Ayubowan! Welcome to SRI LANKA!

The moment we stepped onto our Sri Lankan airlines flight to Colombo, we were greeted with ‘Ayubowan’, a Sinhalese salutation wishing the recipient a long life, typically used as a greeting or a goodbye. And this was to be heard a lot throughout our trip 😊 What a wonderful, gracious introduction to the beautiful country that is Sri Lanka.

The first day, we only had enough time to meet our wonderful helper of 4 years, Ramanee, and her family, after 14 years (!!) and head to what was to be the best meal of our trip, at Ministry of Crab. Started by a duo of Sri Lankan cricketing legends, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakarra, the restaurant has a fantastic reputation and has gained a lot of attention as possibly Sri Lanka’s best restaurant. The crabs were definitely the main attraction, but the prawns were outstanding too. Being the foodies we are, there could be no better introduction to the country 😊 And as we continued to travel through the country, we continued to have other fantastic culinary encounters, which is the key reason I hope to be back for more 😊

The next day, we set off very early for Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in order to reach there by 9.15-9.30 in time for the elephant feeding. Since we were making good time, we stopped for a wonderful breakfast at Awanhala on the way, which was our first sampling (of many!) of the awesome Sri Lankan hoppers and curries / sambals. On arrival at Pinnawala, we spent some time feeding the elephants with a variety of fruits before positioning ourselves on the road which the elephants take to head to the river for their bath. The whole experience was endearing and it was fun to watch the amusing antics of the elephants.

Then it was on to Ramboda falls, another stop on the drive to Nuwara Eliya or ‘Little England’ as it is called, where we would be spending two nights. The weather was perfect with temperatures dropping to 11-12 degrees Celsius at night. Since we arrived only in the evening, we decided to spend all of the next day exploring the various sights in and around Nuwara Eliya. The post office was a good place to start. The Tudor-style two-storey red-brick building with a clock spire, was constructed in 1894 by the British. We also explored the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, Ambewela Farm and did a boat ride on Gregory Lake. When in these parts, one has to experience a typical High Tea and the Grand Hotel was a good place to do so. In fact, we loved the service and ambience so much that we made our way back for dinner on the day as well, with a round of billiards for the boys adding to the fun.

Then it was on to Ella by train from Nanuoya, which is deemed to be one of the most scenic train rides in the world. One can soak in views of tea plantations, little villages, waterfalls and verdant hills. And while the train is not luxurious, the scenic beauty is definitely worth your while as is the chit-chat with tourists from all over the world. We booked the Observation Class on the morning train and thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. Would highly recommend this if travelling to the region. 

Ella is a small backpacker-hub on the southern edge of Hill Country and the surrounding region has beautiful vistas wherever you look. It was here that we climbed Little Adam’s Peak, one of the most fun things we did on the trip. 

Waiting for the Blue Train to make its appearance on the Nine Arch Bridge in Demodara was also lovely. It is also called the Bridge in the Sky and is one of the best examples of colonial-era railway construction in the country. We were lucky to have been able to visit the tea factory at Uva given that the ones in Nuwara Eliya were on strike. The guide’s presentation was very informative and technical and he patiently took us through the entire tea-making process. In fact, throughout the trip we thoroughly enjoyed the various Sri Lankan teas on offer and bought an assortment of teas to bring back home. It was in Ella where we had one of the best meals of our trip at the Ceylon Tea Factory restaurant and is a must-do when in the area.

Done with Hill Country, it was time to head to the beach and Unawatuna was where we chose to stay given its proximity to Galle, our helper Shanthi’s house and the option to learn surfing nearby. Ravana Falls is a pretty stop just outside Ella on the drive there. Our chauffeur-guide chose to drive us along the coast which was an experience in itself. We stopped to see the stilt-fishing rods though there were no fishermen around. A lunch stop at the Matara guest house was very authentic with loads of sambals and curries to try and very reasonably priced.

Our stay in Unawatuna was lovely, thanks in no small measure to our wonderful homestay. Large, clean rooms, great breakfasts, friendly hosts and proximity to the beach made it a great choice. One of the highlights of staying there was the amazing seafood offerings for dinner on the beach each night and Kingfisher had our vote for the best service and food so we headed there twice. Whilst there, we spent an entire day with Shanthi, Ramanee and their families in the village of Galgodawatte. Playing cricket with a makeshift bat, sampling the produce of the land, a walk to the river and a delicious meal of ‘lamprais’, lovingly prepared by the two sisters, made for wonderful memories to last a lifetime. Lamprais, commonly known as lump rice, is a Dutch Burgher-influenced dish derived from the Dutch word lomprijst, which loosely translated means a packet of food. It usually consists of two special curries (a three meat curry - beef, pork and lamb - and ash plaintain with aubergine), seeni sambal, belacan, etc and rice boiled in stock, all of which is wrapped in banana leaves and baked in an oven.

On the last day, it was on to Colombo for a spot of shopping and to spend our Silver Wedding eve at the Galle Face Hotel. The service was outstanding and we even got a room upgrade and a complimentary cake with dinner. So, all in all, a fabulous end to our trip. I fell in love with the clean country, its people and of course relished the cuisine so hope to be back someday. Our tour company and chauffeur ensured that we had an enjoyable experience and one to remember fondly. Ayubowan Sri Lanka! Till we see you again…