4th Day India

I have spent 3 nights here in India so far. First at a private house which was large so I went in and asked if they had a spare room and hey presto.

Then 2 nights near a beach where I swam in a basement room with ensuite for 3.50 pounds per night. The resort is quite an expensive one so luck to get cheap accom. They are normally busy though but this year business for them is very low so far so can haggle.

I am in the Kerala region which is south west and now heading north along the coast to Verkala beach where I hope the sea is good to swim. There were some rocks before and a steep shore so waves breaking onto the shore means no body surfing. After one or two nights I will probably head inland to some backwater areas and the mountains which rise to over 2000m. Will be much cooler. Here its a little cooler than SriLanka and not quite so humid so far. Today is overcast with fine drizzle making pleasant cool cycling.

Saw lots of fishing from boats and manually from the shore with massive net which needs some 40 men to handle and haul slowly back to the beach.

Been eating more curry with vegetable and fish with the occasional beer, which is called Kingfisher the king of good times apparently. ot as strong as some of the beer in SriLanka which I was able to add water to.

Roads here are filled with crazy drivers and am so sick of blasted horns all the time. But eventually becoming immune to them.

I believe you are having some really cold weather and that it may have been snowing in the south. Some fella from Wales said that lowest Nov. temps recorded prevailing at present so hope all is well and that you are all warm enough. Remember there is something that the children can use as a sled left over from before. Must be in the sheds somewhere.


I managed to pick up a lonely planet guide to South India so have lots of info even though about 8 years old, should be fine reference.

Bye to SriLanka

0630hrs here at the airport and I have an hour to wait for flight to India. Heading to the south west to a place called.

Trivendrem or as per my ticket the right mouthfull of Thiruvananthapuram only about 45 minutes away.

Must have a quick read about what to expect.

Finally got my Indian visa sorted and then spent a few days travelling along the coast here south of Columbo and reached just beyond Galle where I had a good swim earlier today and luckily got a lift back to the aiport in a van headed here to collect someone else arriving from England.

Been really good here and now looking ahead.

All for now and hope to catch up soon.

More Sri lanka

So here I am once again in a McDonalds, apparently one of 4 here in SriLanka which I have not yet noticed. I am in Galle rd Colombo having spent a trying night sleeping first on a station table which one fella took exception to and later on the train bench seveeal hours before it departed at 5am this morning. I needed to travel from the town of Kandy (up country) to the capital city of Colombo in order attend for the 2nd time' the Indian visa application office so that I could surrender my passport to be despatched to the High Commission here for the gold plated 3 month Indian tourist visa which I applied for earlier here in Colombo on Nov 3rd. They then required me to return no sooner than 8 days before 0900hrs and then hang about all day while the High Commissioner and his cronies hover over my passport with their magic stamp for 6 hours no doubt enjoying several banquets in between and engaging in their diplomatic doings while I along with many other
humanbeings have to endure this bureacratic bull. I'm wondering if their citizens have to experience similar torture in a tit for tat or if they are on a 'take these imperialists for a ride' to teach them a lesson for grabbing power and no doubt installing such obstacle filled procedures in the first place.

On a brighter note, my journey around SriLanka has been a joy. This really is a hickeldy pickeldy place where people seem to be happy and content to live. The roads are rather dangerous places to be especially when being passed by the govt. missile buses which stop anywhere yet appear not to stop for anything that gets in their way swerving at full pelt to overtake leaning at impossible angles while leaning constantly on their horns to announce arrival and to ward off smaller vehicles. Then there are the motorcyclists limited to 250cc with a handfull of 600s having somehow slipped through, most likely via diplomatic or politic privelage. The law for the bikers appears to require helmets mostly, or at least in urban areas, but with restriction on the number of passengers one often sees a family of 4 or even 5 clinging to an Indian 125cc of sorts. Apparently the helmet law does not extend to children or babes in arms who you will often see hanging onto the
handlebars with great delight or cradled somewhere in the middle with a pair of hands holding an umbrella aloft at the same time. I did once come across the aftermath of a two bike collision which attracted it seemed the whole villages residents and similar numbers of police at the scene. I stopped to make sure of the correct route and the policeman assumed that I was asking him what had happened as he commenced explaining that there had been an accident when I had gathered as much by the two bikes still luying where they had come to rest. I expect they were waiting for the local chief or collission experts to turn up for evidence collecting after all the townfolk had continued to cover any sign of skid marks there may have been on the sand road.

Having left Arugum bay, I headed east and soon found myself riding through a thick jungle area referred to as an elephant corridor which heightened my senses on the lookout for some Nellies I imagined would come bounding through the trees. Just then I felt the tell tale wobble sign of the punctured rear tyre. At first I tried to pump and go but soon realised the futility of this progressing only a few hundred meters at a time. So I found a place with a small stream alongside in case I needed to do a bubble search and with one eye and both ears tuned into wild animal mode, I proceeded to turn the bike over and seek out te offending hole which luckily made itself known quickly, it being a bright and quiet area. Then a tuk tuk came by with a passenger being a beer filled joung lad who insisted on offering his help and unsteady expertise. I kept thanking him and assserting that I felt sure to manage so had him and the wild animals to look out for. He was
somewhat more wild as it turned out. Puncture repaired, some sweet root shared, I continued my journey and later spotted some large black objects grazing peacefully some few hundred yards off. Binos confirmed they were indeed 5 wild elephants mildly going about their munching business without a care in the world.

In the afternoon, I came to a small village and decided to turn right onto a small track leading through some homesteads some of which typically had a store of sorts in the front garden. Then onto the local paddyfields with a spectacular hill to the left beyond a lake. Up on high I could see a temple and Budha perched on a bare rock as has often been the case. I cycled towards it and came to a farmstead where an army lad and a farm worker stood. The worker was using a couple of buckets by the well to provide a good shower which appealed so I stopped and asked if there were some monks. He was to return from the village later so I parked the bike and walked up through a forrest and well warn steps of rock up towards the monastry some several hundred yards up the hill. Birds of many, peacocks and monkeys announced my arrival to this place with view of pure tranquility amongst the drooping trees across the lake and paddy fields below. In contrast but
mingling well was the cacophony of monkeys, peacocks' squirrels and countless others from small insects to larger amphibians all contributing to this wonderfully natural atmoshere of pure harmony. And then amongst this, a well blended verandered cottage built into and against the rock. A real paradise. Busy with animals but no humans about, I proceeded beyond the permission sign on up a steep 'carved in the rock' stairway with steel cabled hand rail leading aloft to where the Budha stood and solid temple above. Stunning, so I decided to stop for the night if allowed. On the way back down I noticed a solitary figure walking along the road towards where I had left my cycle. Binos again confirmed that he most likely was the monk returning. We met at the bottom of the hill exchanging a beam of smiles, a shake of hands followed by his gift of two wood apples. I explained about wanting to stay and gestured the v shape camping sign to which he nodded and
walked on. One or two of the farm workers warned about the danger of elephants roaming around after dark. Others have at times warned me about elephants travelling along and across roads at night too, but I found a suitable camping spot near and abandoned farm hut under some trees on some sandy ground. I managed to avoid an ant highway just a few feet away and gently stepped over their path when moving around so as to avoid disturbing their follow the leader migration too and fro. Having only camped once before so far here in SriLanka, when I found the tent to be far too confined and sauna like I determined to pitch the tent differently this time. I was able to raise the flyseet well above this time, tying one side to a tree branch and using a guied branch on the other, meant that I was still sheltered from rain but able to see out either side of the inner tent through the gause with much improved airflow.
Darkness fell quickly as usual and I cycled back to the village for so,e grub, it being an onion, tomato, bread, bananas, ginger beer and ginger biscuits. Further on I sat down outside another store and asked a lady to make me a cup of tea to have with my biscuits which I shared with her little daughter and curious friend who happened along.

In the morning after having slept soundly I got up early to try and catch the sun rising from the hill above and then noticed some large droppings nearby so it looked like one or more large creatures had visited afterall. I sat on a chair in the cottage garden and was met again with a stunning view. Missing the orange ball which had been replaced by a steadily brightening through some cumulonimbus clouds accumulating on the eastern horizon. The monk then appeared and to his surprise there was I. He remarked about my not having parted the night before afterall whilst shuffling into his room to fully robe himself in my presence and reappearing enthuisiastically commenting about the beautiful sunrise. Soon after the normal mug of sweet tea arrived with a small packet of biscuits and after, I sat with him and had some chillied beans for breakfast before returning to the well below for a wash ,shave pack up and go after sharing adresses and photocall.

Onwards to the west I went at good speed, it being mostly flat to begin with. For at least 12kms, + joined a group of army cyclists out on a training ride and managed to keep with them until the next town. They were riding single geared bikes with stripped, but basic steel frames and sit up and beg bars with shopping bike tyres like my own. Given my load, I was quite pleased with my ability to keep at their pace even though I had gears to help up the increasing inclines. Glad to have reached the next town, I stopped for a drink and breakfast at a so called hotel which is the name they give a tea room here. This one specialised in Chinese cooking but I had just a simple milk rice cake made from previously cooked riced to form a sweet filled cake and a couple of bananas. On my way out, I was given a bunch of sweet mini bananas for my journey after exchanging emails and travelling tales.

In the afternoon, it was then time to turn right and start heading north into the mountains. A Toil followed with steep climbs, interspersed with an excellent curry, cup of tea and several coconuts, jack fruit and wood apple. Then the heavens opened and a soggy me walked up the last of the mountain pass, passed a wild waterfall and eventually onto the mountain village of Ella 1100m aloft in the heart of Cylon tea country. Evening meal a boring relatively expensive burger for supper joined by Crystal I think, a joung lady fro Denmark who is a fashion designer having recently completed a SriLankan contract arranged via a well known London design school where she had degree'd. Overnight in the monastry, an early walk to little adams peak offered a memorable view across the tea plantations down to the east across a natural mountain corridor to the hills and plains far below.

Quick breakfast and time to hop on the 160km, 7hr! train journey through the mountains back to Kandy and the Burmese Rest where I stayed once again for the princely sum of about £1.10 per night.

I would not ordinarily choose to travel on a lumpy bumpy, noisy, slow, stop starting train journey, but this one was special....
Scenery special. Explosion of vegetation, colours from trumpets blue, scarlet, orange, yellow and cotton. Wild water tumbling headlong over crests and steep gorges lifting mist and spray. Great forrests of Eucalyptus and Pine, ferrocious ferns, fruit full. Family and market gardens of abundant variety and tea mountains afar. People busy, children waving, cows grazing. Mountain villages, bustling towns, bikes ,buses and all between. Birds and bees, dogs and monkeys. Will this noisy bumpy jouney ever end. Though a wonderful experience I well recommend.
All for now.

Tropical bliss with mozzies

Fri 19th Nov. I notice that the last note typed on my cell phone is dated 31 Oct. I am listening to the regular beat of waves tumbling onto a short, steep shoreline which is where the beach hut I have slept in over the last two nights. Here at Arugam bay I have reached the most southern point along the east coast before a national wildlfe park which some have said that I can cycle through and others not. Suspect latter is correct and if other tourist attractions are to be judged by, then entering the park by 4x4 guided is likely to be very expensive. Just met a couple of joung French fellows who are working for a children's charity assessing the results of support work ongoing following the tsunami some 6 years ago. One is to travel to JHB soon and then on to Kwazulu Natal. Although it is 6 years ago, many people talk about it and I saw, especially further north at Passikuda, much evidence of buildings that once stood before what must have been a
devastating experience for many. So this, my 19th day out of 30 allowed, there is still much I hope to see including hopefully some wild elephants and the moutain areas south of Kandy some of which is called little England being cooler up high and no doubt rains a lot too.
The joung French lads commented about India being really noisy and dirty, I am just hoping to find some quiter more peaceful places which I will be on the lookout for.
People here are really freindly and genuinely interested as well as very curious. My diet has been filled with lots of curry, mainly vegetable and fish with many good fruits to enjoy abundantly. Drinking King coconuts has been a favourate as well as enjoying the local Lion Lager one of which is very strong at 8.8% which is fine dillutwd with water at 50% making two normal for the price of one.
There is lots of fishing going on here and many of their fibreglass boats have been donated by charties but it seems that there are twice as many boats as needed, the results of good intentions wasted. There are also some traditional canoe types with single timber floats on one side which provide stability and are propelled with oars. The fish are landed and the local townfolk gather around to establish the highest price to be offered by auction. The fisherman or his rep will shout what sounds like Anurupar over and over which I think may mean asking price starts at 100 rupees per kilo and open to better offers. I watched this going on for a good few minutes during which time none of the 10 or so punters offered any sign of acceptance. I suppose its a waiting game and all are reluctant to start the bidding for fear of driving tge price too high.

On the way here fron the north, I pulled of the main road to rest and have a bite to eat of some fruit and ledt over bread fron breakfast I had had earlier. I came across a buiding on the beach signed as the fisherman's rest, which I passed and settled under some coconut palms nearby. Soon after a wiry fisherman approached and asked me if I wanted coconuts. I think he may have seen me peering on the ground at some fallen ones which unfortunately had been spent. Ever eager must have been my expression so he hoisted up his frock and climbed effortlessly up a seemingly impossible 90 degrees using his arms and legs to carry him all the way up in no time. I gather people here, often employ such characters to harvest their own garden trees. The price of these fine fruits has varied between 10 and 40 rupees, or 6p and 24p in English money and provide an excellent thurst quenching' energising drink followed by a pleasant eating of sweet jelly. Beats a soda
drink anyday and most contain at least 500ml.
I have stayed just once in my tent so far. Most I have paid gas been 800 and have often paid around 500 or 3 pounds. The showers are all cold but its that warm anyway, there is no need for hot water. Mostly I am able to eat well in small resturants for around 90p, that being a generous plate of local rice and a good curry with veg and fish or chicken. Beef has also been more common in the eastern Tamal areas.
I have met many local people being Budhists mostly, Tamals both Hindu and Muslims and some Chritian folk too. There is much more to write about but thumbs are tired and I must start packing for onward journey inland to the west at noon today. I have had very hot sunny weather for the last week or more and today it is overcast and cooler so hopefully easier on the bike.
Till next time.

Sri Lanka

Its already halfway through a max month long stay here in SriLanka and I have that time fly's feeling.

I have last night stayed in a manse beloging to The Grace Redempton Fellowship. Kethees the paster has allowed me to camp down on his living room floor with a cooling ceiling fan providing comfort from the otherwise prevailing humidity which I have happily grown used to.

Mozzies though are a continuous challenge in the early evenings especially and those in SA always loved the taste of my blood and the same has prevailed here so a mix of nets, fans, covering up, some peaceful sleep insect repellent which I think my mum gave me several years back and a coil have formed my not so succesful defence.

My journey so far has taken me east from the airport (had intended traveeling north) on the Kndy road where I stopped soon after the day I arrived and met with a recently married couple and their parents. The father runs a small roadside store and Istayed with them for 3 nights, visting a local village by bus and another multi bus journey from there oneday to visit the Indian Visa Office in Columbo the capital. I will have to return there againgn to have my passport visa stamp. Not looking forward to that as they require one to arrive before 0900hrs and return later in the day after 1630hrs to collect passport. All this following 8 days to process the visa application costing over 40 pounds for a single 3 month tourist visa.

From discussion I have had with local folks here, it may be that I will limit my touring in India to the south of the country beginning in Madras which is the nearest airport destination from here. I feel that the time I have been spending here has perhaps given me a soft introduction to what is to follow.

I have found the people here to be very friendly and helpful, a smaller number inclined to see me as a cash cow on occasions.
and invariably then dissapointed with my knowledge of what prices should be.

The food here has been really great, rice and curry being the norm with extraordinary spicy and sometimes very hot but delicious tastes. Lots of exotic fruit and vegetables with abundance of fish often very small but full of taste. Around the towns, the streets are often very dirty without any evidence of attempts to control the accumulating litter. Off the main tracks though, the environment is very natural with explosions of vegetation and birdlife, rivers and lakes full of fish supporting the local needs. At the beach yesterday I attended the local fish market following the overnight catch. At 150 rupees per kilo of small but popular fish being about 85 English pence I thing.

For 150 rupees, one can eat a generous plate of rice with at lest one meat or fish and 3 sometimes for different vegetable curries always served with a glass of water which can be refilled at will. I have so far continued to drink the ground water without problem.

Travelling after sunset in some places is reckoned to be hazardous sometimes as apparently the wild elephant population is inclined to travel across or along the roads. So far though, I have not seen any and only one elephant which was standing in a shelter, tethered near an elephant orphanage which I bypassed. I have cycled about 600kms so far and will probably do that much again by bike with possible additional bus and train journeys to cover more ground before I need to leave in 2 more weeks unless my visa is extended which is unlikley.

I stayed at Kandy, the islands 2nd town for 3 days and for two nights on the east coast which is the area I am now in. The tsunami which happened over 6 years ago now is still very visbly evident and on the minds of the local people.

I will travel further south today and then perheps turn inland once again to the hilly/moutainous areas, one of which is called little England, being higher altitude is rather cooler and has many tea plantations from former times. Well, I must get going again as the pastor has kindly let me use his computer and needs to get on with his own work. Hope to provide more detail on the diary again soon. Bye for now.