Sri Lanka 2025
- Alex
- Aug 18, 2025
- 25 min read
We took the subway towards the airport at 11:35 AM.
Departure from Terminal 2. Long waiting at the Terminal due to severe weather over southern Germany, a 2-hour delay, of which 1.5 hours were spent waiting on the plane. Terminal 2 is very run-down and there's nothing there... 5:00 PM departure through and into the thunderstorms. Dinner and good night.
July 25th
We woke up very early, spinach for breakfast..
At 7:00 AM, a smooth landing after a shaky approach. It's raining at the moment of the Touchdown. at the Terminal we bought a SIM card and took a taxi to our first accommodation. The weather turns sunny and hot. On the way we stopped at an ATM. First impression (poor country and lots of trash on the side of the road, but very nice and friendly people).
We stored our backpacks at the accommodation and went to the beach. We were sweating in 35°C and high humidity. From the beach, we went to the train station to find out our connection for tomorrow. Checked back into our accommodation and dropped off our backpacks. We had a delicious meal at a fancy restaurant with very tasty food (Chicken Kuttu). Afterwards, we walked towards the city. A man followed us (very nice, but he wanted money for a "guide"). Luckily, we eventually lost him after some time. On the way back, we stopped at a beach bar for tea and carrot cake overlooking the sea. Back at the hotel, we showered and went straight to sleep... Exhausting long day.
July 26th
We got up early after about 11 hours of sleep. We had breakfast at the same restaurant as yesterday (a giant avocado toast). Backpacks on, and off we went on our adventure: a train ride in Sri Lanka. On the way to the station, we quickly grabbed some slices of local bread for a long day. We bought tickets and stood for 1 hour and 40 minutes in third class with the windows and doors open, no air conditioning, and lots of people. In Colombo, we changed trains to Galle. The journey took 3 hours and 50 minutes along the coast through small towns. Again, the windows and doors were open, but at least we could sit down. We were so exhausted that our eyes started to close halfway through the journey. Around 5:00 PM, we finally arrived in Galle. We quickly bought some drinks and took a tuk-tuk 8 km to our accommodation. on Sri Lanka Roads, there's a rule: there are no rules. A beautiful spot right on the beach (right on the beach!). We relaxed for a moment and strolled down the street. The sunset on the beach was stunning. We had dinner in a small garage (chicken kuttu, what else?) – delicious and incredibly cheap. The air conditioning in our accommodation had broken down... Oh well, happy sweating. We showered and went straight to bed, listening to the sound of the sea. We met many very nice and helpful people again today.
July 27th
I didn't sleep very well because the sea was really loud. The waves were breaking 10 meters from our room. Breakfast was served at 8:00 AM – a very tasty breakfast with lots of fruit and toast with vegetables (yum!). We sat right outside our room by the sea. Around 9:00 AM, we took a tuk-tuk to the fort in Galle. It was already very warm and sunny. We walked in and around the fort, sweating like hell. Luckily, we passed an ATM and were able to withdraw cash since card payments aren't widely accepted here. The fees were almost €20... There was hardly any wind, and the temperature was over 30°C. The sun was blazing down from the sky, and there was hardly any shade. We escaped to a dumpling restaurant for lunch and reconsidered our plans for the day. Afterward, we walked around the fort a bit more, bought two postcards to take home, and then took a tuk-tuk back. The ride was a bit exciting, with a lot of traffic, and the tuk-tuk kept stalling due to lack of fuel, but we made it to the gas station.
Finally back home, we relaxed in our room and cooled down with the air conditioning. Around 4:00 PM, we went to Turtle Beach, but unfortunately, it was high tide, and we got unintentionally wet because the beach was so narrow. We stood on the beach for a moment, and Janina briefly saved a small child who had fallen into the waves. Of course the parents were German...
We then changed our plans and relaxed at our accommodation by the water. Finally, we went back to the same restaurant as yesterday and had delicious rice and dessert. Unfortunately, a few mosquitoes bothered us while we ate. By chance, our tuk-tuk driver from this morning drove by and said hello. Back at our accommodation, we sat outside for a while longer. Then we showered, packed our things, and went to bed.
July 28th
After getting up at 8:00 AM, we had another delicious and healthy fruit breakfast in front of our room with a sea view. We took our time and then sat by the sea for a long time, enjoying the ocean. At 11:00 AM, we showered again (we were sweaty from doing nothing) and packed our things.
Right on time at 12:00, we were picked up by a nice young man who drove us the 2 hours to our next accommodation.
During the drive, we could clearly see how lush and green Sri Lanka is, but also how we had entered a new climate zone. Arriving at Randy's place, it was rather dry and hot, not quite as humid. Heavenly peace and quiet, surrounded by lush greenery, greeted us, along with Randy and his family offering delicious fresh fruit and drinks. Randy briefly outlined the plan for the next few days, and then our room was ready. A beautiful, large, and bright room with a view of the garden. We spent about an hour watching the colorful activity of the birds and squirrels in the garden. At 5:00 PM, Randy took us on a short safari around his house in his tuk-tuk. We saw water buffalo, pelicans, kingfishers, bats, and many other bird species. We also learned a little bit about Sri Lankan history while watching a beautiful sunset. He dropped us off at a restaurant and we had dinner. Janina had vegetarian kuttu, and I had a buffet with lots of different fruits and rice (unfortunately very touristy and a bit pricey...). We took a tuk-tuk back home and then jumped in the shower. A gecko was watching us from the ceiling. Afterward, we relaxed in bed for a while. We're looking forward to the next few days of safari.
July 29th
This morning we were woken up by the sounds of various birds. We enjoyed the view of the garden from our beds. Shortly before breakfast, I went out again to take some photos. At 8:30, we had a very delicious, fresh breakfast with lots of fruit. Afterward, we relaxed in our room and did laundry, preparing our things for the safari tour in Udawalawe National Park. Today's and tomorrow's safaris are relatively expensive, but we're getting private tours. We drove for about an hour to the national park in an open jeep. A guide joined us at the park and told us a great deal about the animals and the park. We saw monkeys, lizards, crocodiles, deer, elephants, and loads of birds. We came close to some of the elephants, pretty close to what was amazing. We drove through the park for four hours and were almost able to touch some of the animals. Around 6:00 p.m., as it was getting dark, we headed home. Once there, we needed a shower, and then Randy's wife prepared a delicious Sri Lankan meal for us. Afterward, we played with his little daughter for a while and then went to bed, completely exhausted.
July 30th
This morning, we set off at 4:45 a.m. in a safari jeep to Yalla National Park. We waited for the park to open just before 6:00 a.m. with about 50 other jeeps. We drove through the park for six hours, seeing many more birds, deer, lizards, and, further away, a leopard and an elephant. At noon, the park closed for two hours, and we took a break by the sea with a spicy lunch. A short nap and at 2:00 PM we continued our journey. We drove for a long time through the park and saw many birds and other animals again. Suddenly, in the middle of nowhere, our driver slammed on the brakes and shouted, "Leopard!" Almost at the same moment, it leaped from a tree above us, about two meters away, into the bushes and disappeared. Unfortunately, it was only there for a few seconds, but almost within touching distance! Sadly, I couldn't get my camera out fast enough. We heard the leopard make two more noises, but they faded further and further into the bush. super exciting! We continued driving through the national park for a long time and finally exited 12 hours after entering. We were exhausted. At the accommodation, we needed a cold shower to cool down and wash off the red dust. Afterward, Randy's wife prepared another delicious dinner. We brushed our teeth and went to bed.
July 31st
We slept in after the exhausting day. At 8:30 AM, we had a delicious Sri Lankan breakfast. After that, we packed our things and went for a short walk by the lake. Because of the heat, we quickly returned and relaxed in our room for a while.
At 11:30, we were picked up, it was time to say goodbye to Randy and his family. Randy briefly told us the story of how he got his job, and then we set off for Ella. It was with heavy hearts when we left, since Randy and his Family were so lovely. We drove for two hours up into the mountains to 1000 meters above sea level. The driver dropped us off further away on the main road because the road to our accommodation was too steep and narrow. We walked uphill for about 10 minutes. Unfortunately, our new accommodation wasn't very nice, there was mold, and it felt very damp. We sat on the terrace for a moment when it started to rain heavily. Luckily, the terrace was covered. We kept an eye on the weather and planned the next few days. Around 5:00 p.m., the rain eased off, and we walked towards town to get something to eat. We had a delicious meal at a small restaurant that looked incredibly fancy. After that, we walked a little further to the train station to buy train tickets for Monday, but there weren't any left... Only spontaneously on Monday with a lot of luck…
A little stunned, we head back to our accommodation in Ella. Ella is loud and incredibly touristy. We don't really like it. Back at the house, we took a quick shower and, due to the bathroom's design,we ended up flooding the entire room... Early to bed. Ella is much colder due to the Altitude.
August 1st
After a so-so night, we waited for breakfast at 8:00 AM, which finally arrived 30 minutes later. Afterwards, we pack our things and walk towards the Nine Arch Bridge. Our host is kind enough to give us a lift for a short distance. We walked about 1.5 km along the road and a bit through the woods to the bridge. It's incredibly crowded with tourists, of course we also took some pictures. Because it's so hot, we sat down at a restaurant overlooking the bridge and had a drink. We're lucky, and a train is still crossing the bridge. Afterwards, we went to Little Adam's Peak. It's also very touristy there, as it has a zip line and a huge spa with a view. We hiked to the top and enjoyed the view when a thunderstorm suddenly broke out. Halfway down, we took a tuk-tuk because it started to rain. After a few minutes, we realized it was a good decision as it really began to pour down. We drove 6 km to the an Tea factory. When we arrived, our tuk-tuk driver said he would wait for us, which we appreciated because of the rain. We did a 30-minute factory tour, but unfortunately, it was already closing time. We had a short tea tasting with a beautiful view of the surrounding Mountains. By then, the rain had eased off a bit. We headed back to Ella, where the driver suddenly demanded double the price – cheeky! We paid and went to a restaurant for dinner. Super fancy, but delicious.
Afterwards, we went back to our accommodation, planned our next travel destinations, and relaxed. And as always, showers in the evening and off to bed. Despite the rain, we're sweaty...
August 2nd
We get up extra early to see how crowded the train station is and if it's possible to book train tickets. On the way to the station, I stub my little toe on the railway tracks while half asleep... Ouch.
We observe the crowds but realize that if we get there early enough, it might work out. I hobble back to our accommodation, and we briefly watch a group of monkeys passing by on the way. Breakfast is planned for 7:30 today since we want to hike to Ella's Rock. Things don't go as planned... Breakfast is on time today and, once again, very tasty. But during the meal, it starts to rain heavily again, and there's no end in sight... We relaxed on our terrace and booked more accommodations, planned the next few days, edited photos, and recharge all our batteries. Around midday, the rain eased off, and we walked into town for lunch. We went to the same restaurant as yesterday and played cards and ate something more European... It was okay. Afterward, we headed back home, it had finally stopped raining. We relaxed a bit at our accommodation since we hadn't digested the food very well. Around 5:00 PM, we went back into town and ate typical Sri Lankan food at a very small restaurant. The food was amazing, and the price was reasonable. Afterward, we bought some roti (bread) for the long train journey tomorrow. Back at our accommodation, we packed our things and went to bed early. The alarm is set at 5:30 AM for a planned 7-hour train ride. Yeah!
August 3rd
The alarm rang at 5:30 AM. I hadn't slept well (probably due to excitement), but we brushed our teeth and off we went. We arrived at Ella train station at 6:00 AM, and it was already quite crowded. After a 20-minute wait, we thankfully managed to get tickets and boarded the platform. We both quickly used the restroom since the one on the train was supposedly unsafe. The train arrived 15 minutes late, and once again, we were incredibly lucky to find a door and empty seats right in front of us. Lucky us! It was getting crowded, but still manageable. We traveled past beautiful tea plantations and small villages into the high mountains of Sri Lanka, reaching 1800 meters above sea level. It was cold up there, but the weather was cooperating. We continued past beautiful mountains and rivers down to Kandy, the train becoming increasingly crowded. With every meter of altitude gained, it got warmer until we were sweating. Around 2:00 PM, we finally made it through (loud music, crowds, and jostling). In Kandy, the train was even more packed! Luckily, we got off. We took a short tuk-tuk ride to our accommodation, which wasn't far away. We need to relax a bit first, and Janina had a bad headache from not drinking enough because she didn't want to go to the toilet (the toilets were really disgusting). Around 5 pm we went in search of something to eat, but because of the festival in Kandy, it's a bit difficult since many restaurants are closed and the streets are very crowded everywhere.
We tried to get a spot at the parade, but it was too crowded. We weren't feeling well, and it was still an hour until the parade. We went and found a small pub on a side street. We ate something there (completely overpriced) and then tried again to get to the parade from somewhere else, but no luck, as many people were already waiting in the street to see it. We went back to our accommodation and took a hot, yes, really hot shower—it felt so good. We planned the next few days a bit and went to bed early.
August 4th
We woke up early, it was raining... and not just a little. We got dressed, packed our things, and waited for a while. When it eased off a bit, we went down the street to a very small restaurant where we had delicious avocado toast and Janina's overnight oats—very tasty. We headed towards the city, but since the rain was getting heavier again, we took shelter under the temple. Since it didn't look like it was going to get any better, we went inside the temple (which I thought was overpriced). Buddhist rituals are taking place here, and it's incredibly crowded and chaotic. After a while, we saw everything, and the sun finally came out. We walk around the temple where many poor elephants are kept on chains for the parade. You can see they've lived their whole lives in captivity and hardly get any exercise... Sad in such a beautiful country with so much nature. Since we both need to use the restroom and it's getting really hot again, we went to the Kandy Shopping Center and got some cash for the next few days. We're feeling hungry again, so we went to a small restaurant and ate sweet potato fries with guacamole. Afterward, we head back home because the midday sun is getting too hot. We relax in our room with a beautiful view over Kandy. Around 6:30 p.m., we set off into town to find a small restaurant. Because of the festival, we took a long detour along a very busy road with no sidewalk... At the restaurant (which is very small again), we ate kottu and played uno. Then the parade arrives at the nearby point, and we watch the beginning. Fire show, dancers, and musicians. Unfortunately, there are also decorated elephants in the middle of the hustle and bustle... After an hour, we decided to go home without the detour and pushing our way through the crowds. Back at our accommodation, we packed our backpacks, showered, and went to bed. Tired from heat..
August 5th
We got up at 7:00 a.m., got dressed, and headed towards the market. We had a very tasty and very inexpensive breakfast there. It's quite chaotic, but it works. First, you pay, then you go to the counter with a small slip of paper to pick up your food (freshly prepared). Back at our accommodation, we paid and waited on the street for our taxi... Which doesn't came... After several phone calls, Whats App messages, and emails, they confirm that we will indeed be picked up. Almost two hours have passed by now. Finally, after two hours, a small car arrived to pick us up... The driver is very nice but drives like a maniac, which makes me feel a bit nauseous, and I close my eyes (there's no air conditioning, so it's incredibly hot and loud in the car). Luckily, he stopped at a spice farm along the way where we had about a 20-minute break and learned a bit about Sri Lanka's spices and medicinal plants. Arriving in Sigiriya, the driver lets us pull out a little away from the house because the driveway is apparently only for tuk-tuks, it's so narrow. We receive a friendly welcome and unfortunately discover that our room only has fans and no air conditioning... Happy sweating! Since he can't make us dinner, he recommends a nearby restaurant. We relax for a while on the balcony overlooking the garden (we're in the middle of nowhere, apart from the rustling of leaves, it's pretty quiet). Around 5:30 pm, while it's still light, we walk the 15 minutes to the restaurant where we enjoy delicious rice, noodles, and bread with curry. Finally, we bought water at the shop next door and headed home in the dark, pursued by many annoying barking dogs, so we hurried. Apparently, it's dangerous to walk around outside after 8:00 PM because of the animals... We packed our things, took showers, and aired out the much too warm room for a moment. With two fans running, we went to sleep.
August 6th
At 4:45 AM, our alarm rang. We got dressed and set off in our host's tuk-tuk to Pidurangala Rock to see the sunrise on the Lions Rock. We arrived at 5:20 AM, and it was already quite busy. After about 15-20 minutes of climbing stairs and walking uphill, we suddenly found ourselves in a queue... The narrow passage to the summit seemed more difficult for some than expected... We waited in line for 25 minutes. Then, after a few final meters of elevation gain, we reached the top. The view was breathtaking, and thankfully, it was overcast, so we wouldn't see the sunrise until later anyway, and since we'd been standing around for so long, it was already light. We enjoyed the view of the lush green jungle for about an hour. Then, thankfully, we had to queue again (this time only briefly, as many had already gone back down). Our host picked us up again in his tuk-tuk and drove us home. There, we enjoyed a delicious homemade breakfast. We rested for a bit, and at 11:00 AM, we were picked up for our safari in Kadulla National Park. We drove for about an hour in a relatively comfortable jeep to the park. We saw a very large owl, many elephants, including small ones, and lots of birds and stunning scenery. Then, after about two hours, it was time to head back. As we drove out, it felt like 100 jeeps were coming towards us, all wanting to enter the park. We adjusted our travel time well, even though we thought the midday heat was a bit much. At home, we were greeted with two coconuts to drink. We showered and relaxed on the balcony in the shade with a light breeze. At 8:00 PM, we had dinner at our accommodation. We got rice and seven different curries—delicious and way too much for two people. Completely stuffed, we went to bed.
August 7th
We slept in and at 8:00 AM, we had breakfast. Very tasty and well-balanced, as always. Afterward, we packed our things and were taken to the bus. Our first bus trip in Sri Lanka! The 20-minute ride to Dambulla was exciting but actually quite okay. We paid €0.50 for both of us. The bus must be about 40 years old, everything rattled and shook. The driver drove like a maniac, but that's normal... Once we arrived in Dambulla, the driver was kind enough to show us where the bus goes back to Sigiriya. Then we walked for 20 minutes to the Golden Temple and the Buddha statue. We took some photos and looked inside a small stupa. After that, we hiked up to the cave temple. It was incredibly hot, and we were sweating buckets. Of course, it was a public holiday, and it was extremely crowded, with tourists and locals crammed into the narrow temple. Various Buddha statues were placed under an old rock – truly beautiful. Up in front of the temple, it was relatively windy and shady, so we lingered there for a moment, enjoying the lively scene.
By now it was noon, and we were feeling a bit hungry and thirsty. We went down to the village to drink coconut smoothies and orange juice at a reggae restaurant where loud hip-hop was playing. We decided not to eat there and to take the bus to Sigiriya for dinner. Unfortunately, we apparently just missed the bus and had to wait about an hour for the next one. Similar to the trip there, the bus back to Sigiriya speeded along at breakneck speed. There, we ate kottu at a small outdoor restaurant, which was delicious but also very expensive. We took a tuk-tuk for the 4km trip home because it was already 5:00 PM and we were exhausted from the heat. At home, we took cold showers and relaxed a bit on the balcony. Finally, we packed our things again and prepared everything for departure. Off to bed.
August 8th
We slept in, had another delicious breakfast at 8:00 AM, and right afterward, our host took us to the bus stop. We waited with him for about an hour for the bus (it was supposed to run every 30 minutes). We could put our backpacks up front and stand while the bus was moving, after a while, it got less crowded, and we could both sit down. We traveled north for about two hours, passing beautiful scenery and small towns. The bus ride was reasonably smooth. Shortly before arrival, the ticket seller (who always rides the bus and sells tickets) came and asked us where we needed to get off. He signaled us to the correct stop, and we got off in the hustle and bustle of Trincomalee. It took 3 minutes by tuk-tuk to get to the hotel. We had to wait a short while, and then we could check into our room. It had air conditioning, fans, and almost a sea view. We relaxed for a bit since it was midday heat. Around 2:00 PM, we went for a walk on the beach. I found it very dirty, many fishing boats were moored there, and it smelled strongly of garbage and fish. Since we were hungry, we walked a little way down the road from the hotel to a vegetarian restaurant. We ate delicious dosas (or something like that). The food was tasty, but in the end, they tried to charge us more than it actually cost... Cheeky. We usually tip less. Back at the hotel, we showered first and then relaxed a bit more.
August 9th
We were woken up by crows shortly after sunrise. We decided to get up. Today, we applied plenty of sunscreen, just to be on the safe side, and walked north along the beach up the bay. After a while, we turn off and sit down in a small café which has relatively good reviews. We eat avocado toast and drink passion fruit juice. The food is okay. From here, we took a tuk-tuk to Trincomalee Ford, about 6 km away. There's a Hindu temple there that we visited, but since it's Sunday, it's very busy. The temple is really beautiful and colorful. From there, we briefly got to the bus station to see when and how many buses go to Anuradhapura. twice a day, at 9:30 and 12:30. Thinking we'd take a nice walk on the beach, we head down and walk back to the hotel. Unfortunately, the walk isn't very pleasant, there's an extreme amount of trash everywhere, and it's really unpleasant in places, with dead fish and garbage. The sun is also blazing down, and we're sweating profusely. Finally back at the hotel, we took cold showers and spent the rest of the day in the room. Janina knits, and I look through pictures. Shortly before it got dark, we walked north along the beach again to have dinner at a beach bar. A super fancy place and a bit pricey, but actually pretty cool. We ate Burger and tacos on the beach and enjoyed the sunset (which we didn't see because we were on the other side of the island). The food was delicious, we had another iced tea, and strolled back along the beach in the dark. We saw some small crabs and two really big ones. Janina was a little scared and relieved when we arrived at the hotel. Another shower and then off to bed.
August 10th
We set our alarm for 5:30 a.m. to watch the sunrise on the beach. We quickly got dressed and headed to the beach since it was already getting light on the horizon. We sat down and enjoyed the morning atmosphere and the sunrise for about an hour. There were already lots of fishermen out. We watched fish jumping out of the water. Afterward, we lay down for a few more minutes before getting ready for the beach and walking back to the beach bar where we were yesterday. Here we had delicious avocado toast and a super fresh mango bowl (very tasty). Afterward, we lay on the beach and chilled for the day. It's so hot that we got in the water twice, which didn't really cool us down... Around 4:30 p.m., we ate burgers and pizza at the beach stand and headed back toward the hotel before it got dark. We quickly grab two bottles of water and sign up for breakfast. Afterward, we took long showers (sand and salt everywhere!) and packed our backpacks.
August 11th
The alarm rings shortly before 7:00 a.m. We went down one floor and ate a rather standard Sri Lankan breakfast. Afterward, we paid and were taken to the bus station by tuk-tuk. We're a bit early and waiting for the bus. Since we still needed cash and there's an ATM nearby, we quickly withdrew some money—hopefully the last time this vacation. Our bus arrives about 45 minutes early, and we're allowed to board. It's as hot and humid as ever, and I'm sweating from doing nothing. Just before departure, the bus gets very crowded. We traveled for about two hours to Anuradhapura. We ask the cashier if he can let us off early. He's kind enough to let us know, and we walked to our accommodation (1 km). Arriving at our new place, we're greeted with a glass of mango juice and given a nice, quiet room on the second floor. The first thing we need after this long journey is the toilet. Afterward, we have our usual lunch break and relax. Around 4:30 p.m., we set off on foot to find something to eat it ends up being a 5.3 km walk to a decent restaurant on the other side of town. We ate a very tasty but also spicy buffet and ended up paying €13 for both of us (including drinks). Since we're near the bus station, we check where the next bus is. In front of the station, a friendly tuk-tuk driver explains that we need to go to the old bus station, where our bus leaves every 30 minutes. We thanked him and went to buy some water and chocolate. A tuk-tuk was waiting on the street, the driver didn't speak a word of English, but we communicated our destination. For half the usual price, we got to our accommodation. So, tourists do get ripped off a bit after all... We went up to the rooftop terrace for a quick look to see the stars, but unfortunately, the city was so bright that we couldn't see much. We went back to our room, showered, and relaxed for a bit before we went to sleep.
August 12th
At 5:40 a.m., my alarm rang for sunrise on our rooftop terrace, but Janina was so tired that she went back to sleep. I went up to the roof, but unfortunately, the horizon was covered in clouds. I stayed for a few minutes anyway and watched some birds as it got lighter. Afterward, I went back to the room and lay down again for another hour. At 8:00 a.m., we got up and went downstairs for breakfast. The breakfast was rather meager.
A mix of European and Sri Lankan... Oh well.
We applied sunscreen and got ready to explore Anuradhapura. Our host took us to a bike rental shop where we rented relatively expensive bikes, but at least we got an explanation and a map of all the sights. We set off and are quickly stopped, we need a ticket to see everything... €25 per person seems excessive at first, but we paid anyway. Luckily, we can pay by card since we don't have that much cash on us anymore. I'm annoyed for a moment about being ripped off, and then we visit the first stupa. We cycle around until about 3:00 PM, seeing many stupas (including the largest in Sri Lanka), ancient archaeological sites, temple complexes, a museum, and sacred trees. We have to take our shoes off at the holy sites, and unfortunately, we don't have any old socks with us, so we almost burn our feet a couple of times. Halfway through the ride, there's a small restaurant where we stop for a drink and a break, as it's very hot and the sun is shining directly overhead. After returning the bikes, I'm very glad I paid for the ticket, everything seemed very well-maintained, not quite typical for Sri Lanka. At the bike rental shop, we waited for our ride. We're given water and bananas as a gift, and the family is very friendly and entertaining. Back at our accommodation, we took long showers and relaxed a bit since it was a tiring day. Around 6:30 p.m., when it's already dark and a bit cooler (or so we think), we walk to the street and took a tuk-tuk into town to a restaurant. Unfortunately, there's nothing for Janina to eat, so we simply walk to the restaurant from yesterday and have kottu (perhaps for the last time). We take the tuk-tuk back home and got straight to bed.
August 13th
We sleped in and started the day relaxed. At 8:30 a.m., we went down for breakfast. We're certain that breakfast at this accommodation is the worst we've had in Sri Lanka... Afterwards, we packed our backpacks, paid, and were taken by tuk-tuk to the bus station. Then everything happens very quickly. The bus is just about to leave, but our tuk-tuk driver and another one stop it especially for us. The ticket taker comes, opens a hatch at the back of the bus where we throw our backpacks in, and as soon as I have one foot on board, it starts moving. We sit down, and shortly after, it becomes very crowded. We're not really sure if we're sitting in the right direction because everything happened so fast... Janina isn't even sure if she gave the tuk-tuk driver the correct amount of money. About 40 minutes later, we passed where we had to get off... We managed to stop the bus just in time, payed way too much while unloading our backpacks, and ended up standing in the middle of nowhere on the street. We walked a short distance and sat down a little way off the road at a secluded restaurant. A nice woman makes us juices, and we discuss our next steps. When we payed, we asked her if she could arrange a tuk-tuk for us. A moment later, we drove to our accommodation, which was priced for tourists... way too expensive, but we didn't have much choice. The last place we found was a bit off the beaten track, just before the entrance to Wilpattu National Park. We relaxed for a while outside and later in the room because of the heat. We did some calculations and hoped our cash would just barely last until we got to the airport. It was going to be tight...
Around 5:00 PM, we went to a nearby restaurant (according to Google), but it was more of a private place where a friendly woman cooked for us. We ate a fresh and delicious kottu. We were the only customers, and when she finished our meal, she turned off the kitchen lights. We walked a little further and passed a lake where locals were washing (not everyone has a shower!). Afterward, we went back to our accommodation, performed our evening ritual of showering, and then went to bed.
August 14th
Our alarm rang at 5:15 AM for our safari in Wilpattu National Park, and we set off promptly at 5:30 AM. Ten minutes later, we were already at the entrance when our driver, talked pretty excitedly on the phone, jumped back in the car and we headed towards our accommodation... We'd forgotten someone and our breakfast! Things just work differently in Sri Lanka. We drove back towards the national park. Wilpattu is very densely vegetated, with lots of trees. We saw pelicans, eagles, deer, and a leopard in the distance. We had a bit of breakfast of rice and a snack by a small lake, and then it was time to head back. The drive took five hours in total, but we only saw a few animals. The young Englishman with us was very nice, and we discovered we'd already visited many of the same places. We chatted and had a pleasant time. Back at our accommodation, he left, and we relaxed for the rest of the day. Janina took a short break.
After a midday nap, we picked up some snacks at a small shop. Then we relaxed a bit longer on our terrace in the shade, enjoying the peace and quiet. The two women who run the guesthouse came to us around 6:00 PM and invited us for a walk. We walked a little way down the path together. You usually see lots of birds, but today wasn't our day... Back at the guesthouse, we had a delicious dinner. We saw a huge millipede. Then it was time for a shower and off to bed.
August 15th
We slept in and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast at 8:00 AM – one last taste of Sri Lanka. Afterward, we packed our backpacks and prepared everything for the flight. We paid for the guesthouse and took a tuk-tuk to the main road, about 5 km away. We were lucky, a bus to Colombo arrived just 3 minutes later. It was very crowded at first, but after a while, Janina and I managed to get seats together because some kind people made room for us. The bus was speeding along the road at over 100 km/h, overtaking cars and tuk-tuks like crazy... After about 3.5 hours, we finally made it to Negombo, near the airport. We walked a little way down the road and sat in a café. We had a drink, some cake, and one last kottu. We spent three hours there because we were way too early... We definitely couldn't see the UNO game again for a while. Around 5:30 pm, we took a tuk-tuk to the airport and thought we were going to die when it cut into oncoming traffic and pulled into a small street just for tuk-tuks at the airport. We made it through. After the first security check, we learned that we were still way too early. check-in didn't open until 9:00 pm... We waited...
After finally getting rid of our backpacks, we quickly went through immigration and spent our remaining money on food, shirts, and tea. Boarding began shortly after 11:00 PM.
August 16th
We took off into the night with only a 15-minute delay. A quick dinner was served, which unfortunately didn't agree with me... And then we tried to sleep... Just before landing, breakfast was served, but we weren't hungry and didn't eat anything. We landed back in Frankfurt about 30 minutes ahead of schedule. As always, there was a long wait for our backpacks, followed by a quick stop at Rewe to buy some groceries before catching the next bus home.
That was our trip through Sri Lanka.
23 wonderful days, beautiful landscapes, incredibly friendly people, and delicious fresh food.
August 17th
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