Part 8 - Pub-crawling around the World - Wijaya, Thalpe Beach, Sri Lanka

I stayed in Hikkaduwa for most of the time in Sri Lanka, Volunteering for Manacare, but I definitely had a few social nights out, with a great group of girls who took me under their wing for the duration. Although Wijaya wasn't my most unique Sri Lankan experience, it was definitely the bar in which I spent the most time, and it's suitably off the tourist beaten track enough to warrant comment and recommend that people go there.

Wijaya is a stone's throw from Galle, in Dalawella, Unawatuna - a very short drive from the cluster of busy beach bars in Unawatuna. It's on the main (Matara) road, or can be entered from the beachside. My first afternoon spent there was a Poya Day so I couldn't partake in any alcoholic beverages, I really enjoyed the virgin fruit cocktails (mango...mmmmm) and their wood-fired oven-baked pizza's were definitely tantalising after the steady diet of "rice and curry" I'd been living on.

I was lucky that I was in the expat scene, by virtue of my friends living there, and it's a very popular spot for people that live there to hang out, whether by day or night. It's proximity to the beach (most people actually have a swim and then a bite for lunch/dinner in Wijaya) makes the views simply spectacular, and it's not spoilt by pounding music or loads of holiday makers trashing the beach. In fact, the beach is clean and you'll see many local people swimming in the sea here. Depending on the time of year and the tide, you may be lucky enough to experience the little whirlpools that form in small reefs along the beach, leading to a jacuzzi-like experience! (My camera wasn't waterproof, unfortunately - but I can still remember the sensation).

If you just want to lie in the sunloungers/deck chairs make sure you get there early, particularly in season and at the weekend and you may just be lucky.

I visited a few times, and although you can definitely eat and drink in cheaper places (it's definitely not remotely expensive if you're holidaying from Europe/The Middle East/Oz or U.S.A) I don't think that you'll find anywhere as clean, with such great cocktails and food and it's definitely affordable on a backpacker budget. The pizzas are pretty renowned but I also ate prawn salad and some more Sri Lankan offerings and everything was fresh, delicious and with generous portions. The cocktails were yummy too, evidence of the amount of fresh fruit on offer.

Sarah, CJ and myself with yummy cocktails

Of course, as with any beach bar in Sri Lanka, if you're going any time past four pm, ensure you are sensibly lathered in citronella or deet as the mossies also like Wijaya, and I woke up with approximately 30 bites on my leg one morning! They must have smelt the sweet cocktails...

Although I didn't stay here, I believe Wijaya also has some boutique style guest rooms, which are romantic, clean and budget-friendly (also creepy-crawly free, according to people who have stayed there). If you need something more private and a little bigger - my friends have a beautiful place right across the road - with an open air shower and chipmunks playing in the trees. 

Ambience: 10/10 - I can't fault this place, from lounging and lunch, beach and beer or a cocktail night with friends, it's chilled but you can still party here.
Price: Rs. 400 alcoholic beverages start very reasonably but steadily rise.... cocktails are from Rs. 750 upwards. You can bring your own wine, corkage is approx. Rs. 1000 (which is quite reasonable). 

Food: The food here is a highlight, Pizza's around Rs. 1200, My prawn salad Rs. 850, and there were plenty of prawns. Yes, It's on the high side but the portions are healthy and the food is tasty and fresh.

Location: Matara Road (you can get a bus to stop outside! I used to get a Matara bus from Hikka or Galle), Dalawella, Unawatuna. From Unawatuna, expect to pay about Rs.400 upwards for a tuk.
Toilets: Very clean and there are outdoor showers to wash the sand from the beach off :D

Overall: I spent quite a few nights here, met so many expats, locals and holiday-makers. I really liked the place and I hope to visit again.

Their own website can be found here www.wijayabeach.com

Sri Pada - The ascent of Adam's Peak

I had many plans for my month in Sri Lanka but my serious ambition was to climb Adam's Peak in the Ratnapura area of Sri Lanka. A religious pilgrimage undertaken by many Buddhists, it's is famous for the huge footprint (the "Sri Pada" - Buddha's Footprint) at the top, the climb is done at night, ascending thousands of steps. Curiously, it is claimed by Christians' and Muslims' as Adam's footprint, and in the Hindu tradition it is honored as the footprint of Shiva. My intention to climb it wasn't based in religion but more personal achievement - Adam's Peak clocks in at a respectable 7, 359 ft above sea level, and although that's paltry by Kilimanjaro or Everest standards, it would be the highest climb I'd ever completed and many describe it as pretty tough, even for experienced hikers. It is a hike, rather than an actual climb - I'm not sure if you could climb it, given that it is conical, but apparently there are 6 different trails up.

Sri Pada, looming over Dalhousie

I had limited time in which to do the hike, given the travel I had to do to get there. Although, Hatton (the nearest town to Adam's Peak) doesn't look that far from Hikkaduwa on a map, I had already discovered that public transport in Sri Lanka doesn't always go where you want it to, even when you're on it. So, I took a 7am train from Hikka to Colombo, standing in 3rd class on a Saturday morning, much to the abject curiosity of the locals around me. Given that I had my backpack and very little sleep, I sprung for a first class carriage from Colombo to Hatton (for the princely sum of approximately 9 euro). First class is an air-conditioned carriage where you have an assigned seat, and they show films (often in Sinhala but sometimes in English). At certain stations, men come on with baskets of various treats. I couldn't definitively tell you what anything they sold actually was but I had some pickled fruit and something hot and spicy that may/may not have been fish. It may not have been the best decision before undertaking a pre-dawn hike but I took my chances.

When I arrived in Hatton, it was absolutely bucketing rain. I had been told to avoid overpriced tuk's and minibuses, that I would find a Hatton-Dalhousie bus in the town. I crossed the bridge with a tuk-tuk driver chasing me, calling new prices as I studiously ignored him. Once I stopped, named my price and he refused but continued to follow me. As I went to cross the road on the other side, a bus drove through a puddle and drenched me from head to toe. The tuk driver appeared before me, trying to wrestle my backpack off me and said "Ma'am, come, 900 rupees." It sounded like a reasonable deal, so I went with him. It turned out to be a great decision, he chatted about the local history on the hour's journey and stopped at sites of interest, including a two-hundred year old tiny Catholic church, a tea plantation and factory and some staggering view-points over the lakes. I tipped him well and he laughed, because I had bargained so hard, but he was definitely worth it.

It was freezing in Dalhousie, having left Hikkaduwa where days were around 30 C, it was an unpleasant shock. I checked in at Achinika Holiday Inn and ordered some food. Unsurprisingly, everyone was doing or had done the climb. I met an English man, German woman and Sri Lankan man (who had been in the U.K and U.S for years) travelling as a group, who were going to attempt the climb that night. As it was out of season, we were strongly advised to get a guide - the path is not lit in November and conditions were very damp, many things could happen. We decided that between us we would hire a guide to lead us, starting at 1.45am, and after tea and biscuits I retired to bed.

Steps, thousands of steps

I'd like to say the room was nice, but it wasn't. There was a leak outside my door, the floors were wet and there were no heaters so I slept with double layers on, under the single blanket they gave me, and my own sleeping bag. I knew I needed to sleep before the ascent and it was only 7.45pm so I popped a couple of Xanax and went off to sleep.

When the alarm went off at 1.30am I wasn't as disorientated as I thought I'd be. I made my way up to reception in utter darkness, squelching through muddy puddles. It was drizzling slightly and I hoped the steps wouldn't be too precarious. There wasn't much conversation as the six of us set off (the group from the night before plus the guide and his dog). Dalhousie is a tiny hamlet and the only purpose it seems to serve is a pit-stop for the pilgrimage to the mountain, all tin shacks and snack shops, with a handful of guesthouses.

It was a twenty minute walk to the beginning of the steps, and our German comrade had decided we weren't going quick enough for her. The guide gave her a spare torch and she strode off, but when we reached the base point the guide had to call out to her, as he could see her torchlight over to the far right - she had gone in the wrong direction! I was relieved we'd stayed with him and silently vowed that I was sticking to the guide like glue for the rest of the hike. Between her and her husband going forward and the Sri Lankan man dropping back, soon it was just the guide, the dog and myself. The guide warned to watch and listen for wild boar (awesome, and my biggest fear had been leeches, not being torn apart by a wild animal) and said that snakes were unlikely but not unheard of. All very reassuring when Sri Lanka has the highest death-rate from snakebite in the world! Still, I soldiered on. I wasn't finding the pacing that hard-going but it was quite monotonous in the pitch dark, the only sounds our shoes on the wet steps. I had heard stories of water gushing down the steps in November but we seemed to be lucky and the rain was holding off. I was regretting my many layers of clothing though as I was building up quite the sweat.

Around 5am, light began searching across the mountainous landscape, finding lakes in the shade of valleys and I realised how high up we were already. As my legs grew weary I asked the guide how much further and he said "Ten minutes more,". The steps became steeper, on such an incline that made it necessary to hold onto the railings provided and still he told me "Ten minutes." When I figured there really only could be ten minutes more, he told me "Maybe fifteen minutes, I promise, and then the top.". Realistically it was about twenty but I so happy to see the temple at the top I didn't care. I was surprised by how many people were waiting, particularly as very few had passed on the way. There were probably 25 people there, eating sandwiches and having flasks of hot tea. I didn't feel hungry but I noticed the cold immediately. It was absolutely bitter up there, like mid-winter in Siberia (well, so I imagine - maybe Ireland in one of the freezing periods that have become the norm of recent winters). I apped back up and gazed around in awe. The views were tremendous and the air was the freshest I'd ever felt, like my lungs were being cleansed with each breath. It would have been the wrong time to have a cigarette, although a few were puffing away.

 Then, dawn. The sky broke apart slowly, the sun filtering through the cracks, lighting us up in a perfect moment. I felt completely blessed and maybe that's the power of the place - the truly awe-inspiring beauty from that view, maybe that's what some people ascribe to their faith, or believe that their God makes possible. Who am I to say?

It was magic.

After a quick trot around the temple (where the footprint is almost hidden, even though it's so large) I had to make my way back down. I intended on having a quick shower and making the 9.20 bus to Hatton so I could get back to Hikkaduwa by bedtime.

I thought the way down would be a doddle. How wrong I was. It's steps, and having climbed all the way up and resting for a bit, my knees weren't at all happy to have to go down again. By ten minutes down, I was almost dragging my right leg along, an old ballet injury acting up after years. By thirty minutes down, leaning on the left leg was causing that knee to buckle. Now I was asking the guide "How many more steps?" and he was saying "Not much longer." Still lying. I was hot (the sun was well up in the sky now), a little injured and very bothered. Triona at her worst. When I got back to the hostel and discovered that my room had no power and cold water, well, let's say they didn't get a good review on booking.com. The guide, however, got his tip (and had to go back to find the others - our German friend had disappeared again) and I was finally rewarded with a big breakfast (omelette, fruit, salad, 4 slices of toast with butter and jam) but unfortunately no bus.

Suffice to say I did eventually get back to Hikka at 8.30pm that night, where I was greeted by a rat in the house. Sigh. From great heights....

Volunteering in November 2013

As part of my travels I was keen to find a volunteer position somewhere and Sri Lanka seemed like a good choice. Ideally, I didn't want to pay to volunteer as I'd been told that many of these projects are a bit of a scam. I wanted to give of my time and expertise to a group that are really helping a local community and assisting them in becoming self-sustaining. This wasn't quite as easy as it sounds.

Firstly I looked online and through a reputable website I made contact with a hostel for youths (not a backpackers) near Negombo. It all sounded good: a centre for disadvantaged youths to drop in, some of them homeless, and a group of adults who were trying to guide them to a better life. I had to have a police check done - I was impressed. For about six weeks I liased with one of the centre owners and I had my flights booked, all ready to go when one Saturday afternoon he sent me a message, asking if I would still be volunteering in Sri Lanka. I responded that of course, we had made all the arrangements.  He said that no, they didn't have a place for me any longer. I was a little bewildered and told him so (obviously not using that particular word!). He tried to Skype me then but I refused, mostly as I didn't see the point. He then said he wanted to talk to me privately and I became wary.  He asked if I was single and I stupidly replied that I was. He asked if I would like to have an affair? I was stunned. At my age, still naive. My retort was a curt 'No, thank you.' to which he felt he would improve things by suggesting we only have an affair for a month. Fabulous, well, of course, that completely changes things! I sincerely hope the sarcasm is noted. Needless to say, I told him I was going to report him and I'm still concerned about any young women that enters that hostel.

After that rather tawdry experience, I was lucky that a friend of a friend introduced me to Joy Butler-Markham. Joy runs a charity in Sri Lanka (and other places) called Manacare and it was quickly arranged that I would help Joy for the month of November. I didn't know exactly what awaited me but at least there were some personal connections and a network for me to escape if the situation went sour.

Any doubts I may have had were quelled after spending the trip from Colombo to Hikkaduwa in the back of a van with Joy. Although almost half her age, we clicked immediately. I had never met anyone who is truly the manifestation of their name until Joy came along. The woman is completely selfless, in fact I would say she errs on the side of caring TOO much for others. She cares deeply about the hurt and unfairness in the world and she fights everyday to make the world a better place. A mammoth task, anyone would say, and I often had to remind her to take baby steps, that at least she's changing something.

The following day Joy took me to the Manacare Village, outside Hikkaduwa. The place is immediately impressive - there are a number of buildings - housing a pre-school, doctor and physio offices, a gym, a clothing and textiles workshop, a candle and soap making workshop, a maid-training school, 5 houses for disabled families and plenty of garden space where Daisy the cow lounges on the grass and some rescue dogs run around. Daisy had a partner, who unfortunately died from a snake bite! All the people here were orphans, many orphaned by the Tsunami, who were thrown

 onto the streets once they were 18, after probably a horrible time in a Sri Lankan orphanage. There are some wonderful stories, Nilantha - a 14 year old with cerebral palsy was brought from an orphanage by Joy in December 2012. He had been lying in the same spot, often soiled, staring at the ceiling and it was advised that he would never walk to talk. Through full-time care and attention, even a dip in the water therapy pool, Nilantha now makes noises, smiles and laughs and is moving his limbs! The pre-school children are a dream - singing, laughing and showing off and all the ladies who work 9 - 5, sew and chat happily, delighted to be able to make a living. Newan, another young boy, who burned his legs badly escaping during the tsunami, walks and chats and is learning new skills in the soap and candle making room. 15, 000 soaps a month are bought by Jetwing hotels. Free classes in computers, music, dance, crafts etc run in various parts of the building and grounds and many people avail of them. Everyone here will have a better life because of Joy.

I stayed in Joy's house and my job was to assist with administration, marketing etc. No other volunteer had offered this kind of service and it's really a necessity. In order to apply for grants much paperwork needs to be provided and there wasn't enough in place to track incomings and outgoings. All we know is that the village isn't self-sustaining yet. The teachers, doctors, everyone who gives their time to the site do so for free, and many people are helpful but electricity, medical supplies etc cost money. Joy's phone rings all day long - whether it's 11pm at night or 7.45am in the morning. I took the phone off her to try and create some routine, to give her a break, but running a charity is a 24 hour job. There are always things to be done, from creating an up-to-date customer and price list, to tracking each and every expense which the place incurs. I also had to train a girl, Naudia, in office skills. Education isn't really available for people on low-incomes but she is very bright and well-presented so it was nice to feel I was helping. I believe she's still involved with Manacare, which is great.

I had a wonderful month, many 13 hour days, from helping with the Galle polla (market day) to helping Joy manage the site and trying to assist in giving a routine and promote more productivity in the workshops. There were many social events too - running a charity makes one well-known and popular and through Joy I got to spend an evening with Sir Ian Botham and Morné Du Plessis, who were over on a fundraising walk, a eccentric Britishman in the area invited us to his private island for dining and dancing on another night - every day turned up new invites. I made a bunch of great friends, also known as the Angels of Joy :)

Joy and Sir Ian Botham (who was very courteous!)

Five months on, there's still work to be done. There are many more people helping out on the admin side, but a huge sponsor had to pull out leaving Manacare short of the GBP 3000 it takes to run it every month. I miss the place and I've no doubt I'll visit again but for now I keep in touch via email and dropbox.

If any of you are interested, you can volunteer a few hours a week from home (or donate!) - please see the facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Manacare-Foundation/210930052304413?fref=ts

An introduction to Sri Lanka

The first thing I want to say about Sri Lanka is: Be careful; you will fall in love with this place and you may never leave. Arriving at 4am on a Sunday morning may not immediately make you think this but believe me, after the first 24 hours it will already have surrounded you and made you feel a little better about things. The sunshine, the sea... even if you've managed to get as far as the mountains - there is something special about the place that I was rapt with from early on. 

People have a huge impact - those you're travelling with or those you meet. For me, the first conversation I had was with Indrani, the hostess at the hostel I was staying at - Beach Monkey in Negombo

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Beach-Monkey-Negombo/Negombo/78544?dateFrom=2013-12-10&dateTo=2013-12-13&sc_sau=avdc&sc_pos=2

It was certainly no frills, but Indrani's attitude and friendliness (even at 5am) more than made up for any lack of facilities. She is just a really warm person. I was barely coherent (see - me & airplanes etc) but she quickly sorted out my bed, deposit etc so I could get to sleep. She also said she'd make breakfast whenever I liked. Over a couple of days and a mix of Sinhalese and broken English I discovered she was from Pereniya, near Kandy and her family worked in tea plantations. Her daughter was getting married in December and she would travel back for the wedding. when she discovered that I wasn't as flush with cash as other travellers she got her son to show me to the bus station and we both took the bus to Kandy. She even made me lunch, free of charge, whilst she was making a portion for him. It was just a wonderful welcome by someone - especially since I was travelling alone.

In the hostel you'll get your bed, a mossie net and a good location. The bathroom is outside (but there are lights) and your shower probably won't be too hot but it's an absolute bargain. I stayed out of season and it cost me about 3 euro's a night! 

Most people aren't incredibly impressed by Negombo but for me it was a nice taster for the rest of Sri Lanka, the children all wanted to high-five me, residents all wanted to speak with me for a few minutes - even those who had nothing to sell. There are lots of shops with pretty high quality leather goods for a fraction of what you would pay in Europe. Cows roam the beaches - which is a new one for an Irish lass

It isn't the tidiest of places but there are stretches of quiet seaside, and little cafe's/bars line it so in the afternoon you can have your own slice of unspoiled sea-views with probably no people around. I liked it. I also had lunch at http://www.icebearhotel.com which all the guidebooks recommend. Everywhere is reasonably priced but it is helpful to know that you're getting quality, as places can vary wildly. I had a lovely fluffy omelette and the staff were very nice. I also had my first taste of Sri Lankan tea. I didn't notice a huge difference but I guess knowing it was picked nearby was pretty cool.

In the evening I headed to Lord's, which is worth a visit just to read the owner, Martin's, story. Fascinating.

http://www.lordsrestaurant.net

The food and drinks were tasty too. Here I had my first arrack cocktail - the local spirit, coconut based and pretty tasty (although even two knocked me a little off-balance!). You can have a fish pedicure and look at some art. I particularly appreciated the sax player providing some bluesy numbers whilst I dined.

So don't rush past Negombo; it's a nice introduction to this beautiful island.