Sri Lanka: The Undiscovered Country…Part II

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Sri Lanka: The Undiscovered Country…Part II

Considering we’ve now been in Thailand for almost a month I figured it was time to get the second half of the bloggings on Sri Lanka up. This issue contains observations of life traveling during a civil war, getting brushed through military checkpoints with no hassle beacause we’re foreigners, hiking …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka | Tagged Sri Lanka | Leave a comment

Paying the Price for Civil War

Every tour guide, souvenir salesman or monument caretaker is quick to let us know that the civil war in Sri Lanka has caused a dramatic decrease in visits to every single tourist spot in the country. As such, when we arrive anywhere we are instantly bombarded by people anxious to …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, Scams, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka, This & That - Musings From the Road | Tagged Adam's Peak, Ancient Cities, civil war, souvineer, Sri Lanka, Tissa, Tissamaharama | Leave a comment

Checkpoints? No Problem…We’re Tourists!

As one might imagine for a country in the middle of a civil war, there are military checkpoints everywhere. The most frequent ones we encountered were on the road when the bus we were traveling in would be stopped and people would have to grab their bags and head through …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka, This & That - Musings From the Road, Transportation, Transportation Woes | Tagged checkpoints, military, Sri Lanka, Trainsportation | Leave a comment

Cost of Living and Traveling in Sri Lanka

Below are the general prices for a few key products in Sri Lanka: Hotel Room: 500 – 800 rupees ($4.50 -$7.25) Local Brand Soda: 30 rupees for 400ml ($0.25) Coca Cola Brand Soda: 70 rupees for 500ml ($0.62) Extra charge for a refrigerated drink: 5 – 10 rupees ($0.04 – …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka | Tagged Costs, Food, Prices, Sri Lanka | 2 Comments

5,200 Steps to Get to Eden

Depending on which legend you believe, Adam’s Peak is either the original location of where Adam was exiled from Eden, the spot where Buddha left his footprint en-route to paradise or where butterflies go to die. In any case, pilgrims from around the world have flocked there for more than …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka | Tagged Adam's Peak, climbing, hiking, Sri Lanka, Sunrise | Leave a comment

Avoiding the Fighting that Never Was

After climbing Adam’s Peak we began our two day journey to Arugam Bay, located on the politically unstable east coast of the country. We had been told that it was amazing, untouched, completely safe and a must-see destination. However, on the first night off our journey while staying in Ella …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka | Tagged Adam's Peak, civil war, climbing, hiking, Sri Lanka, trekking | Leave a comment

Leopards, Elephants and Prisoners Two Feet From Our Face

Located on the Southeast corner of Sri Lanka, Yala National Park is supposedly the best place in the country to see leopards, elephants and scores of other animals in their natural habitat. So, after our time in Ella we headed to Tissamaharama (Tissa) and booked an overpriced safari with high …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka | Tagged animals, National Parks, safari, Sri Lanka, Tissa, Tissamaharama | Leave a comment

I Was at Galle Before it Got All Touristy

Constructed by the Portuguese in the 1600′s and later taken over by the Dutch then the British, Galle Fort is a cute colonial town reminiscent of Antigua, Guatemala. It is surrounded by sturdy brick walls and filled with European architecture, narrow streets, little houses and shops, churches, cafes, friendly people …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Beach Towns, Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka | Tagged Colonial City, Fort, Galle, Galle Fort, Sri Lanka | Leave a comment

If You Don't Understand Me, Don't Just Say OK

Our final stop in Sri Lanka was the beach town of Hikkaduwa, though it was unlike I have ever been to. The main highway is also the town’s one road with a row of restaurants and guesthouses separating that road from the ocean. Mostly a surfer’s destination, the waves crashing …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Beach Towns, Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka, Transportation Woes | Tagged Beach Town, Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka, surfing, Transportation, Travel | Leave a comment

Sri Lanka: The Undiscovered Country: Part II – This and That

The fans that hang from the ceilings in our guesthouses are often terrifying. As they spin the entire fan and ceiling shakes and we just lay there wondering if this is the night that one finally breaks off and comes down into the bed with us. While walking down a …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman

Posted in Civil War Checkpoints, Leopards, Tsunamis and the Foreigner Price, Observations, SouthEast Asia, Sri Lanka, This & That - Musings From the Road | Tagged Sri Lanka, This and That | Leave a comment

Sri Lanka: The Undiscovered Counry…Part II – Photos and Videos

Below is a complete set of all the photos including a ton that aren’t in the posts. If you want to look at the whole gallery on flickr, click here. Carrie gets blessed at Shiva Devale II at Polonnaruwa I get blessed on the walk down from Adam’s Peak A …
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Posted on April 30, 2009 by Greg Goodman