I seem to be a collector of stories. Some stories happen to be funny, while others are interesting or topical, and then there are some which make you wish for things to be other than what they are. This post is filled with the latter kind.A perpetual theme that has caught my interest has been around everyday thievery (and dishonesty) ...
Dunhinda Falls is often regarded as the most beautiful waterfall in Sri Lanka for its natural beauty. It derives it's name from the mist or vapor that comes off the spray of the waterfall. "Dun" in sinhala means smoke or mist. It is located five kilometres from Badulla town, along the Badulla-Mahiyangana road. It is 210 feet or 64 metres ...
In one of my recent posts, "Second instalment of "My Sri Lankan Food Diary": Just another average week of eating", I promised to share my secret recipe for Eva's Spicy Squid Fried Rice. I've always loved cooking and eating seafood, but getting the freshest seafood has always been a challenge... until moving to Sri Lanka. I think it's "an absolute must" to ...
Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is a popular orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for baby and adult elephants in Sri Lanka. It is located on a 25-acre coconut plantation adjacent to the Maha Oya River and north-west of Kegalle town in the Sabaragamuwa District.The orphanage is open daily and proceeds from ticket costs go towards maintaining the facility and caring for ...
“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”~ Martin BuberSri Lanka is an island that is rich for exploration and discovering the unexpected. In my experience a simple ride in a tuk-tuk, a walk through a forest or a drive off the beaten track can lead you to ancient places, untouched natural beauty and surprising experiences.At one ...
This week I've selected kurakkan (also known as Finger Millet or Eleusine Coracana) as my tasty morsel...Image courtesy of Dept of Agriculture, Sri LankaSince moving to Sri Lanka I've discovered the joys of introducing kurakkan into my diet. I thought I would share this with you, as you may or may not have had the opportunity to discover it yet.Eleusine ...
Last year I wrote quite an extensive post on "Reflections on Vesak in Colombo" so I feel like I don't need to rehash that blog post. If you haven't read it before and you're interested, then please feel free to read the post. In the weeks leading up to Vesak, I've spent more time in and around Kandy. The Kandy ...
It has been an amazingly festive, busy and eventful Vesak long weekend in Colombo. Truckloads of people from out-of-town literally descended into Colombo! And, some Colomboites had snuck away to avoid the festivities, crowds and jams.Vesak started on Friday, 24 May 2013 with the full moon poya to commemorate the birth, enlightenment and parinibbana of Gautama Buddha. It was a ...
When people come to visit me in Sri Lanka, particularly for the first time, I usually get asked what there is to buy here.Usually, they want to know what is worth buying:for themselves (or others); oris unique to Sri Lanka; oris cheap because it's made here; ormakes for a good gift or souvenirPart 1 kicks off with the items that ...
A few months back I made an attempt at trying a sugar detox diet. Some of you who follow me on twitter remember my moans and groans as I gave up sugar, carbohydrates, sweets etc. for three weeks. It was a definite challenge, especially living in a country like Sri Lanka where sugar is almost like its own dietary food group! Do you remember my blog post My Sri Lankan Food Diary - Just an average
As many of my regular readers will know, Minneriya National Park is one of my favorite places to visit. I wrote about one of my visits during the dry season in a blog post titled "Travel Monday: Jeep Safari of Minneriya National Park". The dry season is from June to September, though the period between May to October is considered open season for visiting Minneriya. The dry season is a
This is the second part of an earlier blog post published on 23 May 2013.Retail therapy for intrepid travelers to Sri Lanka - Part 1 Part 1 set out items to buy that Sri Lanka is well-known for, which includes Ceylon Tea, Gems, Spices and Traditional Handicrafts.In Part 2 we look at other items to buy in Sri Lanka i.e. ...
I discovered a really special part of the island a few weeks ago. As you may have noted by now (after reading my blog), I love those impromptu weekend road trips that take you by surprise... the fork in the road where you have to decide to go left, or go right. One road leads you to a known destination, ...
If you're wondering what this expat has been up to lately, I can share that I've literally just come down the mountain a few days ago - I climbed Sri Pada (a.k.a. Adam's Peak) with a group of friends and we also organized a dansel offering free food and drinks to pilgrims making the climb to the peak. Presently, my legs are aching and I guess it's obvious I've worked muscles in my legs that
A few years ago I had the good fortune to accompany a group of friends to visit the ancient citadel of Yapahuwa. Yapahuwa is located between Kurunegala and Anuradhapura about four kilometres from the nearest town of Maho. Historically, Yapahuwa was once the ancient capital of Sri Lanka and home to the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha during the reign of King Bhuvenakabahu (1273 to 1284). At the
If you've been following this blog and my travels, then you will have noticed my profound passion for the national parks across Sri Lanka. I visit regularly, also taking advantage of any opportunity to tag along with visiting family and friends wishing to see something nature-based and adventurous. Just last week, I had the good fortune to accompany my visiting ...
I was fortunate to be invited to attend the Randoli Perahera on Esala Poya last Sunday. It has to be said, there is something quite special about poya days in Sri Lanka. This one felt auspicious seeing as I was right amongst the thousands of pilgrims, guests (including the President who viewed it from a special stand at his Kandy residence), and travelers from far and wide to be part of the full
If you're up-to-date on travel articles on Sri Lanka, then you may have noticed the plenitude of recently published articles promoting tea estates and the beauty of the upper countryside of the island. And, what's there not to love about this region?As you know, I love exploring this island - from its coastline of beaches to the lush mountains, diverse ...
Over Avurudu season I took time to celebrate and honour what has been my life in Sri Lanka for over the past decade, and all the amazing relationships that have grown and been nurtured along the way. It provided a wonderful opportunity to look at this spot where I find myself - at the crossroads - trying to decide whether ...
As we near the end of 2013 it makes sense to look back on some of the travel I enjoyed around Sri Lanka this year. If you've been following my blog you'll be aware there has been plenty to of travel and quite a list to choose from! I suppose... when I consider all the places, people and experiences it is interesting to understand how I've narrowed the list down to my final top five. I've
