Saturday, October 24, 2009

In the shoes of a japanese tourist

Today was like no other day !
First i got to be so freaking early last night that i was up rumbling in my room at 3am this morning wondering if i should start even walking to the destination.
Glad i didnt, it was quite far and in the end i went outside takeshi's inn to wait for the bus.
45 minutes later, i was still the only decoration tree on the side of the road, being waved by all the minibus certainly heading in the same direction but not picking me up.
Walked downtown to end up facing the same misery, only a rare bus once in a while that doesnt leave the city before being totally full.
Jumped into a tuk tuk who cut me a local deal and dropped me in front of the gate after i got into an arguement with him as he was willing to leave me at the entrance of the park when we agreed on something way different.
He was pretending it was only 300 meters showing me some gate but it avered to be the exit and in the end the 300 meters i was supposed to walk were well worth the discussion as he drove for another kilometer if not more in the dusty trail.
Felt like finishing a tennis match on clay court after that ride !
The Japanese run was about to start with quite a scenary ! let me tell you, sigiraya is worth every thing and i really mean it.
Its a huge block of rock, fallen out of nowhere thats has been conquered by some king a few thousand years ago ! sorry for the history lesson but i am sure you will find the necessary information online.
Few facts about that antique ! 1500 steps, a series of staircases that are breathtaking and leave most of the mortals awed if not by the beauty of hit or by the increasing difficulty it takes to end up the climbing.
But wow, the view you are getting from 600 ft is quite something , especially with the clear weather we keep on having around here !
I am entering a shooting frenzy that will only end once i ll be down the road , waiting for the ghost bus, reaching another tuk tuk and finally missing the chance to get that bus as we are crossing it a few hundred meters after i got in....
Reached the guest house, packed all of it again and merely had the chance to say bye to the owner that the bus to the anuradhapura was here.
When i say my day was packed up, i was very near the truth !
Arrived after a mere two hours drive at 2.45pm there and the story repeats itself. a tuk tuk come to me, know a great place, i start negotiating the price over the phone before even tagging along and got what i wanted but still used the last lifeline of the free visit before making the final decision.
The place is great though a bit pricy but got all the necessary even a wifi connection, yououhhh !
My tuk tuk driver is offering me a good deal to visit the whole thing there in the afternoon without paying the entrance fees to all the sights, magic !
I never saw that many things in such a short time , took way too many pictures but really enjoyed the experience. I am now wondering if i ll leave tomorrow because i lost the envy of staying here one more day or chilling and killing a day at the hostel watching the flies flying by !
Have fun and next destination is trincomalee !