SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION & HATCHERY IN HIKKADUWA

WHAT:
A a family business conservation of sea turtles where the eggs are hatched and re-released in the sea after they are fed and looked after.

UNPLEASANT GUESTHOUSE OWNERS & CHANGED PLANS

DAY 6
HIKKADUWA

We've arrived in the beach town Hikkaduwa, a place where there was supposed to be great conditions for snorkling, something Jennifer's really been looking forward to.

RECOLLECTING MY ENERGY

DAY 4

KANDY

The last two days has really charged my batteries. Arriving in Kandy, we were alarmed by the noise, the traffic, the never ending "MISS! TAXI!?", the squawking birds. It was night time, the train arrived two hours late and we were solely exhaused.

First taxidriver approching us said 1000 LKR to go a couple of kilometers up on the hill. I strichtly said no and went on, as he approched us again asking for what we were willing to pay.
"500." I said ice cold as he just wrinkled his nose. After that a medival dance of taxidrivers starting coming towards us with the same offer. We quickly jumped in to the first guy who said 400 and we arrived at the hotel just a couple of minutes later.

TRAIN THOUGHTS FROM THE SRI LANKAN HIGHLANDS

DAY 3 
COLUMBO - KANDY 

Writing this, I am cruising through a landscape greener than anything else I've ever seen, taking breaks from the computer to stare wideeyed at the ocean of trees and mountains, all glazed in an etheral afternoon light. Through my body is in perfect harmony, finally in the timezone it is supposed to be in, my mind is somewhere else. 

DANGEROUS WATERS & AMAZING BREAD

DAY 2 
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA

I woke up this morning to the smell of coffee, which was idyllcal, and to the sound of my seven alarms, which was less pleasant.
"I did an experiment on you", Jennifer said from the bathroom. "I wanted to see how long it would take for you to wake up so I didn't turn of your alarms."
"And what was the result of this experiment?"
"That I wanted to throw your phone in the wall. Or possibly on you, but I doubt that would wake you up."
I laughed and drank my coffee.
"Where do we start today?" I asked.
"We need to do a cash withdrawal, find out where we are going after Colombo and hit that beach, finally..." She was abrupted by my grumbeling tummy, which made sounds suitable for ogres.
"Or we start with breakfast?"

____________

THE FIRST 48 HOURS - ASIA 2018

It has been a couple of looong days. 

In less than 48 hours,  I've gone from leaving my mom at the airport to take a unexpected detour touristing in London with Jessica just two hours later;
 to stress back to the airport to sit on a plane for 10 hours and cry because I felt so alone and didn't want to sleep on a strangers shoulder, but at the same time longed for closeness possibly more than I ever done before;
to entering Sri Lanka with no idea if I'd get a Visa or not, to being stuck at the airport with the same cluelessnes in next task - getting to the hotel;
to wandering the streets of Colombo in aftermidday sun with the task to find Galle Face which was supposed to be a great place for catching the sunset;
to falling asleep at 20 pm and being waked 1 am by Jennifer having trouble to enter the room.

At Galle Face Green, great spot for watching the sunset and eat cheap food. 

SINGAPORE-SPO FEAT MONA KAVEH

Mona, a friend from high school, spent four months as an exchange student in Singapore, and was eager to tell me about every little hidden gem the country and it's surroundings had to offer.

"First tip - upon arrival, google

"What's happening this week in Singapore".

There's always something going on, whether it's food festivals, jazz festival, arts, music, drinks... They really like festivals, haha.
TimeOut Singapore is the first resault and we used it all the time."

Other than that, Mona had a lot of great tips for any week in Singapore...