It’s been a week since we left the incredible country of Sri Lanka, and with time to reflect on our journey, here are our final observations collected along the way.
Nothing can prepare you for the heat.
Gas is only NZ $1.20 per litre.
Everyone knows someone with a tuk tuk.
Always ask for a bed with a Mosquito net. Preferably one without holes.
AC is always worth the investment.
Get ahold of Time Out Sri Lanka magazine. It seems to be a global magazine, but we first saw it on our last day in the country, and the local advice offered is golden. We will be keeping an eye out in future countries!
Potentially do ‘the loop’ in the opposite direction to us – by hitting the ‘touristic’ beaches first, you may have less of an immediate culture shock, less travel distances and more opportunity to get over any jetlag.
Scooters are the most ideal way to get around and can get you off the beaten track.
If you’re short on time and not on cash, go for tuk tuks or hiring a driver.
If you’re short on cash and not on time, go for the local buses, you’ll be surprised how far $2 gets you across the whole country. You also may be surprised how the system operates without a schedule, without any road rules and that sometimes it feels good to be in the most invincible (crazy) vehicle on the road.
Road accidents are the number one cause of death for tourists – drownings are the second most common…heat exhaustion might be a close third. So look both ways crossing the road, watch out for strong currents, rips and crocodiles, and embrace the sunscreen and shade!
Don’t be afraid to haggle for a good price.
Being a solo traveler may be a little more challenging here – although we did met many amazing people doing it alone, the key advice seems to be to stay in social areas at the start of your trip so you can join up with other travelers along the way. Hostels aren’t really a ‘thing’ here the further you get into the country.
Stay flexible on your plans if possible – you never know who you might meet along the way with some key knowledge or experiences. Lonely Planet doesn’t have it all!
Don’t be afraid to mingle with the locals, they are genuinely cool and friendly people and will provide you with unique local experiences.
If you have a choice of travelling here any other month of the year, avoid April. Not only the hottest month, but also host to Sinhalese New Year.
It’s 2017 and while there are Electric Vehicle charging stations regularly dotted around the country, there are some crucial parts of climate change that Sri Lanka doesn’t seem to be aware of yet. Why are they still burning piles of rubbish on the side of the road?! And in the main city, stockpiling dangerous landfills that collapse and crush communities, as happened in our last week. Room for improvement.
Not spicy definitely means spicy.
It’s hot here.
Barista LaVazza is the local version of Starbucks. Guaranteed AC, coffee, wifi and basic touristic patronage. Ideal.
Maps.me, TripAdvisor, and booking.com are life.
When you ask for something with veges, it will usually be 3 different types of onion (Jelley has an fake allergy)
Sri Lankans can’t really judge distance, so 100m is never 100m, especially if you’re American.
White bread is the only bread.
You will inhale mouthfuls of exhaust gas during every mode of transport .. except possibly an air conditioned car, which we couldn’t tell you about.
Even when it is illegal to buy beer over certain public holidays, if you ask around enough, you can always buy beer.
And finally, Sri Lankans are incredibly friendly and helpful and have been a key highlight of our time in this diverse country. Take the time to get to know them, stay in guest houses and have fun with the kids in the street. These will be the experiences that create your personal connection with the country and memories that will last longer than photos.
We’re in the Philippines now (and back to wifi for a bit) and can’t wait to share our latest adventures with you soon!
Until then,
A Kiwi & A Cali xoxo
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