Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka

Paradise Found

Figures that at the end of my trip, with only three weeks to go, I drop my camera and break it. Also kind of ironic that I have found myself in the most beautiful place I have ever seen on Earth and do not have the means to show you what it looks like and how happy I am here.

Also kind of strange how I shouldn't have even been in Sri Lanka for as long as I have, since I accidentally missed my late night flight to Thailand and had been exploring this miracle island in the Indian Ocean on somewhat borrowed (actually, stolen) time from Cambodia where I was planning to be at this point in the game. I am sure I will find Cambodia somehow one day, but on this trip it was not meant to be...

After missing my flight, a total "duh" traveler moment I have thankfully not yet had on the voyage, I decided to take it as a sign from the universe to explore Sri Lanka for two weeks. I quickly escaped the heat of Colombo, and trekked 6 hours inland by bus to Nuwara Eliya, a green town in the lush temperate mountains of tea country. I was so thrilled to be accompanied by Susantha Aponsu, an extremely capable 27-year old Sri Lankan man I met on the Colombo beaches. He volunteered to leave his friend in charge of his beach front restaurant so he could join me on my journey, a move I benefited from immensely during our five days in the verdant interior.

In Nuwara Eliya, I nearly wept at the sight of manicured tea plantations mixed with terraced red soil richer than I have ever seen. Locals grew a variety of vibrant vegetables with tender care, exhibiting a link with the local environment I have seen little evidence of during my time in poverty-stricken and development-hungry hubs of Asia. I have no doubt that I was also slightly delirious on the fumes of cool mountain air, something I have craved amidst the urban, polluted cities of India recently. Susantha and I traveled around by bus and train to a couple local sites, all the while soaking in a landscape that words fail to describe.

We visited Kandy, home of the "Tooth Temple" named after the Buddha's tooth relic that resides there, and the Royal Botanical Gardens close by. We hiked the precariously slick and steep ascent to "Lover's Cliff", a waterfall where a British couple plunged to their death many years ago during the British occupation of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka has been occupied by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British over the past 300 years, finally gaining independence in 1947). Susantha, always making connections with the locals in the native Singhalese language, arranged a breakfast and tea visit with a local family one morning (something he repeated many times with friends in the Colombo area). In this young couple's home, we got to hold their one and a half month old baby girl for hours while talking with the two about their lives as new parents, small scale farmers, and as part of the Hindu Tamil minority of the country's diverse population. Sri Lanka is majority Buddhist, with smaller percentages of Hindus, Muslims and Christians, respectively, all living in relative harmony, especially after the ~30-year long Tamil Tiger conflict has been resolved over the past year.

During my remaining five days in Colombo, I've hung out with Susantha and his unpredictable and warm-hearted Sri Lankan friends on the beaches of Dehiwala and Mt. Lavinia, beach towns close to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo where Susantha and I initially met. I've walked like a Southern belle around town, hiding from the hot sun and sudden rains under my small umbrella. I feel safe and happy in the capital city's metropolitan area, always accompanied by Susantha and his friends, laughing and deciding where to eat and who to visit next. There is a lot to be said for how a collection of these simple home visits, afternoon teas with families, can shape the character and endless hospitality of a culture--an observation I have made countless times along this 6-month journey.

Overall, Sri Lanka has a lot more going for it in terms of fighting poverty than a lot of other developing Asian nations. There are far less people here to care for, which makes a huge difference when there are always a scarcity of jobs and resources. Also, the infrastructure is beyond what I expected; paved roads, proper buildings for businesses and homes alike, and much improved waste disposal than other parts of Asia. Primary and secondary is free and compulsory for all citizens, one of the most critical aspects of any 'developing' society. Tourism is a huge source of income for the country and I can certainly see why--there are so many unique, well-maintained destinations, including monuments, temples, national parks, and beaches.

I have loved Sri Lanka so much; hands down, it has been my favorite destination on the trip. I definitely plan to come back as soon as possible, hoping to work and live here one day in the picturesque mountains of Nuwara Eliya (with Susantha?!). I would expect you all to come and visit when the dream comes true on this magical island!