Sleepy in Sri Lanka

I didn't drink much at the disco, and Philippe and I danced so much I think that even if you'd been drinking you would be sober by the end of the night. But all of us have been going to bed by 9pm, so getting home at 4am threw us all for a loop. It had been decided that we would all take a day off of surfing...just rest and relax. Stu opted to stay @ home, but Philippe and I took the bus to Galle for some good coffee, some food and just bopping around the peaceful town.

Back-Tracking, Storm-Chasing.

So, back tracking a bit...yesterday was supposed to be the end of the world. Alas, to my relief, it was not. We had TWO surf sessions- one epic and one not so epic. The three of us had our second surf session in the early afternoon so we headed down to watch the sunset with two beers in hand and 3 glasses. Just as it had done the night before, right around sunset, a thunder and lightening storm rolled in...and it was wild. We sat on the rocks and watched as the sky went from beautiful blue to a stormy black, and then we watched lightening touch down up north dozens of times. It was invigorating and a bit awe-inspiring, as we all tried to capture it on our cameras. It was decided that we all needed a night out so we got back, had dinner, dressed up, and headed out on the town. We ended up at Happy Banana, the happening disco on Friday nights, which was every bit as seedy and dodgy as expected, but I loved it. Philippe and I danced all night long, literally until 3:30 in the morning. We were both drenched in sweat and smiling from ear to ear. It wasn't really Stu's cup of tea, but god bless him he was a team player and stuck it out. The light show was tacky, the music was tacky, everything about it was tacky- but who cares! It reminded me of the discos back in costa. Some are there to get fucked up (and we weren't, so we simply stayed away), some were there to get laid (this is definitely not to pick up a mate), and some were there to dance (and dance we did). We ended our nights with an egg rotti from the rotti stand and were in bed by 4am.

Galle, Sri Lanka

Adventuring.

Well...Stu, Philippe and I have become quite the trio. We eat together, surf together, laugh together, adventure together, and play dominoes together (well, Phillipe and I play and Stu just puts down an occasional chip). Two days ago we (ad)ventured to Mirissa, which is about 3 towns away. We were eating breakfast (I had the Sri Lankan coconut roti and spicy daal) when Stu proclaimed that he had a "feeling in his bones" that Mirissa was where we needed to go, and so we went. The wave was far from perfect, but we were the only ones out and it was a RIGHT (hooray because I was getting tired of all of the damn lefts @ our home break 'Lazy Left'). After surfing we stopped in town for some lunch (spicy string hoppers), stu almost ate a black egg, we cooled down with some sweet yogurt, topped it off with ice cream, and Philippe nearly fell from the tuktuk as we made our way through Weligama looking for a Christmas tree. We laugh, a lot, it begins in the morning and continues on til night. Lately I feel like I have a constant state of "the giggles" when I'm around these two. I've laughed so hard that I've nearly pissed my pants as I'm doubled over, clutching my sides, overwhelmed with laughter. Anywho, Christmas trees. We are all going to be here for Christmas and we wanted a bit of Christmas cheer around the guest house, so we all pitched in and bought a tree (or maybe a fern is more like it...?). It's quite pitiful actually, but it works for us. We also decided to buy each other Christmas gifts, with 500RS being the maximum price (that's about $5usd).

Yesterday was rather uneventful as far as surf went. The night before, after our Mirissa adventure, we drank a fair bit of beers as we played dominoes and rotated iPods, everyone showcasing their favorite songs. So, we all woke up a bit late with a tad bit of a hangover. A long lazy breakfast and then a few walks to the beach throughout the day to check the surf. It was big and windy and messy and super crowded. Instead we opted for a swim. Stu and I were quite enjoying our afternoon cool down in the water, that was until we noticed that the fisherman had just dumped all of the nasty fish carcasses and guts into the lineup. Ew. Smelling like fish we headed home, showered up and putzed around the guest house. I did a crossfit and some yoga, had a short nap and read a few pages in my book. We played dominoes, and when thatngot old we built domino houses. I ordered a banana juice and though i usually dont mind bugs in my food, im definitely not down with mosquitoes in my juice. i tossed that and had a bit of tea instead. The evening surf session was kinda crap, but at least the water was nice and it felt good to paddle around a bit. We have 8 new people in the guest house which made dinner a bit chaotic since momma does all of the cooking, but stu Phillipe jimmy and I kept to ourselves and of course laughed from the start of dinner til the end.

Our trio woke up early and was out the door and in the tuktuk by 6am. We surfed The Rock, a break that is two towns over. I was big, uncrowded, clean and the take offs were thumping. I was a bit intimidated but first, but after taking one beating and getting one killer ride I snapped out of it and started to find my groove. I definitely was not taking any of the set waves, but I admired them that's for sure. The waves reminded of Dad, he would have LOVED the break this morning, I could just hear him hooting and hollering as he always did on big firing days. The take off was steep and hollow and powerful....he would have been loving it, sitting out further than anyone else, taking all of the bombs. I had a bit of a conversation with him when I was out there, and though I would have liked to chat with him face to face, this wasn't so bad considering my options. I was telling him that I needed him in the lineup on days like this, to yell at me and holler me into waves. I always had told him that I hated when he did that, but really it was his hooting and hollering that got me to "stop being a pussy" (as he always said) and take the bombs. Everyone was quite quiet and serious in the lineup but I made sure to let out a few loud hoots and hollers when I got my zippy rides, it's what dad woulda done.

Today I am feeling grateful, content, and tired. It feels good.

Day 11.

Today was day 11 in Sri Lanka. My routine is pretty set, and I'm grateful for the two surf sessions that I've been getting in every day.

The rain finally stopped early this morning, but nearly 24 hours of hard rain left the ocean a bit churned up (and a bit dirty with cow shit and such). We all opted for a leisurely breakfast, not in a rush to get in the water. Stu recommended heading to The Rock...a break about a 10min drive north of where we are here in Midigama. I'm not renting a motorbike and I can't quite budget taking a tuktuk, and when I said this, Stu replied "Don't be ridiculous. Just hop on the back of my bike." And so, that's what I did. Him and Lisa had gotten the Rock really good one day, a perfect A frame with peeling lines. We were hopeful but weren't too stoked on the strong winds. Sure enough, the wind was on it but we decided to paddle out anyway. The wave certainly packs a lot more punch than Lazy Left does...and when swell fills in this weekend, if winds cooperate, this spot should be firing. Stu told me about the hotel that was just up the beach from the Rock which had epic (but expensive, $4) coffees. I was game for a splurge and was further convinced when I found out that they had a beautiful pool. Plus I'd wanted to treat Stu to a coffee as a thanks for the moto-ride that I got (and will continue to get). Well, I dove right into the pool as stu ordered us coffees. 35 people working at this lavish B&B, and only 9 guests. Alas, the "chef" was out so they couldn't make us fancy cappuccinos. Stu asked for an iced coffee and they said that wasn't possible either. They offered Nescafé and Stu declined (rightfully so, that stuff tastes like shit), saying that if they had just regular coffee he was game. Again, typical Asia, they don't want to disappoint, so yet say "no problem". A few minutes later a pot of Nescafé arrives, and a few minutes after that (a very confused stu and I) got one "iced coffee". God bless em for their attempt. The "ice coffee" was a crap ton of sugar, some ice cream, some Nescafé, a touch of cinnamon and cardamom, a bit more sugar and a splash of milk...and it was lukewarm. Instant cavities. We both just laughed, cause there's not much else to do in situations like that. Complain? Refuse to pay cause it was the exact opposite of what you wanted? Nah. A laugh will do just fine. We headed home and settled into our respective rooms. I rolled out my mat and did a bit of yoga before laying down for an afternoon nap. My daily yoga has gone from sweaty to deep and restorative. And my crossfit has been replaced by naps. Double surf sessions warrant a change of pace for my body. I read and listened to music as I lay under my mosquito net and fan, drifting in and out of sleep. I thought of my Dad a fair bit...thinking of what he'd think about this wave, the people, the food. I had a little 'chat' with him, and then drifted back to sleep again.

When I woke, stu was prepping for a surf so I joined him right out front. It wasn't great, the wind was making it a bit sloppy, but there was good size to it and it wasn't too crowded.....yet. It filled up a bit later with some aggressive (and completely shit) surfers-- Israelis and a few French, and that was the cue for the mellow "team asanka" (Stu, Me and Philip) to head in. We'd all had a few solid waves, and my arms were tired...my body craving an ice cold beer.

I grabbed a shower, grabbed a beer with two glasses, then Stu and I headed down to the rocky point on Lazy Left to watch the surfers and the sunset. Dinner was with the whole crew (jimmy stu Philip and me), and then we settled into a few rounds of dominoes before saying goodnight. Another beautiful day...minimum bug bites, some fun waves, good food and more than my fair share of laughing.

Just Some Photos

The first is of a super funny book, written in German that's been laying around the guest house. It's about surf etiquette and surfing abroad. I've had someone translate a bit of it for me and it is laugh out loud funny.

The second is the view from our table and lounge area where we take all of our meals.

The third is a picture of me walking, in my sarong, to check the waves. I love the flowers that litter the path.

The fourth I snapped this evening. It's of Jimmy, catching a bit of a nap on our deck. Love it.

Magical Walk.

Our guesthouse in behind that little white gate. To get to the beach it's about a 2 minute walk. First out the gate and over the little homemade bridge. Next you walk north along the railroad tracks before crossing over our other little homemade bridge, taking you into the pasture. There are two adorable cows that graze there, and I give em each a little pat on the head as I walk through their home. Cross the street, walk under the tree and hop down from the rocks to get to the beach. A beautiful walk indeed.

Ballin' on a Budget

You can call me cheap cause I'm trying to save $5 a day, but when you are traveling for 6 months, $5/day adds up. So, I try to be mindful and budget my days. Meesh and I first came across a budget trick in Indo, after all, Misel is the QUEEN of budgeting and making a dollar go a loooong way. The trick: invest in an electric kettle (this obviously is obnoxious if you're backpacking and covering ground, but if you are more or less settled in one spot, it's the best). The electric kettle I got was $15. Instant noodles are about 75 cents a pack so I loaded up on them, and I picked up tea bags, 3in1 instant coffees, Ayurvedic tea, and sugar. I bought a plate, a bowl, a fork, a knife and a spoon. Oh yeah, and a mug that says "sister" in Sinhalese (they call older women here "acka" which means but sister, "nangie" is little sister). I think that more than saving money, I like the option of doing things on my own time. I like that when everyone is asleep that I can make my own tea, and enjoy it in my pjs, in my bed. Today's lunch: curry ramen and tea.

Asanka Guest House.

The first photo is of Asanka and I. I've been crying a fair bit so don't mind my swollen eyes.

The second is the view out my front door.

The third is my bathroom.

The fourth is my drying rack and bookshelf, and the door there is the one leading into the bathroom.

And the fifth is my bedroom, desk and yoga studio haha. I moved the table so that I'd have space for my yoga mat and crossfit nonsense.

Who knew that a room in heaven only cost $10 a night, and wifi is included....

ASANKA.

Asanka guest house. Misels (most of you now know Meesh from all my years of talking about her. We have lived together in Costa Rica, Thailand and Indonesia) friend Lisa has been staying here so that's why I figured I'd try it out. Misel was hoping to meet up with Lisa and I but unfortunately our schedules didn't line up. Lisa is a German girl who has been living in Australia for about 8 years now. She's also a surfer and has been at Asanka for one month already. This morning she left at 5:30am, headed back to Australia. Our meeting was short, but it was good to meet a friend of Misels. Meesh has been a really amazing friend to me over the years. We have enjoyed many waves, many meals and many laughs together in many different countries. And she has taken care of me, great care of me, when I have been in a sad, vulnerable place. I really can't express enough gratitude to her, and even though she's not here- she still managed to send me good friends and a great place to stay. This place, Asanka Guest House, just screams "misel"...it hits all of her check marks in what a guest house should be: It's definitely not in a guide book, it's family owned and operated, it's cheap, and it feels like home. So now that Lisa has left, at the guest house is her boyfriend stu (Aussie), Philip (French), jimmy (Aussie) and me. Asanka is the owner, and he sums up Sri Lanka.... He is always with a smile on his face and is just a super nice guy. All of your meals are eaten here at the guest house....Midigama is a blip of a town, only a stones throw long, and its a looooong walk to any place to eat. I miss having a fruit stand and short eats or rotti shop right around the corner, but the solitude and peace of this place is worth the exchange. Plus, all of the meals at Asanka are prepared by his "Ama" (mother), so they are quite authentic. You put your dinner order in in the afternoon. Then everyone sits together upstairs and eats at the same time in the evening. We all shared what we had ordered last night. Breakfast is included with the price you pay for the room, and I asked today if I could have a local breakfast instead of English breakfast and Asanka said absolutely!!

This place is small and cozy and comfortable, with everyone staying in different corners of the guesthouse it makes carving out your own personal time easy. I love my room, the love the guesthouse, I love the vibe....but the downside is that I don't like how disconnected I am from everything else. I could rent a motorbike, but that'd be an extra 5$ a day and I really don't feel comfortable on driving the wild roads of Sri Lanka....it is truly dangerous, especially for someone new to driving a motorbike (and new to driving on the left side of the road....).

There is only really one wave here, appropriately named Lazy Left. There's an inconsistent (and nearly nonexistent) right that is down the beach and a super dangerous super shallow right (called Rams) down the other end of the beach, but neither break has gotten rave reviews. I've found that there is no one on Lazy left (which I'm too scared to try out solo) or 25 people on it (and with a point break this is not so much fun!). The surfers here ,though inexperienced, are quite aggressive. This morning was a fun surf though, an hour or so with just Philip and Stu....Team Asanka haha!!! It's been pouring rain all morning ,but the cool air feels good and it made for a glassy surf. There's a ton of sea turtles around here, who pop up often to just take a peek at you and say hello. Around noon, after about two hours of rotating waves between the three of us, a small army of Israeli surfers paddled out, which was my cue to head back to the guest house for a lazy afternoon. The rain picked up as I made the short walk back to my place. This, I believe, is the best part about Asanka. Unlike all the other places to stay in town that are along the road, Asanka is a ways back behind the railroad tracks. You cross the street and then walk through a beautiful field where two cows are grazing, cross the railroad tracks, walk across the creek on a little homemade bridge, and then enter the gate for our place. It's a short but magical walk. Now that I'm home I've made myself some instant curry noodles, a cup of hot tea and I'm ready for some yoga and reading. Hopefully the rain will let up a bit and I can get in another surf before sunset. I just gave Ama my dinner order, Rice and Curry, so even if the waves aren't good I have that to look forward to.....


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Rolling.

It's been a bit of an emotional roller coaster since I've arrived. Amazing moments and then moments of stillness. I've been doing my fair share of crying, which is good- but I've also been laughing, a lot. Since being here I have met a handful of good people, and I don't think that I could be doing this trip here in Sri Lanka without the very special Rasika. I have been calling Rasi the "Mayor"...he knows everyone (and is loved by them all), and he has his hand in everything. He works all.day.long, but he always has the time to help you out whether it be with renting a motorbike, looking for a place to eat, or with your Indian Visa.... On Saturday Rasika picked me up at 9am to help me sort out of photos for my Indian Visa. They are verrrry specific and apparently the photo that I'd enclosed had an egg shell white background instead of a pure white background. So instead of telling me where to go, he simply took me. Since I had no plans the day continued with me running some errands with him. He's an antique dealer and does carpentry work for all of the expats homes. His work is beautiful, and he hires only the best carpenters to work for him. It was great to see some of the projects that he's been working on and to meet his guys. After errands he said that he'd like to show me the beach Hikkaduwa, a good surfing beach about 30minutes north of Galle. We stopped at "Why Not", a guesthouse/surf shop/restaurant on the beach- owned by his friend Dehan. They both insisted that I borrow a board and catch a few waves. I was hesitant, I hate borrowing things, but they insisted until I agreed. The wave was only about waist to chest, but it was glassy and the water was beautiful. As time passed the lineup got more and more crowded, mostly with inexperienced surfers. Surfers etiquette? What etiquette? People were dropping in, paddling around, paddling in front, bailing their boards, and paddling for (and missing) wave after wave after wave. Most didn't know any better, but some did- so just as I had made the decision to get out after one more wave, I got a huge ding in my borrowed board!! One of the inexperienced long boarders threw his board when a set came through, and id been right behind him. I was nearly crying as I walked up the beach and back to Why Not. How did I repay their kindness? With a dinged board. Holy Shitballs, go figure. As I explained with tears in my eyes, they both kept saying "it's no worries, it's no worries"....and they weren't just trying to appease me, they truly meant it. And that has been the attitude in Sri Lanka..."no worries". Once they'd truly convinced me that there were no worries, we relaxed for a bit, sipping Lime Sodas, and then headed back for Galle. Rasika is married to the lovely and oh-so-funny Catherine. Catherine is a dress-maker from England, a true crafts(wo)man like her husband. They own the Old Railway Cafe, which has delectable eats in the cafe upstairs, and the bottom is a boutique selling Catherine's one-of-a-kind creations. Her clothes are what I want to wear. Comfortable, flattering, versatile, beautiful, and with that little touch here or there that makes it unique. Though I'm on a budget now, I plan to stock up on a few pieces right before I head home. Anywho, back at the Cafe, Rasika whipped us up some lunch. He made an amazing salad and some sautéed "Seer", similar to a swordfish, with the most delectable marinade. We washed it down with lime
Sodas and topped it off with espresso. Damn. Life is good when filled with good friends and good food.

Rasi dropped me back at home, and I fell right into my at-home routine- tea, read, tea, yoga, tea, crossfit, tea, shower, relax....tea.

Fruits + Veggies

I stopped at one of the many produce stands that I pass on my walk from Gillys house to the Thomas Gall School. The walk takes about 25minutes and every time that I pass this woman's stand she smiles a most authentic smile, and bids me "aayu bowan". Plus, she's the only stand that sells beets! When I stopped today she was very patient and supportive as I practiced my Sinhalese and she even wrote me up a little receipt so that I'd know how much each thing cost. Less than 3 dollars for a large papaya, a ginormous beet, 4 carrots, 4 tomatoes and a huge handful of string beans. I'm going to make dinner tonight: grilled fish and my crunchy Asian salad. Boom.

Tea Time

When in Rome, do as the Romans. 

When in Sri Lanka, drink tea. 

Lots and lots of tea. 

There is nothing more upsetting to me than a crappy cup of coffee. Truly, it breaks my heart. On the rare occasion that I drink black tea, I always enjoy it with milk and i let the tea bag steep for a long long long time....almost like I'm trying to replicate the intensity of a cup o joe. Well, I've started, and not finished, one (crappy) cup of coffee since I've been here, and enjoyed one expensive (albeit delicious and creamy frothy sips of heaven) cappuccino. And then I surrendered. I always attempt to eat a local, speak local, and do as the locals, so it looks like I'm becoming a tea drinker. It's now 10:50am and I'm on my 6th cup of tea, and it certainly won't be my last. Know that I am not drinking them out of the huge mugs we use in the states, but instead drinking them out of delicate tea cups...saucer underneath and all. The tea here is freaking boiling in its cup it's so hot, and I love how it burns me throat as it goes down. If my cup has become lukewarm (which it rarely does thanks to the small, perfect cups) then ill start fresh with a new cuppa tea. I've been drinking it without milk, and with "seeniteecock", a "little bit of sugar". I only let the teabag steep for about 2 minutes and then I remove it so it doesnt get bitter. I've found that my first thought upon waking up in the morning is bout my first cup of tea. I look forward to it with all of my meals and after my meals...and I look forward to sipping a cup before retiring to sleep. I dare say that I may be off coffee all together, the craving has gone. 

Here's a bit about tea in Sri Lanka, a country that was called Ceylon up until the name was changed in 1972....

Tea, or "thay" as its called in Sinhalese, first came to Sri Lanka in 1824 as part of a botanical exhibit planted by the British. 

Tea plantations cover about 1900 sq km. 

Sri Lanka overtook Kenya as the second most important tea-producing nation in 2008, with an annual production of 330 million kilograms. 

Sri Lankan tea (branded internationally as "Ceylon" tea) enjoys a premium positioning and its auction sale prices are more than 50% higher than main rival and market leader India. 

The annual value of Sri Lankan tea crop is nearing US$1 billion and it represents 15% of the economy. 

Sri Lankas tea industry is responsible for more than one million jobs - about 5% of the entire population. Wages for tea pickets remains very low, about US$3 per day, and the hardworking pickers must pick a minimum of 20kg of leaves per day. 

On that note, my tea is getting cool so I'm going to finish it up and continue on my day. I did a tea-fueled vinyasa this morning, followed by a crossfit (10 rounds of 20 box jumps, 20 sit-ups, 60 single jump ropes) and some chores around the house. I've decided to spend the today and tomorrow here in Galle and then head to midigama on Sunday morning for a few weeks of surfing before India. AAYU-BOWAN. 

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Music and Local Spicy Sri Lankan Munchies

Today I'm hanging at the Thomas Gall School. Christmas break comes in two days so there isn't much to do in the classrooms, and the kids are buzzing with excitement knowing that a vacation is on the way. Today I played some music for the kids....there were a few songs that I could think of that were able to be acted out or for them to sing along with. We played Ain't No Mountain High, Proud Mary, For What It's Worth, Leaving on a Jet Plane, and You Are My Sunshine.

After singing I walked to town for something to eat. I ended up at a little bakery and though I'd just planned to get food to go ,I was hot and hungry, so I sat down for some hot tea and a sweet roll. Again, locals only...a fair bit of stares. A young boy struck up. Conversation with me and then the owner joined in. We talked about Sri Lanka, America, the British, and for the locals love of sugar....lots and lots of sugar. When I went to pay for my take away goodies (a fish bun, a roti wrap, another roti creation of sorts ,and a shortie), I saw a bunch of locals sipping a bright red drink. I inquired what it was and the owner said OH you MUST try!!!! A local drink indeed. The beverage is called "Saruwath" and it's a mixture of rose water, chia seeds ("kasa ata"), lots and lots of sugar, water and a bit of ice. It's kind of considered a local "Gatorade" of sorts, replenishing the body so you can go back to work. That much sugar would make anyone do backflips, and because I'm not doing any back-breaking work in the blistering heat like the locals, my body didn't quite need the super charged chia seeds and heaps of sugar. The rose water made it taste a bit like cough syrup, but all in all I'm just glad that I tried it and made some new friends. The owner insisted that I come back again tomorrow for some tea and conversation , and to try a few other local treats.

The walk home seemed to take half the time the walk there did, perhaps it was my "Saruwath". Now I'm back at the school and crashing hard as I come off of my sugar high!