DAY 9-16
UNAWATUNA
The 31th of January, we got fed up by the German lady and the dead corals and violent waves of Hikkaduwa and packed our suitcases for another beach town called Unawatuna, after being tipped of that there was supposed to be a beach reachable only through a walk in the jungle, that was supposed to have calm waters and very little people. Jennifer was longing for snorkling and I was just longing to get away from the hotel owner and her cheap internet, so we jumped on a train and 40 minutes later, we were there.
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HOMESTAY & NEW FRIENDS
Jennifer had found a so-called homestay, where you can stay with a local like an hotel but very cheap, so we took a tuktuk into the forrest of Unawatuna and got greated by a small, smiling man who presented us to his wife and daughter. On the patio a couple sat and drank cola and after dumping our luggage inside, we sat outside and talked with them as we waited for the owner's brother, who apparently was a cook, to help us refill our empty bellies,The couple was retired James and Linda from Yorkshire and they turned out to be great company. We talked to them until midnight and then went exhausted to bed.
The day after we woke up to a gigantic breakfast, compared to the thin slices of fruit we've gotten in Hikkaduwa. There was noodles, bread, dhall... Lunch was suddenly no longer necessary.
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UNAWATUNA BEACH AND IT'S... MEN
We went to the beach closest to us but were disappointed when seing the strong tide and high waves. Also, two indian men stared freely at us the whole time we were there. In the end, we decided to give up and go home to our English friends. That has been a huge problem here in Sri Lanka, the staring. Especially for Jennifer, who locals can't seem to place. She is speaking in another language to a white girl but has the luscious chocolate skin of a Singaleese. Also, she is incredibly pretty and shows off her tanned legs in shorts, something we havn't seen the Sri Lankan women do often, if ever. That has resulted in a lot of catcalling, staring, making kissfaces and questions coming her way and writing this, having only three nights left here, I know she is more than fed up with it.
"I liked the food, the animals, the weather here... But the Sri Lankan men, I won't miss", she said the other day as she gave the middle finger to a rude man being sexist on a passing bus.
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We had only booked two nights. Not knowing if Unawatuna would be another Hikkaduwa-disappointment we waited with deciding how long we would stay, but after packing up and settle we didn't feel like moving any more, and there was both Galle to experience and jungle beach to voyage to. That meant that we missed the opportunity to climb Adam's Peak, but we felt our beach-levels were still too low.
So the days started unfolding like a flower. In the morning we ate breakfast, the menu not the same two days in a row. Jennifer's food instagram can show you all the best ones...
In the midday, we turned our faces to the sun and our butts to the sand. I got terribly burned more than once and some days I was homebound, screaming in pain every time anything touched the red flaging skin.
Some days we followed the English to their favorite part of the main beach. The sand was boiling hot but the waves were calmer. That day we stayed until I suddenly got period pains and had to lean on Jennifer to go and find Paracetamol.
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PERCEPTION & ROUTINES
It's hard not to feel angry at my body at times. It's so white I need to put thick layers of sunlotion on and beacuse of it, everythings is always sticky and sandy. Walking around all day in bikini is also hard, beacause I become so aware of... where I start and end.
I've had stomach cramps for days and I feel all bloated, and on top of that I get hormone rushes and the periodpain from HELL this month. I would just like my body to be the vehicle and my mind to be the captain because traveling gets to your head, always having to interpret the surroundings and having them make sense in your head.
I've had stomach cramps for days and I feel all bloated, and on top of that I get hormone rushes and the periodpain from HELL this month. I would just like my body to be the vehicle and my mind to be the captain because traveling gets to your head, always having to interpret the surroundings and having them make sense in your head.
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We are slowly getting used to life on the road. It is so different from home that at times, I don't even feel like I am the same person here. I wash my clothes in the sink and let them dry out in the sun. I pass igunas the size of crocodiles on the way to buy our every-two-days 5 liter water. I cramp my twelve meter long legs into impossible positions in the small tuktuks after Jennifer have haggled down the prize like a bargain queen.
When I call home the loved ones are in the middle of their routines, returning from work when I lay in bed, hiding behind the net from the mosquitos. It's uncanny how different our lives are, and even more that my life was exactly like that just three weeks ago.
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JUNGLE BEACH
The last day in Unawatuna we hiked to Jungle Beach. It's really not a long hike, but on the short route we had to decline over fifteen tuktukdrivers. One of them got so persistent that he blocked our way with his car and didn't take my first, second or even fifth No until I actually screamed at him. Then he spit our direction and finally went down the road. From the backseat we could se a small boy stare at us.
We are more than mildy tired of the vendors and the drivers. Not even a ten meter distance is free from the "Halllooo, miss? Tuktuk? Where you going miss? TUKTUK? YES TUKTUK?!". It doesn't help to stare, to look away, to be kind. Not even the firmest NO is enough for these diligent men. They are only trying to make their livelihood but do they really need to be so ill-favored?
Back to Jungle Beach: It's a small beach, about 200 meters long, in leeward from the sgtrong currants, the fierce waves. Across the water we could see the lighthouse from Galle and the sight calmed us, reminded us about that day without the stares and the "HEEEEELLOOO MISSS!"-es.
I ordered a milk shake and after it was safe and sound in my belly, I crawled to the shoreline and lay there like a seastar, letting the warm water calm me,
Happy pills unnecessary. All you need is Island-time.
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GOING BACK TO COLOMBO
GOING BACK TO COLOMBO
We left Unawatuna a bright tuesday afternoon after a last chat with the Englishmen,
It felt like saying goodbye to your grandparents, only difference was that we were never to see these family members again. James gave us each a kiss on the cheek and they both waved until the were no longer in sight from the car window of the owner's car.
We arrived in Colombo after a lazy three hour- train ride. The feeling was not at all like it was the last time we were here. Now, we appreciated the busy streets because it helped us melt into the crowd. No tuktukdrivers noticed us. We even walked for 15 minutes before the first "HAALLO MISS" came.
And stores... everywhere. There were no more than a 100 meters between every coffee place. The food marts were consistent in their pricing and none-exploitative of the customers, regardless of their origin.
And stores... everywhere. There were no more than a 100 meters between every coffee place. The food marts were consistent in their pricing and none-exploitative of the customers, regardless of their origin.
We took one last day at the beach after a long breakfast. The boats alongside the shore were lined up like artwork in a big outdoors exhibition.
Oh, how I will miss the colours of this country. My Instagram is having a vitamine C-boost here.
Oh, how I will miss the colours of this country. My Instagram is having a vitamine C-boost here.
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I'll try and encapsulate the highs and lows, the loves and hates,
of Sri Lanka soon with the help from Jennifer.
Keep your eyes open for that post!
KISSES
FELICIA & JENNIFER
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