First proper post after we’ve ‘settled’ into the swing of things… slightly!
We arrived at Colombo after a shortish transfer flight (2hrs from Mumbai). We’d managed to bag ourselves a couple of brilliant seats next to a very worse for wear Canadian fellow that was either scared of flying or just liked to drink before flights. Either way largely humming of alcamahol and reached for the sick bags just after take-off… This wasn’t used thank god!
After a couple of hours at Colombo airport, changing money and sorting our flights out of Sri Lanka we grabbed a Taxi into town, cost about 2500LKR ~£12.50. We wandered round Colombo city in the mid day heat with the rucksacks for an hour or two to various places we needed to visit (mainly to enquire about a Japan rail pass, you need to buy it outside of Japan apparently…). We soon discovered that the small journeys people we advising us to make via TukTuk could easily be done on foot and even with the sun and humidity beating on us it was somewhat quicker to just walk. I suppose they were more thinking about the rucksacks…! We did get to see a bit more, and appreciate what was around (also memorise some landmarks) than we would have done via TukTuk. We also soon discovered a quick and easy way to convert between LKR and GBP, checkout the currency conversion page for this method.
We took the TukTuk to the first hostel (Mysoor Inn, very enthusiastic owner!) on Galle road just outside the main part of the city (roughly 300LKR). After checking in and dumping our bags we had a wander up and down the main street, got some food and found an ATM (it seems we always underestimated how much we needed to take out)! Dinner at the Chariot cafe down Galle Road was, well, large and cost a fraction of what it would have done back home, about 720LKR £3.60 for a bowl of fish curry, a large noodles and two Cokes.
The next day we spent rammed on the train to Unawatuna (~ 250LKR each!) every so often squeezing past sellers as they came down the train with various goods from deep fried shrimps to children’s books.
After finally arriving in Unawatuna (at first we missed the stop, had to get off a few stops down, buy another ticket , wait a while, and head back. Unawatuna is apparently a request stop, would have been nice to know!) we checked into Brink House Guest House (the location of which was a mystery to many TukTuk drivers in the area apparently) and went on our way to find another ATM to be able to pay the accommodation fees… We soon discovered however that the nearest ATM was in Galle, the main town which was a TukTuk trip away (~500LKR).
On arriving we headed to the fort and had dinner in Spoons cafe, a small place that resembles the same quality food as ‘spoons back home, still large portions though! And traditional Sri Lankan food.
The next we had a walk to Jungle beach as described by our host from Brink House, spent a couple of hours there (not as desolate as we hoped, you can get there via a road…) then headed to the beach which was 100m from our hostel. Stayed there for the rest of the day, read a little, got exhausted from the sun, realised we were actually burnt and went back to change. We ended the day with a beach meal accompanied by a Mojito (500LKR) and a locally brewed (Sri Lankan) Lion beer (300LKR for a large bottle).
It seems even though Unawatuna is, for all intense and purposes, quite touristy (food prices almost double that in Colombo which is not very touristy at all, and Una has nick nak shops dotted along the main road) there was an abundance of wildlife on the door step. I casually spotted a monkey nibbling a banana by the side of the road, followed by Turtle floating down the river when taking a shower. All things i’m sure we’ll get used to, but nice to see! Oh and of what we have seen of Sri Lanka so far, it is very green!
Currently on our way to Yala National Park (by Taxi, 9000LKR) as we’ve booked a stay at Gem River Eco (?!) Lodge for 3 nights. They run safaris into the park.
Enough rambling for now, quite a long post, and I’m sure not all will be like this but we’ve got 3/4 hours to kill in the Taxi!
Ciao for now!
Argh! So jealous already! Looks incredible, and you’ve only just begun. Absolutely loving the “PC World” pic
Thought I’d drop you a note to let you know that at least someone’s reading the blog 
As I’m sure you’ve already learnt, when buying something in that part of the world, haggling is definitely the way to go. I was really uncomfortable with it to start with, but just treat it as a game – it soon becomes kinda fun. Oh and make sure you get permission before wondering through any tea paddies #awkward
Cheers dude! Got the tracking cookies on the site so I know who’s who
Love and loath the haggling, sometimes its a fine line between being cheeky and paying local price (when you could in fact pay a tad more) and getting royally ripped off when you don’t know the area (thinking TukTuk prices), and possibly raising the price for locals in the area as a by product!
But yes haggling is fun, if done in the right manner! 20p tshirt anyone? #Survive_on_£1_a_day