Australia bound

In small town New Zealand I stared at the calendar on my office desk. Time was slipping away; days into weeks and weeks into months. I was stagnating in my job and wanted to travel. But I didn’t know where to start. It’s a small world but if you really examine a world map, the options are bewildering: Asia, Europe, Africa, America, the Pacific Islands or Australia? 

Australia - it's a huge country!

Australia is our nearest neighbour and I didn’t even know exactly what it was - an island, country or even a continent? In the end, it didn’t matter because it was the perfect place to start my travels. It’s the essence of diversity. In between the exciting multicultural cities there were arid deserts, colourful coral reefs, green forests, snowy mountains and sandy beaches to explore. It all made sense: I didn’t need a visa, could work along the way and be in no rush. I thought it might take a year and in the end it stretched to 18 months. In fact, it’s never really ended because I now live there!

It was September; winter was over and the weather was warming. My uncle wanted a house sitter in Melbourne and in the meantime my friend in Sydney had invited me to spend a week there. It all fell into place and I began my journey around Australia in the. The attractive and vibrant city of Sydney is the state capital of New South Wales. It is built around one of the most beautiful natural harbours in the world and boasts two of the country’s major icons in the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. With a fascinating history and modern diversity I couldn’t wait to start exploring!

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The friend I stayed with had an apartment in the affluent suburb of Bondi. He lived near Bronte beach which is a couple of kilometres south of the famous Bondi beach. It’s a lovely walk between the two of them, especially early on a spring morning. After that, it was on a bus to the central city where I started my exploration at the huge Coca Cola sign on Darlinghurst Road. This city icon marks the beginning of the somewhat bizarre arrangement of tacky tourist shops, strip clubs, backpacker hostels, cafes and bars that make up Kings Cross.

The Opera House on Bennelong Point

This area is better at night so I made my way down to the huge Hyde Park that houses the Royal Botanic Gardens and NSW Art Gallery. Out on Bennelong Point is the majestic white, sweeping curves of the Opera House where I joined the usual throng of tourists admiring its unique shape. A short walk around Sydney Cove is Circular Quay which is a major transportation hub for buses and ferries across the harbour. I took some time to enjoy the buskers and indigenous entertainers who use this area.

Aboriginal cultural entertainment

There are grand views of the Harbour Bridge from all around Sydney Cove and it’s a popular place for buskers, tourists and locals alike, especially on a warm spring day! I took a walk around The Rocks which is a historic enclave which is the site of Sydney’s first European settlers. Although it has significant cultural and architectural heritage, I couldn’t help feeling that it’s also become a tourist trap of trendy cafes and overpriced souvenir shops.

So I carried on my way up the huge set of steps that lead up the Bradfield Highway which leads north over Port Jackson on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There is an adventure climb enables views from the top of the structure and while I’m sure they are spectacular, I was very happy admiring Circular Quay and the city skyline from the road level. Across in the other direction, I could see Sydney Harbour National Park and Taronga Zoo.

Circular Quay and the Sydney skyline

Hikkaduwa and Negombo

I then did the short journey up the coast to the beach town of Hikkaduwa. Like Unawatuna, this long strip of beach has been exposed to uncontrolled development which has led to terrible erosion. What probably used to be palm trees has now given way to an almost unbroken string of guesthouses that compete to be the closest to the lapping waves. The unfortunate result is that in some parts the sand has almost completely disappeared. Some of the guesthouses are holding back the water with nothing more than sandbags and grim hope. 

Hotels on the Hikkaduwa beach front

That being said though, in some places there are wide expanses of sand and it remains one of Sri Lanka’s most popular tourist destinations. The surf is good and there are always board riders out just waiting for the next perfect wave to ride. There is a coral sanctuary a few hundred metres from the shore which is popular with snorkelers and glass-bottom boats tours. It is also scuba diving season so there’s plenty to do apart from working on your tan. Away from the beach there is a temple to visit and a long line of souvenir shops and restaurants all vying for the tourist dollar.

Buddhist temple, Gangarama Mahavihara

After 40 days of fairly intense travelling this was finally an opportunity to slow right down and enjoy my last couple of days in the subcontinent. I stayed at a nice little place right on the beach. Literally right on the beach… So time was spent relaxing, swimming and late in the afternoon playing some beach volleyball with the local boys. To compliment all that, the sunsets over the ocean here are beautiful and the evenings bring on a new atmosphere that isn’t there in the heat of the day.

Five hours travel up the coast after completing a transit through Colombo was my final destination of Negombo. This modest beach town receives a significant number of tourists simply because of location just 10km from the airport. For many it is the ideal place to either begin or end your Sri Lankan journey. That aside, it’s a historically interesting place and was at one stage one of the country’s most important sources of cinnamon. For the more natural-minded there is also a lagoon, canals and the beach. 

 

Fish drying in the sun at the local market

 

The Dutch captured the town from the Portuguese in 1640 and built a large fort to protect it. All the remains today is a crumbling wall and gateway with the date 1678 inscribed into it. The actual fort area is now the town’s prison which somehow doesn’t seem like the most appropriate use of such a notable place. Nearby is the bustling fish market which was a hive of activity, even though most of fish are sold early in the morning. It’s a smelly place and you have to watch your step in places but certainly worth the visit.

Also in the same area is a rather rundown place ironically called the New Guest House. Perhaps in 1958 it was new and in much better condition because it is where Queen Elizabeth II stayed during her visit to the town. Negombo is strongly influenced by Catholicism (the town is sometimes referred to as “Little Rome”) and is dotted with churches. The most impressive of these is St Mary’s with its beautiful stain glass windows and amazing paintings that cover the ceiling above the nave.

One of the Dutch canals

 

A couple of kilometres to the north of the town area is Negombo Beach. The Dutch showed their love of canals here like nowhere else in the country. In the surrounding area they extend distance of over 120km. I followed one of them toward the beach which was a pleasant walk. The beach itself…well, let’s just say it’s not that alluring. Rather polluted looking water whipped up by a strong breeze pounded into sand that wasn’t without some litter strewn along it. A few brave souls were in the water but only a few. And I wasn’t one of them.

I finished my day trip with a late afternoon stroll around the much prettier lagoon. It’s a good place for bird watching and also important for the local fishing industry. Most of the catches come from the open sea but the lagoon is renowned for its lobsters, prawns and crabs. As the sun dipped toward the horizon it brought an end to this extraordinary journey. As I imagined it’s one that has included many amazing sights, sounds, smells and tastes. With only the most rare exceptions, the people that I’ve encountered in both countries have been invariably warm, friendly, helpful and charming. 

 

Negombo Lagoon

This is one of the reasons people love travelling the subcontinent and want to return again. When I was in Kandy I met a man from Denmark who told me that it’s the middle of winter back home. Days are gloomy and cold. As an escape, he’d come to Sri Lanka on holiday for the past three years. He told me it’s a country with centuries of rich history, a beautiful climate, diverse and very scenic landscapes, delicious food and lovely people. “Why would I want to be anywhere else?” he asked me. To that question, I couldn’t give him any answer. Why not indeed!

Sri Lankan southern coast

Unawatuna itself is all about the beach but to be honest it’s not ideal for swimming, especially for tourists with young children. Waves crash in with surprising force and get sucked out again by an even stronger undertow. It can be fun though lying in the shallows and letting the water move you up and down the sand. I shouldn’t laugh but I watched the hilarious sight of a woman being knocked off balance by the water and as she stumbled around desperately trying to stay upright crashed into her husband sending them both into the surf! 

Despite being a popular tourist destination, it’s an idyllic place and it’s difficult to imagine the horror that must have occurred on Boxing Day 2004. Although reconstruction happened faster here than any other place in Sri Lanka you can’t help but feel some mistakes have been made. Some of the guesthouses are so close to ocean that during big tides there’s almost no beach left in places because the water is virtually at their doorstep. With the subsequent erosion that is caused, they could be washed away a second time within a few years! 

Jungle Beach

I did a hike over to more isolated Jungle Beach. As the name would suggest, it’s where lush green bush descends down a hill to meet a crescent of sand that warm, clear water gently laps onto. It’s a lovely place where I had a swim and sat under a palm tree for a while. This little touch of paradise isn’t exactly a well-kept secret though and as more people arrived I began my hike back. The walk took me past a huge white Peace Pagoda and a nearby temple adorned with large sitting and standing Buddha images.

This was a day where I wasn’t in a hurry and it gave me an insight into how delightful the Sri Lankan people are. The first man I met was a guesthouse owner with a remarkable knowledge of New Zealand so we chatted for a while sipping coconut milk from his fridge. When I lost my way going back through the jungle I asked a local man for some help. Before giving me directions he asked if I’d like to come in and have some tea with his wife and sister. They were a lovely family and although they wanted me to stay for some curry rice I had to keep going.

Sri Lankan family

My destination was the interesting Weherahena Temple, a few kilometres from Matara. It’s most striking feature is the 39-metre high sitting Buddha that overlooks the complex from one end. It is huge and looks magnificent after a repaint just a few months ago. Aside from that, there is a large underground chamber and hallways adorned with numerous colourful murals along the walls and across the ceilings. It’s an extraordinary place to visit and made even better by being able to ascend the stairs behind the Buddha to a viewing platform near his head. 

Weherahena Temple

 

I finished my day at Mirissa Beach which is where I had considered staying a few days prior. It’s similar to Unawatuna but development seems to have been more respectful to the natural shoreline. As a result, there is a broader expanse of sand to enjoy and it has swaying palm trees along much of its length. I had another swim and by coincidence, met up with a couple that I’d previously spent time with in Haputale. We had dinner together before I caught one of the regular buses that ply the southern coastal road towards Galle.

Mirissa Beach

My friends laughed when my dinner came out from the kitchen. From the pizza list that included sausage, ham, mushroom etc I chose pineapple. I thought it was a bit odd that they asked if I’d like honey on it but thought it seemed an interesting idea. When my meal arrived I just stared for a moment at what I’d been given. My ‘pizza’ was chunks of deep fried pineapple topped with vanilla ice cream! And the honey. It would have been a great dessert but I wanted real pizza that comes in a cardboard box and eaten while wearing pyjamas in front of the TV.

Stilt Fisherman

The following morning I visited the village of Koggala to see the iconic sight of the stilt fishermen. In this ancient fishing method, they sit on a cross bar called a petta which is attached to a vertical pole driven into the reef. Although it can't be very comfortable they sit holding their fishing rod in one hand and the pole with the other. Generally speaking, it is out of season and those that still do it generally use the very early morning or late afternoon. So I wasn't hopeful of seeing too much but I was fortunate to find one of them when I was there. He even reeled in a little fish while I stood and watched.

Galle

It was then a long day of bus travel down to the southern coast. The estimated six hours stretched to over eight by the time I finally reached my destination. When I started that morning I didn’t even know exactly where I’d end up. I had a couple of days up my sleeve and there are a number of beach towns along the coast that I could have chosen. I eventually decided that Unawatuna was the best option because the name has such a ring to it. Well, actually more because it has a lovely curving stretch of beach and its close proximity to Galle but the name is just great isn’t it?

Unawatuna Beach

My final challenge in the gathering gloom was to find a place to stay which I knew wasn’t going to be easy. It’s peak tourist season now but after some searching, I found myself a nice room at a very reasonable rate. Staying in Galle itself is quite expensive so I thought why not have the best of both worlds? The city within a ten minute bus ride but cheaper accommodation and the beach to welcome me home after a hot, sweaty day’s sightseeing. The steamy heat of the coastal lowlands has been quite different to the fresh mountain air I’d become used to in the Hill Country!

Galle reminds me a little of Melaka in Malaysia because of its rich maritime history and occupation through various periods by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. The older part of the city is built within the fort walls and is a wonderful collection of Dutch colonial buildings, little boutique shops, cafes, hotels, churches, a mosque, library, museums and a few commercial buildings. Unlike the typical Sri Lankan tangle that is the new town, these streets are blissfully quiet and atmospheric. 

Character buildings and quiet streets of Galle Fort

 

The 36-hectare fort covers most of the promontory that is the original part of Galle. I climbed up onto the massive walls and walked a complete circuit of the fort. Starting at the main gate, I passed the original old gate and a number of bastions located at strategic points. It was interesting to note how the part of the wall facing inland was the most heavily fortified. 350 years after its construction through it all remains very robust and this was proven when it protected the old quarter during the 2004 tsunami. In contrast, the new town and much of the surrounding coastline was devastated.

Walls of the old Galle Fort

Historically, the most interesting building in the fort is the Dutch Reformed Church that was completed in 1755. The floor is paved with gravestones from the old Dutch cemetery, with the oldest dating from 1662. I’m not sure that it is still used but the original pipe organ from 1760 sits in the church and the pulpit is made from Malaysian wood that would have been brought to Sri Lanka on a trading ship. Next door to the church is the Amangalla Hotel built in 1684 to house the Dutch governor and officers. 

Bell Tower and Dutch Reformed Church

 

History abounds at almost every corner you turn in this wonderful place. There is a bell tower built in 1901 and a slab over the doorway to the Dutch Government House bears the date 1683. There is an old shipping office with a beautifully preserved 19^th century ship arrival board on the front wall. The National Museum (yes, another one) was closed but I did visit the Maritime Museum. This has been renovated recently and just reopened again a couple of years ago. I found it to be more museum than maritime but the displays were well put together anyway.

Lipton's seat and Badulla

My second day started at 6am when I caught a bus to the Dambatenne Tea Factory. This is one of the most famous factories in Sri Lanka because it was built by Sir Thomas Lipton in 1890. I’m sure you’ve heard the name before but if for some reason you haven’t, just have a look in the hot drinks aisle of the local supermarket. Lipton was a remarkable man whose ambitions weren’t limited to success in business. In 1909 he donated a trophy for an international football competition 21 years before the first World Cup and he made a number of unsuccessful attempts to win yachting’s America’s Cup.

Lipton’s Seat

At the top of a narrow paved road that climbs for about 7km behind the tea factory is the lookout point known as Lipton’s Seat. It was here that the Scottish tea baron liked to host picnics and survey his burgeoning empire. The hike up took about 1 ½ hours and the view in the early morning sun was magnificent. The reason for going so early is you need to beat the cloud that usually rolls in about mid-morning. Coming down was much easier because I used the more direct route of the stone steps that tea pickers use when working in the plantations.

View from near Lipton’s Seat

Back in Haputale I made a second attempt to do the trip to Badulla that I hadn’t been able to complete from Ella. Although the train was running 45 minutes late, I did it successfully this time. As I anticipated, the railway passes through some beautiful scenery and my arrival time gave me a couple of hours sightseeing in one of Sri Lanka’s oldest towns that was occupied briefly by the Portuguese before it became an important social centre for the British. Today it’s a typical Sri Lankan bustling town but there are a handful of sights worth visiting.

Muthiyagana Vihara

Most visiting Sri Lankans visit Muthiyagana Vihara which is a beautifully kept Buddhist complex with a large white stupa, central temple, meditation room and small shrines. I also visited the Kataragama Devale which is a Hindu temple with carved wooden pillars and faded murals painted on the outer walls. I finished my afternoon at St Mark’s church which as some interesting old headstones in the graveyard that surrounds it. Inside the church itself is a plaque commemorating an elephant hunter by the name of Major Rogers.

There’s a fascinating story that surrounds this particular gentleman. In four years of carnage he killed some 1,500 elephants. Legend has it that during a severe thunderstorm in 1845 Rogers stepped onto his veranda and proclaimed to his wife that it’s all over. Seconds later a final bolt of lightning struck him dead. The remaining elephants probably trumpeted in delight! As if to complete the act of justice, Rogers’ headstone is now cracked in half, reputedly by another bolt from the heavens! 

 

Adisham Monastery

 

Before departing the Hill Country, I sneaked in a visit to the Adisham Monastery. This elegant stone-block building was once the home of a successful tea planter who wanted to recreate is English lifestyle. So he had this beautiful mansion built and surrounded it by immaculate lawn and garden. The finishing touch was a Daimler car in the garage complete with chauffeur! Nowadays it is one of only 18 monasteries in the world belonging to the Sylvestrine Congregation which is a suborder of the Benedictine fraternity founded in the 13^th century.

Haputale

My next destination was Haputale at the southern edge of the Hill Country. It would be my farewell to this beautiful part of Sri Lanka and I had a fabulous time there. It’s only an hour by bus from Ella so I had two full days in this largely Tamil town. It sits at 1580 metres above sea level and clings to a narrow mountain ridge that falls away steeply on both sides. So it’s a spectacular location and on a clear day you can see all the way to the southern coast. That would be early morning before the swathes of mist roll in and swirl around the peaks.

Mosque overlooking Haputale

After visiting the pretty Anglican church and adjacent graveyard I jumped on the train (which was actually on time on this occasion!) and travelled one station 8km to the west. I hiked back along the railway line which hugs one side of the ridge and is a proud achievement of 19^th century engineering. It was interesting that I had beautiful clear views into the valley to my left, while on the opposite side was thick with cloud and I could see virtually nothing.

Views of the Hill Country

After a few kilometres I left that railway line and took a trail that led through the Tangamale Nature Reserve. This was a lovely hike that went through pockets of native bush. For a while all I could hear was birds chirping and the sound of a stream as it trickled its way down the mountain. It was a world away from the noise, hustle and pollution of the big cities so I appreciated the peaceful bliss while it lasted. It was then a pleasant 3km walk along a quiet road back to the town.

It was a day when things just fell into place because when I arrived at the station there was a bus leaving within minutes. This would take me 23km down the mountain to the magnificent Diyaluma Falls. At 171 metres, it is the third highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. Water seems to leap from the top of the escarpment and fall in one clear drop down the sheer rock face into the pool below. It’s a great sight from the road below but I didn’t stand admiring for too long because I wanted to do the 45 minute hike to the top. 

Diyaluma Falls (171 metres)

The track is a bit indistinct and steep in places but the rewards of getting up there are stunning views, beautiful rock pools and a few mini falls that lead to the top of the main fall. Although it was late afternoon I had enough time for a refreshing swim in one of the pools before sitting to admire the panorama of greenery below me. I could easily have stayed longer but I had to get down and pick up a bus before dark. It was 1¼ hours back up the mountain to Haputale.

Hiking in Ella

In the lovely little town of Ella it’s very convenient to ease back and not do a lot.  But it also offers some fine walks which I did during the couple of days I spent there.  The first of these follows a gently ascending road that goes through several tea plantations, some of which had pickers at work.  The destination is Little Adam’s Peak which bears a striking resemblance to its larger namesake but only takes about ten minutes to reach the top from the road.

Lush green tea plantations

The top offered great a panorama of the surrounding area, including a view down the large valley known as Ella Gap.  I sat for a while and watched vehicles snaking their way along a winding road far below me.  In the other direction there was a tea factory.  Like many others, it is a distinctively large corrugated iron building, four storeys tall.  It sits at the top of a ridge in order to catch the breeze which helps dry the tea leaves that have been recently plucked (in the tea world apparently leaves are plucked rather than picked).

 

It’s interesting to note also that Sri Lanka only started growing tea in the colonial era.  Until the 1860’s coffee was the predominant crop in this cool climate.  It was only when a virus virtually decimated the entire coffee stock that the British turned to tea.  Today Sri Lanka produces millions of tons of tea and is second only to India when it comes to exporting the product.  Aside from the quantity though, Sri Lankan tea is award winning in its quality of flavour and body.

Top of the world!  On Ella Rock.

Bright and early the second day I did the more strenuous hike up Ella Rock which is a higher viewpoint overlooking the valley on the opposite side.  The first part of this route is a 2½ km walk along the railway line which seems to be a pathway many of the locals use.  Never mind about any safety regulations relating to this because they don’t exist.  It’s much in line with passengers being able to stand in doorways and hang out the windows as the train gathers speed.

Inside the Dowa Temple cave shrine

From the heights of Ella Rock I returned to the town and took the descending road down to the Dowa Temple.  This is a cave shrine that dates back centuries in one form or another.  Today the internal walls are covered with beautiful Sri Lankan style Buddhist murals and there is a four metre high standing Buddha image carved into the rock face beside the temple.  Altogether I’d walked about 16km that day but it was well worth the effort and very enjoyable.  I did get the bus back to Ella though!

My travel in Sri Lanka was almost exclusively by bus.  There’s something romantic about taking the train though and I thought I should do it at least once.  So having a few hours to spare I decided to take an excursion to Badulla which is at the end of the line that begins in Colombo.  The only problem was that almost everything I’d heard from other travellers about the rail system reflected an appalling record for timeliness and reliability.  It was my turn to realise that yes, this is unfortunately true.

The pace of life is slow in rural Sri Lanka

The train was scheduled to depart Ella at 3.07pm and initially I was told it was running 30 minutes late.  I waited and was then informed it would be an hour late.  I went and had a cup of tea and returned to find it was going to be between 90 minutes and 2 hours late.  I waited till 4.40pm and gave up.  Regrettably there simply wasn’t going to be enough daylight left to make it worthwhile.  So I had the best of intentions but I guess some things just aren’t meant to be…