Day 2 Negombo to Dambulla
Happy International Women’s Day! How fabulous to be on Holidays today spending it with a couple of my favourite women – Victoria and Emma.
I miss my Mum every day – but on International Women’s day I am reminded of her more than ever. Her strength, determination and immense desire for equality balanced by compassion, empathy and a gentle spirit is something that inspires me every day. Thank you Mum for leading in a way that some in the world didn’t quite get at the time but now mostly understands. I wish that you could see the changing world that you and other amazing women have built for generations of women to come. Thank you.
Today we started with a buffet breakfast, boarded a coach with a group of Australians (19 in total) and headed to a fish market right on the waters edge. As a small island in the Indian Ocean, fish is an incredibly important part of the diets and economy of the Sri Lankan people. The place was actually very clean, although many cats, dogs and birds were hanging about. Most activity was nearest the water, opening, degutting, salting and air-drying the smaller catch of the day. The larger of the fish caught went to the market. Our guide bought a couple and took them to a cleaner to prepare for us. They were packaged in an esky and we continued on the bus.
It was lovely to drive through and watch the urban and then rural areas as we headed towards a pineapple farm. At the pineapple farm we wandered through with the owner who explained how they farmed. At the end we got to enjoy a freshly cut pineapple. Many of you know I don’t really eat fruit (sugar=enemy of mine) but I did enjoy a couple of slices which were amazingly sweet and flavoursome. We stopped for drinks (water to dissolve the fructose!) then spent another couple of hours winding through the countryside and towns to Dambulla.
The 10 more energetic of us (read not me) got off the bus at Sigiriya rock fortress and walked to the top – a two hour round trip. The rest of us headed to check in at our hotel. We are amongst the first guests to stay here which brings both advantages and disadvantages. It is a 5 star resort with beautiful individual cabins beside a lake. Super comfy beds, soft pillows, open air bathrooms. A large fresh water pool, open air restaurant and walking tracks through the surrounding jungle. All sounding amazing? A couple of downsides: Air-conditioning that won’t work in Dave and my room and internet that doesn’t connect! A hot, non-connected Sara is not a happy Sara ?
More later – we have to get to the Bus J