Arugam Bay To Ella

09/20/2019
Nine Arch Bridge
Nine Arch Bridge

Awoke this morning to some odd noises outside the hostel room. When I went to checkout what it was, I saw the monkeys running from one building to the next on top of the roofs. SO AWESOME! I went from turkeys running around in Australia to monkeys in Sri Lanka. I decided to pack up my bags and then headed to the kitchen to eat my papaya and chat with a girl from Finland. We had an amazing conversation about traveling solo and the pleasure of being completely independent. After, I headed into town to purchase a shirt I had seen yesterday. I typically don't shop when I'm backpacking, but this shirt had papayas on it, so you know I couldn't resist. Plus, most locals wear these shirts in Arugam Bay, lightweight button ups with prints on them. Anyways, after that, I decided to stop for a chai latte at Bites Cafe. On my way, I saw the USA girl from yesterday, Malika, and her Israeli boyfriend. We chatted for a bit and she invited me to a vegan yoga event tomorrow night. Too bad I won't be in Arugam Bay anymore! There are so many vegan yoginis around town, I totally dig it!

After enjoying my latte outside while chatting with a local, I headed over to see my friend Nano at his homestay. I ran in and saw him sitting outside his room. I gave him a big hug goodbye and apologized for falling asleep last night and not hanging out longer. It was great to see him before leaving. Back at the hostel, I did some writing in my journal and played a bit with the puppy, Shanti. I saw Johnny eating roti and decided I'd go to town for some. I went to Ali's Restaurant, the 24 hour place right by the hostel and enjoyed some delicious veggie roti with dahl and a banana pancake with coconut to curve my sweet tooth (it looked like a mix between a pancake burrito and a crepe).

Eventually, Johnny and I headed to Ella in his car, with his friend, Sasindu, and Sasindu's girlfriend. The drive took about 3 hours and of course I did some napping. Johnny drove really well and the road wasn't busy. On the way, we stopped by Ravana Falls, a gorgeous waterfall with wild monkeys all around. These monkeys are different than the ones in Arugam Bay. They are rilawa monkeys and are much smaller. We pulled over to dip our feet in the water and enjoyed some mango with chili powder. Yes, they eat mango with chili, just like in Mexico! But they serve it in tree leaves rather than plastic; genius! We got back on the road for 30 minutes and arrived in Ella. It is a total rainforest here, with clouds all around. From the beach to the rainforest, absolutely gorgeous. We drove up to his friends hotel, 49 Ella. We joined his friend for some rice and curry; lentil dahl, pumpkin, green beens, and other veggies all cooked in sauce and spices. It was my favorite meal yet. And we ate it with our fingers. This was my first time eating rice with my hands, but I have seen many people in Bali eat the same. It got a bit messy, but I was so in for the experience.

After lunch, we said goodbye to Sasindu and his girlfriend, and Johnny and I headed too Little Adams Peak. However, the rain stopped us before we arrived. We were driving on the motorcycle, so once it started raining, we stopped at Johnny's friends place for a coffee. We sat there in such peace, across from an avocado tree, watching the rain pour down in its natural beauty. It was so enjoyable. Johnny apologized for the rain, but I was thoroughly enjoying every second of it. And it turns out Johnny isn't even his name, it's Chanaka! Johnny is just "easier for tourists to remember and easier for me to not have to keep repeating Chanaka" HA! I totally get it. In the U.S., people seem to have a hard time reading and spelling my name, but everywhere I travel, it seems to be more common. In Mexico, South America, and Europe, many people have the name. Oh, BTW, Johnny (Chanaka) is from Sri Lanka but lives in Milan, Italy, with his mom. He speaks Italian fluently, knowing 3 languages and planning to move to Spain to learn Spanish. Johnny actually met Sasindu in Milan, where a lot of Sri Lankans live.

Once it stopped raining, we hopped back on the bike and drove to Nine Arch Bridge (also known as Bridge in the Sky). WOW! Yes, it was still raining a bit and there were some clouds, but the beauty was still there. Ella contains the purest oxygen in all of Asia, and once you see this rainforest full of life and tea plantations, you'll believe it too. The bridge was built using brick, rock, and cement rather than steel because the British couldn't import it at the time. It was built in 1921 and has stood tall since. Johnny is originally from a town outside Ella and he has sent many people to see the bridge, yet he has never been himself. So it was quite an epic experience for the both of us. We walked over the tracks, took some obligatory photos, saw little baby bats flying around outside the tunnel, listened to the crickets and birds, and watched the teal train go by. This place is definitely worth visiting if you ever find yourself in Sri Lanka. We hiked back up in the dark and drove back to the hotel in the fog.

Once we returned, I pulled out my laptop to do some writing, and then hopped in the shower before having some dinner. Chanaka's (Johnny's) friends came by the hotel to have some dinner and drinks with us. There were 6 of them and they all went to school together. It was so neat seeing these get-together hang outs in another culture and country. They were speaking their mother language, Sinhala, and they kept apologizing to me but honestly, it was so nice to be surrounded by locals that I didn't mind at all. That's how it used to be when I first started visiting Mexico; people would speak in Spanish and I would just listen and observe, like music to my ears. We played the name game and although I cannot spell all 6 of their names, I do know that they all end in the letter A, HA! Most names apparently do here in Sri Lanka. I also discovered that while they use KM rather than miles, they do their height in feet and inches like the USA rather than centimeters! Another fun fact is that their presidency is run similar to the USA in that the president serves 4 years and than can be reelected for another 4 years.

I am super grateful to eat kottu, drink Arrack (local whiskey), and be surrounded by this vibrant culture. We even listened to Sri Lankan tunes! But I grew tired around 11 PM and decided to call it a night because I'm waking up early to go hiking. BUENAS NOCHES!

Ravana Falls
Ravana Falls
Wild Monkey
Wild Monkey
Chanaka!
Chanaka!
Roti Brekkie
Roti Brekkie
Sri Lankan Lunch
Sri Lankan Lunch
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