“There is a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed.” Kate Douglas Wiggin
Being off the grid for the last few days has definitely changed me…for the better. No WiFi. Minimal phone service. Just totally in the moment, connecting with the people, animals, and nature in my immediate environment.
I prefer small, slower-pace places than the big fast cities so staying in a treehouse in Sigiriya was an absolute dream.
Ingeborg and I arrived a little after midday by bus. The ride was not as much fun as the previous voyage but it made me appreciate Runi and the driver from our first ride even more.
When we arrived at the Tree House Hostel, we were greeting by the owner, Manoj, and his wife…and later his Mama. Everyone calls her Manoj Mama.
They couldn’t have been more gracious hosts. They told us to drop our bags, sit down, and relax while they brought us a cup of fresh iced tea with a fresh, ripe lime picked from a tree on the property.
The place was immediately welcoming and had a tranquil vibe. It’s also located in a cooler area so it’s nice to get a little relief from the scorching heat.
They offer private rooms and dorm rooms for four people with private bathrooms. Ingeborg and I chose the dorm so we could meet some other people. In our treehouse was Robert from Poland & Alessia from Italy.
There is so much to do in this area that you are only in your room to sleep and shower. Yes, each treehouse has a toilet and a shower…and frogs that like to hang out in there. On the second night, I walked into the bathroom to shower and saw three frogs! Then the power went out and that ended my shower real quick. It’s remote, this stuff happens and makes for a good memory and story to tell.
We met so many fun (mainly) solo travelers. I love meeting people from different parts of the world and hearing their stories. It creates such a beautiful connection. For instance, I met an Israeli guy who lived THREE BLOCKS from me in Park Slope (Brooklyn, NY) in 2013. We probably crossed paths many times.
Since we were in such a remote area, the hostel provide free breakfast with the reservation, and for a small price (I mean tiny) you could eat dinner. The food was out of this world. Best food I’ve eaten since I arrived in Sri Lanka. Apparently, the recipes are all Manoj Mama’s and every meal was different. We had rice and curry and Kottu in the evenings and eggs, pancakes, veggie burgers, and banana & chocolate crepes for breakfast. ❤️ Even with all the hiking and swimming we did, I think I gained a pound or two while I was there. Totally worth it.
Since we arrived in the later part of the afternoon, we decided to do Ayurvedic massages and relax. We got the package deal, complete with an oil drip on the forehead and hair/head massage, an aloe and herbal facial, and a full body massage for a total of 140 minutes of pure bliss. Heaven. Absolute heaven. I slept like the rock we were going to climb at sunrise.
Manoj and his team arranged everything for us in Sigiriya. It was fantastic to not have to think about or plan anything. At 5 am, they drive the guests who would like to go hike either Pidurangaia or Lion Rock to see the sunrise. So we woke up at about 4:30 am, brushed our teeth, and went. We chose Pidurangaia so we would have views of the Lion Rock. It happened to be the full moon so we not only saw the sunrise, but we watched the big bright moon setting as well.
I have to say, the views and the sunrise were amazing but getting up there was a bit of a nightmare. It was packed with people, so much so that a line had formed because there were a couple of women who were struggling with the climb. I’m pretty active and found parts of it difficult as well. I even got a cut on my arm during this outing. I was a little disappointed with my fellow humans during this moment. It was a good observation of human behavior. Instead of patience and understanding, people got a little pushy, mouthy, and rude…maybe it was the lack of sleep but eventually, we all made it to the top.
The views of Lion Rock were stunning and we saw the resting Buddha which for many years was the largest Buddha statue in the world – according to a local. Oh, and I fed a monkey some fruit and the look on his face in the photo below says it all. Total enjoyment.
After the sunrise, we walked back, changed into our swimsuits and Manoj drove us to a nearby lake in one of the Safari Jeeps so we could take a refreshing swim after our morning climb. All I can say is, I need one of these.
I only have one photo of us swimming in the lake but I have TWO pics of this really adorable puppy who was running circles around us. If I could get him all the required vaccinations, I actually had a moment where I thought, “I’ll just adopt him and take him on the road with me.”
In the afternoon, Ingeborg and I went from the sea into the wild – one end of the spectrum to the other. We took a guided safari tour at the Kaudulla National Park. We, along with Lian, a lovely woman from the Netherlands who we met at the Tree House made memories that will last a lifetime. More about Lian in the next post. She becomes a main character in the next chapter.
Manoj set up everything. He called the safari company and arranged our guide, Hasitha, for us.
We set out on a 30-minute drive for the park in another fun Jeep that had an open roof so we could get a full view of all the animals.
Hasitha could not have been a better guide. He had eyes like a hawk. He literally saw everything. Not five minutes into the National Park and he slammed on the breaks to point out some monkeys hanging out in the trees.
After a few minutes of watching them and their little monkey shenanigans, we took off to see what else we could find. Along the way we saw a Kingfisher bird, a few mongoose, buffalo, cattle, and peacocks. He even noticed a tiny chameleon on a tree and then, we floored it to find the king of this park and what we all paid money to see, the elephants.
I think we all gasped with delight when we rounded the corner and saw them near the water. They were breathtaking.
On the way back to the Tree House Hostel, we asked Hasitha to stop at a shop so we could get some ice cream. Little did he know, we had planned to buy him a treat, along with giving him a generous tip for his over the top service. At the last minute I decided to buy everyone’s treat. Mainly, because selfishly it makes me feel good to give but who knew $2.64 (LKR840) worth of drinks and ice cream could bring so much joy to so many people? It’s the small things that seem to bring so much happiness. We even gave a cone to a random stranger. It was the perfect ending to a really fun safari.
And finally….to wrap up this jam-packed, full fledged, fun filled day, we topped it off with a sunset hike at the “Secret Rock.” Shhhhhh, don’t tell anyone.
The next and last morning at the Tree House before saying our goodbyes and leaving for Kandy, Ingeborg got up at 4:30 am to hike Lion Rock to see the another sunrise. She is nuts. She was the only hiker at the entrance gate and they were not going to let her hike alone (it’s a little dangerous) but, if you ever meet Ingeborg you’ll understand how she got them to let her go to the top by herself. She is a master negotiator and her charm has won over the people of Sri Lanka.
While she hiked, I slept. 🩷
Recap video…elephants included!
This is a long post but I want to share two quick stories about how the kindness of the Sri Lankan people.
Martin, an Egyptian guy I met at the Tree House told me that earlier in his trip he got food poisoning and needed to stay several extra days at the hostel where he was staying. The owner of the hostel provided all the medicine from the pharmacy, reminded him to take the medicine, gave him healing food, and basically nursed him back to wellness. When Martin went to pay his bill, the man said he would not charge him for the extra nights or the medication because he said he, “would not profit from his illness.” ❤️
Martin shared another story about a couple he met along the way. The woman had lost her expensive gold necklace that had a few diamonds in it. It had fallen off her neck while she was eating in a restaurant but she didn’t realize it at the time and didn’t know where she had lost it. She received a phone call from the owner of the restaurant the next day. She had used her phone to call about a reservation. He said he had found her necklace and would like to return it. She was so grateful but explained that her and her partner had traveled to another town about two hours away and she would be back to get it later. The owner said, “no, no, I will drive it to you.” So the guy drives the necklace, TWO HOURS each way to deliver it. When they tried to pay him, even for the petrol, he would not accept any money. ❤️
These are just two examples of many stories I’ve heard and experienced for myself about the kindness, generosity, and honesty that the Sri Lankan people exude on a daily basis. ❤️
I’m so grateful to be in a place where I am reminded daily of all the good people roaming around this earth. 🙏
Goodnight and much love & gratitude from Sri Lanka! 🇱🇰
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Battle wound from the sunrise hike.
Rock – 1
Emily – 0
