I actually cannot believe how time has flown! My last post was weeks ago, and now I am leaving in no less than 5 days! And I had such good intentions to keep this thing updated for you all!
So since school finished a lot of fun and travelling has been going on and not much you could call work... Unless playing badminton with the boys from the orphanage during lazy afternoons and making jigsaws counts??
I have just come back from an epic long weekend! We started on Friday (leaving at 6am which is becoming farr to common for my liking out here...) and drove in Nalakas van to Anuradhapura, one of the antient cities in the north. There were 10 of us packed in the van: Belli, Martine, Tristan, Maries, Malika, Nalaka, the two kids and I. Malika took us to temple after temple, we explored ruins and saw more Buddha statues than I can count!
On Saturday we visited the antient rock temple of Sigiriya, the weather started fine, but as we came to climb the huge rock face it quickly turned to monsoon conditions! Belli and I were the only ones to reach the top - in a very soggy socked-to-the-bone state! My blue scalf I had been wearing managed to dye my white t-shirt blue by the end of it! From Sigiriya we headed to the caves of Dambula and the Golden temple. The caves were so dark and erie, with statues of more buddahs and kings staring from the rock walls. Kind of creepy...
Saturday evening Belli, Martine, and I were dropped off in Kandy in the Lake Bungalow guesthouse. We planned to spend a few nights in Kandy, and end our visit with the Esala Pera Hera on Monday night. It's a very famous festival held in the 10 days leading up to the Poya (full-moon) day in August to honour the antient tooth relic of the Buddhist temple Kandy is so well known for. We joined the flocks of tourists when visiting the elephant orphanage, and then to the less well known Millenium trust park where we rode Pooja the elephant! Has to be one of the best experiences I've had here so far!
Monday night finally arrived and we took our seats outside the Queen's hotel for the Para Hera as it was getting dark. The whole procession was absolutely breathtaking! Men cracked heavy whips to start the parade, followed by boys spinning balls of fire on metal frames and some spinning it from their heads. We counted 80 odd elephants, all dressed in fancy clothes and lights, they were accompanied by hundreds of dancers and drummers. Amazing!
Anyway that was this weekend, now im back and completely exhausted! The weekend before we finally managed to visit the rainforrest. Didn't see many big animals, but lots of leeches, and got to swim in beautiful waterfalls which was so much fun!
Belli left this morning to go to her new placement in the hospital (which is why i've finally got time to update!)
Going to Unawatuna to relax on the beach this weekend and then I fly home on Monday!
Looking forward to seeing you all soon, xxxxxxxxx
Wednesday 25 August 2010
Thursday 12 August 2010
Last day of school :(
It was the last day of school today! I am going to miss all the smilling children, it's such a shame my placement is in the holidays because I feel like I'm just getting to know them! We have had so much fun.
The trip to Kandy (in the Sri Lankan Hill country) has to be the highlight of the trip so far! We took a bus full of the school kids to kandy starting at 6am! There was singing and clapping the whole way to Malika's drum! We visited the Temple of the Sacred tooth relic which was just breathtaking! We also went some gardens nearby and the elephant orphanage. I loved it all! Even the drive back was so much fun! Belli and I danced at the back of the bus to the crazy radio music with these 2 sri lankan girls! Imagine trying to dance in a bus in the UK then make the ride 10x bumpier and add about 30 children under your feet! What an experience! I'm so thankful to Belli for making me get up there! haha!
Tomorrow Belli, Tristan and I are going to Panadura to paint a local school. It's the event organised by PA to get all the volunteers together once a month! From there we hope to visit the rainforrest (we failed last w/e) and climb adams peak with the other volunteers! Think i've already said this haha I'm well excited for it :) :)
The trip to Kandy (in the Sri Lankan Hill country) has to be the highlight of the trip so far! We took a bus full of the school kids to kandy starting at 6am! There was singing and clapping the whole way to Malika's drum! We visited the Temple of the Sacred tooth relic which was just breathtaking! We also went some gardens nearby and the elephant orphanage. I loved it all! Even the drive back was so much fun! Belli and I danced at the back of the bus to the crazy radio music with these 2 sri lankan girls! Imagine trying to dance in a bus in the UK then make the ride 10x bumpier and add about 30 children under your feet! What an experience! I'm so thankful to Belli for making me get up there! haha!
Tomorrow Belli, Tristan and I are going to Panadura to paint a local school. It's the event organised by PA to get all the volunteers together once a month! From there we hope to visit the rainforrest (we failed last w/e) and climb adams peak with the other volunteers! Think i've already said this haha I'm well excited for it :) :)
Monday 9 August 2010
Mirissa = Traveller's paradise!
I finally get to update this thing!! The internet connection is a litttle dodgy out here! I'm using the computer in Malike's (host mum) brothers shop and he already had to log me in and out about 5 times and reboot to get it to connect! haha hence lack of updates!
This weekend I got my first proper experience of what it's like to travel around Sri Lanka. We took the 6 hour bus journey to Mirissa which is one of the few beach resorts left that hasn't been ruined by tourists. The hotels are all hidden by palm trees and there are only a handfull of people so it's like being on a desert island :) We (Tristan, Maries, Belli and I) stayed in a gorgeous little guest house run by a local family. To get to our room you had to go through their front door and cross the lounge, and we were awoken each morning by the baby's screaming! haha was a bit of mad house!
While at the beach we met up with another group of volunteers with Projects Abroad from Panadura and Negoda. Including a Norweigen girl Martine who I met on the first night who is so lovely! Out here I have met volunteers from all over, I love it! There were a few German's for Belli to chat away to as well :)
So we just lazed around on the beach, and went swimming, then in the evening hit the bars! We had this spirit 'Arrack' which is really good mixed with coke but gives you the most horrendous hangover! I must bring some back!
On Sunday it was time to travel back for our placements on Monday morning, but we had time to stop off in the city Galle. We explored the old part of the city, including the ancient fort, then got the bus back to Negombo. Public transport out here is so crazy and shambolic but I love it! Well, when I have a seat haha if you have to stand it is a nightmare! Next weekend we hope to meet up with the same group and climb Adam's peak (highest mountain in Sri lanka) which is a famous place Pilgrims visit, and also the rainforest!
Ahh I have written so much and I haven't even mentioned the children in the preschool! All you need to know is that they are the cutest bunch of kids you will ever meet, and all so polite and respectful! Last week we made fish collages with them, and tomorrow we are going on a school trip to Kandy (home of the sacred tooth temple). I cannot wait to see the Hill country of Sri Lanka, it is meant to be so beautiful!
Hopefully I will be able to update soon and let you know how tomorrow goes :) xxxx
This weekend I got my first proper experience of what it's like to travel around Sri Lanka. We took the 6 hour bus journey to Mirissa which is one of the few beach resorts left that hasn't been ruined by tourists. The hotels are all hidden by palm trees and there are only a handfull of people so it's like being on a desert island :) We (Tristan, Maries, Belli and I) stayed in a gorgeous little guest house run by a local family. To get to our room you had to go through their front door and cross the lounge, and we were awoken each morning by the baby's screaming! haha was a bit of mad house!
While at the beach we met up with another group of volunteers with Projects Abroad from Panadura and Negoda. Including a Norweigen girl Martine who I met on the first night who is so lovely! Out here I have met volunteers from all over, I love it! There were a few German's for Belli to chat away to as well :)
So we just lazed around on the beach, and went swimming, then in the evening hit the bars! We had this spirit 'Arrack' which is really good mixed with coke but gives you the most horrendous hangover! I must bring some back!
On Sunday it was time to travel back for our placements on Monday morning, but we had time to stop off in the city Galle. We explored the old part of the city, including the ancient fort, then got the bus back to Negombo. Public transport out here is so crazy and shambolic but I love it! Well, when I have a seat haha if you have to stand it is a nightmare! Next weekend we hope to meet up with the same group and climb Adam's peak (highest mountain in Sri lanka) which is a famous place Pilgrims visit, and also the rainforest!
Ahh I have written so much and I haven't even mentioned the children in the preschool! All you need to know is that they are the cutest bunch of kids you will ever meet, and all so polite and respectful! Last week we made fish collages with them, and tomorrow we are going on a school trip to Kandy (home of the sacred tooth temple). I cannot wait to see the Hill country of Sri Lanka, it is meant to be so beautiful!
Hopefully I will be able to update soon and let you know how tomorrow goes :) xxxx
Wednesday 4 August 2010
CHEDDAR TO COLOMBO TO NEGOMBO (cheddar to veddar...)
Ahhh I am having so much fun here, and so much has happened i'm not sure how to start!
My flight from London left at 9am on the 1st and I arrived in Sri Lanka, in the capital Colombo, on the 2nd at 3:20am! So very jetlagged I had to get into a strange taxi and pray they were going to take me to my hotel! Thankfully they did but the driving out here is crazy! The cars are always weaving in and out and when overtaking a swore the cars were going to touch! And of course just to make things even more fun their was no seat belt! So I arrived at about 5:30am at the Indra Regent hotel in the heart of Colombo.
The next day I had a day to myself to explore the city. Believe me stepping outside my calm and secure hotel onto the busy streets of Colombo is scary!! Wherever you go people are always staring (as there aren't many white people in Sri Lanka) and shouting "Miss Miss!! Taxi!!" all the time! The 3-weeler vehicles, called Tuk Tuks, are the cities taxi system. They are an even more fun way to get around! Despite everytime they drive around a bend you feel like you're going to fall out, and to get a ride you have to barter! :) So I visited the National museum (educational stuff!) and went shopping a Barefoot and Majestic city...That evening I met 2 of the volunteers that I will be working with: Marie (a retired french woman) and Belli (19 year old German girl). Earlier I also met some volunteers from Holand, Australia, Uk, and Norway!
Right, so today Belli, Marie and I were all driven to our host family's house in Negombo! The family were soo welcoming! Maike our host mum made us such lovely food, and we have a really gorgeous room leading out onto a balcony, and a little table and chairs where we can sit. In the afternoon we went for a walk around Negombo town with Tristan (french boy volunteer who's already been with the family for one month). We had a drink at a hotel bar and Belli and I went swimming in the sea. It was so much fun! Except the waves here are so strong you can't go out far or you will be swept away! :S We then took the bus back to the house. It was so packed, you really couldn't move a muscle without being touched in inappropriate places! haha. I'm sure I will get the hand of Sri lankan public transport eventualy! How do people cope here??
Tomorrow is when we all start work at the orphanage! :)
Miss you all, but am loving my time in Sri Lanka, cannot wait to go travelling to Kandy, and Galle at weekends, there is so much to do here, and only one month to do it! Ahhhhhhhhh!
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
My flight from London left at 9am on the 1st and I arrived in Sri Lanka, in the capital Colombo, on the 2nd at 3:20am! So very jetlagged I had to get into a strange taxi and pray they were going to take me to my hotel! Thankfully they did but the driving out here is crazy! The cars are always weaving in and out and when overtaking a swore the cars were going to touch! And of course just to make things even more fun their was no seat belt! So I arrived at about 5:30am at the Indra Regent hotel in the heart of Colombo.
The next day I had a day to myself to explore the city. Believe me stepping outside my calm and secure hotel onto the busy streets of Colombo is scary!! Wherever you go people are always staring (as there aren't many white people in Sri Lanka) and shouting "Miss Miss!! Taxi!!" all the time! The 3-weeler vehicles, called Tuk Tuks, are the cities taxi system. They are an even more fun way to get around! Despite everytime they drive around a bend you feel like you're going to fall out, and to get a ride you have to barter! :) So I visited the National museum (educational stuff!) and went shopping a Barefoot and Majestic city...That evening I met 2 of the volunteers that I will be working with: Marie (a retired french woman) and Belli (19 year old German girl). Earlier I also met some volunteers from Holand, Australia, Uk, and Norway!
Right, so today Belli, Marie and I were all driven to our host family's house in Negombo! The family were soo welcoming! Maike our host mum made us such lovely food, and we have a really gorgeous room leading out onto a balcony, and a little table and chairs where we can sit. In the afternoon we went for a walk around Negombo town with Tristan (french boy volunteer who's already been with the family for one month). We had a drink at a hotel bar and Belli and I went swimming in the sea. It was so much fun! Except the waves here are so strong you can't go out far or you will be swept away! :S We then took the bus back to the house. It was so packed, you really couldn't move a muscle without being touched in inappropriate places! haha. I'm sure I will get the hand of Sri lankan public transport eventualy! How do people cope here??
Tomorrow is when we all start work at the orphanage! :)
Miss you all, but am loving my time in Sri Lanka, cannot wait to go travelling to Kandy, and Galle at weekends, there is so much to do here, and only one month to do it! Ahhhhhhhhh!
xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Saturday 31 July 2010
"The multipurpose tweed utility suit - it's all I'm taking, it's all I need"
OFF TO SRI LANKA!
~~~~~~~~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)