5 Feb Villa Kaya

We have a few hours around the pool before we head to the train station.

We get a tuk tuk. He drives us round in a big circle back to the hotel!

He forgot he’d picked us up and was on auto pilot to his spot outside our hotel! We have plenty of time. Thankfully.

We spot all the tourists waiting in the first class area on the station platform.

The train is nice. Loads of room and AC. It’s a two hour journey.

We get to Hikkaduwa and our homatay – Villa Maya (£26 great breakfast).

It’s just off the train track (loud) but like a little oasis. It’s raining but people play in the pool and it looks perfect.

We go for a wander down the beach and get our bearings.

Hikkaduwa really just runs along both sides of a very busy road, parallel to the sea.

So the main grag feels polluted with car and bus fumes.

The beach is long with lots of bars and restaurants. There are two or three bays that you can get between by wading through the waves.

It’s a surfers paradise. Lots of swells like Bentota.

Everything is in Russian and English. But mainly Russian.

But Petes manages to find an ‘English bar’ for the sport.

Sams Bar has many beers on draft and it’s happy hour! Happy Hour is upstairs -upstairs is closed because of the rain.

Not happy. But there is a lot of tv sport on.

We eat next door in The Garlic – the name reminds us of the best restaurant, also Garlic, in Phi Phi. Good sign.

The waiter smells baaad. I hope its not an example of hygiene standards.

It’s trendy and I have a great ‘fresh’ veggie tofu bowl… or so I think. Pete has a curry.

Back at the room 2 things happen.

1- we discover the bed stinks, the WiFi doesn’t work and there is no hot water for a shower. Pete thinks black sheets hide things.

2- I get ill.

6 Feb Hotel Refresh

Soooo we have a lovely breakfast in the homestay. Really good. I nibble on toast. It’s such a beautiful spot here – shame.

After such little sleep in the smelly bed with the black sheet, we can’t stay.

The owner says we need to pay for the 5 nights. Er no. A long discussion followed by a call to Booking.Com. We check out.

We go to Hotel Refresh. Smiley faces. Huge room. White linen. Again by the train line.

 

I lurch through the day. It’s drizzly but we walk to see the huge turtles. So many people touching and feeding them. Grr

Locals sell seaweed. A big sign says don’t feed the animals.

We go to a very nice looking restaurant at night, ‘Appetite’.

I manage half a pizza. No spice. Pete has a tuna curry with about 3 tuna steaks in it. I’m jealous.

Early night.

7 Feb Recovery

So it’s a lazy day today.

We go for a long walk to the other beach. Narigama Beach has a lot of surfers too.

In the other direction we find a swing.

Nice beach bars too, for later.

We bought cards yesterday so finally get a game of rummy. Our routine can start.

Pete wants to watch football so it’s an early tea back at Appetite. This time I get to have that amazing tuna curry.

Sams Bar for the football. I have mango beer. It’s def a one off. Like an alco-pop.

The place is busy. I’d say back home most of the customers would be wearing a tag….and not the watch.

8 Feb Beach day

Up for a stretch and walk on the beach.

Feels like a better day already!

We spend the day on the beach. We visit the turtles before it gets too crazy.

I go for a swim in Hikkaduwa beach. Goggles on.

Not many fish – one shoal. The coral reef is further out and apparently there are reef sharks.

Erm I can see wispy bits of tissue. Sewage?!?!

Eww I’m out. I google it. It’s a problem here. It looks clean and loads of people in the water.  But no.

I stay out the water. We find sunbeds and read.

On the way back we find a fabulous coffee spot above the waves.

Someone walks past with a monkey on a rope. Another man has a huge cobra. It’s another down side to Sri Lanka tourism.

I don’t get ill from the swim AMAZINGLY. But I decide roti is the only thing I can eat, I find great reviews for a nearby roti spot.

Pete gets a huge plate of ham and veg kottu. Kottu is made on a hot plate chopping up all the raw ingredients and a roti.

It’s so gooood. He eats the lot!

We head to the beach bar Sea Salt Society for a green tea and live music to end a great day.

9 Feb

Up late as kept waking up cold. Pete had it like a fridge and slept all night through!

Its pretty much a repeat of yesterday- without the 🏊‍♀️  in the shifty sea.