Boating & Biking Adventures

Category: Sri Lanka Page 2 of 3

Belihuloya 🚴‍♂️ Nallathanniya

A lot of climbing was planned for this queen’s mountain stage but after a good rest and breakfast (chickpeas!), I got on the road before 8am. Even started under the sun! Fully recharged.

The tarmac on this mountain passage was anything else than pleasant and over 40km I faced poor road conditions, still tarred, but corrugated worse than the Hell of the North! Going slow was my counter measure, which is no problem on uphill but downhill it becomes pure strain. Strain from spine to shoulder to wrist to all parts of the body.

The scenery compensated for most of it and this incredible Roubaix helped to take the hardest hits through its in-build suspension elements. I am surprised nothing broke and happy to get my new bike rather sooner than later.

Fair winds…

Ella 🚴‍♂️ Belihuloya

I had a late start as it was still raining in the morning hours but at 11am it was either or.  Could have stayed longer in this nice hostel in Ella but expected at least 4-5 hours on the road without a puncture and prefer to keep some margin towards sunset.

It became a magnificent ride over the mountain pass at Haputale Railway Station, where the clouds kept the visibility within 25m at some stage. Windchill added to the feeling of me being displaced for a short moment.

What followed was my longest ride on top of the clouds with spectacular views and ever friendly Sinhalese greeting along the road. Inviting for a chat despite a potential language barrier, no matter what.

One event still puzzles me. I stopped next to one of these primitive huts, would not call it shop, structure out of wood, walls and roof either wood or metal sheets. An elderly lady trying to sell some very basic amenities needed by people on the road. While trying to optimise my position for a photo, we started some small talk, which resulted by her saying with a smiling face: Sri Lanka, very nice. I assume, she has never in her life left the island but is fully aware about the beauty of this country. Not a single attempt during our conversation to sell me any of her goods, I moved on, but till now see her smiling face in front of me.

Fair winds…

Ella, Tuktuk & Tea

The hostels have become a pleasant part of this travel recently and especially Bunk Station here in Ella is a nice melting point.

I grabbed the chance when Rocem offered me a lift in her rented Tuktuk to the nearby UVA Halpewatte Tea Factory, which was on my list for the day. Rocem is one of the many youngsters exploring Sri Lanka with her own long-term rented Tuktuk. She is from London, roots in Turkey, solo travelling and does not like to drive the Tuktuk without someone joining. It became an adventure in itself and did not took too long until the Tourist Police and a Tuktuk specialist passing by had to help us out. The Tuktuk was a bit stubborn but we got it under control, finally. 😅

After my visit of the Ceylon Tea Museum in Kandy I was up to explore a state of the art tea factory demonstrating the actual making of tea. It was quite interesting and included a panoramic view from the top of the factory building.

This smaller factory is specialised in making pure black tea only, no white, green or blended teas are produced. The process is highly manually between the different stages of production.

At the end of the guided tour a variety of tea samples could be tasted.

Fair winds…

Ella under the sun…

5:45am, I put the alarm on snooze, the sun will be late, oh no, the tower clocks in this country are spot on. 15min later I was on the track to explore Little Adam‘s Peak. Despite facing a bit of a crowd up there on this nowadays rare clear morning, I managed to keep them out of my photos to capture another proof of this beautiful country. Wonder of Asia.

My short lunch walk took me to another tourist attraction here in Ella – the Nine Arches Bridge. Two trains passed through during my short visit requesting the crowd to give way and step a bit aside. The bridge only got completed in 1919 during the early years of British occupation, but surprisingly it’s build from stone rather than steel at that time.

Handpicking any of the delicious bananas will definitely result in a stay at the local hospital, after the steep fall.

Fair winds…

Nuwara Eliya 🚴‍♂️ Ella

After another Rain & Relax Day I finally left Nuwara Eliya in the early morning hours under still wet conditions. Alex and his boys made our stay as comfortable as possible and the international hiker & biker community had a lot of time for exchange! These hostels are great socialising melting points me pushing the average age up!

At some stretches during today’s ride you can feel how beautiful the scenery here shall be, if the weather plays a bit more with you. 🙏 tomorrow.

Ella is very touristy, compared to what I have seen so far. 50% tourists on the streets, I would guess.

Fair winds…

Host Alex helping out with the pizza order.
Farewell picture with Alex‘s team.
Riding through some back roads, I passed through this mystical tea plantage in misty conditions.

Rain & Relax

My second rain day since arrival in Sri Lanka allowed for a walk exploring the town while keeping the umbrella ready at any time. It did also allow for some good rest on the sofa keeping the outside world at a safe distance while observing the scenic view from behind the window.

Our next scheduled ride is two days away.

Fair winds…

 

Ramboda 🚴‍♂️ Nuwara Eliya

It kept pouring all night but stopped finally before the Muezzin started the call for the morning prayer! No rain, no excuse for me not to tackle the pass into Nuwara Eliya today, the second stage destination on this trip. My strength is not at its peak at the moment and I will keep taking it easy.

I started to get a glance of the beauty of this area, all known for its tea plantations. Hopefully the weather over the next few days will reveal more of “Sri Lanka‘s Wonders of Asia“.

Fair winds…

Kandy 🚴‍♂️ Ramboda

This part of Sri Lanka should have the “less rainy season” from January to April, at least that was the base of my planning and got confirmed by Mandrahe, the owner of the Funk Bunk Hostel. Climate has always changed. 🤔
 
It was pouring at 6am and I turned around after checking the weather forecast. It should clear later in the morning. It did to the contrary…🌧️…and I only learned that after having left.
 
Mountain Biker Mandrahe is right. After 30 minutes in the rain it doesn‘t matter anymore.
 
Fair winds…
 
Similar interests in bikes and glasses…🤓

Royal Garden & Ceylon Tea

The final weather forecast for today prompted me for another day in Kandy and I am glad it did. Totally impressed by the Royal Botanical Garden and its entrance fee for foreigners, I also enjoyed the privat educational session in the Ceylon Tea Museum. Both venues are highly recommended.

Returning back to the hostel became my first ride in Sri Lanka under wet conditions, not pouring but drizzling and enough to increase the chaos on the roads as expected.

The majority of the rain shall be over by tomorrow morning but asking the locals, who knows?!? I shall give it another try. Still wiggling a bit between train and tarmac.

Funk Bunk is a great hostel not only because it’s owner is a Mountain Biker.

Fair winds…

Kandy – World Heritage

King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha of Kandy, last King of Sri Lanka built this bath for his wife, in 1806.

It was nice strolling around through Kandy, one of the eight UNESCO World Heritage  Sites in Sri Lanka.

On the central market I enjoyed a lesson and tasting session on some of the 29 banana varieties indigenous to the country. The price variation is at 100% among the different types!

There is plenty to do in and around Kandy and it seems to be a hotspot for backpackers. I might move on though tomorrow, depending on the weather. 

Fair winds…

Nice market place in the center of the town.

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