Not exactly a propitious start to an holiday: after an easy two stop flight via Kuwait, we arrived at the exit point of Colombo airport minus my bank card, though I didn’t make that discovery until two hours later. Left it in the hole in the wall, didn’t I. Had to spend two hours ‘phoning bank to cancel card, in between organising more credit for my phone.
Then we were guided by a stranger, who captured Kath, to & all around a temple & ended up paying double rate for tuk-tuk driver & 2k rupees for ‘guide’. Could have been worse – 235 rupees = £1. Our start reminded us it’s not good being a tourist in a new place when you’ve not slept for 24 hours. We have now had requisite sleep.
Colombo is …… a mess. Interspersed with a few Victorian & pre-18 century Dutch & Portuguese buildings, the majority are of unspecial concrete & brick designs. The part of the city known as Slave Island is a huge building site of tower blocks to be flats, hotels, restaurants etc., funded by the Chinese. Presumably, on completion it will be renamed.
Tomorrow we train up & into the centre of the island, to the old cultural capital Kandy, surrounded by tea plantations & from where we are due to visit Buddhas (some giant size) & other relics & natural phenomena from gentler centuries. Been reading the guide books. Though late 20th century activity had its meaner side on this island.
Food so far has been delightful and so inexpensive. And Kath has bought some gorgeous material, so she’s happy.
Chris & Kath's Travel Time 