Exhausted, weary from travel, tired of the heat and humidity of the islands and not wanting to see rice or fried noodles for a LONG time, I made it to Sri Lanka. Exhausted, I didn’t sleep long. Three hours time change woke me early.
Food poisoning! It’s taken a while to recover from the food poisoning at my last stop in Raja Ampat! Disappointing to say the least. The most pricey place I stayed but the lease sanitary. At other home stays, they always had a bottle of bleach beside the dish water. I’m not sure they used it at all here! Sick in the night, I was able to join a group going back to Sorong. Hot, feverish and uncomfortable, I rested in a hotel there for an extra day. I was still a bit exhausted from all that before my long travel day to Colombo, Sri Lanka. Learned my less!!! REST!!
Breakfast is on the rooftop. I made a cup of coffee and sat listening to the morning wake up. Amazing birds here.
I sat in the lobby later to write when someone came up behind and gave me a hug. It was my friend Linda whom I met last year in Bali having a healing session with Nyoman. I wasn’t expecting to see her until much later!
My writing and photo editing plans were nixed! I’ve been playing with her and wandering about Colombo the past two days. She left this evening at 5:15 for a flight to Fort Lauderdale and then on to Jamaica!
She’s been traveling here nearly two months. For once, it was like I had my own personal travel advisor which is awesome! We have similar travel tastes so I have a map and numerous suggestions on places to go see.
She helped me learn the local transportation greatly! Today started out with bus, then a stop for Gelato (recommended by Kuzan here as the best around!), another bus, then a tuk tuk (with meter) followed by ride on the train all the way back!
Getting acclimated to transportation in a new city is challenging. Between Linda and Kuzan, I now know how to get around, where to find the India Visa Center, where the main bus and train stations are and where to find really good Indian and Sri Lankan food locally! Awesome!
Feels like I’ve been here ages but it’s only been two days. Tomorrow, I go apply for my India Visa and that will determine my immediate travel plans. Generally, I’m anticipating heading South but may have to cut some of those plans short to return next week for the visa.
Flexibility! Adaptability and patience! No travel virtues more important.
I’ll miss hanging with Linda tomorrow! What a great experience spending time together!
Now, preparing materials for tomorrow morning’s visit.
So, so glad to get this post! With all the disasters in Indonesia I was getting worried! Glad you are enjoying the trip and old friends! ?