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Nat's Adventures
Now nearing the very end of our 2 wks of sri lanka experience. We left Unawatuna (and the family of dogs befriended) Thursday morning hoping to end up in Ella that night - the bus would'nt stop for 2 backpackers (who were struggling alittle with bags!) so headed into Galle where we tried to get conned by various men but all with the same story! Who wanting expenxive busfare before the bus even moved off - but we're 2 girls from fife we know all the tricks in the book. There's no fooling us, but it does make you very pessimistic about folk who start talking to you here, who perhaps genuinely want to help you out. Going on gut instinct. Although surprised i have any guts left after incident of food poisoning (veg fried rice), Sarah thought it was Dengue fever! Had to keep making my excuses when we got talking to a fellow Fifer girl, small world! Took 2 bit days to recover but apetite back to full strength now. I WAS planning on living off fried rice for next 3 months but need to rethink this. The penthouse girls who have seen me cooking chicken will know how funny i am about fatty, weird looking bits -well you should see the cooked chick here, got bones and maybe even feathers too, but i'll survive.
So we were heading to Ella but public transport on East coast is quite patchy or Irish some may say. Got put on many buses by trickster man, eventually got one to go near Ella but we did'ne have a map of sri lanka (which is a basic essential of travelling anywhere kids!) so just went with flow really, happy to have bags settled. A really enjoyable but bum numbing 3 and a half hr journey (100 Rupees each), we offered mints to locals at back of bus to keep peace as the old man fell asleep on Sarah's shoulder!! We landed in Thissa (i think thats where we were, not many road signs in english). The bus conductor hooked us up with a mate of his to discover we couln'nt get to Ella or Kandy for another day so why not take a wee safari with them? Got a lift in suspicious looking jeep to Regina guesthouse, which we shared with a family of frogs n ghekkos - the first place we had to try out our sleep sheets, and 2nd day nat had to go without shower as no water at all! But that's what REAL backpacking is made off, as i keep telling Sarah. After NO shower at 5.30am we headed off to Yala Safari for morning, organised through family/friends of guesthouse. Jeep broke down 20mins into drive there! Tracker found man and jeep replacement from somewhere up road and off we went, missed feeding time due to no AA recovery, seen mongoose, toucan, crocs (v. close & Sarah v. scared) and monkeys who eat rich tea biscuits and i reckon nearly my ear. Sarah got photo of me n monkey so will copy over at some point. Our bones and muscles are still aching from bumpy jeep ride so might go for massage later today.
Blokes from guesthouse/safari + us and our 2backpacks clambered into Tuk-tuk for drive to bus stop - should have got pic! That was my chance of selling Sarah off to get her married, they thought she was charming and beautiful! Don't worry mum/dad i kept her, for now. Got a free lift from passerbys looking for directions in their hired Toyota 11 seater and hired driver, friendly, helpful people, even stopped for a coconut, picture opportunities and spotted elephants and one big iguana thing! Again we felt like we were free loading/gate crashing somebody elses holiday! Another 2 buses after this (6hrs travelling altogether) we landed in Kandy via the very hill country. Reccommended by Mick and Kate, but steph tell them they should have warned us about public buses! You need to be well rested to tolerate most of it, as it nearly broke Sarah so we HAD to book into 4star Queen's hotel with AC, a working hot shower/bath, pure bliss. Just for one night of course, staying at Expidetioner G/house for next 2nights. Pinnewella Elephant Orphange all day tommorow but off to search for shop to swap books at now. x
Gaskell let me know how your Greek yachting went
Steph - Did'nt bin straightners, actually used them last night as room was AC and alot cooler last night. Remember to post Kats wedding pics n stories if you can lass.
Wee Laura got ur number so will text as my phone working here although might get SIM in india.
Ciara- i'm assuming Antoin surely kicked you out by now, so what's your new place like?
We be jammin'!
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