1.The people make this country. Everywhere we turned, there was someone willing to help us find our way or give us a seat on the bus. Sri Lankans are some of the friendliest and kindest people I have met travelling.
2.The food is delicious. Despite being forewarned that the food would be ultra spicy, Jade and I managed, quite easily, to eat our share of curry dishes, quite happily.
3.The tea hills are spectacularly beautiful. I thought I had seen “green hill beauty” in Colombia, Vietnam and Indonesia but tea hill country in Sri Lanka is breathtaking too. Keeping our eyes focused for the women working in the tea plantations kept us amused for hours. Although we did find a few, we never managed to take a photo that rivaled any of the postcards we saw.
4.The tea was special. Maybe it comes from drinking tea in the place where it was picked or maybe it was just that good but Jade, a non-tea drinker, has now been converted to a tea lover. Cozy is the word that comes to mind as I reflect on our hours drinking tea out of real tea cups as the monsoon poured around us.
5.Taking the train in Sri Lanka is really a one of a kind experience! We took the train from Ella to Colombo and yes, it was a mere 4 hours late by the time we finally arrived but who was really complaining? The views from the deck (the part that was open between the cars) were beyond words. We stood for hours watching Sri Lankan life fly by. I would go back to Sri Lanka for that experience alone.
(As we were only there for a week, we had a limited sampling of all the beauty Sri Lanka has to offer. Highlights for us were Ella and its Little Adam’s Peak, the train trip from Ella to Kandy, visiting a working tea plantation outside Ella, and The Dhambulla caves outside Kandy. Needless to say Jade’s first experience in Asia was very positive and Sri Lanka just reinforced why I love this area of the world so much.)
Totally agree! Even if it was years ago, Sri Lanka is probably my favorite country to travel 🙂
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Yes, it is a wonderful place to visit. I wish we had longer.
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I told you you would like it! I totally agree with your 5 points… especially people and tea. One week is a bit short to discover all wonders of the country, we travelled for 4 weeks and felt we could have stayed for 6 months easily! Such a magical country, isn’t it?
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those tea fields just extend forever don’t they? I’ve never been to Sri Lanka but would love to visit. Shame you only had a week but that just means you have to return right??
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That is right. A week was short but gave us a taste of it. I had always wanted to see tea plantations and was interested in southern India for that reason so Sri Lanka made it much easier to see them. They are gorgeous.
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This is definitely on my list of places still to visit. My great-grandfather lived and worked there in the Colonial days in what was then Ceylon as the deputy chief secrtary in the civil service. I woud love to go and find out more about their life there…..
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Yes you must put it on top of your list, especially with such a strong connection to the country. It is definitely a highlight for me of all my travels.
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So glad to see your pictures and posts! What an adventure you two are living, 😃 My hat’s off to you for being so brave and curious and open to the adjustments you both have no doubt had to make. I actually flew to St. Louis from Charlotte to see my son and his wife..a whopping 90-plus minutes in the air !! HAHA!! Now that’s a BIG deal for me!! Be safe. 💛
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Hey I am so proud of you!!!! That is a huge deal. Congrats. 🙂
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👍
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Sounds wonderful, it’s a part of the world I never thought of visiting.
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It is very different from my previous travel experiences for sure. But to miss the Middle East or Egypt might be a shame because of its history and its people. Both are remarkable.
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Looks beautiful!
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Yes, it is… all of it really. Beautiful shades of green and the monsoon rains made it even lovelier.
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Hello Cheryl and Jade
Thx for sharing ! Nice pictures , especially the one with Jade overlooking the green hills ( wow)
unclegerry
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Thanks Ger. We did love it. 🙂
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Great that you loved Sri Lanka! Me too! Did you get to Sigiriya or Anuradhapura? For me they were the highlights, but the central highlands were spectacular too.
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No we didn’t. We chose the Dhambulla caves over Sigiriya after doing a lot of reading about both. Maybe next time…
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Gorgeous trip and views!
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Thanks. It is a gorgeous kind of place.
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You’re welcome!
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Sounds like fun! Great to see posts from you again 🙂
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Thanks 🙂 My Internet is a bit better but my work schedule is very busy!
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Yeah! Camels are back. 🙂 I have never been to Asia and I’m certain now where to start. (There is a comment under your last post waiting for moderation, I just happened to notice.)
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Thanks so much! Yes, Sri Lanka would be a perfect place to start in Asia. Easy, manageable, friendly and beautiful 🙂
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