Sri Lanka
Day 1
Tuesday 6th January
Brisbane to Colombo
It must be time for another holiday… and yes, we’re off again! This adventure takes us to the vibrant landscapes of Sri Lanka, on to the rich colours and chaos of southern India, and finally to a well-earned slice of rest and relaxation in the Maldives.
Our Qantas flight to Singapore departed at the very civilised hour of 10:30am. Having very recently reached the dizzying heights of Platinum status, I was eagerly anticipating my first taste of a First Class lounge experience. Alas, Brisbane Airport had other ideas — it was the same lounge we always use! Still, a lounge is a lounge… and really, who’s complaining?
Once onboard, however, the Platinum perks made their presence felt. A special welcome from the purser, followed swiftly by a gin spritz shortly after take-off, set the tone. There were a few other personalised touches along the way too — lovely, though I did feel slightly self-conscious with all the extra attention.
We arrived early into Singapore and this time, redemption! The First Class lounge more than lived up to expectations, delivering fine dining and drinking at its best. The tuna sashimi and Humpty Doo barramundi were outstanding, perfectly paired with French Lallier champagne. A delicious start to the journey — and a very promising omen for the travels ahead.
Our three-and-a-half-hour flight with SriLankan Airlines touched down in Colombo at 9:30 pm, the warm night air instantly reminding us we were somewhere new. Unfortunately, the excitement was short-lived when my suitcase appeared on the carousel looking like it had survived a small battle. The casing was badly crushed, as though something heavy had been dropped on it, and the slide-out handle had completely come away from the bag. Cue a detour to baggage services and the inevitable paperwork, which felt even longer at the end of a long travel day.
Finally free, we were welcomed outside by our friendly Bunnik representative, a reassuring sight after the chaos of arrivals. A thirty minute drive, weaving through the nighttime streets, and we arrived at our hotel in Negombo — the Regenta Aire Resort. It was close to midnight by the time we climbed into bed, utterly exhausted but quietly excited for the adventures that awaited us in Sri Lanka.
Day 2
Wednesday 7th January
Negombo
24-29 degrees
Sri Lanka’s past has been shaped by trade, wars and invasions. Subjected to centuries of colonial rule, the island attained independence in 1948, only to be devastated by decades of civil war. It is now a democratic socialist republic. A brief history is as follows …
Earliest settlers, Baladoga Man crossed the bridge of land from India around 125,000 BCE.
4th century BCE – Sinhalese ancestors founded Anuradhapura. Kingdom lasted more than 1000 years.
993 – destroyed by Chola king Rajaraja.
11th century- Sinhalese move capital to Polonnaruwa
13th century – Magha from India seized power and population moved close to modern day Colombo. Another Sinhalese branch established a seat of post in Kandy in the 14th century.
1505 – Portuguese landed on island which they named Ceilao. Started cinnamon trade.
1658 – Portuguese evicted by Dutch who ruled for another 140 years
1796 – Dutch invited British Eadt India company to island to protect it from the French.
1802 Britain took control under Treaty of Amiens. Island called Ceylon.
1815 – Kandy king deposed.
Coconut and rubber, then tea plantations established using Tamil slaves from India.
1915 – riots resulted in more oppression but sparked an independence movement.
1948 – independence
1956 – Tamil opposition to Sinhalese being only national language.
1971 – communist insurrection suppressed by military.
1972 – new constitution inflamed Tamils. Country renamed Sri Lanka.
1980 – visit by HMAS Melbourne with Frank onboard
1983 – 2004 major civil war between Sinhalese and Tamils
2004 – major Tsunami resulted in 40,000 deaths
2009 – final defeat of Tamil Tigers.
2019 terrorist attack in Colombo killed 259
2022 – Country bankrupt
2024 – country started to recover.
Population is 22 million.
Language – the majority of people speak Sinhalese, Tamil is spoken by the Tamil minority group, then English.
Religion
Buddhism is the belief system of the Sinhalese and has a huge influence on the country’s art, architecture and literature. It was introduced to Sri Lanka by Mahinda, the son of the Indian king Asoka, in the 3rd century BCE. Today, Theravada Buddhism is the most widely practised form on the island. 70% of the population are Buddhist. Buddhism is not a religion – it is a way of life.
Hinduism is the dominant religion of the Tamils. It was brought to the island by Tamil kings and their followers from South India. Today, Hindu communities are concentrated in the northern and eastern provinces. 12% of population
Christians are known to have settled on the Sri Lankan coast in the early centuries CE. However, Roman Catholicism gained prominence only with the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century. Protestantism and other Christian denominations were introduced during the Dutch and the British eras. Since the end of colonial rule, the number of Sri Lankan Christians has declined and Roman Catholic communities are concentrated on the west coast. 7% population
Islam was brought to Sri Lanka by Arab traders in the 7th century. Mostly concentrated along the coast, the Muslim community comprises just under 9% of the population.
2% othe
Currency is the Sri Lankan Rupee. 206 Rupee equals $1 AUD
Onto our trip…
At breakfast we met up with Tina and Dave, our travel companions, who mentioned they were heading off to a 10am cooking class and asked if we’d like to join them. That was an easy yes! Before we knew it, we were hopping into an Uber and weaving our way through the villages along the way.
It turned out we were in good company — seven of the nine people from our Bunnick group were there. The class itself was fantastic. We grated coconuts and made fresh coconut milk from scratch, chopped mountains of vegetables, and learned the secrets behind several traditional Sri Lankan curries. The classic pol (coconut) sambal is made from chilli powder, chopped onions, grated coconut and dried and powdered fish, with a splash of lime. All curries were prepared and cooked in clay pots.
The best part, of course, was sitting down together afterwards to enjoy a generous feast of our own creations. The flavours were incredible, and everything tasted even better knowing we’d made it ourselves.
Back to the hotel, where at 4pm we gathered and met our guide Priya. We then hopped on our bus (a full size bus 9 guests!) for a short tour of Negomba. One of the first areas to be occupied by the Portuguese, Negombo is the heartland of Sri Lankan Christianity, with colourful wayside shrines dotting the roads and dozens of large churches. We had a look inside St Mary’s Church, the town’s principal place of worship.
Set alongside a picturesque lagoon and home to an impressive network of canals built in Dutch colonial times, Negombo was an important strategic outpost for the trade of cinnamon in colonial times and has been ruled at varying times by the Dutch, Portuguese and British empires.
We boarded a small launch and enjoyed a scenic cruise along the jungle fringed Negombo Lagoon at sunset. The marsh’s varied aquatic habitats support a diverse coastal ecosystem. It is home to Eurasian crocodiles, macaque monkeys and water monitors. Many species of butterflies and dragonflies have also been recorded here. Various species of birds, such as kingfishers, and herons call this area home. We were treated to a show by the monkeys – our boat driver put corn kernels on the front of our boat, and before you knew it, we were visited but the friendly creatures – they even climbed onto the roof!
Next we had a surprise – set up in the water between the mangroves were two high tables complete with cocktails containing soda, Arrack (Sri Lankan whiskey) and orange juice – which were delicious, plus plates of sliced pineapple and guava. There were also several lit lanterns which added to the ambience. It was such an amazing experience, standing barefoot in the knee deep water, cocktail in hand, watching the sun set.What a lovely start to our holiday!
After our cruise, we enjoyed a delicious BBQ dinner at a restaurant on the Dutch canal – we had traditional and local dishes, mostly seafood, whilst listening to a couple of entertaining musicians. We tried the traditional “hopper”, a bowl-shaped pancake, which also has a variation with an egg fried in the centre. Priya made the evening very special by explaining the traditions of lighting candles, and also getting the musicians to play both the Australian and Sri Lankan national anthems.
A fantastic day to start our holiday with!
Day 3
Thursday 8th January
Negombo – Dambulla – Habarana
24-28 degrees
After leaving the hotel we experienced one of Negombo’s fish markets. The market is full of life and colour, as each morning fresh catch is brought in and vendors voice their prices at the top of their lungs. Buyers bargain for the best deals in what is a daily practice for the locals of this coastal town. All types of fish are for sale – tuna, king fish, queen’s fish, Mari Mari, white bait, sword fish, leather jacket and more, also calamari, crabs, oysters, mussels and more.
Dried fish is also sold. The fish is heavily salted and spread out on sheets to dry. Women turn the fish every two hours until it is dry. It is packaged for domestic sale, all over Sri Lanka and some for export. Street dogs and cats wander around, but will not touch the fish due to its saltiness. Needless to say, the fishy smell was a little overwhelming!
Negombo Fort was built by the Portugese to defend Colombo in 1672. In 1796 it was occupied by the British, eventually demolished, then a prison built in its place. We walked past and saw family members lined up to take food and clothes to their loved ones. Jails are not like they are in Australia – here they have to sleep on the concrete floor, use a communal toilet shared amongst 100 men, and only given very basic and minimal food. The main reason these people are in jail is because of their attempt to transport people to Australia. If these people are caught, not only do they go to these rudimentary jails, but they lose their homes, their cars, their Tuk Tuks, their jewellery and all their personal possessions. There are government signs everywhere stating explicitly that you will not succeed in fleeing to Australia because of the strict laws against this – punishment will always be detainment.
We had a very pleasant two hour drive through coconut plantations, rice paddies, pineapple farms, also many banana and mango trees, plus some small crops.
There are 780,000 hectares of rice paddies here and there is a great deal of rich and fertile agricultural land for the growing of a vast variety of fruits and vegetables.
There is a huge coconut growing industry here. It takes 6 years to grow a tree that produces coconuts ready to eat. 1 million people depend on the coconut industry.Because the coconut trees grown here for many years were getting so tall and difficult to retrieve the coconuts, they have now developed a hybrid species, which are much shorter trees.
Sri Lanka dominates the global market for “true” or Ceylon cinnamon, producing nearly 90% of the world’s supply, prized for its unique quality, aroma, and health benefits, cultivated primarily in the island’s southwest coast with sophisticated, traditional harvesting and processing methods involving peeling the inner bark into distinctive quills.
Next, we made our way to the Dambulla Caves, home to the best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka. The cave temples were built in the 1st century and the gigantic granite outcrop towers more than 160 metres above its surrounds. We explored the caves covered by ancient frescoes and their interior, where over a hundred statues of Buddha (157 to be exact) are housed, some carved from the rock itself.
Sri Lanka is home to no less than 8 UNESCO World Hertitage-listed sites, 5 of which are situated in what is known as the cultural triangle, in the centre of the island.
We continued onto the small village of Habarana. Habarana is the gateway to Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle and national parks. An extra special treat was to see a wild elephant bull walking along the road. I’m not sure he was so happy posing for us.
We are staying at Cinnamon Resort for four nights. Featuring views out over Habarana Lake and modelled on a traditional Sri Lankan village with small chalets dotted through the lush landscape. It is a paradise for nature lovers. Frank and I had a walk on the “jogging track” enjoying the serenity. We were treated to approximately 20 Malabar Pied Hornbills settling down to nest in a few of the trees. They looked very similar to toucans . Unfortunately the light was not so good, so my photos don’t do them justice.
Dinner at the restaurant turned into a global tasting tour — a buffet that seemed determined to represent every cuisine. Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly eat another bite, we discovered the infamous “naughty room” – a dazzling shrine to desserts, where willpower went to die and indulgence was not only encouraged, but inevitable. Four nights of this!
Day 4
Friday 9th January
Habarana
22-26 degrees, drizzle, humid
Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka and the capital of the North Province. Founded in the 5th Century BC, this UNESCO World Heritage listed city is known for its many ruins of temples, ancient pools and dagobas. At the centre of Anuradhapura is the majestic Ruwanwelisaya Dagoba, also known as the Maha Thupa or “Great Stupa”, despite being smaller than the other great stupas. At 55 m high, this is one of the ancient city’s most prominent landmarks. According to legend, the dagoba was originally built in the shape of a bubble but subsequent restorations have changed its appearance. It still stands on an enormous raised platform, however, supported by a striking wall, formed of a frieze of elephants. Four smaller stupas mark the corners of the platform and elaborate shrines (valkahadas) are attached to its base. The stupa is filled with earth. It is painted every year with white chalk.
South of the Ruwanwelisaya Dagoba is the Sri Maha Bodhi, or “Sacred Bo Tree”, which has a fair claim to being the most holy tree on Earth. Offering a direct link to the Buddha himself, the tree is said to have been grown from a cutting taken from the bodhi (bo) tree in Bodhgaya, in northern India, beneath which the Buddha himself attained enlightenment some time around 450 BCE. The tree is believed to have been transported to Sri Lanka by Princess Sangamitta, the sister of Mahinda, the monk who brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Festooned in prayer flags, and surrounded by an elaborate series of golden-railed platforms, the tree attracts a steady stream of pilgrims. Dressed in traditional white robes, these visitors sit quietly around Sri Maha Bodhi in quiet prayer and meditation.
A few more stops at other temples, pools and a stop at the ancient moonstone, before our lunch stop.
After lunch is the Ritigala Medicinal Forest. To get there we had to travel by four wheel drive for 30 minutes. Set deep in the jungle around a large hill formed by huge sculptural granite monoliths, lies the ancient (250-210 BC) and now abandoned hermitage of Ritigala. Today the visible remains are those of a Buddhist monastic congregation that used to practice meditation in total austerity. Rarely visited by tourists, this mystical place is incredibly beautiful and unspoilt with shady forests filled with streams, pools and granite boulders leading to ruins with various meditation platforms. We had drizzly rain but it actually added to the mystical experience. There were remains of a hospital, library, bath house and the meditation walk. It is believed that the structures were used by the monks for meditation purposes and that the area underneath was flooded with water to keep the place cool.
We made it back to the resort just in time for a quick shower and a fresh change, before descending—slightly too enthusiastically—upon the buffet once again, ready to see what culinary temptations awaited us that night. We weren’t let down!
Day 5
Saturday 10th January
Habarana
21-28 degrees
An action packed journey to Polonnaruwa today – on route we saw Malabar Pied Hornbills, Water monitor, Brahminy Kite, Changeable Hawk Eagle, and an Asian elephant splashing about in a waterway.
Polonnaruwa lies at the cultural triangle’s easternmost point and became Sri Lanka’s second capital in the 11th century after the destruction of Anuradhapura. The ruins of Polonnaruwa are often considered the highlight of the Cultural Triangle and the city was the centrepiece of the Sinhalese kingdom established by King Vijayabahu I. Abandoned in 1293 and quickly consumed by the jungle, Polonnaruwa was excavated in the 20th century and declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1982.
We spent our morning discovering this ancient city that was built alongside a large artificial lake. At the centre of the ancient city is the Royal Palace Group, where King Parakramabahu’s grand palace, also known as Vejayanta Prasada, and other buildings were once protected by heavy fortifications. The palace is believed to have originally stood seven storeys high with a thousand rooms, although all that remains today is a three-storey building made of brick.
To the east of the palace is the Council Chamber, or Audience Hall, where the king would have met with his advisors and various officials. The roof of the chamber is long gone, but the base still remains, decorated with friezes depicting dwarves, lions and elephants. The staircase leading up to the landing has a fine moonstone at its base, ornamented balustrades, and two lions flanking the top step. I love how green and lush the surrounding landscape is.
The Quadrangle complex is home to a number of fascinating buildings, including the Vatadage – one of the most beautiful sights in Polonnaruwa. A relic house built by Parakramabahu, the Vatadage comprises a central dagoba set on a raised terrace, surrounded by a brick wall. Located opposite the Vatadage, the Hatadage is a Tooth Relic temple built by Nissankamalla, which was originally a two-storey building.
Gal Vihara (the “Rock Monastery”) houses four large Buddha statues painstakingly carved from a single granite outcrop. Dating from the 12th century, the carvings were originally housed within brick shrines but now stand in the open air, protected from the elements only by a rather ugly corrugated iron canopy. Pride of place goes to the 14 metre long reclining Buddha.
During the morning we were treated to a King Coconut water to quench our thirst – very refreshing.
Once we had finished our visits to the archaeological sites in Polonnaruwa, we had a delicious traditional lunch at a local family home. A demonstration on how to cook pumpkin curry preceded our lunch – a choice of 27 dishes, each one bursting with regional spices and flavours. Accompanied by a mango lassi, we almost rolled out! Our meals were served on bamboo plates lined with banana leaves
A short stop at a woodcarving factory – we saw a similar wood carved elephant made from ebony that Frank’s grandfather brought back from Sri Lanka almost 100 years ago. The one for sale was $25,000!
Our destination in the afternoon was Eco National Park, where vast expanses of evergreen forest and scrub areas serve as the roaming grounds for elephants. Here, we enjoyed a game drive by jeep – saw so many elephants, and almost… a leopard! As we drove in there was a leopard, but of course there were a few jeeps trying to jockey into position, and the leopard disappeared by the time we got close. Dam it! We did see water buffalo, black headed ibis, peacocks, and other birds.
Back to our resort by 6pm, time for a shower, before a very light dinner. Fabulous day all round.
Day 6
Sunday 11th January
Habarana
21-29 degrees
Today was a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the famous rock fortress of Sigiriya. The remains of a 5th Century fortress lie perched high atop a rock plateau, offering panoramic views over a vast plain and dense jungles. Built by King Kasyapa, an impressive 5 acre fort sat astride the rock and a city nestled at its base, but now the city is gone and the fortress is in ruins. The ruins were first discovered by British archaeologists in the early 20th century, and excavations have continued here ever since.
We walked through a 5 acre ancient fort and its beautiful gardens which are kept in pristine condition by 300 workers. It’s hard to imagine that only 35% of this wonder has to date been excavated and that people in the future will be able to see even more findings as more of this area is excavated.
After walking through the beautiful grounds of the water garden, we ascended 1200 perilously perched stairs to discover a breathtaking view over the Sri Lankan jungle below and intriguing remnants of a once thriving kingdom. There were two pools at the top. All water was recycled. Absolutely fascinating. It’s quite unbelievable how this 5th Century rock fortress was built on the top of the Lion Rock which is 363 metres high.
Braving the additional spiral staircase, we saw the 21 frescoes of female nature spirits, known as Apsaras, painted beneath an overhang about 90 metres up the rock. These frescoes are beautiful – still boasting vibrant colours even after 1,500 years. Just above them, a wall adorned with 1,000 year old graffiti and poetry serves as a testament to visitors who recorded their impressions of the painted women.
It was a two and a half hour return trip to complete the climb – we came back very hot and sweaty, but it was totally worth it. Our iced towels were very welcome as we got back into the coach.
Ten minutes away was a very quaint village. Here we visited the local school of only twelve students, who sang for us, and also wrote our names in Sinhalese on the whiteboard. Bunnick has supported this school for many years.
Priya took us for a walk around the village- we walked through farms giving us a good understanding of their traditional farming methods, saw the process of millet being made into flour, watched rice being de husked, the making of coconut roti, also how to sharpen knives using sand and teak. We then enjoyed a traditional lunch cooked by the local families – again served from clay pots onto banana leaf lined clay plates.It was a lovely experience, and great to know that the families benefit from us visiting them.
Last, but not least, on today’s agenda was a visit to the local Sri Lankan massage wellness centre for a traditional herbal massage. There was a herbal doctor there and if you have any ailments, she could assist you and prescribe herbal treatments.I had the Shirodhara treatment, an ancient Ayurvedic therapy. Warm herbal oil pours in a continuous stream over the forehead where nerves are highly concentrated. The pressure of the oil on to the forehead creates a vibration. Combined with a full body massage and sauna, the whole experience was very much appreciated after the big day we had had.
Then our final buffet at this resort, before settling down for a very welcome sleep!
Day 7
Monday 12th January
Habarana – Matale – Kandy
20-27 degrees
This morning we farewell Sigiriya with our sights set on Kandy! A few stops on the way – the first one being a visit to a local market. This bustling market had every type of fruit and vegetable conceivable. The only imported fruit here are oranges.
Next stop was Coconut House – here we see how a local family utilises every element of a coconut tree, from extracting coconut oil to creating rope. Coconut milk, coconut oil, treacle, toddy (Arrack) sambol come from the inside of the coconut, whilst the fibre makes rope, mats, and brooms. The coconut shells make garden edges, cups, bowls, spoons – nothing is wasted. No wonder they call it the tree of life.
At Matale, we visit one of the best spice plantations on the island. A large variety of spices such as cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and precious cardamom (a relative of ginger) are grown here. We had a very interesting presentation on how some of these spices are grown and processed, followed by a hair removal demonstration (on Frank’s leg), a mini facial, plus a leg massage using the cardamon and red oil, followed by the application of sandalwood cream. My legs felt so rejuvenated afterwards.
After having lunch at the spice farm, we drove to Kandy. Kandy is a truly charming town that is set around an artificial lake and nestled amidst rolling hills covered by forests and tea plantations. Known for housing the most important Buddhist temple in the country, the former capital of Ceylon and the last seat of the Sinhalese Kingdom is Sri Lanka’s cultural capital. Kandy’s beautiful city has a distinctive style due to the impressive colonial architecture that still survives today!
On arrival, we visited the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic which houses one of the most sacred relics of Buddhism —a tooth of Buddha collected from his funeral pyre, which is now protected within the gold -roofed Temple of the Tooth.
Built in the 16th century, the original temple stood at the heart of the Royal Palace complex. The main shrine was originally constructed during the reign of Vimala Dharma Suriya I (r 1590–1604), but it was rebuilt by King Rajasinghe II (r 1634–86). The Dutch incursion followed in 1765, when the palace and its temple were plundered for treasures. The palace was renovated in the 19th century by Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, the last king of Kandy, who built the moat and replaced the earlier entrances with a massive stone gateway. Notable later additions include the magnificent golden roof over the main shrine in the 1980s. An LTTE bombing badly damaged it in 1998, but the temple has since been restored and remains a sacred place today.
To finish off the day, we were treated to a mesmerising cultural show and traditional dance performance. We witnessed the fascinating Kandyan dance, a vibrant art form unique to Sri Lanka that involves elements of fire dancing, drumming and acrobatics. The performance has deep cultural ties, traditionally being performed only during royal ceremonies, festivals and religious events.
We had a late check in at the Cinnamon Citadel – framed nicely against the Knuckles Mountain Range and the Mahaweli River. Luckily it had escaped any damage from the recent floods.
Day 8
Tuesday 13th January
Kandy
20-28 degrees
Today we started at the Amith gem factory with a short presentation re the difference between precious (hardness rating greater than 8) and semi precious stones. The Sri Lankan sapphires are precious, and have a hardness rating of 9. The pink sapphire is becoming very valuable because it is rare. Not only is Sri Lanka the most productive source of sapphires to the world, but they also boast some of the oldest mines in the world, reaching as far as the Second Century AD and international trade of Ceylon Sapphires have been recorded as far as the 4th and 5th century AD.We had some time to shop – of course I succumbed to a stunning pink sapphire. It is just gorgeous.
The beautiful Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya was our next destination. Initially a Royal Park, it became a Botanical Garden in 1821 under British rule. Here exotic crops such as coffee, tea, nutmeg, rubber and cinchona (quinine) —all of which are important to the country’s economy —were first tested. The Botanical Gardens include a beautiful orchid house and a wide variety of plant species from all over the world. A grassy central area of the gardens nearly 1.6 ha in extent is surrounded by the Memorial collection. This diverse array of trees has been planted by Royalty, Heads of states and other dignitaries visiting the Royal Botanic Gardens. This includes more than 100 magnificent trees that re – live the world history taking us a journy through recent past.
Because there are 60 hectares of gardens, Priya organised a cart for us to get around in. Luckily he did as it was very hot outside today. The gardens are truly lovely and great to have a sample of every tree in Sri Lanka. We enjoyed lunch in the cafe looking over the grounds.
From there we went to a textile store and had all the various aspects of silk and other fabrics explained. I tried on a sari – 6.5 metres of fabric. Just gorgeous. I really have enough silk scarves and resisted the temptation to buy more.
An early finish to the day – a good opportunity to relax for a couple of hours and enjoy the tranquility of the hotel’s gardens. Another scrumptious buffet for dinner.
Day 9
Wednesday 14th January
Kandy – Nuwara Eliya
12-19 degrees, sunny
Today we visited a batik factory in Kandy where we learnt about the wax-resistant dying tradition using fabrics. It is a very labour intensive process but with striking results at the end. Each day a different layer of wax is used to make the different coloured patterns. All types of batik and tie-died clothes were available for sale, as well as tablecloths, table runners, cushion covers, wall art and more.
We then made it through Kandy’s peak hour traffic and had a lovely scenic drive to the country’s main hill resort, Nuwara Eliya. There was much residual devastation from the recent floods – lots of rubbish in the trees along the river’s edge. People were illegally collecting sand from the river bed.
We visited Glenlock tea plantation and factory where we discovered how Sri Lankan tea is produced, from picking the leaves to selling the tea. Sri Lankan tea processing, primarily for black tea, involves meticulous hand-plucking of “two leaves and a bud,” followed by Withering (reducing the moisture), Rolling (rupturing cells for flavour), Fermentation (oxidation for colour/strength), Drying (fixing flavour), and finally Grading/ Sorting by size and quality; all crucial steps to create Ceylon Tea’s distinctive character. 80% of the tea is then exported overseas and the remainder is sold locally in Sri Lanka. Of course we couldn’t leave without sampling some tea!
Navigating the hairpin turns, we continued further up into the mountains passing many more tea plantations on terraced hillsides. The scenery was so green and lush. Beautiful flowers along the roadside – cannas, lillies and trumpet flowers in abundance. Our lunch stop was at a restaurant which had the most spectacular view overlooking the plantations.
We then continued on to a town in the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea growing area. At 2000 metres above sea level Nuwara Eliya, or the “city of life”, was founded by the British explorer Samuel Baker in 1846. It was a sanctuary to the colonialists who were keen to escape the humidity and heat of Sri Lanka. This bustling town is dotted with colonial-era buildings and parks, and still provides a glimpse of life during the colonial heyday. We had free time to have a wander around the town. The pink colonial era post office has an eye-catching clock tower. The region’s temperate climate makes this the coolest area in the country.
Not far away was the Galway Heights Hotel, where we are staying for two nights. Frank and I walked to the local Tamil village where all the tea workers live. There was a Hindu temple there which was very colourfully decorated inside. Another buffet, and a couple of musicians playing some lovely background music. They also played the song we had been practicing so we were able to confidently join in.
Glammy Goes Global 