Day 177: The End

Day 177

We run off the plane and power walk ourselves through the Mumbai airport to the transfer desk which feels about a mile away from the gate. Once there, its a bit chaotic and we get rushed through a queue and get given our boarding pass. Then we have to go through the most thorough security we've had in ages, with our bags being searched as well as ourselves. We power walk through duty free and through the airport where we find our gate after about a 20 minute walk, and after a quick wee we board, phew.

Our tickets are checked loads more times (Mumbai is so thorough) before we sit down on our last flight of the trip!!! This is very exciting. This one is about 9 hours and man, it drags. I get a little sleep but I'm too excited and uncomfortable to stay snoozing for too long. I watch a couple of films and wolf down my breakfast. We are meant to land at 6am but we circle Heathrow for half an hour which kills me, and I even get a little grumpy (well very grumpy). But finally we land and my excitement builds even more, we go through security, grab our bags and then we are here! Home. England. Oh man this feels good.

We are getting picked up by a driver so we can surprise everyone and he's standing at the arrivals with a little sign, yay! We get in is snazzy BMW for the hour and a bit drive to Ben's mums. Oh my kittens, its so good to be back on UK soil, with all the pretty fields and tiny houses and then suddenly, we arrive at Helen's drive, let the surprising begin!

Helen screams, my mum cried, Amy can't believe it, Dad's watching tennis and the nephews seem a little shocked but luckily they aren't too grumpy, man I've missed them!! It takes 2 days to get round everyone and it was such a nice way to do it, we didn't feel rushed as no one knew or guilty if we spent to long with anyone. It's not the cheapest way to do but I would definitely recommend it, even just for the faces :D

And so it ends...

I've written up the last few blogs now I'm home and it hard to believe sometimes it even happened, normal life has hit hard and quick. But I get daily flash back to these past 6 months and each and every one is utterly incredible. Granted there were several times I ached badly for home with it's safe houses and easy foods and every single day tested me and pushed me to do, eat, see something new but you know what? It was the best 6 months of my life. I've see some just amazing things that I never would have been able to on a holiday, I tried so many new foods and aventures I never would have bother to at home and I've come home with a fiancé, my best friend, there really isn't anyone in the world I would have rather done this trip with. I would do it all again in an instant :)

And so to end, I just want to say a big thank you for reading, its been really fun writing this blog and a brilliant way to make sure I remember every detail. Below I've quickly answered the questions I've been asked most since I've been home. If you've got any more just comment and I'll write back :)

Best Place

Hard one, but as an overall country Sri Lanka, it was so beautiful and the people are very friendly. If you can get past the hot food (or you love it) its insanely amazing.

Worst Place

For me, it is a toss up between Hanoi (we were sick and it rained, a lot) and obviously Otres in Cambodia (Think rats) but that last one is unfair as it's a beautiful stretch of beach, unspoilt with warm waters and delicious food. I've just got too many bad memories.

Best Historical Sight

Another hard one, I loved the Angkor complex, I literally burst into tears when I first saw it but it was trumped by Borodubur in Indonesia. That at sun rise is a must see for everyone.

Favourite Food

Amok in Otres and Shrimps in general, I've become a bit of a fiend.

Best Animals

The Gibbons in Thailand were just so cute and hearing them call across the forest around us was amazing, and then the leopard in Sri Lanka, that was just, Wow.

Day 175 and 176: Our Last Day and Starting Our Way Home

Day 175

Today is our last full day before we go home and its so weird to write that! We are going to do what we do best today...sunbathe! Breakfast this morning has some delicious avocados and eggs, I'm going to miss having it made for me. With a full tummy, I spend the whole day sunbathing. Ben and Lee go off down the beach and Angela goes into Galle, and I'm still here, flipping, rolling and reading, bliss. I catch up with Mum and Aunty Margaret on Facetime and carry on the trickery, as they think we won't be back for a month but really its only 2 days time!!

Tonight we are eating in and its a Hatty special, full of lots of salads, fresh fish and new potatoes. Oh my its utterly delicious, not spicey and not noodles. As you can tell me palette is ready to go home. We finish the night polishing off rum and wander back for our last night.

Day 176

We pack up for the last time today and I am so ready to go home. Living out of a rucksack definitely loses its appeal after a while. We waddle out way to L & A's cottage and dump our bags, which I hope is the last time I have to walk that far with it. We have a yummy breakfast and then spend the morning watching the rain and getting ourselves ready for off. Lunch is delicious garlic prawns, salad and garlic bread which is scrumptious and has the added pleasure of garlicking out anyone who is going to sit next to us on the plane. At 3 o'clock, a driver comes to pick us up and we wave goodbye to Lee and Angela and start the beginning of our journey home. 

It takes 3 1/2 hours to get to the airport and its a really cool drive. From forests of dead trees covered in ivy to the bustling streets of Colombo, it just cements my love for Sri Lanka. We arrive at the airport just as our check in opens so swan through security and fail miserably to get an upgrade with the engagement. We've got about 2 hours to kill before our first flight so Ben goes off to explore whilst I get accosted by a weird man who kept telling me how lovely English women are, eek. We board, seat and fly with it going without a hitch apart from taking ages to land and then for the doors to open, which makes our 1 1/2 transfer even tighter eek. 

Day 173 and 174: Journeys and Food

Day 173

Ben had to get up so many times in the night and I doubt that even when he did sleep it was a good one :( We are leaving earlyish so we can get to Galle in good time so we pack our bags and then slowly (and gingerly for Ben) walk down to the road to walk for L&A. Turns out Lee is sick too so it must be something they shared, my bet is the mystery meat, urg. The drive is beautiful and we stop a few times to get pictures of waterfalls which are out of this world stunning. As the drive continues, I take stock of the scenery and think about Sri Lanka. It is easily the most beautiful place we've been and I've fallen in love, even if the food isn't quite for me.

We arrive at Galle at about 2pm and go to our place first, as usual, to drop off our bags.

There's a bit of a mix up as we've only seemed to have paid for 1 person, but it's quickly resolved with a smile and more cash and we make our way to L&A place. Wow it's awesome, it's a cute little cottage, just next to the sea with a pretty decor inside with art and books filling each room. Outside there is a lovely garden with loads of chairs and a pool, and a little gate that takes you straight out onto the beach. The sea is as rough as I remember so I don't think I'll be paddling again. We sit on the sand whilst L&A sort out the drivers. Tonight we are going out for dinner so after a drink, we go back and change and then out for some delicious noms which isn't spicy, yay!!

Day 174

We have breakfast at the cottage this morning and its a yummy Sri Lankan spread which means some is a little hot for me but it's still delicious. We spend the morning sunbathing which is so so good as I've missed my new favourite past time. I slouch on a sun lounger, reading and sleeping. Ah bliss.

At lunch time, we get all dressed up and head into the town of Galle. Lee's never been on a tuk tuk and he's pretty excited. We first head to the office so they can pay the rest of their apartment, then to the bank to change some cash up and then off to explore. The tuk tuk has left us now so we walk off on foot. Galle was once owned by the Portuguese who made the fort and then the Dutch and its building reflect that.

The first place we got to is the Galle Fort Hotel which is where L&A were going to stay but we are all glad they decided on the pretty cottage. It's nice enough but a little soulless and obviously nowhere near the sea. We stop for lunch here though and it's pretty scrummy. I nom an apple and swiss cheese sandwich and tea, scrum. The real exploring starts now and we head towards the fort wall, checking out all the little shops and sweet buildings on the way. 

Sri Lanka has crows like we have sea gulls, you can't seem to go anywhere without spotting them and the locals seem to like them as much as we like the gulls. We spot one guy near the wall shooting then down with a catapult, well that's one way to do it. The old fort wall is quite cool to walk around but not in this mid day temperature, and it isn't long before the chap's sunbathing earlier starts turning into sun burn. They are getting redder and redder so we leave the sun lashed wall and head back to the town. We spot cute little churches and odd buildings.

After this L&A want to check out a hotel called the Sun Hotel, we just have to find it first and we wander for quite a while before we find a map, spotting some rare Langur monkeys as we do. We saw one section on the fort call Sun so we head there but after walking for a while and picking up a creepy guide, who the other Tuk Tuk drivers called dangerous, we give up. My tummy is rumbling again so we go back to the Galle Fort Hotel and I have the best Nicoise salad and everyone else's food is just as awesome. I think I might be falling into a food coma.

Day 171 and 172: Tea and Heaven

Day 171

We are having breakfast at our place this morning before taking a tuk-tuk to L&A's hotel. The family completely over feed us with scrambed egg, roti, toast, ham and onion sambal which looks yummy but raw onion ain't my thing. Once we've stuffed ourselves silly, we check out their new panorama room that's not yet finished and then head up to the hotel.

We've got another longish drive, this time to Nuwara Eliya which is up in the mountains and the views are we drive up are starting to get incredible. The hills get taller and taller, and are covered with the most beautiful tea plantations and thick clouds which cause the most beautiful waterfalls.

It's about lunch time when we arrive and none of us can spot any local eateries so Sivah, the driver, takes us to the strangest restaurant. Its inside an old country house that wouldn't look out of place in an small english village. It's styled inside on a 1970's men's club compete with an ageing picture of the Queen on coronation day and hideous floral furniture, I love it. The waiter is also a bit odd but when the food finally comes its yummy and kind of makes up for the weirdness.

We had planned to do a tea factory today but its a little late so after our 2 hour lunch, we head off to find lovers leap, which is meant to be a lovely walk and waterfall. The drive is treacherous to start and I think several times the car isn't going to make it as we start to slide backwards but we do. The walk isn't much better than the drive and there's no set path but the waterfall is pretty and it's nice to have a little explore.

We head back now and get dropped off at our odd little hotel for the next two nights, the rooms chilly and the place seems dead but it has a brilliantly warm blanket and who doesn't like being cosy?

Day 172

We are up nice and early as we all want to go to see World's End which is a cliff that looks over all the tea plantations and far beyond. We have been told by a chap at the hotel that we need to be there by 5am if we wanted to get a clear view but the same message didn't get told to our driver or Lee and Angela so we don't leave until gone 8am. Me and Ben both don't think we are going to make it to the top before it mists over but don't want to be party poopers, besides it would be a nice walk anyway. As we drive up, I am blown away by the scenery, its just incredible, the rolling green hills of the tea plantations, next to sheer cliffs and tiny railways. I am in love.

We keep moving on further up the steep hill and the weather has already started to change, clouds are covering everything and its no better once we are at the top. Once we park up, we all stare gloomily out of the window and asses our outfits for the icky weather. Me and Ben are wearing all of our bags including hats and ponchos and even Angela has a rain mac on but we realise Lee isn't the best dressed for the cold damp weather. This isn't looking good and it gets the final nail in the coffin when its £12.50 to go and we all decide a misty view isn't worth it. So we head back down which is no hardship for me as I get to see all the gorgeous scenery again. We stop and get snaps at different points and I've decided I'm going to buy a house and move up here, its just stunning.

We now head to a tea factory that we were going to look at yesterday but it was closed as it was Sunday. This place is awesome, its not fully working as because of the day off yesterday there is no tea to be processed but we can see some drying that was picked this morning and then the rest of the factory which I'm quite glad isn't working as I reckon it would be so so loud. The guy is really informative and we get to try some at the end which is always nice.

We've all got a bit hungry now so head to a truck cafe (literally a truck turned into a cafe) and its as always too spicy for me to eat but looks delicious. We part ways not and me and Ben go and sit down by the lake front, I thought this might be the time Ben would finally get his pedalo ride but we couldn't afford it so just mooched our way back to another chilled evening (literally) until Ben wakes up at 2am with a bad stomach, eek. 

Day 169 and 170: Elephants, Spice and Teeth

Day 169

Lee and Angela are so generous this morning and pay for us to have breakfast at their place today which is amazing as its a buffet, when is a buffet ever not amazing? I've had an urge for gherkins and cheese for a few weeks now and this hotel must have heard my call and I fill a plate full. I say full, as much as my tiny, ill tummy can handle but it's so darn good. We have a jam packed day ahead of us today and our first stop is Sigiriya.

Conscious of yesterday's near faint, I prepare with water and a lolly pop so fingers crossed I'll keep the sugar level up but I don't have to worry about it for a while as we get lost, and I mean really lost. The driver and his mate are lovely but don't really seem to know what they are doing and after a while of driving round in circles, cutting trees down with machetes, we turn up exactly where we started, they finally ask for directions and we arrive at Sigiriya. Me and Ben are a little shocked by the price to get in ($30 which is the same as 3 days in Ankor) but again Lee and Angela are really generous and pay for us again. 

Sigriya is an ancient city site which is based around the huge rock that catches your eye from miles away. The rock has caves and temples inside whilst on the ground it's surrounded by water gardens which we wander round first. It's only early in the day but man it's hot, and I'm glad it's not just me struggling with it. We make our way to the rock and climb a set of spiral stairs to see the ancient cave paintings inside. These are beautiful and incredibly clear seeing as they are many years old. Next we go down another set of stairs and walk past the ancient graffiti wall which is said to have scrawlings from the 7th century but they are all pretty faded and some look a lot more recent than that. The wind up here is amazing and I'm almost blown over by the speed of it. The next bit of Sigiriya is its most famous which is its carved lion foot which guards the stairs up to the top where the foundations of a temple are. The stairs are quite steep up but wow, the scenery is worth it. I don't think I've been disappointed with any views in Sri Lanka so far. 

We clamber down, checking out all the naff souvenirs for sale at the bottom and Ben feeds a cute puppy water and we try and work out if we can fit him in our bag. We then set off for the part of the day I have most been looking forward to, the elephant safari! We drive about 30 minutes where we arrive at a deserted park entrance and we all feel  little sceptical till a guide comes out and explains we've come at the wrong park of the day, if we come back in a couple of hours, nearer sun set, we will see more elephants. We head back to the hotel for a quick snack, how they make egg mayo sandwiches hot I will never know and then we go back.

I'm so nervous we won't see anything in the safari like the one in Thailand we went to but my fears are quickly quashed. Our truck is small but it has an open top which is great as it means we can all stand up in it. We haven't been driving for 10 minutes when we spot a family of 3 with a cute and tiny baby elephant and we are all in awe. Well maybe not all of us, Rarjah the drivers friend seems to think we are all getting excited about a butterfly. Odd man. We slip around a corner and another family appear, this time with 4 and I'm so chuffed. At least we've definitely seen some. We carry on driving and head towards a huge lake watering hole, we are driving towards it when to our left we spot a huge family of about 10 elephants in the distance and we speed over to them. It's so incredible to see them up front, they are so majestic and it's fun to watch them play fighting. 

We stay here for about half an hour till we spot a large family moving across the watering hole and join the throng of cars heading there way there which caused a bit of a traffic jam which got even more complicated as the elephants started moving forward faster than everyone thought they would, turns out they are quite protective. Of what you might ask? Oh just 4 day old elephants, nothing incredibly beautiful or interesting at all. This has got to be one of the most awesome things we've done all trip. After the jam to get out we move back round the watering hole where we spot a baby elephant limping who is trying to be captured by the ranger truck, who have an ingenious plan. If you tranquillise the baby, the mummy will never let you close, so they zap her and then the baby will stay, which is a pretty cool thing to see.

We head back now and are all buzzing with how amazing that was when I get back to find a million missed calls from my mum. Turns out my tenant in my flat left his glasses in the window and burnt the place out. This has exactly been the most normal of days.

Day 170

After spending quite a lot of last night in shock, I'm all groovy this morning. Mindfulness helps a lot and I think people are finding it a bit odd I'm so calm about it but honestly, what can I do 3000 miles away? 

Lee and Angela get us breakfast again and I manage even more buffet, progress :) We are leaving Dambulla today to go to Kandy so spend the morning lounging in the pool and spotting the wild life. Ben spots some cheeky Langar monkeys lounging around the hotel and we even catch a macaque trying to get into the pool. The drive to Kandy is only meant to take 2 hours but we hit traffic just outside the city and crawl in, which takes an extra few hours. We first go to L and A's hotel to drop off their bags off and then in theory go to ours bit the driver gets the wrong road and we drive around for ages till the owner appears on the moterbike and we go like the clappers to keep up with him.

This place is a little homestay and its really cute. It has no fan or A/C but the air seems cooler here and its got a 4 poster bed, bliss. We don't stay long though as we want to go exploring. We get dropped off outside the Buddha Tooth Temple which is really pretty. You can't see the tooth as its in a covered temple but the building and the surrounding ones are incredible. There is a section which explains how the tooth got from Buddha to here which is really interesting. We all get a little peckish now so after spotting a church that wouldn't look out of place in Debham, we go grab some food which is L and A's first taste of non hotel food and although it's way too hot for me (no surprise there) everyone loves it! We got for a little explore around the cute town before we remember we haven't actually checked in yet so we part ways. The family are so lovely and I sleep soundly apart from being occasionally being woken by their over cautious dog.

Day 167 and 168: Poops, Meetings and Monkeys

Day 167

Of all the days to wake up with unbearable stomach cramps and diarrhoea, the day we are picking up Lee and Angela isn't a good one. I feel like crap and want to curl into a ball but am determined to go the airport as I'm so excited. Imodium is always my friend and Ben goes out to get breakfast whilst I get dressed and spend every 10 minutes in the toilet. Sigh.

Once he's back and filled me with flat lemonade and biscuits, we grab a tuk tuk to the bus station. I've heard there is a fast bus to the airport but our driver doesn't really understand and takes us to the local bus which is leaving as we pull up so we run and jump on and settle ourselves down for the long ride. Oh god it's hot, at least it's not as cramped as the last few buses we have wedged ourselves on. We arrive at the airport, all hot and sweaty and make our way to arrivals which we have to pay £3 for the privilege to enter. 

We don't have to wait long for them to come through and it's so nice to see them, especially as they both comment on how brown and slim we look, why thank you. They have a driver booked for the first week of them being here and he meets us at the airport Vand we make our way into Colombo. We tag along as they check in which is a win for us as we get a free drink and snack, can't complain. Our tummies rumble and not in a worrying way so off to barefoot we go to show off the delights of Colombo, unfortunately the main Sri Lankan dish they do isn't on and the rest of the food is a bit of a let down for everyone (apart from me, I get to eat hummus again, nom) 

After filling out faces, Sivah our driver takes us on a tour of Colombo, we whizz past the park and the fort area and then stop at a really cool Hindu temple,hunch is all inside a bit of a non descript building but it's beautiful inside. The only annoying thing is that I have to wear 2 saris oddly places to cover up and the locals get a good laugh at me. All the walking and the heat kills me so I sit out the Catholic Church across the road. Our plan is now to go and see a lake but I'm waning and Lee and Angela look knackered so we head pack and we pack for leaving tomorrow.

Day 168

I'm still not feeling great so it's another Imodium day. We get picked up at 7.30 and we begin our adventure Lee and Angela style. We pick up some food from a bakery on route before hitting the highway and starting on our 4 hour journey to Dambulla. The scenery here is incredible and its so nice to be seeing it from the comfort of a car. We stop for King Coconuts which is delicious and I wish I'd had some sooner on the trip, it's so refreshing. Once we arrive in Dambulla, our first stop is the Temple Caves. I'm feeling a little better so head off with everyone to climb the steps up the huge rock but within a few steps I feel awful and so dizzy. I know it's low blood sugar and thirst but stupidly I don't get anything from the water sellers on the way up.

By the time I'm at the top, I'm almost fainting and spend about 3/4 of the 45 minutes we are up there resting in a wall whilst everyone else goes round. I do perk up a bit and go in the first couple of caves and my they are beautiful. The scenery up here is amazing, I completely understand why they built these temples up here. There is also tons of monkeys here that are so cute and they little antics take my mind off feeling pants on the way down. 

We grab some lunch now which is simple for me of veg and rice but yummy and Ben, Lee and Angela go for a huge Sri Lankan feast. We part now, and arrange to meet in the morning for breakfast and then Safari!

Day 165 and 166: Shopping and Dinosaurs

Day 165

We've got 2 days to fill in Colombo before Ben's Dad and Angela turn up for our 10 day tour but the weather isn't looking great so it looks like we are going to be a bit limited. We've heard of a nice shop we want to check out called Barefoot so we start walking down there to check it out. Breakfast first though and we stop off at the restaurant we ate at last night for some more of their roti but instead of it being oh my hot but I can handle its oh my god bastard hot I haven't got a mouth left. I unsurprisingly don't finish it. 

I am in a foul mood today and breakfast doesn't help improve it and then we get lost, not good. I get grumpy, Ben kicks a coconut and I shout. Then the shop appears and apologise within 2 minutes "Sorry for what I said when I was hungry" The shop is so cool and I could buy the whole lot, it's a mixture of an art gallery and a local handicraft and book shop. I settle for a more in our price range basket and get a Roald Dahl book and 2 cool postcards to frame once we are home. There is also a delicious cafe here and the food looks so good, we break our budget and I get some houmous and pita, nom.

There's another shop we want to check out called Push which has been set up by local skaters and has some really cool designs so we grab a tuk tuk and Ben gets some cool tees which he needs as his bag was starting to look a little bedraggled. It's a cool place to hang out and it has a puppy so I'm happy to be there for a while. The weather starts to turn once we leave the shop so instead of getting damp exploring we head back. 

Day 166 

We are having a lazy day today as we don't really know what else to do to fill our time in Colombo. It's a cool city and its worth staying more than a few hours but it's not got enough to fill 2 days. The weather has dramatically improved though so we decide after grabbing a breakfast that we will go to see the promenade. Finding food that isn't the restaurant we've been going to every day turns out to be a little hard. Our plan is to explore the restaurants in the mall opposite us but after a creepy explore turns out its empty and we just walk round a building sight, odd.

We finally make our way out of the dusty maze when we spot a cinema just across the road and its showing Jurassic World. Well it would be rude not too, we book tickets for the first showing of the day which is 4.30 and go off in search of norms. Just next to the cinema is a bakery so our good luck continues and I fill my face with curry filled pastry that doesn't burn off my taste buds, woohoo.

After our tummies are full, we carry on down the road to the Galle a Face promanade which is right next to the snazzy hotel that Lee and Angela are staying at, very nice. A guy stops is on the way to complement us on our tattoos which is always nice. There is a little beach in front of the prom which is too rough to go on but we nab a bench and watch the cocky crows trying to eat a whole slice of bread. We take a little walk down the prom after a while but it's a bit smelly so we head back after about half hour and spend the afternoon blogging before a cheeky Burger King just before the film, nom.

This cinema is awesome, we have to wait for an age before hand as there's only one screen and the first film over runs (how that is possible I don't know) and its tiny! There isn't any proper aisles and we have to clamber over seats to find ours and then theirs the screen, I think I've seen bigger ones in people's houses but it's actually just right, we put our 3D glasses on and get ready to be wowed and I so am!! It's amazing and made all the better by the fact half way through we have an intermission for snacks and the baby in front of us makes Dinosaur noises most of the way through the film. I would recommend the film (again, I think I've loved all the films we've seen here :D)

I'm very buzzed after the film and natter on about it for hours, in which time Ben grabs a curry and rice that's big enough to feed a family of four and we head back to the hostel to nom and get ready for having to speak to other human tomorrow.