SRI LANKA: RECIPE OF AN EXPEDITION RICH IN EMOTIONS

SRI LANKA'S RECIPE

Preparing time:

28 days on spot, or 1848 kms.

Cooking time:

83 hours spent in 71 different transports.

Ingredients:

• 7 trains

• 37 tuk-tuks

• 8 local buses

• 3 minivans

• 9 Grabs

• 6 Jeeps

• 1 scooter

Seasonings:

• A tons of elephants

• Approximately 1000 tea plantations

• The same quantity of rice & curry

• 2 stealthy leopards

• 1 scooter tire puncture in a mountainous region, followed by a dozen kms walked on foot

• 1 bus chase looking for a forgotten filtering water bottle

• 4 return tuk-tuk rides to the phone repairing shop

• 1 window dismantling to be able to access the hotel room because the keys got forgotten in the middle of our safari

• 1 polite tasting of a wood aple despite the nauseating smell of the fruit

• 2 crazy tuk-tuk rides with a driver who (to choose):

  • is a big fan of Mario Kart

  • takes too seriously the mission of compensating for a change of train station caused by some trees that fell on the track

• 10 Sri Lankan specialties learnt during a cooking class

• 1 Christmas spent with family

• 2 hotel stays with swimming pool

• 1 authentic train ride including:

  • A lot more passengers than available seats

  • 1 exit through the window embellished by the applause of all locals

• 1 wandering bear

• 2 days of torrential rain

• 1 neighbouring landslide

• 3 hungry leeches

• 1 restaurant (HQ?) with a panoramic view over the tea plantations

• 1 guesthouse with (a bit) of things to improve, including:

  • 1 brick as a pillow

  • 1 huge spider

  • 1 mosquitoe net full of holes

  • 1 blanket for babies

  • 4 persons sleeping on the door step

    • 1 budget explosion during an initiation to the ayurvedic medicine

Methods (overview):

• COLOMBO

Strolling through the animated streets of the capital

Familiarizing ourselves with the cultural diversity of the country (buddhist and hindu temples, mosques, colonial architecture)

Taking a ride on our first Sri Lankan tuk-tuk

• GALLE

Visit of the fortified city and walk on its battlements

Relaxing on Unawatuna beach

• UDAWALAWE

Morning safari in the 500 elephants' national park

• ELLA

Hiking to the Nine Arches Bridge

Ascension of the Little Adam’s Peak

Taking on a ride from Ella to Nuwara Eliya seated on the train's footboards

• NUWARA ELIYA

Walking through Sri Lanka's little England

Stop at the Damro Tea Factory and tea tasting

• KANDY

Afternoon in the city's botanical garden

Initiation to the ayurvedic medicine and its benefits

• DAMBULLA

Discovery of the Golden Temple and its hidden caves

• SIGIRIYA

Hiking to the Pidurangala Rock to admire the panorama on King's Rock and its surroundings

• BENTOTA

Enjoying the relaxing atmosphere

Cooking class

• YALA

Full day safari in the national park

• HAPUTALE

Choosing a guesthouse with a view on the mountains and the tea plantations

Exploring the region by scooter

Visit of Lipton's Seat

The bill (for 2): 1224€

Positive feedback:

• The diversity of the country (jungle, national parks, beaches, mountains)

• The hospitality of locals 

• Easyness to plan the itinerary

Negative feedback:

• Long transportation despite short distances

• Permanent humidity

• Food is not diversified

To go further and read all the details of this recipe, it's HERE !