A giant sea turtle. Now that's not something you see everyday.
Let's go back shall we...
We arrived in Sri Lanka (to our delight) in a clean, cool airport terminal, teaming neither with mosquitoes nor hoards of people. After getting through–rather walking straight through–customs, we got our luggage with only minor delay and headed out to our curbside vans. Hands down best airport of the trip I'd say.
The 3-hour van ride to Galle was...well...just that. 3 hours in a van. Half of it was spent getting out of the city it seemed. Traffic traffic traffic. But, more regulated and organized traffic than we had seen in our previous locations. After a stop at KFC (Donald Byrd required chicken), we turned onto a highway. The driver announced that we were still 130km, about an hour and a half, away, and I turned over and closed my eyes.
When I awoke the van was slowing down. The thunderstorm that had been brewing in the city had dissipated and I could see stars out the window. We were off the highway now, turning onto a small back road. Figuring we must be getting close, I sat up and watched out the window as we wound and wound our way through small villages and the "back woods" of Sri Lanka. The drive was reminiscent of the treacherous roads up to the volcano country in Costa Rica, or some small country roads in Hawaii I've seen from the back of a motorcycle. Dirt roads, riddled with pot holes and rocks, our van swerving around couples on motorcycles and the occasional other vehicle in our path. Passing a mix of shanty towns and grand estate houses, all alive with activity. Bare chested men in their lungis walking along the dark road, women and children standing in the glow of porch lights faintly visible from the road. And those stars! Guiding us along to the coast.
When we finally arrived, it was clear why we had driven so far, and through such terrain to get here. Chaaya Tranz is a treasure, buried far out of reach of the faint of heart. What a paradise! Even before seeing it in the light this morning, I knew we had found a gem. The magical draw of the evening here, can only be out-shined by the pure beauty of the sun and sand in the daylight.
This morning I had coffee on my terrace, overlooking the pool and then breakfast with Mr. Byrd steps from the ocean, before heading to the waterside to sit in the sun. Hours later, here I sit...one more ocean swam in, a pina colada in my hand, and my blinding seattle skin slowly fading to a rosey equatorial glow. I heard some commotion down on the beach and went to check out what the crowd had gathered for. There, in the wading depth shallows, people swarming around to get a look, showing off as if it knew this was its moment to make a few memories, was a giant sea turtle. Now that's not something you see everyday.
Thank you Sri Lanka.
Let's go back shall we...
We arrived in Sri Lanka (to our delight) in a clean, cool airport terminal, teaming neither with mosquitoes nor hoards of people. After getting through–rather walking straight through–customs, we got our luggage with only minor delay and headed out to our curbside vans. Hands down best airport of the trip I'd say.
The 3-hour van ride to Galle was...well...just that. 3 hours in a van. Half of it was spent getting out of the city it seemed. Traffic traffic traffic. But, more regulated and organized traffic than we had seen in our previous locations. After a stop at KFC (Donald Byrd required chicken), we turned onto a highway. The driver announced that we were still 130km, about an hour and a half, away, and I turned over and closed my eyes.
When I awoke the van was slowing down. The thunderstorm that had been brewing in the city had dissipated and I could see stars out the window. We were off the highway now, turning onto a small back road. Figuring we must be getting close, I sat up and watched out the window as we wound and wound our way through small villages and the "back woods" of Sri Lanka. The drive was reminiscent of the treacherous roads up to the volcano country in Costa Rica, or some small country roads in Hawaii I've seen from the back of a motorcycle. Dirt roads, riddled with pot holes and rocks, our van swerving around couples on motorcycles and the occasional other vehicle in our path. Passing a mix of shanty towns and grand estate houses, all alive with activity. Bare chested men in their lungis walking along the dark road, women and children standing in the glow of porch lights faintly visible from the road. And those stars! Guiding us along to the coast.
When we finally arrived, it was clear why we had driven so far, and through such terrain to get here. Chaaya Tranz is a treasure, buried far out of reach of the faint of heart. What a paradise! Even before seeing it in the light this morning, I knew we had found a gem. The magical draw of the evening here, can only be out-shined by the pure beauty of the sun and sand in the daylight.
This morning I had coffee on my terrace, overlooking the pool and then breakfast with Mr. Byrd steps from the ocean, before heading to the waterside to sit in the sun. Hours later, here I sit...one more ocean swam in, a pina colada in my hand, and my blinding seattle skin slowly fading to a rosey equatorial glow. I heard some commotion down on the beach and went to check out what the crowd had gathered for. There, in the wading depth shallows, people swarming around to get a look, showing off as if it knew this was its moment to make a few memories, was a giant sea turtle. Now that's not something you see everyday.
Thank you Sri Lanka.
