Ayubowan from Sri Lanka. The Sinhala greeting, which means 'May you live long!, exemplifies how kindness and hospitality is embedded in the Sri Lankan culture. Welcome to the kinder, gentler world of Sri Lanka!
This past week was an extra exceptional week of people and sightseeing experiences in what has been an ongoing blessed travel adventure. I sincerely hope this week's blog successfully captures the spirit of the extraordinary people I met in the past week and the blessings they left with me.
A few things to catch up on:
- Changes in how I satisfy my sweet tooth/snacking. I had to say goodbye to the McVitties Dark Chocolate biscuits when I landed in Western Australia. Sadly, the biscuits were suddenly twice the price I paid in New Zealand. I did stock up on dark chocolate bars and may have had the occasional bag of Dorito chips. I switched to dark chocolate wafers and peanuts when I was in Indonesia.
- Hotel changes. Self-contained units disappeared when I traveled from Western Australia to Indonesia. This change has meant microwaves in hotel rooms have disappeared so microwave popcorn has disappeared from my diet. I left my last bag for the staff at my Gili T hotel. Thank goodness bar fridges remain a constant. How I access drinking water has had more variability in Indonesia and Sri Lanka. Many more hotels provide bottles of water instead of providing drinking water in reusable bottles.
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| Nothing like a baby elephant to warm your 💗! |
I'm sad to be leaving Indonesia. I originally had ambivalent feelings about traveling to Indonesia mainly based on a lack of knowledge. The more I learned about Indonesia the more I liked being there. Overall, the country is inexpensive, has a wonderful vibe and great service mentality wherever I traveled. I think Bali and Lombok are busy, overrated and expensive, relative to Indonesian standards. They are considerably cheaper as compared to North American, Australian or New Zealand cost standards. I was blessed to have positive big city experiences while I was traveling through Java. My four nights at Tabo Cottages left me with the impression I only have a small taste of the Indonesian experience through my travels. I look forward to returning to Indonesia, most likely with Sumatra as my starting point.
My travel itinerary for India and beyond continues to solidify. I'll have two nights in Bangalore, three weeks in Nagaland and two nights in Chennai. I need to invest more time in figuring out Nagaland as the tourist infrastructure is less developed than my destinations to date. Heartfelt thanks to Anon for her help as I build out my travel plans. My travels to Taiwan and beyond remain more of an idea at this point, other than Singapore Airlines is scheduled to deliver me to Taipei at 4:40 pm on Monday, May 5.
Thank you Sarah for leaving a comment last week. Much appreciated. You can also reach me directly through my email address (thelearningguy@gmail.com) or WhatsApp (+14164333973) should the need or want arise. Sincere thanks always for joining my adventures.
May the universe bring endless blessings and moments of magic 🦄 to you and your loved ones in the week ahead. 🙏
Travel Administration
Understanding and managing your expectations when you are traveling helps contribute to an enjoyable experience. I continue to learn this lesson throughout my travels.
Travel Maps
Tracking this past week's travel within Indonesia (Lake Tabo to Medan to Jakarta), a four hour flight from Jakarta to Colombo, Sri Lanka, and my travels within Sri Lanka.
Indonesia: February 25 - March 25, 2025
Inter Country Travel: Jakarta to Colombo Flight (March 25, 2025)
Sri Lanka:
March 25 to March 29, 2025
Lake Toba to Jakarta
Lake Toba
Circling back on where I left the adventure last week - departing Tabo Cottages by ferry to Parapet, my road trip to Medan airport from Parapat and my flight to Jakarta, courtesy of CitiLink Airlines. The magic in my last week started on Sunday morning when my new friend Anna, the bartender extraordinaire from Germany, showed up to send me off on my way. She's a woman of her word. She mentioned on Saturday night she wanted to see me off in Sunday morning (7:45 am) before heading out to the bar with Fanni and Ronald until 2 am. I think I've received a special blessing when someone takes the time to say goodbye. Thank you Anna! 🤗
I'm also the guy who appreciates seeing a friendly face at an airport after I've retrieved my baggage and am preparing to exit the airport.
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| Toba Cottages dining area |
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| So long Lake Toba |
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| Ah, the cool pool water to wake up your senses |
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| Batak architecture |
Medan (KNO) Airport
I continue to be blessed with smooth check-in and security screening processes at airports. Travel tip - avoid the discount business lounge in this airport. The packaged bowl of soup, soda and small bottle of water was an underwhelming experience compared to my Bali business lounge experience. Checking one's expectations by asking good questions is a travel requirement.
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Medan Airport - state of the art construction. Small
quirk - the luggage belt is unable to handle 'normal'
size suitcase. Off I went to the oversize luggage section. |
Jakarta
The 2.5 hour flight to Jakarta (and the southern hemisphere) was blessedly uneventful. I was testing fate by traveling a second time on CitiLink Airlines, the airline with poor ratings. I'm a happy customer for a second time. Boarding went just fine, flight was ok and baggage appeared on the conveyor belt and was intact.
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK), Jakarta's airport, has three terminals. I took a relatively quick SkyTrain ride from Terminal 1 (domestic) to Terminal 3 (international) where my hotel was located.
Kevin
It's time to reintroduce Kevin, the man I mentioned in last week's post, who I met in the elevator area just outside our respective hotel rooms after checking in. I'm unsure what triggered our conversation. What I quickly discovered is that Kevin was from the Lake Tabo area so he was keenly interested in what I thought about the area. He was also interested in if I felt safe while I was traveling in Indonesia - I felt safe wherever I traveled, except when trying to cross a busy street! Kevin is the consummate ambassador for his country. We must have talked for about 45 minutes about traveling as well as offering my advice on finding the best mix of focus on work and having a personal life.
As I mentioned last week, Kevin asked me a most insightful question that I continue to consider. He asked me what I was looking for in all of my travel. While I think my purpose is multi-layered, my immediate response to his question was I was consistently looking to have a conversation like I was having with him while exploring the world's physical beauty. I also believe the following Joseph Campbell has relevance for me and my travels:
“I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.”
Each person I meet and every conversation I have builds on and/or reinforces my sense of being part of a global community. The only boundaries that exist in the world is the boundaries we create for ourselves. My conversation with Kevin was an incredible gift. I also had chance to speak with Kevin at the breakfast buffet on Monday morning. We exchanged WhatsApp contact info along with me sharing the link to my blog. Funny aside - I attempted (unsuccessfully) to say good morning in Batak to Kevin. He was unfamiliar with the phrase I was using (after showing him the translated version in Batak). He said he'd have to bone up on his Batak.
Kevin and his boss, who was from Wisconsin, were off to northern Tasmania on mining related business. Kevin had also previously spent time in Colorado and Arizona amongst other destinations.
The universe is continually filling our lives with opportunities. The question is how ready and alert are we to these gifts?
Visiting Jakarta
I made a brief trip into the heart of Jakarta on Monday afternoon, taking advantage of the Rail Link train that connects with Jakarta's commuter rail system (about an hour each way). My objective was to visit
Monas - the National Monument commemorating Indonesia's struggle for independence. The monument is located in one of world's largest squares -
Merdeka Square. Guess who forgot the fact that most historical sites are closed on Mondays - especially during Ramadan. Hey ho!
Step 1 was taking the SkyTrain to the rail station at the airport. Step 2 was purchasing the ticket ($6.70 CDN) with the able assistance from the guy at the info desk. Step 3 was finding my way to the metro station from the BNI City station to purchase a transit card and then boarding the commuter train. So many people were helpful in getting me on my way. Added bonus - as I was exiting the metro station I was given two bananas and a bottle of water. It was late in the day so fasting was quickly coming to an end.
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| Metro station - that's my stop over the door |
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| The skies always look threatening rain |
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| J.L M. H. Thamrin |
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National Monument
This is as close as I could get |
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Entrance to National Monument
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| Jakarta traffic - interesting challenge for pedestrians |
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| Reminder that I was in Jakarta |
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| Interesting way to finish a building |
Jakarta to Colombo
Welcome to Jakarta's International Terminal - Terminal 3. Such amazing airports throughout this country!
Now, would you believe I met someone new while I was waiting for my Colombo flight on Tuesday afternoon? Yup, I did. I'm pleased to introduce Denise, a scuba instructor, who works at a Maldivian resort. We started chatting while waiting for our Colombo flight. Denise, who is originally from Italy, has been working in the tourism industry since she was 19; she is almost 49. She mentioned where she was working, I unfortunately am unable to recall. Apparently the company has five resorts in the Maldives. Denise has worked in the Middle East in the tourism business - I forget the specifics. She recently purchased a home just outside Cairo, Egypt last November. However, she is yet to get the keys from the owner. She hired a local lawyer who has had to make four trips to where the house is located to get the paperwork completed. I also learned about her siblings, her mother's recent passing and the home her mother had left when she passed. Denise was unaware of the island I was traveling to which I found interesting. We exchanged WhatsApp contact info when she mentioned she'd be happy to help me when I was in the Maldives.
Sri Lankan Airlines, my carrier for this flight, decided to give me a gift this past week. I was upgraded to Business Class for the 4+ hour flight. Unsure why I was upgraded and very appreciative! I am a Sri Lankan Airlines loyalty member with zero status. How I learned I was upgraded was an interesting process. When I handed my boarding pass to the agent in order to board the plane, the agent took my pass, removed the luggage tag from the pass and summarily tore up my pass - all without saying a word to me. She then printed a new pass, affixed the luggage tag to the back and handed the new pass to me and advised me I was upgraded. Thank you to the universe for the special treatment irrespective of the mystery that may be involved!
Sri Lanka
Colombo
Tuesday night was spent in downtown Colombo, near the train station. I had arranged for my Sri Lankan friend, Mahima, who provides taxi services to take me from the airport to my hotel. Mahima was the taxi driver from my previous visit to Sri Lanka. I was honoured to be his house guest when I visited Galle during that trip.
I had scheduled my train trip for a 10:30 am departure so I'd have time to get a local SIM card from SLTMobitel. My package included seven days of unlimited local calls/text, the SIM card and 15 GB of data for less than $5 CDN. Travel tip - ensure your SIM card is working prior to leaving the store. As it happens, they forgot to activate my SIM card and load my card with the appropriate credits. All was sorted before I left. My SIM card experience two years ago in Jaffna was so much better. Be vigilant, my friends!
I also made an extra trip to the train station to confirm if I needed a paper copy of my electronic train ticket to board the train - which was the requirement two years ago. The ticket printing process also included the agent handwriting the ticket information in a ledger book. Time consuming and tedious if you are in any hurry to board a train. Happy to report that the need for a paper ticket has disappeared!
I also had an interesting repeat experience of someone approaching me on the street, just like what happened during my first day in Colombo two years ago. Same modus operandi. Asked where I was from, then said something about the bilingual status in Canada (to establish familiarity) with a last comment about being a teacher. I responded that it seemed to be a coincidence that someone had used this same approach with me two years ago. As if by magic, my new companion suddenly disappeared.
I came very close to introducing a great deal of misery in my life on Wednesday morning. When I checked out of my hotel room, I forgot my laptop, mouse and other electronics in the hotel room safe. Yikes! I was incredibly fortunate in so many respects in retrieving my stuff. I discovered I was missing these items as I was in the train station waiting for my train's departure. My hotel was a 15 minute stroll from the Fort Colombo train station. I was able to scurry back to my hotel, convince the staff to let me back in the room to open the safe and then return to the train station with time to spare. One thing to appreciate about Sri Lanka is an adherence to policies and process. Convincing the hotel staff to let me open the safe I had the combination to took some time. They were set on having the security guy use the master key to open the safe. My thanks to them for their new found flexibility!
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Notice the two police officers on horses directing
traffic and watching over pedestrians as they
cross the road |
Kandy
The train ride to Kandy is 3+ hours; this is the express train. My ongoing reminder to anyone traveling is you need to check how words you are familiar with are used in the country you are traveling in. My express train made several stops on the way including a stop so a guy could board the train to sell hot tea. You should also know the train ride is somewhat bumpy with numerous sharp jerks whenever the train resumes going after a stop. With all this said, it remains the better way to travel in Sri Lanka when the option is available.
With the temperature in the low 30's (90's F), I chose to ride in the air conditioned 1st class carriage. 2nd and 3rd class are also available (no a/c) if you want to introduce more adventure in your trip.
Train Ride
While I was waiting in the train, I met a family making a pilgrimage to the Kandy temple. The family included the cute little girl, Cinanan, in the photos below. As we were boarding the train, I left a small glass bumble bee I was carrying (thanks to Stasha, my yogi guide in Eau Claire) with her father. My simple act of kindness transformed into a new friend as we happened to be traveling in the same carriage. I was the beneficiary of a few visits from my new friend and her parents during the train ride. Her smile is pure magic. When we arrived in Kandy, my newest friend wanted her parents to take her photo with me. I'm discovering, deep down, how much I miss my daughter Danielle.
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| Train schedule - Platform 2 |
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| The bee is in Cinanan's left fingers |
Kandy Walkabout
I chose a hotel within easy walking distance of the temple I wanted to visit. I spent a few hours exploring the section of Kandy near my hotel. Lots of textile and fabric stores in this part of the city. Very busy as the main route passed through here as well. I've included a couple video clips from a busy intersection where the pedestrian walkway is built under the road.
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| Signboard outside Kandy Ice Cream shop |
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| Main street Kandy |
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| Main street Kandy - lots of textiles |
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a world-renowned place of worship, where the left Canine tooth of Gautama Buddha is enshrined. I encourage you to click on the link above if you're interested in learning more about this temple and its significance. The website includes a 14 minute video temple tour with detailed explanations of what is in my photos below.
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| Entrance after purchasing ticket (about $10 CDN) |
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| Ticket entrance |
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| Stairs leading to Tooth Relic |
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| Table for offerings |
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| Where the tooth is kept safe |
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| Pilgrims praying |
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| The octagon - no photos inside |
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Beautiful entrance leading to
Tooth Relic. Got lucky the passageway
being people free |
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| Octagon - exterior view |
Kandos Chocolate Shop
Yes, there happened to be a chocolate store close to my hotel as well. Nikhil, the superstar store employee, was so helpful during my visit explaining the various chocolate products. Sad to report that dark chocolate options are very limited. Kandos, I was told, is a leading name in Sri Lankan chocolate. Nikhil also made a point of telling me that he was Catholic, his fellow employee was Hindu and the manager was Buddhist - everyone working in harmony!
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| My first purchase - about 75 cents |
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| There are chocolate Easter bunnies - upper right |
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Super K brand line - cheaper with chocolate
powder only |
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2nd purchase - Kandos brand with
chocolate powder and butter. |
Kandy Lake
This beautiful artificial lake was built alongside the Temple making a sharp contrast to the very busy road that runs alongside this lake. More lake info is available by clicking the link above.
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| Under Buddha's careful watch |
Dambulla
I simplified my life to get to my Dambulla hotel (2.5 hour ride) by hiring a car through Uber. I had an option to take an a/c bus (#43) or the local buses for less money. Sometimes it's good to treat yourself. I did get to my hotel safely after a somewhat interesting car ride that included an unscheduled stop to purchase fresh jackfruit from a roadside stand. We were stopped long enough at the fruit stand for Uber to send me a text message to confirm I was ok given the length of time we were stopped.
Hotel Neighbourhood
The Green Edge is located about 1.6 km (1 mile) from the city which makes the location ideal for me. I walked into the city a couple times to purchase meals and get cash at the ATM (People's Bank or Bank of Ceylon are preferred; fee free withdrawals).
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| Peacocks are common in this area |
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| Sealed road for two way traffic |
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Wide enough for two Tuk Tuks or a
standard vehicle |
Gami Gedara Restaurant
Here's where I purchased my dinner and lunch during my stay. I was introduced to this restaurant during my last stay. Good food, service and price - a winning combination. I was blessed the restaurant staff took a little more time with me to explain the food choices, honoring my request to avoid spicy foods. I even received a free 100 g package of sugared peanuts with my lunch order! As I continue to discover, we all have our own interpretation of what 'spicy' means. My forehead, which perspires when provoked by spiciness, was doing a little extra work while I ate my dinner.
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| Complete with sweets cabinet |
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I was asked to come behind the counter
to select the food I wanted - after someone
explained the choices, of course. |
The Green Edge
This small hotel with a total of four rooms has special energy for me. The manager, Kantha, is the most extraordinary man with hospitality, kindness and thoughtfulness as his top priorities. The three staff members also exemplify the same energy as their boss. The hotel receives consistently high ratings on Booking.com which brought me to the place two years ago. And the magic I experienced during my first visit was intensified in this second visit.
I was greeted by Kantha and Perere when I arrived on Thursday afternoon. Kantha had to excuse himself to attend a funeral for his uncle who has recently passed away. Perere was the consummate host in providing me with fresh coffee and always being around to ensure I had an amazing stay. I learned he used to be in the merchant marine traveling to exotic destinations like Athens. A proud father of five successful children. He was also instrumental in introducing me to Elma, a fellow traveler staying at the hotel. Perere shared that he was Catholic and offered to give me the religious chain and medallion he wears around his neck when he learned I was raised in a Catholic family. I gracefully declined his generous offer suggesting that he might want to share this important religious item with his children. As I was declining Perere's generous offer, I remembered that I was carrying a couple rosaries in my backpack. He graciously accepted the wooden bead rosary I offered to him. In subsequent conversations he shared photos of his village church as well as the church in Dambulla. He extended an invitation to visit him in his village on my next visit. Perere is an exceptional person who willingly shared his kindness, thoughtfulness and warmth. How blessed I was to meet him on this visit.
Elma is yet another extraordinary person I met in the past week. Her home was Dubai for the last 32 years, having moved to Dubai from Manilla in the Philippines when she 19. She convinced her father, who was working in the Dubai port, to take her to Dubai where she has worked ever since. Elma started traveling when she was around 40 (started late she shared) having visited 46 countries to date. She discovered a Expat travel group that offered tours to solo travellers without charging a single supplement. Elma has visited several countries I have yet to travel to including most Scandinavian countries. She has also been to the famous Bolivian salt flats. Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil left an interesting impression on her as well. If I remember correctly, Elma was traveling in Sri Lanka for ten days, with the support of a local guide and his vehicle. She headed to Kandy on Friday morning.
What an unexpected gift in the most unlikely of locations. Elma was interesting, engaging, thoughtful and inquisitive to identify just a few of her traits. We shared contact information so I could give her the link to this blog and, of course, stay in contact.
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| Perere and Dave |
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| Sri Lankan breakfast |
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| Perere working his magic |
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| Kantha and Dave |
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| Our cook, groundskeeper, Dave and Perere |
Elephant Safari
Friday afternoon was all about going on an elephant safari in Eco Park. Kantha arranged a jeep and driver on my behalf so I knew I'd be well taken care of. My driver did a wonderful job in finding and keeping me in front of elephants. We had very good weather with sufficient cloud cover to prevent being scorched by the sun (yes, sunscreen liberally applied).
In retrospect, I have mixed feelings about the whole safari adventure. This is me being judgmental. While I got to see so many elephants up close, it was so sad to experience the plethora of jeeps and passengers surrounding the elephants as they grazed. A video clip below should give you a good idea of what I experienced. Unsure if they are any rules that govern the drivers' behaviour around the elephants. If there is, difficult to understand how the rules are being monitored.
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| Baby elephants abounded |
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| Baby elephant mud bath |
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| Baby elephant mud bath |
A Humble Guest
On Friday night, I was invited to have Sri Lankan dinner at Kantha's home with his family. My week of meeting and being with exceptional individuals was continuing in full force. I must apologize for omitting Kantha's wife and daughter's names as I'm waiting for the text with their correct spelling.
I think the best way to describe this husband and wife is to call them a power couple. She has been involved with supporting international projects in the Dambulla area for the last 12 years. She has been to South Korea on training courses for two weeks. She is a trained business coach supporting local businesses get started. She is an entrepreneur in her own right, having started a homestay in the upper floor of their beautiful home (that Kantha designed and built himself) which she launched in January this year. The homestay has had bookings for every month since it became available. She is organizing the local older women to host virtual Sri Lankan cooking classes from a building on their property. The company that makes the notebook (photo below) benefited from her coaching to move inventory into sales.
She also shared photos from their traditional Buddhist wedding which were simply beautiful. A government minister was one of her guests. Interesting story on how they met - was a modified arranged relationship with help from their respective families.
A significant element to her story was how hard she worked to achieve what she had today. She grew up in a remote village that was a long ways from anywhere in a poor farming family. Inspiring to be given the gift of becoming part of this amazing story.
It's been decided that I'll be a guest at the homestay during my next Dambulla visit! I wish I could fully capture the energy, enthusiasm and optimism I experienced in my two hours with my gracious and kind hosts. Thank you to the universe for this amazing gift!
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My meal was prepared by Kantha's mother-in-law
who was visiting from her village (about 300 km away) |
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| Knatha's wife and her mother |
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| Gift of notebook made with natural products |
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| Gift of Sri Lankan tea |
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| Knatha's daughter (grade 7) and wife |
Dambulla to Colombo
I returned to Colombo by A/C bus on Saturday morning. Sorry for the poor photo below. The bus has two seats by one seat configuration with a jump seat that drops into the aisle for extra seating. Lucky me - I got the jump seat for the 3.5 hour ride. Please note if you consider this form of transportation - the only time the bus stops is to pick up or drop off passengers. No toilets on board or toilet breaks during the trip!
Funny thing about expectations. When I was told there was an A/C bus, I had imagined a large bus with big comfy seats which do operate in Sri Lanka. On the bus I got as I quickly adjusted to reality!
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| I did get a 'regular' seat for the last hour of the ride. |
Colombo Revisited
A key reason for my return to Sri Lanka was to visit with Lakshika and her family. I met Lakshika and her family during my first visit to Colombo in May 2023 (
Sri Lanka - May 2023). My very good friend, Sajee (Lakshika's older sister), had connected me with Lakshika through a WhatsApp group to ensure I had support during my Sri Lankan travels. How blessed I was! She was pivotal in my ability to continue traveling while one of my Canadian banks got sorted out in sending replacement credit/ATM cards after I was pickpocketed in Bangkok.
I was treated to the most amazing dining experience at the Royal Thai restaurant which was conveniently located in my hotel. I also met her aunt and uncle who had traveled from Kandy to visit with her. The timing of my visit coincided with ceremonies related to the anniversary of her father's passing so I was doubly blessed the family was able to make time to meet with me!
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| Lakshika, her son on my right; uncle/aunt on left |
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| Nishan, Lakshika's husband |
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| Selfie during dinner |
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| Special gift for me - homemade toffee |
Travel Administration
Understanding and managing your expectations when you are traveling helps contribute to an enjoyable experience. We could also include suspending judgement as part of your travel experience. Expecting everything to be like it is where you come from may be a tad unreasonable. A simple example is the use of the term 'resort'. Expect resort to mean just about any time of accommodation. Do your homework on the places you want to book to avoid any unpleasant situations (like I have had!). I continue to learn this lesson throughout my travels. Always interesting to discover the unstated assumptions one carries in life!
Next Week
Simple travel itinerary for the upcoming week. I spend the first three nights of the week in Colombo. I'm off to the Maldives early on Wednesday morning (7:20 am departure) for the next seven nights visiting with my friend Emily on
Gulhi Island. You can walk across the island in 15 minutes!
Look forward to catching up with you next week!
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