SRI LANKA ROAD TRIP

You gotta be brave to drive in Sri Lanka. 

The traffic gets intense and everybody is driving on the wrong side of the road (British left).

I’m in my first tuk-tuk. It’s a three wheeled vehicle.  The name is onomatopoetic given the sound coming from the small motor.  

There are more than 1.2 million tuk-tuks on the island with a population of about 1.2 million.  

Wow, so many.  Take a look...It's as if you are here.

Beep beep, here we come. 

 We weave through traffic often with less than 12 inches between our fender and the next. 

One lane streets become three lane highways as tuk-tuks slice between cars and vans and motor cycles squeeze into the gaps. 

I want to squeeze my eyes shut.

Jenny checks plans with our driver

My niece, Jenny, and husband, Shannon, have arranged a grand road trip to see the sights of Sri Lanka.  Aidan, my Great Nephew, will join us too.

Our driver is Priyantha.  He arrives in a mini-van. He’s a native and I'm hoping he's accustomed to the driving style here. 

Off we go...

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Started in 1975, the Orphanage provides safe space for 60 elephants of all sizes. It’s an important breeding site with its second generation of elephants.

The rainy season is late and water levels are quite low

In the morning and afternoon, they are free to roam a wide swath of the river bed. 

Around noon they are guided up a hill past rows of souvenir shops to an area where they are fed.

We eat lunch on a veranda overlooking the elephants

It’s not elephants in the wild, but then again it’s not a small zoo. We get to see the elephants and babies up close.  It's wonderful.  

They appear relatively free and well cared for.

Fresh Paper

I discover a shop where they are making paper from elephant poop. That’s right, poop! 

Slurry made from
 elephant poop 

Since elephants eat a high fiber diet, their poop can be dried, sifted and boiled into a slurry pulp. 

From there it’s made into paper.

We watch the entire process.

I pick up a package of the elephant "poop paper."

 No, it does not smell. It looks to be of high quality. I intend to use it in a watercolor or for some other art project.

Examples are for sale throughout the shops.

Mountains and Vistas

“Are we there yet.” As children we wail these words from the back seat. But as adults we soak in the sights hoping for lasting inspiration.  I'm not disappointed.

Leaving the coastal plain of Colombo, we travel into the Hill Region. The road is single lane and winds around mountains and through valley plains.  There are steep curves with many nearly 360 degrees.  Thrilling and more than a little scary...I must say! 

Look out the window.  What do you see? 

Sunny skies

Cascading water falls everywhere

Rolling hills and mountains

Tea plants terraced up a hillside

About 25% of the world's tea  grows in Sri Lanka

Inspiration for a watercolor

Roadside Hindu Shrine

Kandy – Cultural and Spiritual Center

As we drive into Kandy, the transmission on our van acts up.

Not fully aware of the problem, we take a spin around a beautiful lake in the town center.

Before the Brits took over in 1815, the last King, 
 Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, construct a lake from a marshy area. It was an extravagant project showcasing the adjacent ancient Temple of the Sacred Buddha Tooth which is considered the source of all ruling power in Sri Lanka.

 We walk towards a pavilion where a cultural program takes place. 
 Immersed in ancient mythologies, drummers pound out rhythms while dancers introduce us to their culture. 

It’s mesmerizing especially when lit torches are juggled and fire eaters perform. 

How do they do that?

Afterwards, we face a big problem.  Our struggling van has finally whimpered to a stop.  

Yikes!  After some worry, maybe a lot, we’re rescued by tuk-tuks.  

Imagine that!  Our driver arranges for two tuk-tuks to take us to our hotel.  We climb into the backseats and take a wild ride. 

Meanwhile, our driver makes arrangements to get a new vehicle from Colombo.  

As they say, "Alls well that ends well."  We all agree that our van troubles will become one of those stories to tell and re-tell.  

The next morning I’m up before dawn. I take time to watch the sunrise through the mountain mist. 

It’s so delicate, thought provoking and inspiring...a great way to greet a new day.

The adventure continues....