Last Piece of Kandy..
Birds come and go during breakfast, and by around 9 they are mostly gone. From about 7am onwards the place is a hive of activity - crows crowing, squirrels squeaking and all those other birds tweeting with the occasional shrill from the hills behind. A very pleasant way to start the day is with a cup of nice Ceylon tea whilst just watching the nature arrive and depart, almost to a set pattern - the same birds visiting the same spot roughly the same time.
A very relaxed few days in Kandy, taking a closer look at the architecture, it's people and their lives. More folk seem to be better off around here than in the rural hilly districts to the east. Perhaps as a result of significantly more tourists around, either way the wheels of commerce around here turn at a healthy pace.
Today, I'm rolling out of Kandy heading down to Negombo for a couple of days before the plane out to Malaysia on Monday. A hike down to the bus station is just 20 minutes but a stop for brunch at the cafe I've used frequently the past few days. I have used others, but here they seem to be a little more amenable. Others, well it just seems so much effort for anyone to raise a smile. Yes, it's true, cafe staff around this town very seldom smile. I don't know about the fancy restaurants, didn't visit those, looked somewhat overpriced to me!
It's hot, no air and to make matters worse the bus has been parked right next to the unofficial men's toilet! So I'm quite relieved when the bus eventually gets underway. About an hour and the hilly terrain flattens into water meadows and paddy fields, and of course back into the humidity of Sri Lankas lowlands. Fleeced again, not only have I to pay the 160 rupees fare, but an additional 100 for the backpack, which wasn't even taking up additional space! Oh well, 50p for the bag isn't going to exactly break the bank! About 4 hours to Negombo this time with a stop at the airport for a few tourists catching flights.
Not a bad bus ride this time having got on early at the point of departure and picked a decent seat by the window. So, in Negombo, in one piece and on budget despite the earlier fleecing. I wonder what happens to that extra 100 rupees!
Birds come and go during breakfast, and by around 9 they are mostly gone. From about 7am onwards the place is a hive of activity - crows crowing, squirrels squeaking and all those other birds tweeting with the occasional shrill from the hills behind. A very pleasant way to start the day is with a cup of nice Ceylon tea whilst just watching the nature arrive and depart, almost to a set pattern - the same birds visiting the same spot roughly the same time.
A very relaxed few days in Kandy, taking a closer look at the architecture, it's people and their lives. More folk seem to be better off around here than in the rural hilly districts to the east. Perhaps as a result of significantly more tourists around, either way the wheels of commerce around here turn at a healthy pace.
Today, I'm rolling out of Kandy heading down to Negombo for a couple of days before the plane out to Malaysia on Monday. A hike down to the bus station is just 20 minutes but a stop for brunch at the cafe I've used frequently the past few days. I have used others, but here they seem to be a little more amenable. Others, well it just seems so much effort for anyone to raise a smile. Yes, it's true, cafe staff around this town very seldom smile. I don't know about the fancy restaurants, didn't visit those, looked somewhat overpriced to me!
It's hot, no air and to make matters worse the bus has been parked right next to the unofficial men's toilet! So I'm quite relieved when the bus eventually gets underway. About an hour and the hilly terrain flattens into water meadows and paddy fields, and of course back into the humidity of Sri Lankas lowlands. Fleeced again, not only have I to pay the 160 rupees fare, but an additional 100 for the backpack, which wasn't even taking up additional space! Oh well, 50p for the bag isn't going to exactly break the bank! About 4 hours to Negombo this time with a stop at the airport for a few tourists catching flights.
Not a bad bus ride this time having got on early at the point of departure and picked a decent seat by the window. So, in Negombo, in one piece and on budget despite the earlier fleecing. I wonder what happens to that extra 100 rupees!
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