After going back and forth all week on whether to rent a Tuk-tuk and explore Sri Lanka or use trains and taxis, it was finally time to make a decision. I wanted to go with a Tuk-tuk for the freedom and uniqueness however we wanted cover long distances and the forecast was calling for rain so we decided to mix it up. For the first few days we are going to use a private driver and then use the trains along the famous scenic railway and then rent a Tuk-tuk for a few days up north.
Hiring a private driver turned out to be a great decision. Not only could we just sit back and enjoy the ride but he was a fountain of information. We spent hours asking him questions and listening to stories about his country. He also knew where to find the best food. My hero. We began the day heading south 90 minutes from Colombo to the beachside town of Galle. Our first stop was a fort built in the 1600’s where we wandered around on our own exploring. Next we made a quick stop at the second oldest church in Sri Lanka. It felt weird because the floor of the church housed graves so you felt like you were disrespecting the dead by walking on them. From there we drove down the coast to find the pole fisherman. This was a highlight for us. This kind of fishing isn’t done anymore except for tourists. Four guys grabbed fishing rods and went into the water, climbed a pole and sat there fishing like their aboriginal ancestors did. After just a couple of minutes one of them caught a nice size Coral fish then within minutes 2 others pulled up small fish. When they were done we got a chance to go out, climb the pole, fish a little bit and take pics. We had so much fun. After that we got back in the car for the 2 hour ride to Yala National Park. Along the way we asked our driver to take us to a traditional roadside restaurant for some authentic Sri Lankan food. He found a great roadside family restaurant with no menus. You simple went up and picked from 8 or 9 pots in the kitchen. We picked a selection of different dishes including spicy chicken, potatoes, rice and curry, veggies, a local cracker and Dahl. It was delicous. Right next door we saw a lady making fresh Dodol, a Sri Lankan sweet candy. After sampling a bunch we ended up buying a bag for the road. We finally arrived at our hotel outside Yala National Park and took a walk around the village. I guess most tourist stay in eco lodges in the park so while we walked around the village everyone kept coming up to us asking who we were and where we were from. Everyone was so curious and welcoming. Sri Lanka has exceeded our expectations so far. Can’t wait to head into Yala tomorrow!
