Images: July 2012

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Sri Lanka #3

down town new Galle

old Galle

Galle

old Galle

tuk tuk driver can not understand we don't need him
after we walked 1.5 klm to bus station

Galle bus station

view out front of bus after we leave Galle on a local bus

entry to lodge in Tissamaharama

Lake near Tissamaharama

On arrival at Colombo Fort Station we decided to ring our accommodation hosts prior to our arrival at their home, but was unable to use the public phone.
We requested information at the stations tourist office, and ended up with a full plan and costs from Ferdinando on what his plan would be for our holiday here.
As we had most accommodation booked we told him we would let him know if he could help.
We took a tuk tuk taxi after agreeing on a price and headed to Colombo 5 area to check in our room. The driver found the street, but, the number we had did not marry up so he used his phone to ring our host who gave clear instructions to a long drive with a large black double gate. A middle aged lady was waiting to greet us and show us our room. We met her husband who took us out around the area to show us the location of places we may need like the supermarket ,where to eat etc. During our stay they gave us information on what places to see in Colombo and the bus route numbers, fares etc and on our first outing he took us the the bus stop a few blocks away to ensure we got the correct bus. We only had two nights there but, it should have been at least three.
Colombo is one big traffic jam, but we did manage to see a lot including shops , beach and markets.
Our hosts wanted us to go by air con bus to Galle and not the train, our next stop on our route.
When we departed Colombo he came with us again to ensure we got to the right bus stop and waited with us to flag down the correct bus. A air con bus should come by every 30 min but we waited just over a hour at the stop with no air con bus in sight. He then told us to get the standard bus and it was only seconds when the next non air con bus to Galle arrive. He gave the conductor instuctions then we shook hands and departed. The drive is down the coast next to the ocean so as it turned no air con was needed. It took 3.5 hours for the 120 k drive, stuck in traffic most of the way.
Galle has a walled city, buit by the Dutch in a bygone era and gets a lot of tourist attention. We stayed wthin the walls and this time our host were a younger couple with a 3 year old boy. They own the Fort Inn. The lady could not do enough for us.
They provided meals and nothing was to much for her, on our last night all the rooms were full with families and she had us all fed including all the children who were having a real ball including their 3 year old.
At 630 AM we were up to get a bus along the south coast and it was hugs all round, she really made us welcome and we enjoyed our stay there.

Galle

Fisherman Huts Galle

Galle

Sri Lankan Sea Gull

Galle

South Coast

Pole Fishermen

They called them Pony tails
South coast

Garden Beds spice Garden

south coast road

South Coast

Boats along main road South coast

New Galle

old Galle

Drying washing Galle

Galle

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Sri Lanka #1

After our flight from Perth to KL ,where we had a overnight to get a early morning flight to Sri lanka. Checking into the Tune Hotel just outside the low cost airport terminal, we were told that we were to early for the check in as it was 110 pm and check in was at 2pm.
I complained that they have had full payment for more than four months and that we would be checking out at 3am and asked if we were going to get credit back, the young girl then decided she would let us check in at 130pm so we went and brought a drink outside then came back in to check in.
After securing our gear in the room we headed in to KL sentral to check the shops out again, before heading back out the the airport. (its one hour each way by airport bus)

The flight from KL was 3 hours 20 minutes and had us arriving on the ground in Sri Lanka at 710am. On touch down we could see a lot of manned gun positions all around the run way

With only our carry on bags we were one of the first people in the que to get our passports stamped, we had also brought our USD20 visa on the Internet, lots of people had to go back and buy the visa as they had not bothered or did not know that a visa is now required by Commonwealth countries.

When we came out through the doors into the duty free area we were surprised to see lots of big duty free shops heaverly stocked with large white goods. People were doing deals on all sorts of items like fridges, air conditioners etc and wheeling them out the door.
Once outside the main area we changed money then on to the outside to look for a free white bus to take us to the local bus terminal.

With the usual hassel from Taxi drivers We managed to find the white bus after asking several people where we catch it, but it all came clear when the bus turned up

We were soon at the local area terminal and on our way to Colombo on a standard local bus. it cost 38 cents Australian each for a one and a half hour bus ride with Indian type music blaring all the way.
Several people from the airport also got the same bus and a woman from Europe was put in the seat in front of us by the conductor, and stacked her bags next to her on the seat. After he had collected the fares she turned arond to ask us how much we had paid. The conductor heard her and came back saying the bags were taking a seat and she must pay for that seat, Teresa said to her its not much money and we think it would be worth it.

Have put a few photos on but they may be out of order