Brian and I like to eat.  We like to eat as much as much as we like to cycle and in rythm with our bike inner tubes our own spare tyres go up and down with the journey. As previously noted the meals come cheap, filling and tasty in Sri Lanka. Often a feast for two swooping in under £2.  Bar our Christmas splurge with guests we keep to the local eateries and so as to blend in (because lycra and cycling helmets are very conspicuous) we eat with our hands as per the local way.  Brians friend Hilary worked in Malawi for two and a half years where she too used her humble digits in place of cutlery, and when she got home she said it felt like a knife and fork had become alien.

Safe from extra value meals, a happy Hindu cow.

We’ve pondered this thought and perhaps the Western dining armoury sets to remove a sense between us and our food.  Here there is taste, sight, smell and touch and it feels like it all adds up to a more natural experience.  So….we got to thinking 🙂  People here often go without shoes so their feet are always in contact with the earth, again removing another barrier. A lot of meditation requires grounding this way and there are podiatrist and sports scientist who would argue a barefoot is better than a cushioned hoof.  Then we look around and see, as is always said, that though people have less money they seem to be happier by having what they need in their life over the excesses of what they desire.

What would happen if we turned the saying ‘If money was no object what would your heart desire’ on its head, to, ‘if money was scarce, what would your heart desire’.  For us at the moment our money is finite (high costs for visas and flights have moved us down to £10 each per day). We fill it with the things we need, a bed and food, and the cycling, fresh air and wonderment is free.  As part of my job I analysed social behavioural trends through the recession, when en mass more people had less capital. Social circles shrank back to their core, our local communities became more important, there was a craving for tradition and nostalgia right through to the ads and brand characters from the 70’s and 80’s making a revival and life perhaps became a little more simple.  It has certainly got us thinking about the barriers we put up in our lives to make them better and what it is we actually need day-to-day to be truly content.

In one leap let us take you from some small numbers to some biggies to feast your eyes on:

Sri Lanka: Pop 20.3 million, 62,700 Sq KMs, 324 people per square KM

Republic of Ireland: Pop 4.7 million, 70,283 Sq KMs, 67 People per square KM

*We’ve popped some stats for UK, India, America and South Island NZ for those who are interested at the end of the post.

Although these stats perhaps highlight the difference in Island life, there are indeed some similarities:

• They’re both very green, (albeit one from rainforests and the other from general dampness), and topographically diverse

• They’re united through their love of a quick bevvie. Coconut based Arak Rum for the Sri Lankans and a ‘Tall one and a short one’, (Guinness with a Whisky side as taught by Brians father Joe), for the Irish

• Happy faces and people up for a chat is the norm

More apparently these numbers show Sri Lanka is quite literally bursting at the seams and there’s more to it than the density of humans.  It’s the first country where we’ve never been alone both through the people and the multitude of wildlife.  Whether it’s the fruit bats flying in to roost on a sunset sky, the 2m monitor lizards stopping traffic or boisterous wild elephants we’re certainly getting a full flavour nature hit.  We’ve seen otters, mongoose, giant squirrels, turtles, blues whales, monkeys galore and stunning wild peacocks and that’s not to mention the rest of the bird life, insects and animals we’ve yet to see from black bears to leopards.  If wildlife is your thing then Sri Lanka is your place.  It’s quite astonishing the relative harmony in coexistence there is on such a small island.

Russian stand-off terrapin style

A popular sun-bathing spot

Being back on the bikes along with a slowly softening saddle has been wunderba. A few tweaks here and there and we’re well into our stride. On leaving Shruti we cycled out West where the beaches got emptier and the palm trees won back their rightful beach side view.  As its peak season on the South Coast we decided against a safari trip in Yala National park and opted for a cycle on the public road that cut through. On entering, drivers in the opposite direction were warning us of a bull elephant up ahead with confusingly mixed warnings of caution on the one hand and someone giving us a watermelon to feed it on the other.  A few tentative turns later and we were greeted by the MASSIVE fella!  We slowed down and I went by first, turning back about 20 metres past to watch Brian follow.  Now we’re not sure if it was Brians natural musk or his funny face but our friend the elephant took umbrage, raised his trunk, flapped his ears and went full throttle for the donkey on a bike!  Brian spun around faster than I’ve seen him move in a long time and pegged it into the mangrove bushes on the side of the road with a tree between him and the angry elephant.  In a bit of a panic we had to wait 10 minutes before we got help from a passing car as a barrier between the amply trunked beast before Brian could cycle out and back to safety. In hindsight an absolute privilege and something we’ll never forget, but we’ve bought Brian a deo stick to keep that musk in check, just in case 😉

Wild elephants take on the donkey musk

From Yala we headed back up to the mountains along shaded roads and through sleepy villages before we started our climb in earnest.  These dappled, cool roads were a welcome relief to the scorching sun and reminded us of our cycle out of London through Epping Forest on our first day.  It’s reassuring to get these familiar feelings along the way, giving your soul a little glow and a nod to how far we’ve come since July.

As anyone will know who’s been reading with us from the start, the mountains are where we feel most at home hence we decided to head to Horton Plains at the top of the small central mountain range.  Another National Park that sits on a plateau 7000ft up, bisected again by a small A-road.  The ascent got the calves and glutes back to what they’re best at and the views got tastier and tastier as we climbed.  We’d been reassured by the locals the road through was toll free so after a two day climb to see a barrier, security guard and toll gate coming into focus out of the mist, we were a little flummoxed/peeved!  The entrance was £10 each, which we didn’t have on us, so post a fruitless plead it was back down hill to catch a short train to Nuwara Eliya before sunset.  You’ve got to keep your sense of humour topped up and ready to go at these moments, believe me.

The mist before the toll gate Horton Plains

Nuwara Eliya was another hot pot of familiar sights due to being the oldest British Colonial settlement on the Island.  Houses with a Anglo twist and red post boxes greeted us and we plumed for a day off to take in the town.  From there we headed back to Ella to meet Howard and Alex who were over for a holiday from Blighty.  They’d climbed Adams Peak that morning so after some beers, local grub and a good catch up we were all to bed early.

The post office at Nuwara Eliya

The following morning we were on the road to the East coast and Arugum Bay.  Passing out of the town via Ella’s Gap, and what a beautiful gap it is too, we were reminded of the inherent falibility of Sri Lankas landscape.  The aftermath of landslides was ever-present and with the roads often being carved out from loose ground of mud and rock, it’s no wonder these are a regular occurrence of life here.

Landslide aftermath

Ellas Gap

It’s monsoon season on the East Coast which means it’s fairly quiet, but the sun seems to be shining at the mo so lets not jinks it.  We came through another national park, eyes peeled for lonely elephants and Brians musk in check, to arrive at our beach side location for a rest day.  Off season here means we’ve got ourselves a tree house hut for £3 a night and have enjoyed the luxury of a pot of tea whilst we type this entry, it really is the small things in life that please.

Tree house heaven for £3 per night

Hoping you’re all feeling the warmth in someway wherever you are.

Till next time

Tommy and Brian

Xxx

*

UK: Pop 63.3 Million, 241,930 Sq KMs, 256 people per Sq KM

India: Pop 1.27 Billion, 3,166,414 Sq KMs, 382 people per Sq KM

America: Pop 320.2 Million, 9,147,420 Sq KMs, 34.2 people per Sq KM

South Island NZ: Pop 1 Million, 150,437 Sq KMs, 7 people per Sq KM