Back on Terra Firma

After a rather short flight, didn’t even get to finish a single episode of my new show, I land in Sri Lanka. I am immediately struck by the heat, although only 2 degrees hotter than the Maldives. Now back with two feet firmly on the ground and no sea breeze, I can really feel it. The feeling is reminiscent of when I visited India as an 8-year-old and walked out of the air conditioned airport for the first time. A feeling which has stuck with me all these years and not been replicated until now.

I get through customs surprisingly quickly with my Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and Arrival card barely glanced at by customs, I have made it to my second destination. I have to admit I am rather tired at this point and rather boringly, after a pre-arranged taxi to my hotel, I have a shower, order room service and get an early night after a nice FaceTime with the parents. The next day I wake up full of energy. I have told myself that I need to get back into a good morning routine including a core workout and yoga. So I gallantly head to the balcony, re-arrange the furniture accordingly and lay out a towel ready to begin. However, I have overlooked one thing: I still very much have my sea legs: I am swaying like the palm trees in the wind outside my window. I can barely stand up without getting a little wobbly let alone get through the strength and balancing test I want to. I shamefully give up half way through feeling a little bit motion sick and a little embarrassed with myself.

Not deterred, I come to the conclusion a nice walk round the city of Negombo, where my Sri Lankan adventure is starting, will do me good. Hopefully I can get my land legs back pronto. So after a quick google of the sights there are to see, and plenty of sun screen applied, I head off. Once again I’m reminded of my time in India. I am walking along busy roads – that from what I can tell have replaced traffic law with an intricate code system of honking the horn – on slabs of concrete over or next to the open sewage system. This is it now, I am doing the travelling I imagined. I know its not a scene that many may find attractive but I am enjoying myself thoroughly. Avoiding falling into sewage systems, politely declining every single tuk-tuk driver I pass on the street, including some who swerve across on-coming traffic to talk to me, smiling at passersby and sweating immensely, I feel like I am on a real adventure.

Throughout the day I work my way to a number of Negombo’s highlights. The first, Angurukaramulla Buddhist Temple, is home to a six meter tall statue of Buddha. To enter this temple one has to enter through a Dragons mouth, an act said to purify those who enter with evil spirits. I walk the grounds of the temple but do not go inside, the only people I see around are two children playing and I am unsure whether I am allowed in with the shorts I am wearing. I decide to satisfy myself with a peak in the Dragons Mouth, but out of fear of offending anyone, I guess I will have to live with my evil spirits a little longer. After the temple I visit some churches, including St Anne’s, St Sebastian’s and St Mary’s. Negombo is considered the heartland for Catholicism in an otherwise majority Buddhist country. As such there are many small churches as well as plenty of religious iconography all over town. I finish my day by wandering the street near the old Dutch Canal, past the start of the marsh, leading me to the old Dutch Fort. Once a symbol of European imperialism, it is now a heritage sight situated next to Negombo’s famous and bustling fish market. Although I arrive early- to mid-afternoon, I am surprised to see the market in full swing: bustling crowds work their way around loads of stalls and street venders selling whatever fish has been caught that day. In this heat the smell is less than flattering, but the experience is fun nonetheless.

Finally I sway my way back towards my hotel, my endeavour to find my land legs having failed. I jump in the shower and head straight back out to try one of the many restaurants I walked past during the day. I am ashamed to admit I struggle to recognise many of the streets once the sun is down, colourful lights and signs seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. I eventually choose a restaurant and order something from their Sri Lankan selection, Nasi Goreng, the only dish I don’t understand as all the others are in English; I am feeling adventurous. What arrived was a lovely fried rice dish with a mixture of meats and vegetables mixed in, as well as a few small prawns. It was rather nice and the condiments, some mango chutney, dried spice mix and popadom strips, suited perfectly. I do however learn, after a little googling, that this dish is not a native Sri Lankan dish, its origins being more from the Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei area. However, its popularity is rising throughout South East Asia, especially Sri Lanka, and I can see why. After my meal I once again head back to my hotel room for an early night, hopefully I will wake up feeling a little more stable!

Relaxing on my balcony

Into the Dragon's mouth... or not!