Jan 29 Day 15 Kandy Travel

Its a 4.5 hour journey so I catch up on this blog. Pete is slowly going crazy next to me. He’s in front of a big fella on the bus whose knees are in Petes back.

The 4.5hr trip takes 6 hrs. Turns out the bus is split across two hotels and we are the second drop.

Also turns out Amaya Hills Hotel… well it’s in the hills and the bus can’t get up there.

So we are offloaded to a shuttle bus which takes another 25 mins to get up the hill.

The hotel is lovely, bit dated but big rooms and we have a balcony with great views across the valley.

 

They give us sweets

We decompress by the pool and then eat in the hotel bar. I have vegetable byriani… except there are no vegetables.

Jan 30 Day 16 T20

We head into town on a tuk tuk. It should take 20 mins. It takes 40 as Kandy is a very busy, very polluted city.

We need toiletries. Which are surprising varied and cheap here.

We manage to get our picture taken with the Cricket T20 World Cup. The world Cup starts in February and is in India and Sri Lanka.

We get a tuk tuk back up the hill. Google takes the driver on a foot path/ goat path. I seriously think we’ll die. My heart rate goes to 98 on my watch!

The coach to the T20 leaves as 4.30…again we need a shuttle. The Cricket ground is actually outside Kandy – only 7 miles.

It takes us over 2 hrs to get there.

Then rain delays play. In the end we get 17 overs instead of 20.

We do well and are winning when rain stops play. We are declared the winners by 11 runs.

Its pouring and the coach is 1.5km away, everyone is soaked and its a miracle we didn’t leave anyone behind.

We get back to the hotel at 1.30am.

Jan 31 Day 17 Sigiriya

We are going to the Lions Hill today. Its a 2 hrs walk up. An arranged tour that picks us up at 8.45!!

On the coach again for another 4 hrs. We definitely didn’t do our homework here!

We stop at a Spice Garden for the loo, no coffee in sight. We do manage to avoid the chat and sales pitch.

Lunch was a luke warm buffet affair – tastier than it looked.

The Sigiriya Fortress is a good hours walk up steps and metal, rusty looking staircases.

It’s very dramatic and the views are great. Lots of monkeys and puppies.

This was the original Kingdom and included a pool for the king.

It’s a 4 hour drive back. But was worth it.

Feb 1 Day 18 T20

There’s a Kandy bus tour and visit to the Temple of the Tooth. Which is just that – one of Buddahs teeth.

We dont go, but look it up on Google. Couldn’t face the travel again and the pollution.

We lounge by the pool. Its a Poya day, a religious day aligned to the full moon. No booze today.

Except the hotel host a lock-in in the ballroom and we have a BBQ and a beer!

I don’t want to go to the T20.. its forecast for rain. But Pete drags me.

Its a fast start for Sri Lanka and they smash through their 20 overs.

England make a slow start… then it rains. It takes over an hour for the covers to go on and off again.

No beers!

When the rain stops its 17 overs and much to my surprise we win.

The Sri Lankans are loving the party – even in the rain they jump around like crazy to their local hits.

I get a man-spreader next to me.. he’s loud, young and screaming a lot to get on the camera. It’s not the best.

1am finish…again. Up for the safari and an all-dayer in the coach… again.

Feb 2 Day 19 Safari

So another early start – its exhausting. This time 4.5 hours up and the same lunch stop.

We are finally all poured into 16 four-by -four jeeps. No safety briefing.

We spend the next 2.5 hours watching elephants..we must see 20 – 30 of them. Pete gets great pics, I take some videos.

It’s a long slog back, with tea a shitty sarnie. But we sit up and drink beer and wine with Mel and Lou to unwind.

Feb 3 Day 20 T20

We are so happy to spend the day by the pool.

We miss out on the end of tour party – it left so early and we wanted to laze.

The final game and I dont want to go. We haven’t got back before 1am so far.

But we get an Uber and get to the game.  We get bowled out quickly..  secretly delighted. Hoping for a early exit.

And it looks like Sri Lanka will win..we.are sitting next to a very excitable Sri Lankan Chris Davies.

We win by 11 runs!! How I have no idea. But it was so close. I learn about dots and extras.

We watch the ceremony and get back just after 12.

The Barmy Army tour heads back to Colombo tomorrow.

Feb 4 Day 21 Colombo

Since I burnt my belly yesterday, we sit in the shade..this pool and view is so lovely. Totally spoilt by Cinnamon Hotel standards.

Night time we have the best buffet we’ve ever had. Sushi and oysters. Then an amazing Indian Thali and enough cake to sink us.