But I didn’t. And, thinking about it makes my grin and burst into laughter. I think it always will!!! =P

That’s our train-

I think Indians sometimes don’t consider the little island as a holiday destination that is *not-to-be-missed* because they think it is Kerala part-2!

Sri Lanka is similar to some parts of our country, no doubt, but there is something distinctive about it. The monks in their saffron robes, smiling women wearing the kandyan saree waiting at the bus-halt, festivities during Vesak (Buddha poornima) and the beautiful, unparalleled coast-line are reason enough for me to want to go back!

Going Solo

I turned twenty about a month ago. It didn’t feel different or old. I was excited. Not just about the day but the days to come. Because, my parents (cool that they are) gifted their (now responsible) little girl a holiday in Sri Lanka. So, on the night of my birthday instead of partying I packed with much anticipation. Looking forward to two weeks on a little island.

Obviously, I couldn’t sleep. At the airport just before I was about to board the plane, I felt a sudden rush of happiness, and also gratitude. I strapped myself in and noticed a white band on my bare wrist. Perfect! I who meticulously plan and pack, had forgotten my watch. Secretly, I was glad. It was a sign. I was going without an itinerary, wanting to discover each place, and unwrap it like a surprise.

I had to take two flights, first to Chennai and from there to Colombo. On both flights, women who sat next to me, chatted me up; curious and a little surprised that I was travelling alone. At Chennai Airport, the Immigration officer looked at me with beady little eyes, and unsuccessfully hid her suspicions (juvenile delinquent, running away from home?!) after checking with another officer, she reluctantly stamped my passport. I was a little annoyed with so many people assuming I was too young to travel alone.

As I sat reading my book, occasionally glancing at the departure terminal, my mind hovered, as it tuned in and out of conversations around me.

A young couple, most probably Punjabi, newly married, were busy taking pictures, lost in each other and their newfound love, even wilting flowers in a vase seemed to hold their interest. An old man was speaking really loudly into a tiny phone, repeatedly telling his son/daughter that there had been no problem at the airport, afraid that they couldn’t understand. He fidgeted for a while, walking up and down, then, resigned he sat down clutching his bag tightly and stared at the departures screen. A foreigner in salwar- kameez walked past me and flashed a brilliant smile. I smiled back and sudden loud wailing made me turn around. A child had overturned her cup of hot noodles, the father was shouting, and the mother looked pained and embarrassed. I stuffed my book in my bag and thought about the time when I was little, and had spilt boiling tea over myself in a train.

As the boarding call was announced I looked forward to my first holiday alone, across the little strip of water, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, and felt a little old.