Srilanka

My first international trip!! Being from middle class family background it was tough for me to convince myself that I am going on an international trip. It did strike in my mind to this call or just to discard but I strongly disagreed my second thoughts.

Total package of the trip was 50,000/- INR

Day 1 – I took bus from Bengaluru to Chennai – over night

Day 2 – Arrived in Chennai, I didn’t know the language to communicate so I had checked previously where bus will be arriving. I got down in koyambedu stop. Opposite to this stop there is a bus stand where lot of buses goes in and around Chennai. I took a normal bus to Chennai international airport and got down in front of airport and walked to the airport main gate. 

I took Air India from Chennai to Colombo. I took a local bus to Colombo city from airport it was around 2 hours, I stayed in Colombo that night. I visited Gangarama Vihara and roamed around the city, hopped into shopping mall did some window shopping in odel shopping mall, one of the biggest mall in colombo. 

Day 3 – I started to Pinnawala elephant orphanage early in the morning I reached around 10 AM, I took few pics of baby elephants, I did not take the ride though I fed milk through feeding bottles to infant elephants, and Elephants were taking bath in a river nearby. I spoke to that guy who takes care of elephants on their daily routine and I had my lunch in the pinnawala elephant oraphange restaurant and started to Dambulla. Try sea fish in lunch it was very tasty.

Day 4 – Morning I visited Cave temple I took some local’s help on finding out the tuk tuk to reach the cave temple, indeed cave temple was beautiful. The statue of Buddha was golden and big statue of Buddha was calling us from long distance to visit him. I did rest in Dambulla after heavy travelling explored few places nearby covering Polonnurawa. If you are interested in visiting National park or jungle safari you can try in Polonnurawa it’s nice.

Dambula Buddha Temple

Day 5 – Sigiriya rock fortress is an ancient rock fortress located in the central Matale District near the town of Dambulla, you need take a guide to get yourself explained how the kings where maintaining their territory in the beneath of rocks. After visiting rock fortress I started to Kandy, visited tooth relic temple, cultural show in the evening, the Singalis dance performed by local kids was beautiful. And I rested I kandy as I planned for one the most amazing plan of hiking Adam’s peak

Sigiriya Rock fortress

Day 6 – Morning 3 AM, I started to trek Adam’s peak, I never thought that it’s gonna blow my mind and trust me it was incredible in my life. When I started I thought it’s near but I started hiking I reached the top of the mountain around 6 AM, the temple bell started ringing, the sun rise, clouds were tomato red, sun was just seeing all of us on the top of the mountains, I joined other people and started screaming yay! We did it. It was an amazing experience. After I climbed down I struggled for couple of days with my painful legs. So if you are covering Adam’s peak I would suggest you to take it slow. Keep one complete day for Adam’s peak. I was in hurry to my second place, I started to Nuwara Eliya. I rested in Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya 

Day 7 – I checked few tea plantation in Nuwara Eliya, I visited one of the tea plantation where they had free massages based on your need, since I had tough day in Adam’s peak I utilized this time in getting massage on my legs (I really thankful those guys for the massage which just gave me tons of energy to explore more) after visiting Nuwara Eliya I started to Unawatuna beach.

Museum in Sigiriya 

Day 8&9 – Unawatuna beach! Just relax have beer! If you are interested in water sports you can take up scuba dive, I did scuba dive but it was little late I couldn’t actually see any corals. There quite a lot of water sports you can tag along and rest.

 

Traditional Sri lankan Attire 

Day 10 – Back to Colombo airport and back to Chennai, on the way to railway station my next trip to Malaysia was planned ;). I took train back to Bengaluru.

Tips –

·         Try to carry USD, the conversion rate of USD is much more than Indian rupees

·         As soon as you land you can get SIM card from immigration counter so ask for it.

·         Srilanka needs e-visa, before couple of week of your trip try to get your e-visa from website http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/

·         If you are having trouble in planning your trip and need more assistance on the Hotel / local Srilankan tour guide contact on whatsapp – Mr.Lakshmish +91 944936430 (make sure you mention about your trip) 

Amazing Andaman ..

I was really not into travelling and had no any idea on the details of it. A big thank you to my friend who buzzed me on G-talk and asked “hey you want to come to Andaman?” I said “yes  ...” she said “the tickets are cheaper just booking it, you too check”

I logged into one of site and checked Indian airlines was offering to and fro Chennai to Port Blair was around 6k INR. I didn’t take any second thoughts I just booked it. I pinged her back saying “how many of us going?” she said “It will be myself and my friend”. I wasn't surprised or worried I was like wow! Good... Three girls...

I was not really involved in any planning, just a happy go-lucky girl with limited money to spend, but as they say good things come in small packages - and this became my kick starter to a lot of future travel.

Mandatory things to carry -

1. Driving license (you can use this for renting your bike in the island)

2. If you are foreigner, passport and visa stamping on your phones is mandatory unless you want to carry your passport everywhere.

Day 1 - Port Blair

We arrived in Port Blair in the morning; we had breakfast on the way to the North beach bay. We didn't actually visited North beach island, we just played in the sea shore for some time. We visited during March, the Sun was little hot, do carry your sun screen lotion. Glimpse of North bay beach is as below -

We roamed around in Port Blair, places we covered

Jolly buoy island - there isn’t much in this island to cover hence we included in the first as we were fresh we clicked few pics near the jetty, if interested in doing skiing you can try. Best way to travel inside Andaman is to take bus. It’s cheaper but you should have lot of time to try out this option. Else take a taxi or hire a taxi wala to roam around for you. They speak Bengali if you are bong you have advantage!

We took ferry to Havelock Island on the same day. All details of the ferry can be found here -https://trip.experienceandamans.com/ferry/government-ferry.html

Ferry tickets needs IC for identification, your driving license would do that.

We played Holi, the festival of colors in India as we were travelling on the Holi day, it was really awesome playing with ferry naval officers, we peeked into the naval control station, ate the naval officer’s head for some time J it was totally a fun experience watching the dolphins swim. We were actually dumb founded watching the beauty of sea in blue, green colors.

You find lot of home stays/ resorts near to the beach, we stayed in Emerlad Gecko, the resort was brilliant, and beach was next to our wood house, the best thing to do here is beer in the night along with the beach side. Chill … the view in the morning below -

Day 2 - Havelock Island

Havelock Island is one the most beautiful island I have ever visited; I have recently visited Sri Lanka, Penang, Langkawi, and Port Dickson. Havelock just stole my heart.

Havelock has lot of restaurants for veggie/non veggie you can choose. There is lot of cheaper restaurants which you can afford. After arriving in Havelock first thing we did was to check the scuba diving details in the nearby diving resort. There is couple of diving schools. You can choose which ever is cheaper for you, its better you always compare the price as they keep changing. I took it in dive India I paid around 3K. If you are very confident and have passion on scuba you better tell your instructor before diving saying you need one instructor and you would like to go in depth. If you are already having diving license, get your diving equipment, you can use diving school ferry to go in shallow water and then dive. The activity starts around 8 in the morning and finishes by 10.30 to 11 based on number of people in that day session. to book your session here are the online links -

http://diveindia.com/

http://andamanbubbles.com/

http://www.scubalov.in/

http://www.lacadives.com/links.html

That's me! signalling everything is OK and I good to go inside the sea

I personally suggest you take scuba in Havelock; Havelock has very beautiful corals, variety of fishes, sea cucumbers.

Day 3 – Havelock Island

      Elephant Beach – as we had rented motorbike, we rode to Elephant beach. The island is really small it’s stretch of 3-4 KM; you should trek for small distance to view the beach, on the way while trekking you can see huge trees, and you can also check out the spices trees. I did snorkeling I would say it was one of the best snorkeling. The water was so clear and the local guy who took me was just leaving on the top of water he was swimming down to show me the variety of spices. I was always bliss to watch these under water creatures and trust me the world inside water is very beautiful.  

Elephant Beach

            After coming from Elephant beach we went to Radhanagar beach in the evening around 5, unfortunately the beach closes by 6.30 you better go early if you want to play around in the beach and click sun set pictures. The beach is clean and well maintained.

Radha Nagar Beach in Havelock Island

Day 4 – we took ferry back to Port Blair from Havelock, things to cover in Port Blair

      - Visit Ross and Viper Island if you are interested in knowing the British architecture and how China invaded this place after British.

      - Visit cellular Jail, if you are interested in sound and light show you can buy the tickets there and watch in the evening show.  

Day 5 – back to Chennai

Tips & Lesson learnt - 

• Andaman Islands needs lot of time to explore, plan for 7 days spend 2 days in Havelock
• Explore southern island, Chida Tapu is very beautiful place try to visit from Port Blair
• Best transportation is bus, if you know Bengali use the auto/taxi.
• You can find lot of Indian restaurants and continental restaurants. If you are not choosy try local shops.
• Food to try – Tuna Fish! 
• Take the cheapest transportation so that you can get to interact with local people here and get to know their culture and also the evening/early morning shots can be captured while you travel through the bus