The end of Chapter three

I have been dreading to write this post, because it means that this wonderful adventure is over for my part. As I´m writing this post I´m home in Norway and Nina is in Nepal with the gorgeous Marit ❤

Our second visit to Colombo was so much better than our first visit to this large and hot city. We stayed at a really nice hotel and it was good to have some luxury on the end of this journey. Maybe especially for Nina who now will spend 10 days trekking in Nepal. After the hideous car trip to Colombo we both needed a shower and drinks. We had booked dinner for 19.00 at the hotel restaurant, but when we saw all the food we had ordered as snacks we had to cancel dinner 🙂 We enjoyed the wonderful food, drinks, company and view for a few hours, and then a crazy thunderstorm struck! It was really cool sitting in our room on the 25th floor with the huge panorama windows looking at the rain and the lightning.

After enjoying a super breakfast buffet we were going shopping and doing some preparations for Nepal. The shopping was hot and successful 🙂 We ended the shopping spree at the lovely Gallery Cafe with loads of souvenir shopping, a cold Lion and a dinner reservation for the night. The rest of the day was spent by the pool before dressing up and heading out to dinner. The last time in Colombo we also ate dinner at the Gallery Cafe, so needless to say, this is our definite favorite place in Colombo 🙂 It was a perfect last evening of a perfect trip!

Nina had to send home a package before leaving to Nepal, and that makes a funny story. After checking with the local post office, FedEx and DHL (which was closed) we had to go to the central post office. Being located 4 km away a tuk-tuk was necessary in this heat. Arriving at the post office we first entered one of the desks, and we were quickly referred to the desk next by. The clerk told us that Nina needs to send this in two different packages because of the weight, and is referred to another desk to buy the box the package should be sent in. This guy told us we could buy the box with him, but we should go to the building next by to send the package – then it could be sent as one package instead of two. So we did as we were told, and went to the building nearby 🙂 After filling out three forms, running to an ATM to get cash, walking three meters to the Customs desk, walking three meters back to the original desk the package could be sent! It only took like one hour 🙂 As we have seen in many stores in Sri Lanka, there are always a lot of people working in the stores. But it seems, for us at leas, as one person has only one responsibility. This means a lot of people is just sitting around, waiting for that one customer that needs a passport photo, or clear a package for custom. Not as efficient, but at least a lot of people have jobs.

The rest of the day was spent by the pool and on a failed tourist sightseeing mission. Sometimes you just have to face your limits, and take a tuk-tuk back to the air conditioned hotel 🙂

The car ride to the airport was of the quiet kind – both dreading what´s next. The «farewell, so long» on the airport was of the tear wet and sobbing kind. We have had such a wonderful time together. We have created many new memories that we will share, reminisce and laugh about for a lifetime ahead. I´m so glad I got to experience this wonderful  country with my wonderful Nina ❤

Chapter three, part one: Ahangama, Sri Lanka

And then, finally, we were in Sri Lanka! For you who don´t know me, I´m Nansy and will be joining Nina for three weeks before returning home to Norway.

I joined Nina in Colombo the morning after she arrived. As I stepped out of the car outside the hotel, Nina was there waiting for me. She jumped me before I could get out of the ca, and it was so good to finally see each other again. Finally we´re in Sri Lanka together!

After checking in to the room we took a trip outside to shop some necessities before traveling to the surf camp. The heat was almost unbearable! With 35 degrees, almost no wind and high humidity it was two soaking wet girls who arrived back at the hotel a few hours later. The only positive thing about our hotel room must be the AC; the hotel room was very dirty and had an awful smell. Luckily it was only for one night. In the afternoon we decided to give the heat another try, and we went outside. The temperature was much more comfortable now, and we walked to a place called Galle Face to watch the sunset. And it was amazing! It was a huge field with hundreds of Sri Lankan families enjoying a lazy Sunday evening. At the beach the kids were swimming, playing and throwing ball. Some of these probably will grow up to be great cricket players 🙂 After watching the sunset we drove tuk-tuk to a restaurant and had an amazing meal in beautiful surroundings. Needless to say, we fell easy asleep that night. At least for a couple of hours, before the mosquitos woke us up, buzzing in our ears making it hard to fall asleep again.

Nina, the super traveller, had arranged for a car to pick us up Monday morning and take us to Ahangama where the surf camp is. It was a smooth ride on the Southern Express Way. The SEX way (yes, it goes by that name :)) is a new highway, with four lanes and the quality is better than much of the Norwegian highways. The nature on our way south was so beautiful, lush and green everywhere.

At the surf camp the accomodation is perfect. We have our own private room with a big bed, closet for our clothes, a big bathroom and a balcony on the 2nd floor of the house. We arrived on Monday, which is «lay day». That means no surfing, and new surfers check in and old ones check out. On Tuesday we started our Level 1 lessons. The timing of our trip couldn’t have been better – the waves are on their biggest for years! If you didn´t catch the irony in that sentence – read again 🙂 Because of the big waves we went to another beach in Weligama to surf. And it was so much fun! Surfing is hard, but when your a beginner the learning curve is steep, so you pretty much feel like a surfer girl 🙂 Now, after to days of surfing, our bodies are so soar! Our arms, thighs, stomach and shoulders are soar and our knees hurt from hitting them on the surfboard or the sand as we fall of the board – yes, that happens occasionally. Tomorrow is another surf day before we have our first day off. Then we plan to go to the rainforest! I am so excited! Nina is a bit worried because of the blood leeches there, but she´ll be fine 🙂

Even though we´ve only been in Sri Lanka in 4 days, we´ve experienced a lot, and more is to come. There are no pictures for this post, but we´ll post some later.

Aayu-bowan!