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| Backpacker Carin |
On the way to immigration counter, you will see a huge Buddha statue greetings to you, I was truly amazed and started to feel curious about this country. Passing the custom clearance was fast and easy, I was not asked to show Visa Acknowledgement Letter or proof of return flight ticket. No photography / video camera is allowed as an international rules & regulation.
For your information, Malaysian will need to apply Sri Lanka Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) cost USD $35 (as Individual, Group or Third Party) prior on arrival.
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| Luggage Collection Belt 2 |
After luggage collection, no declaration or whatsoever was made, we straightaway headed out to the main lobby where all the authorized money changer are located. The rate was good on the day itself for $1 USD = LKR 156.40, they were all the same rate regardless of any stores. The process is simple, show passport ID, give them the money and the staff will do the rest. I do not recommend using Malaysia Ringgit for exchange because USD has much higher value.
Mind you, India Rupees are not as same as Sri Lankan Rupees. ;)First thing first after getting the local currency, to get a simcard! It was a long queue up getting a sim card in the airport as Dialog is one of the most popular telco company in the country that has high coverage in most of the places, even if is in highland or coast side. This is how it looks like:
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| Image by Dialog |
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| Dialog Tourist Plan for 30 days |
Next, we move on to food! We decided to take some break after a hectic morning and jetlag (we left to KLIA2 at about 4am). The local time zone is GMT 5:30 which means we were 2 and 1/2 hours behind from Malaysia time which mean we earn some time back.
The food court on level 1 is simple and affordable. I ordered 1 spicy fry (triangle, we would call that curry puff in Malaysia), fish roll, sausage roll and a creamy milk bun at total cost LKR 230 (RM5.75 / USD$1.44). I admit that I was greed because can't finish em' all haha, so I takeaway the bun. Bottle water cost us at LKR 150 each for 1 litter only (RM3.75 / USD$0.94) as we were dying for hydration, no choice!
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| Snacks in the airport food court |
Our plan is to get to Sigiriya on today itself, so we need to transit buses in between different cities. From Katunayake to Kurunegala and then Dambulla to Sigiriya.
There were plentiful of burglar aka tuktuk / taxi or even van drivers offer to SNATCH your wallet. For a 15 minutes ride, they would charge us for LKR 300 per person! Unacceptable and way too expensive! They think yellow face = China tourist = big money! I decided to keep walking because I did my homework! But those idiots are just like honey and bees story, blocking all the way. My partner has been negotiating with them and this idiot has been haggling with us. Another tuktuk driver stop by and ask me where to and he only offered LKR 100. And then the cheese off burglar finally offer the same LKR 100 (RM2.50 / USD$0.63) in order to get our business. The roller coaster ride doesn't just stop there. He would not let us to get down when arriving at Awariwatta bus station, he drove around to ask the local speaking in their language, asking if there is buses to Kurunegala, and the guy shook his head. This burglar insisted us to Negombo bus terminal which cost us LKR 800 (RM20 / USD$5) for bloody only 10.3km! I was very frustrated and wanted to cry for help! He keep telling us other older driver would charge us for LKR1,000! (so angry, on the last day of the trip, then only we found out the taxi should have meter!)
In this minute, I blame inside my heart, I hate this country peoples, what the hell I'm doing here?! How could you lock up [cage] tourists in your tuktuk like this?! Is this the impression you want the tourists to feel fear of your country and never come back again?! So guys, please beware of these daylight robber!
Anyway, 20 minutes has gone, unwillingly paid LKR 800 for a tough lesson! End up reaching Negombo bus terminal at Katunayake by 12pm. You can hear a lot of the bus worker shouting Kurunegala. After the chaotic drama, I am much more be cautious, there is various type of buses and vans, don't get conned again.
According to dailymirror.lk to identify different bus colour code:
I decided to wait for the Yellow Colour (Normal Services) one and actually took a longer waiting period time than the Blue Colour (Semi Luxury). Upon it's arrival, we boarded on the bus after confirmation check... get our backpack settle down in front of the engine space and have waited until 12:55pm to depart. While listening some local songs to entertained ourselves, I took out the mask bought from Vietnam to wear it on. They were too much exhaust gas everywhere that almost cost oxygen deficiency in my brain X.x Finally the bus #34 has started the journey to Kurunegala, it cost LKR 118 (RM2.96 / USD$0.74) per person. Good thing about public transport, they will give you a receipt and return the change.
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| Formal Bus Receipt |
3.50pm we have reach Kurunegala Bus Depot. While loitering around, we took some pictures and at the same time, looking for the bus number #48 or #49 that would pass by Dambulla. Hope that we would manage to catch another bus whereby is half way towards Sigiriya junction. With no luck, we finally boarded on a blue bus also numbered #49 to Dambulla, fare LKR 100 (RM2.50 / USD$0.63) per person.
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| At least 50-80 buses around the terminal. And this picture only show half of the terminal size. |
Paddy field with sunset scene on the bus
I could not appreciate enough the beauty of Sri Lanka by judging on the first day backpack trip. I felt relax sleeping on the bus with a bunch of locals. I was surprised they don't have a a kind of odour (I apologized if my text offended anyone, this is not a critic). I wonder if they use coconut oil for hairs like Indian's?
After a great torture long journey travelling day on road, we finally reach Dambulla clock tower / bus station by 6:35pm. With no surprised, everyone here will greet us ni hao (hello in mandarin) which I felt super annoyed. There was a tuktuk driver came to greet us, we told him we are heading to Sigiriya, only found out he was a friend of Manoj's (Sigiri Queens Rest Tree House). Don't know how true was that, "a friend". He was expecting for a LKR 1500 (RM37.63 / USD$9.38) for return trip of his own, 50km he said. Since the night has dark, we also felt exhausted, without bargaining, we boarded on. (p/s: based on Faresfair.co, we supposed to pay only LKR 730 / RM18.32 / USD$4.57) for 18km, 33 minutes long journey, LESSON 2 LEARNT) sweat!!The driver also warn us for not going out at this time and NOT TO mention the word "elephant" this moment (pitch black) because this is the time those wild elephants will be hanging around in the jungle looking for food. Basically we were staying in the jungle, and there is a norm for not mentioning animals name or else we would spot them, likewise not mentioning friends name in the jungle. He said "it" also his "GOD". Well, he started it first, and shhhh me for not asking more questions out of curiousity. =/ meh~
By 7.19pm we have reach Sigiri Queens Rest Tree House safely. I felt a bit spooky, it was really dark and you see almost nothing without lights. We were the only guests during this low season period, and greeted warmly by Mr Manoj with a welcome drink - mixed fruit juice. I am curious about Sri Lanka's belief, in almost every houses, there is white lantern hanging in front. I don't understand. In Chinese belief, this is not a very good sign. They just look creepy to me. >.<"
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| balcony treehouse |
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| Double bedroom |
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| Sigiriya Frescoes Paintings |
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| Mixed Juice Welcome Drink |
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| Kottu Chicken |
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| Curry Chicken |
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| Yoghurt with mangoes |
The first night, we rested on a tree house. For the accommodation like this, it cost us RM65.11 including Credit Card charges. I booked through Airbnb and paid online, without hassle. It was quite a fun and adventure experience, because the wood does not look solid as it is. We were quite worried if the wood will be broken into pieces and fell if we are too heavy). Our backpacks were at least 10kg each.
Since we are unable to move around during this hour, we got no choice but to request dinner from the homestay itself. The meal cost us LKR 600 (RM15 / USD$3.75) per person, juice LKR 250 (RM6.27 / USD$1.56) per person, 3 bottles of water LKR 100 (RM2.50 / USD$0.63) per bottle. =/ First day spending like a waterfall, I am very upset, not to mention it was started from the airport. Sigh~
After all, the dinner will only be served by 8pm, I decided to have a quick shower before dinner. The water pressure was strong but not smooth enough. Hot shower? Not really to my preference, like dying hot stream. Disappointed. There wasn't any hair dryer provided for guests, and therefore I got to shower early. It seems like a must to shower as you sat on a tuktuk so the whatever dust, sand, flies will basically dirt you from head to toe.
The dinner was served on time, cooked by Manoj himself. Surprisingly, he told us he was only 23 years old! Comment on the food we had was Kottu with Chicken (very salty), Curry chicken (spicy), homemade Tomatoes sauce and Yoghurt with Mango (very sour). I lose appetite staring at the big plate of Kottu. My companion just wallop (rojak / urban language) the whole curry chicken.
We headed back into our room to rest after the meal, cause it will be a long day for tomorrow. Looking carefully at the whole tree house, realising there were many cobwebs in the room, and somehow I felt something strong was staring at me! =.= only I realised after the dinner, it was a toad! Oh damn frog, why do you follow me on travelling? Reminded me of the game I have on my phone, 旅かえる. Gahhhhhh ! ASK FOR HELP ! The owner mother came to rescue with a broom >.< Yeah, we understood we are staying in a tree house, in a jungle, but we were not expecting kind visitors at such high floor up. Urgh....
The charging port voltage was slow and no reception in this area. =( I hate my phone battery drained like a waterfall too.
I could not sleep well at night because it was too warm inside the tree house plus the mosquitoes netting. Hence, we did not open the windows because I worried it will be hundreds of toad freaking me up. The fan stops functioning halfway, I was pretty upset with the humidity and snores.
#srilanka #katunayake #negombo #kurunegala #dambulla #sigiriya #treehouse #backpacker
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