31/12
After taking the night off last night, the younger guys are keen to make tonight go off with a bang. The have pooled their resources and arrive back at the hotel with a swag of fire works including a pair of fearsome looking rockets attached to sticks as large as garden stakes. Lionel has already had a little talk about the dangers of fireworks and I for one have no intention of being anywhere near them when they light it all.
Dinner has been organised at the hotel and the owner shows up with nine tunas wrapped in foil and a mountain of rice and salad. His kids lay the table, and I feel a little awkward as we tuck in while being watched by the whole family.
At some stages of this trip we have demonstrated the capacity to demolish a mountain of food and tonight is no exception. As usual dinner is followed by Jesse exclaiming
"That was sick!" and then him, Jake and Will organising their next meal. Tonight the destination of choice is 'No. 1 Rotti' across the road. I think there has been a little confusion. For the last three days, the Rotti of choice has been a banana chocolate combo and it is assumed that rotti means dessert. A few days later they are crestfallen, when the rotti is delivered with the rice and it is just plain bread.
As midnight approaches the sounds of fireworks increases and all down the beach DIY displays launch into the night sky. Ours are launched before midnight and then we find a vantage point to watch the show. The verdict, Not bad. Surprisingly half an hour after midnight we are in bed. Down the road at Mambos the dance floor ( a rickety structure on the beach) is heaving but we are thinking about rolling out early tommorow morning and hitting the road.
01/01/11
Welcome to the new year. We check out, load our bikes and head out the hotel gate. Our destination is Marriss, a small town on the South Coast. Eight of Nine bike roll on to the road. No Jake! We turn around and find that his bike has stripped a cog and is going nowhere. We take off our riding gear and settle in as Vic and Jake head off with Jageh, our local took took guy, to find a new sprocket. They return with serviceable secondhand one and we are ready to roll. As we hit the open road it is evident that it has been a big night in Hikkaduwa. the traffic is only half the usual mayhem, and it looks like an easy day for riding.
Less than three Km's down the road Dan's bike gives up the ghost and we pull over to investigate. The bike is dismantled roadside and the offending piece is taken down the road back to Hikkaduwa. Lionel and Vic return and the news is not good. The part is unavailable. There is a chance that if the bike is towed back a different part may be able to be retrofitted. By now it is after lunch and we are 5 hours behind schedule. It is decided that we shall split the group. Lionel Dan and Vic will head back to repair the bike and the rest of us will carry on to Marrissa and look for accommodation. We head of down the road and after sheltering from a brief downpour arrive in Marrissa by 5:00. For some reason, maybe no daylight savings? it gets dark here just after six. Unfortunately the news is no good. We have arrived so late, that there is no room at any inn. And here I thought Christmas had already been. After 45 mins of fruitless enquiries and with darkness fast approaching we decide to head back to Welegamo, the last main town we had passed through, in the hope we might have more luck.
A sign saying Green Peace Guest host points down a sandy track to a unusually three story building overlooking the bay. It kind of looks like a tree house, but with room for nine guests we quick snap it up and settle in. Within minutes the remaining three riders come roaring in. Apparently the police were waving to Vic as he went flying past, so he gave them a wave back . His bike is triple the size of theirs so they returned dispondantly back to their radar gun .
02/01
The Green Peace is the brain child of Lucky Somethingorother. I think he said it began as a restaurant but then he decided to add another story for guest. Another half finished wing is also under construction. He recounted to us how in 2002, sensing something was wrong, he grabbed up his wife and kids and fled inland. Moments later a wall water slammed into his guest house and washed away all his possessions. The building however remained largely intact and he was able to borrow some money and start again. He should have his loan paid off by march 2012 and considers himself fortunate. Dan, Greg and I hit the surf while the rest of the crew go snorkeling. Later Greg takes the opportunity to get a shave with a cut-throat razor, No blood but he looks a little pink as he emerges from the barber shop. It was all he could do not to tense up and run
out screaming as the bare blade is produced.
Dan returns from our ride and fuel is spilling out of his bike. Jake and Dan have to strip the bike down and clean out the carburetter, while we relax.
All our meals at the green Peace have been to quote Jesse "awesome". Lots of tea and toast and rice, noodles and curry.
The fruit has also been pretty spectacular; bananas, paw-paw, mango and pineapple.
I organise a deal with another local guest house to sell my board and carrier rack. Tomorrow after a ride along the coast we head north toward the mountains and there will be no more surfing.
03/01
After a fond farewell to Lucky (and Kevin his only other guest) we roll out. Our destination today is 'Tissa' (it's real name has another 5 syllables) famous for being the gateway of Yala, Sri Lanka's premium game park. Surprise surprise, apart from a wrong turn we cover the distance with out a single mechanical breakdown. The only incident of note was Phil hitting a dog at speed. Phil's okay! and believe me when I tell you that there is no shortage of dogs here, though there is now possibly one less. We are not sure as it took off into the bush yelping.
We arrived in Tissa Just in time to get roped in to the last Safari of the day. On offer is the opportunity to see; dear and elk, elephants and mongooses, a thousand varieties of birds and if we are really lucky one of 38 remaining Sri Lankan leopards.
Two jeeps set up Daktari style arrive at the guest house and we pile aboard. It is apparent from the motor bikes that Sri Lankan traffic works on a very simple principle. Small gives way to big. Buses and trucks at the top of the chain and bicycles and pedestrians at the bottom. Took tooks and motor bikes are only a little way off the bottom. Armed with two sizable four wheel drive our drivers attack the traffic with zest. As we enter the park things change little. Dozens of four wheel drives jostle for position in a scene reminiscent of Colombo. As the drives cross paths information is exchanged about the location of sighted animals.
A leopard has been spotted! I hang on for dear life as the jeep leaps into life. A side track appears we veer of down a short cut. Moments later we skid to a halt as we encounter another scene reminiscent of Colombo. Ahead a plethora of safari mobiles jostle for the best vantage spot. Our driver swings to the other side of the dirt track to make a new lane past, only to be blocked by half a dozen other drivers with the same idea. Another three or four jeeps come around us making the traffic three cars wide. Our three lanes of traffic is met head on with the three lanes of traffic coming the other way, instant Gridlock!
As the western tourists with the monster tele-photo lens are leaning out the jeep taking snaps, the next driver behind is pushing
the jeep, bumper to bumper out of the way. Finally we get a glimpse of the sleeping leopard, two massive paws dangling from a tree branch. The coat is stunning, but the cat is a fair way away.
Jesse never one to hold back exclaims " Is that all? thats stupid, it looks dead. You can come around to my house and watch my cat sleeping!" I'm trying not to laugh too hard as our driver extricates himself from the traffic mess and we roar of in search of elephants. Success.
By six o'clock it is dark and a convoy of vehicles race each other back to town. I am a little scared, and am reminded of a previous taxi ride in Cambodia.
Safely back at the Guest house we are greeted by another fantastic spread. Rice and curry and rotti!
"This is sick !" says Jesse
(photos to follow soon)
After taking the night off last night, the younger guys are keen to make tonight go off with a bang. The have pooled their resources and arrive back at the hotel with a swag of fire works including a pair of fearsome looking rockets attached to sticks as large as garden stakes. Lionel has already had a little talk about the dangers of fireworks and I for one have no intention of being anywhere near them when they light it all.
Dinner has been organised at the hotel and the owner shows up with nine tunas wrapped in foil and a mountain of rice and salad. His kids lay the table, and I feel a little awkward as we tuck in while being watched by the whole family.
At some stages of this trip we have demonstrated the capacity to demolish a mountain of food and tonight is no exception. As usual dinner is followed by Jesse exclaiming"That was sick!" and then him, Jake and Will organising their next meal. Tonight the destination of choice is 'No. 1 Rotti' across the road. I think there has been a little confusion. For the last three days, the Rotti of choice has been a banana chocolate combo and it is assumed that rotti means dessert. A few days later they are crestfallen, when the rotti is delivered with the rice and it is just plain bread.
As midnight approaches the sounds of fireworks increases and all down the beach DIY displays launch into the night sky. Ours are launched before midnight and then we find a vantage point to watch the show. The verdict, Not bad. Surprisingly half an hour after midnight we are in bed. Down the road at Mambos the dance floor ( a rickety structure on the beach) is heaving but we are thinking about rolling out early tommorow morning and hitting the road.
01/01/11
Welcome to the new year. We check out, load our bikes and head out the hotel gate. Our destination is Marriss, a small town on the South Coast. Eight of Nine bike roll on to the road. No Jake! We turn around and find that his bike has stripped a cog and is going nowhere. We take off our riding gear and settle in as Vic and Jake head off with Jageh, our local took took guy, to find a new sprocket. They return with serviceable secondhand one and we are ready to roll. As we hit the open road it is evident that it has been a big night in Hikkaduwa. the traffic is only half the usual mayhem, and it looks like an easy day for riding.
Less than three Km's down the road Dan's bike gives up the ghost and we pull over to investigate. The bike is dismantled roadside and the offending piece is taken down the road back to Hikkaduwa. Lionel and Vic return and the news is not good. The part is unavailable. There is a chance that if the bike is towed back a different part may be able to be retrofitted. By now it is after lunch and we are 5 hours behind schedule. It is decided that we shall split the group. Lionel Dan and Vic will head back to repair the bike and the rest of us will carry on to Marrissa and look for accommodation. We head of down the road and after sheltering from a brief downpour arrive in Marrissa by 5:00. For some reason, maybe no daylight savings? it gets dark here just after six. Unfortunately the news is no good. We have arrived so late, that there is no room at any inn. And here I thought Christmas had already been. After 45 mins of fruitless enquiries and with darkness fast approaching we decide to head back to Welegamo, the last main town we had passed through, in the hope we might have more luck.
A sign saying Green Peace Guest host points down a sandy track to a unusually three story building overlooking the bay. It kind of looks like a tree house, but with room for nine guests we quick snap it up and settle in. Within minutes the remaining three riders come roaring in. Apparently the police were waving to Vic as he went flying past, so he gave them a wave back . His bike is triple the size of theirs so they returned dispondantly back to their radar gun .
02/01
The Green Peace is the brain child of Lucky Somethingorother. I think he said it began as a restaurant but then he decided to add another story for guest. Another half finished wing is also under construction. He recounted to us how in 2002, sensing something was wrong, he grabbed up his wife and kids and fled inland. Moments later a wall water slammed into his guest house and washed away all his possessions. The building however remained largely intact and he was able to borrow some money and start again. He should have his loan paid off by march 2012 and considers himself fortunate. Dan, Greg and I hit the surf while the rest of the crew go snorkeling. Later Greg takes the opportunity to get a shave with a cut-throat razor, No blood but he looks a little pink as he emerges from the barber shop. It was all he could do not to tense up and run
out screaming as the bare blade is produced.Dan returns from our ride and fuel is spilling out of his bike. Jake and Dan have to strip the bike down and clean out the carburetter, while we relax.
All our meals at the green Peace have been to quote Jesse "awesome". Lots of tea and toast and rice, noodles and curry.
The fruit has also been pretty spectacular; bananas, paw-paw, mango and pineapple.
I organise a deal with another local guest house to sell my board and carrier rack. Tomorrow after a ride along the coast we head north toward the mountains and there will be no more surfing.
03/01
After a fond farewell to Lucky (and Kevin his only other guest) we roll out. Our destination today is 'Tissa' (it's real name has another 5 syllables) famous for being the gateway of Yala, Sri Lanka's premium game park. Surprise surprise, apart from a wrong turn we cover the distance with out a single mechanical breakdown. The only incident of note was Phil hitting a dog at speed. Phil's okay! and believe me when I tell you that there is no shortage of dogs here, though there is now possibly one less. We are not sure as it took off into the bush yelping.
We arrived in Tissa Just in time to get roped in to the last Safari of the day. On offer is the opportunity to see; dear and elk, elephants and mongooses, a thousand varieties of birds and if we are really lucky one of 38 remaining Sri Lankan leopards.
Two jeeps set up Daktari style arrive at the guest house and we pile aboard. It is apparent from the motor bikes that Sri Lankan traffic works on a very simple principle. Small gives way to big. Buses and trucks at the top of the chain and bicycles and pedestrians at the bottom. Took tooks and motor bikes are only a little way off the bottom. Armed with two sizable four wheel drive our drivers attack the traffic with zest. As we enter the park things change little. Dozens of four wheel drives jostle for position in a scene reminiscent of Colombo. As the drives cross paths information is exchanged about the location of sighted animals.
A leopard has been spotted! I hang on for dear life as the jeep leaps into life. A side track appears we veer of down a short cut. Moments later we skid to a halt as we encounter another scene reminiscent of Colombo. Ahead a plethora of safari mobiles jostle for the best vantage spot. Our driver swings to the other side of the dirt track to make a new lane past, only to be blocked by half a dozen other drivers with the same idea. Another three or four jeeps come around us making the traffic three cars wide. Our three lanes of traffic is met head on with the three lanes of traffic coming the other way, instant Gridlock!
As the western tourists with the monster tele-photo lens are leaning out the jeep taking snaps, the next driver behind is pushing
the jeep, bumper to bumper out of the way. Finally we get a glimpse of the sleeping leopard, two massive paws dangling from a tree branch. The coat is stunning, but the cat is a fair way away.Jesse never one to hold back exclaims " Is that all? thats stupid, it looks dead. You can come around to my house and watch my cat sleeping!" I'm trying not to laugh too hard as our driver extricates himself from the traffic mess and we roar of in search of elephants. Success.
By six o'clock it is dark and a convoy of vehicles race each other back to town. I am a little scared, and am reminded of a previous taxi ride in Cambodia.
Safely back at the Guest house we are greeted by another fantastic spread. Rice and curry and rotti!
"This is sick !" says Jesse
(photos to follow soon)
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