TravelStream™ news feed for member mandy_karl on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/mandy_karl en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:33:47 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1248609240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1248609240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1248609240/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:33:47 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Kandy, Sri Lanka

9pm flight from london heathrow - 10am Bangalore India  for quick temperature check to show we don't have swine flu, quick frisk behind a curtain, removal of a bottle of water as the security staff wanted it for themselves and before we know it we are on the next flight to Colombo!We flyed with Kingfisher and I must say they are excellent.... the food is great... the only problem is i can never sleep on planes and ended up eating far too much curry ......... Karl had his first beer at midday obviously a Kingfisher, Indian larger!We got a taxi to Kandy- extravagent I know, but it meant that we could go straight to Kandy the first night (5000 rs/£27) for a 2.5h journey.My first impressions of Sri Lanka was lush green countryside and i was reminded of southern india with all the sari's and food stalls etcThe freedom lodge was up a hill on the other side of the lake to the tooth temple - but no views. It cost 1700rs (£9) with breakfast for 900rs/£3. The room was lovely and clean and owners were very nice. we had a balcony and mosquito net and attached bathroom.Kandy centre is a small town - which is surprising since it is the second biggest city in Sri lanka. We walked around the streets orientating ourselves a little. There did not seem many restaurants or bars so we just walked back to the hotel all around the lake (luckily i had a torch) and had an early night
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249032545/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249032545/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249032545/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:25:26 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka

A day looking around the ancient site for 750 for a tuk tuk for the morning and $25 entry to the sites.We had a sri lankan breakfast of a hopper (rice pancake) with lentil and potato curry, roti and a pot of tea and we were set for the day. The ruins are on one dirt road and we saw all the sites in our own time in 3 hours. As usual we did not have a guide we just listened to what the tuk tuk driver told us and wandered around with the lonely planet. We saw many stupas, ruins of palaces, lotus pools and temples where you had to remove your hats and shoes and not take photos with your back to any buddhas.The best place was Gal Vahara where there were 4 seperate buddhas all cut out of the same piece of rock. One of the Buddhas is 14m in length - was really impressive. A lot of the ruins were not visually impressive but the size of the place and the big structures were. The tuk tuk driver took us to the bus station and we immediately got on a bus and headed back to Kandy (3h), where we couldn't find anywhere that did curry after 7pm - there are only about 4 places to eat in the centre and these are all chinese foods which were mostly meat. We ended up having a rubbish vege fried rice
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249040283/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249040283/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249040283/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:14:05 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Ella, Sri Lanka

We walked down to the train station via the bakery and caught the 8.20am commuter train to the main train to Ella. We were a little worried how busy it would be and difficult but it was fine. We got off at the last stop walked over the bridge (there is only one) to the other platform to catch the train from Colombo. We were two of the four seats allocated from Kandy in the observation carriage to Ella (750rs - the only way to get reserved seats). This meant all the seats were sitting backwards looking out the back of the train with windows all around.The train was not busy and it was not hectic at all. So we just sat back and watched as the train climbed the hills and passed tea plantations and waterfalls and people ate, slept and relaxed. Before we knew it the 6h journey was over and we got off. We took a tuk tuk to the hotel as were told the hilltop rest was at the top of the hill so didn't want to carry the bag up the hill... unfortunately the tuk tuk could not make it and got stuck so we had to walk up the hill anyway!The views were down the valley from the hotel and the rooms were clean and nice for 1500rs.We went for a walk up little Adams peak - which without local peoples help would have meant we would have got a little lost or at least ended up in peoples houses. We walked past tea pickers in the fields up to the top of the hill.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249036917/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249036917/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249036917/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:37:25 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Matara, Sri Lanka

A bus along the coast to the beach. We were dropped off on the main road and walked down to see what the hilltop seaview was like - it ended up not really being that nice for 1000rs and was pretty full. Instead we stayed at the lovely place with its own balcony area overlooking the sea for 2000rs at the bottom of that hill. There really wasn't much of a beach and later found out that after the tsunami there isn't a beach during the summer months and only during october - march... We therefore saw a narrow strip of beach lined by palm trees and many closed bars/hotels . I can imagine it would be a  really lovely place with everything open and a thick beach.We walked along the beach, i paddled and bobbed in the waves and had a couple of drinks at paradise beach hotel before a buffet dinner there for 650rs. We decided although it was lovely staying in our little room by the beach it was time to move on to Unawatuna and hope that more things were open there.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249036218/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249036218/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249036218/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:36:57 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

Due to no tourists we got the posh room for 3000rs - air conditioning, big balcony overlooking pool and sea, satalite tv and mosquito net... really lovely place.. was stunning... so we decided to stay for 3 nights... well how can you not stay when the weather is good and there is a beach and pool? we were really expecting rain in July... which is why tourists stay away.. there was some rain. I have to admit that. but the showers were normally in the afternoon and only lasted about 20 mins before clearing and being sunny again!There were few tourists around so all the shops and touts on the beach and tuk tuk drivers etc pleaded poverty and always asked for more money since they had no business, while many places were closed due to few visitors.Over 3 days we loved breakfast at the chicargo rock - as it was 360 rs for 2 eggs, toast, fruit and fruit juice and tea - great value. then we could use the beds all day for free.we got the bus to kogala to see the stilt men... they are only there 6.30-8am so we missed them but saw the stilts and one of them. Apart from that we sunbathed, swam, i bought an opal necklace and scarves for 250rs /£1 each and some silly puppets for 500rs each
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249037591/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249037591/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249037591/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:31:20 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Kataragama, Uva, Sri Lanka

We got a tuk tuk to the tea plantation factory, which was really interesting hearing about how tea gets from the plants to our cups. We were surprised that the factory did not own any plantations and buys the leaves from the fields.After the 3 buses, one being the most squashed bus in the world - it tho thought we had to squash ourselves onto the hot sweaty bus but no about 20 more pushing in... where we stood and sweated for 30 mins before moving on.... was an interesting journey... especially with the 2 or 3 year old breast feeding by a toothless mother and another mum falling asleep and nearly dropping her new born. Through military check points, where there were no checks and over an hour later we were there. We thought it would be hard to find a place to stay with the festival on , but we found out that most people would actually be sleeping in the temple under the stars for the 12 day festival. We were really not sure what to expect from this stop , with stories of mutilations at the festival and if the first day would be anything special .. but we found a lovely place, Sunil guest house about 5 min walk from bus station and 10 min to temples for 1500rs. The room was pretty small but it was cute we walked over a little bridge over the fish pond / water fountain to our room, which was attached to the main family home. We had a early dinner at the guesthouse, which was a good curry and rice and headed over to the temples at about 5pm.There did not seem many people about at first . We walked through the security into the bottom of the temples along the path to the next group of temples and onto the big stupa at the end. Each time entered a temple we had to remove our shoes and carry them through to the next path. the main temple was the one at the end where most people were putting thier flowers in front of the Buddha and putting thier parafin oil into the candle lamps and praying. Back at the second set of temples people were starting to congregate. Over the next hour we saw people dressed in elaborate costumes and elephants being dressed and the amounts of people and security increasing. We found a little raised platform to stand by the water fountain where noone else was and managed to avoid the crowds. Nearer the time of the parade a couple of other white people joined us and we realised that we were in teh prime location to see everything. As the sun set the elephants were dressed and went to the temple to bow down to be blessed and the 3 temples in the middle and the lights were switched on. The parade was amazing. there must have been about 8 elephants of different sizes and about 15 sets of dancers and drummers dressed in fantastic costumes and doing great dancers. We could not believe that this was the first night and day by day it gets more impressive with more dancers and elephants and people. It really was a sight to see and we were really pleased that we went and saw it.. it was the hightlight of our trip!it took an hour for the parade to reach the bottom temple and the main elephant covered in garlands carrying the main priest went to the temple for more blessings and prayers etc before the whole parade went back to the main temple at the top.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249035270/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249035270/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1249035270/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:29:54 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Galle, Southern, Sri Lanka

We woke early to get a long breakfast on the beach, get a swim, collect my lovely new necklace, swim in the pool , shower and pack before getting a tuk tuk to Galle (300rs).We saw the town in less than a couple of hours, It is a narrow street small place surrounded by walls that you can walk around. Many places were closed due to being out of season, although there were still many gem shops around there wasn't really anywhere to go to eat and not much to do.After checking train times, walking around part of the new and old town we walked around the walls of the old town (befriended by some dogs) and watching cricket played by locals. It was amazing how some people scaled the fort walls in bare foot and others were jumping off the walls into the water for money for tourists. It poured down at sunset so we headed back for an amazing dinner and another early night before our early train ride.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1245930810/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1245930810/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1245930810/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:14:19 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Negombo, Sri Lanka

6am wake up, 7.30am fast train (3h) to Colombo through the rain. 100rs tuk tuk to bus station (10 mins) , one hour to negombo by bus ( which i slept through) then last 15 mins tuk tuk (250rs) to the ice bear hotel - which turned out to be an expensive place 36euros/6500rs ish run by swiss people which wasn't nice, didn't look clean and was horrible. Karl went and looked at many other places but the best place was next door - prince residence for 3000rs very clean , very modern room with air conditioning and tv and fabulous.. it is the place to stay!!!There was a little rain for about 5 mins but then it cleared to be a hot afternoon. We thought Negombo was a small place but in the heat of the afternoon the 20 min walk seemed a long way to the coconut palm - where we had the best tuna pizza ever for 580rs/£3. We realised the last pizza we had was about a year ago in Uganda and we never eat it in the UK - but it really hit the spot today.The beach isn't a swimming beach - as there are huge waves, steep beach and red flags flying. We watched the crabs making and remaking their homes and didn't really know what to do with ourselves in the heat. The beach is really big and edged by big hotels, but no cafes or bars to entice you in off the hot beach.We went to the ranch pub as was said to have the cheapest beer 180rs/£1 which was empty. The main street reminded me of a tourist resort in Greece and many of the places owned by foreigners. Was interesting to see but not my idea of a perfect place.After our big pizza at 2pm we didn't fancy dinner so headed back to the hotel to watch a film , eat biscuits and get an early night before our 5am wake up.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1247658800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1247658800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1247658800/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:58:20 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Kandy, Central, Sri Lanka

We went to the sacred tooth temple in kandy for the Purja (really the only main thing to see in the city). After taking ages to get through the metal detector and being frisked again we paid our 500rs foreigners fee, 150 rs for camera (although noone checked it) and handed in our shoes before going into the temple. Where you can't wear a hat , had shoulders covered and wore trousers to make sure we were respectfully dressed.There were drummers drumming outside the shrine and many school children around. .. these were all dressed in white with the girls all having long hair in 2 plaits with red bows in the end. They looked really smart. It meant, however, we were constantly in the middle of school classes.In the complex there were many shrines. Up the stairs was the main shrine .. we queued to file past the golden cover over the sacred tooth while people gave their flower offerings. .. and others were putting thier flowers and money on the table in front.There were a couple of other rooms with Buddhas in with lovely paintings... One room was really large with sperate pictures of Buddhas teachings. This was lovely as one set of school children all sat down and started singing. Outside oil lamps and insense were lit and there were more temples.Nearby was a christian church which has alledgely 300 people who go to services on sundays.By midday we went to book train tickets to Ella on Tuesday so we could get in the observation carriage as only 4 people can get on at Kandy station each day and find out about buses to Dumbulla. We decided to go in Pub restaurant for a drink as is the only place to have a drink on a balcony overlooking the street. We just tucked into a Lion beer 270rs/£1.70 when the rain started and all the umbrellas came out, while we relaxed. In the evening - once the rain had stopped we headed over to the arts centre for a local dancing performance (750rs). Many tourists must have been bused in as an audience  came from nowhere. The costumes were really good and although the show was not faultless it was really entertaining with dancing, backflips and walking on hot coals. After dinner at the Green Garden Members Cafe where beer was 160rs we walked back for another early night.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1248952992/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1248952992/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/mandy_karl/3/1248952992/tpod.html Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:54:30 -0400 Sri Lanka Here we come!

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Dambulla, Sri Lanka

We were going to get a bus to Dambulla , but we ended up talking to a taxi driver who agreed to take us to the caves in Dambulla and then on to Sigiriya for 4500rs/£25 which meant we would definately get to see both things in the same day - as we were worried that we wouldn't get the time and would have to use up another day due to travel between them etc.It took about 1.5 h to get from kandy to Dambulla. When we arrived there was a huge plastic Buddha on top of the museum with many orange monks along the top of a cave. We paid our 1150 rs/£5.50  ticket and climbed the steep stairs up to the cave. ..past all the cheeky monkeys... It was a lot hotter here than Kandy. There were 5 caves at the top with the second one being the largest cave with many Buddhas and stupas and pictures on the ceiling, which was impressive.
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