Forest Calling!!

It is a blessing when your close friend visits you as you grow older.
It is even more a blessing when she wants to go see some of the lesser known less touristy places of the country!
She found out about this beautiful Rain forest and to our delight it was doable in a day!
Without much further thought, we planned a trip to this place the next day itself.
We started the day quite early! Albeit the fact that both of us are not early birds, we managed to wake up and be ready to start the journey by 6.30 am itself in order to avoid the peak hour rush..

Let's start with some facts about Kanneliya Rainforest: (PS: These are exerts from a bit of online research)

It is next to Kondagala and is located in Southern part of Sri Lanka. Kanneliya Rain forest has a length of 59.23 kilometres. It located about 36 km to the northeast from Galle.
Kanneliya Forest Reserve located in the Galle district is the largest of the KDN, or Kanneliya-Dediyagala-Nakiyadeniya, forest complex. Kanneliya is regarded as one of the most biologically diverse areas in the country (as well as in the world). The bio-diversity of Kanneliya is considered richer, even compared to the world heritage rain forest “Sinharaja”.Most of Kanneliya today is a forest that had recovered from selective logging that had happened in the 1970s. The water-flows in the forest are now recovering with a numerous numbers of streams adding life to the diverse vegetation and some what hilly landscape. These streams create several beautiful cascades in side the forest. They also provide ideal opportunities for nice cool dip in some of the purest streams in the whole world! I can vouch for that!!!

Kanneliya Bound via A2 highway

This was all enroute Kanneliya! We were truly blessed with a brilliant weather! Light showers through out the journey which lasted right until we started our hike. There on, the trees gave us a canopy.

Reaching Kanneliya can be a bit of a challenge as google map may not give the correct route towards the end. It is pretty much straight forward and easy until the last mile.There on, its best to ask the localites for guidance.

It would be easier to commute if you had a car. Otherwise by local transport, unless you know the language and the place, it can be quite tricky.

Fact: Highways in Sri Lanka are real highways where only 4 wheelers and above are permitted to commute. (Not the ones like in India where bicyles, two wheelers,three wheelers and even bullock carts are allowed to commute freely)

Once you get there, you should take a guide service to take you around. Depending on the kind of hike you take, the guide fee varies.

There are 2 types of hikes. One is a shorter distance one which covers about half the area and the other the full distance one which would take you all the way to the top as well(this takes a whole day to cover and return which is a roughly 6-8 hour hike).

We chose the shorter distance one as we had to return soon.I think we paid about 600-800LKR for the guide.

For Sri Lankan nationals and residents, the entry is free. For tourists, the fee is 800 or 1000 LKR if I am not wrong. Cant exactly remember the rates (growing old and memory's taking a beating).

Our guide Rohan was a very sweet elderly man who has been a guide here for over 15 yrs!

We hiked across to see various streams, beautiful trees and creepers and plants, a bat cave and brilliant waterfall.

The water in the streams and waterfalls were so fresh and pure that you could just drink it straight up and feel instantly energised. Thats what I would call a mineral water. Not those bottled ones they serve claiming its from the mountain ranges and rip you off your life savings!

We spent over half a day here in this mesmerizing heaven cut off from civilization in nature's lap, enjoying her gifts (sans the leaches which are in abundance there!!)

These leaches are really fast mind you! Nasty little blood sucking vamps!

Our guide got one and put it on his palm. Those rascals cant such blood from the inner palm as the skin is too thick to penetrate for them! So that little rascal kept dancing like Prabhudeva there until he was released back into the ground!

Here is the video of it:

This blog is going to be a picture galore with each picture special in its own way..

This is the first ever plant species on earth apparently!

Giant Millipede

Civilized animals visiting the rain forest

Obediently following Rohan- The Guide

Entrance to the cave

A little rest on the tree house structure

check out the creeper thats held the tree!

Another cute climber on the tree

So pretty yet poisonous! Reminds me of some people I know!!

The tree is being held prisoner!!

They call it the kangaroo lizard here

spot the monkeys

view from the hike!

beautiful wild mushroom

Inside the cave

It was my first experience going into a cave. I was excited and a bit heavy with anxiety at the same time not sure what to expect.. Crazy thoughts ran in my mind (all thanks to the weird movies I have watched where bats attack and killed people like vamps) Although anxious I was too excited that I kept close pace with the guide and was eager to go in.. Was quite a steep descend to go into the cave and once inside it was pitch dark.. The guide's torch wasnt too helpful.. we could hear a few bats but visibility was poor.. what we could see with our plain eyes could not be captured on camera either..

The joy of having water flow on the hands! immeasurable!!!

We hit the waterfall after this..Hit would be the  apt word as the rocks were quite slippery.. As we reached there, we got carried away with excitement and left our bags and shoes at a place.. The water wasn't at its full force as there hasn't been much rain in the country this time..

As we returned, we realised that the bags were getting surrounded by leaches..

My driver got bitten by one of them.  But from what I learnt, these guys only suck the bad blood out (well not bad blood per se... more in the literal sense which is the impure blood) from our bodies..

So he let the little sucker take his own sweet time and drink up to his heart, err in this case, stomach's content and fall off bloated..

Talking about bad blood, if only leaches could be used to suck away bad blood between people.. the world would be such a beautiful place to live in!!!

 Ok no deviating.. Back to what I was saying... 

Thankfully, my friend noticed them suckers at the nick of time and saved herself from being marked by them!

I guess I could call myself lucky that day as I managed to leave neither attacked by leaches nor slipping and falling (which am quite infamous for 😜)

We returned content and elevated in spirits and went in for the customary touristy sight seeing of this place called Galle.. 

More about Galle in my next post!

Giant creepers entangled to form this unique structure!

Beautiful stream

Impulse Travel

It has been long since have picked the pen to put down my thoughts and experiences.
Have been pushing myself to create a blog for ages now.
After a lot of coaxing and cajoling, I managed to convince myself to do it today!

Here I am, trying to put down my experience of an impulse travel that I did after ages!

On a fine Sunday, I would expect myself to sleep until noon. However, I did manage to wake up by 6 and had the sudden urge to go exploring!
What do you do when you are in a new country all by yourself with neither a tv to watch nor a wifi connection at the place you are put up?
You pick up your bare essentials, put on some comfortable clothing (read: loose cotton clothing that can bear the sweltering humidity and scorching sun) and set of to explore.
What best way to explore the place than through its faithful railway system!
Call an uber and head straight to the railway station! 
After some contemplation, I decide that I want to head to a place called Negombo. Googled up the place and found that it has some good spots. Without any further thought, bought a local train ticket which cost me about 40lkr and went into the station.
The sights that I witnessed is something that we come across in most railway stations.. 
Locals scurrying about like rats on a race, hawkers selling their ware, some road romeos letting out their wolf whistles and saying things in their language which you do not comprehend, some firang backpackers.. aah the usual sights!

Local passenger train

I did exactly as I was instructed -boarded the train, found myself a good window seat to take in all the beauty of the sights I am to witness and started my wait. After a while, there was an announcement in Sinhala and immediately all the passengers got off and scurried to the train that was 2 platforms away. I tried asking and they asked me to follow them in their broken English.
I obediently followed them like a lost puppy and found myself a window seat yet again!
I looked around proudly, as if I had just finished a marathon!
As the train started moving, I was as excited as a child on her first train ride! Excited, I said to myself, " "Negombo! Here I come!"
The train continued its journey across various stations , passing beautiful villages and country side.

I told myself that this was the best decision ever! Was so engrossed taking in the beauty of the country side, listening to some soothing music and the rhythm as the train picked up speed, that I did not ever think of the impending goof-up!
I had a brain wave to request my co- passenger to tell me when the train reaches Negombo.
He looked a little puzzled for a minute and said something in his language. All I could do was smile back and tell him that I do not understand.
Then he asked me to get down at the next station and take a bus as that's easy.
I was a bit unsure as the ticket counter guy had told me that the train goes straight to Negombo.
Yet I took my co-passenger's advise and got off the train. Then I went around trying to find out whats my next course of action.
Finally managed to find out from the station master there that I had been mis-informed and that I was on the wrong train!
He then guided me the way towards the bus stop where I would find direct buses to Negombo.
Followed his advise to the T and hopped onto a local bus which charged me another 60lkr. Did not want to make any further mistakes there and there on I resumed my journey.

A journey that would have ideally taken 1-1.5 hours took me over 3 hours. The heat was slowly getting on to me but I ensured that it doesn't dampen my spirits.
I found a sneaky little friend who was hitching a free ride on me. Wiggled my leg enough and with a little nudge using my train ticket, freed him from my leg.Here he is!

I named him Mithun Chakraborty! He sure had the disco dancer moves!!That's how he kept me entertained on the bus ride.
Finally, I managed to reach the much awaited Negombo. 
Bidding adieu to my little friend, I alighted the bus and headed towards the tuk tuk stand where I started my haggling skills.
Had done my bit of homework and so I knew what I had to haggle for!
After some bit of haggling, the guy agreed to take me to the beach side for 250LKR.
Once I got there, it was so peaceful that I had forgotten all about the ordeal I had to go through to get to where I was.
I wanted to head straight to the beach. Here is the view that greeted me.

A calm serene beach with slightly greenish grey tinted waters. There weren't much people around except for a couple of lovers who were huddled under umbrellas. I went and dipped my legs in the water and stood there soaking in the calmness of the sea. Then I felt a slight burning sensation and realized that I am getting roasted in the sun. My stomach also growled enough to tell me that I need to grab something to eat! So I headed towards the streets.
The streets reminded me of the streets in goa, with seafood restaurants, pubs and cafes lined up on both sides as well as trinket shops and gem stone shops selling overpriced gems.
I wandered around the streets a bit.

Most restaurants said their kitchen would be functional only from 1pm.
So then I wasn't left with much choice.Used dear google yet again and found this place called Jetwing Beach.
It was one of the upscale hotels which had a beach-side  bar and restaurant.
I thought I deserved it for getting myself to do something like this in an unknown country!
I have only wandered alone aimlessly like this in my home country where I knew places or at least the language. 
So with that in mind, I went ahead for some indulgence.
Settled into a comfortable seat with the beach view and ordered a mojito.

This is bliss! The chilled mojito in the sweltering heat went down really well.
The waiter there urged me to try some seafood as that was their specialty.
Ordered the fresh catch of the day grilled.
They brought in the food with a lid on. I thought that this is how fancy hotels do it.
I opened the lid and was digging my bag to fetch my phone to click a picture for my collection.
By then, there came a crow swooping down and took away my fish in one swift motion leaving me with nothing but a bed of stir fried broccoli!!! 😬
Dejected and hungry, I did not want that to get the best of me. I wasn't ready to give up yet!! Not to a mean crow definitely!
So I sat there sipping my mojito in peace with the beautiful sea view after ordering another sea food dish.
When the food was ready, I asked myself to be seated inside where I could eat away in peace!

What you see here is a mixed platter of calamari, tuna and prawns in butter garlic sauce with stir fried vegetables and yellow rice

I held on to the lid as if my life depended on it and kept covering up the dish every time I took a bite!
With sudden urgency and growing hunger, I polished the dish away in no time! Once I was done, I left the plate out in the open with only few pieces of broccoli and gave those crows the look as if to say, "Ha! Gotcha! Take that you suckers! Now come take the broccoli if you want! That's what you get for messing with me!!"
Am sure those crows cursed me for being so such a bitch with my second dish!

With the mojito kicking in and the lunch settled in, I started to slip into a comfortable state where I would have dozed off in no time.. . 
Sat there enjoying the cool ocean breeze a little longer and then hit the roads again.
I had so much more to cover!
Took a tuk tuk again after a haggling session and went towards the famous canal water ways.
It sure was a beautiful sight! It reminded me of Kerala's back waters- the only difference being the colorful boats. Back in Kerala, they use the wooden boats with thatched roof.

I stood there mesmerized, watching the local men go about their business.
One of them offered me a ride for LKR 300 which I had to politely decline as my tuk tuk guy was getting impatient.
Then we headed off to the Angurukaramulla Temple which had a 6m buddha statue.
By then my phone' battery gave up on me, hence could not get a good click of the Buddha.
Tried digging up my portable charger only to realize that I forgot to get the charging cable! So the charger remained a block of useless brick!! (If you know me, you sure would say, "That's so you!!")😑
I have borrowed a google image here for this.



By the time I completed the temple visit, my headache had started to irritate me. So I requested the tuk driver to take me to the bus stop where I took the air conditioned bus that takes me back to Colombo. The ticket costed me about 120 lkr. (Actually it was 130 but as I was out of change, the ticket collector was kind enough to waive off 10 bucks. God bless the kindness in these people!)
I got in and settled by the window and snoozed a bit while the bus took me back.
With that I successfully saw the end of my first impulse trip in a new country!