Author Archives: Hattie

Sri Lanka day 13 – Kandy

Today is our first opportunity to try a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast;  most guest houses don’t offer it, serving instead the ubiquitous standard fare of stale, lightly toasted bread, jam, eggs – usually fried – tea or coffee and fruit.  A … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 12 – Sigiriya to Kandy

We decide to take a pragmatic approach over the travel arrangements and agree with Mustalif that he will take us as far as Dambulla today where the  we will catch the bus to Kandy. He is also going to arrange … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 11 – Polonnaruwa to Sigiriya

We stayed overnight at The Summer Village, which isn’t a village at all, but a small countryside guest house, just outside Polonnaruwa.  It proves to be a pleasant enough stopover and it has internet which, as we are beginning to … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 10 – Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa

We have arranged for Mustalif to drive us to Polonnaruwa and on to Sigiriya, Dambulla and Kandy taking in the main sights along the way;  a 2-night, 3-day trip for 100 pounds plus accommodation. Sri Lanka is peppered with ancient … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka Day 9 – Anuradhapura

Today we take a trip to Mihintale, a small town 11 kilometers from Anuradhapura.  The plan is to take the bus from Anuradhapura, but we get chatting to a man in the local pastry shop who,it turns out, has a … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 8 – Anuradhapura

Back to the Sacred City taking a slightly different route this time in order to see the remaining sites.  Cycling through this gorgeous countryside overloaded with lush vegetation, palms and trees with enormous canopies is just as enjoyable as the … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 7 – Anuradhapura

We are staying at the Lake View Tourist Guest House which is in a quiet no through road a short walk from Main Street and the centre of town.  This small complex has at least 10 rooms in two separate … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 6 – Colombo to Anuradhapura

As everyone who has even a smidgin of knowledge about cricket knows, the Sri Lankans are absolutely mad about the sport.  Their passion manifests itself on any spare patch of ground and corner of beach.  On the beach several games … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 5 – Colombo

On closer acquaintance Colombo is, in parts, a quite attractive city.  A jumble of the ultra-modern high rise epitomised by the twin towers of its Trade Centre, faded colonial architecture and ramshackled low-rise chophouses cluttered with cheap signage and moulding … Continue reading

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Sri Lanka day 4 – Colombo

A good lie-in to shake off the last of the jet lag, a bit of breakfast and then into central Colombo on the local bus.  Buses here are definitely a cut above the rust buckets of India and reasonably comfortable.  … Continue reading

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