I am writing these lines from the balcony of a lovely little hotel, overlooking the lake of Kandy in Sri Lanka. I hear some birds, some crickets, and the bustling street beneath us. I still have the taste of the minty-fresh mocktail I had in my mouth.
Life is good.
Five days ago, my wife and I arrived in this beautiful country in the Indian Ocean. It's my second trip outside of Europe – her first. In the beginning, we were nervous. What if our stomachs can't take the food? What if the heat gets to us? What if we get eaten by a crocodile on the river safari we wanted to take?
Our stomachs did have some issues with the spicy food in the beginning. The heat does get to us every day. But we were not eaten by crocodiles – though, we did see two of them 🐊🐊.
Instead of all the worries, I want to take a minute to reflect on the beautiful moments we experienced in the last five days.
We met some of the most joyful and beautiful people. Locals that showed us their country.
We ate some of the most delicious food we've had. To put it in my wife's words: "Condiments aren't just…condiments. There is so much flavour in them that they are a dish on their own." – and she is absolutely right. Every bite is an explosion of flavour. And heat.
We took adventures.
Going on a river safari with a small tiny boat through mangrove forests? Check.
Visiting a small local Buddhist temple to experience the culture live and in colour? Check.
Taking a train across the country instead of the easy way – hiring a car? Check.
Asking our tuktuk driver to just take us to a good place to eat instead of endlessly scrolling Google Maps? Check.
And last, but not least: I had a three-hour conversation with a complete stranger today. I usually keep to myself when taking a train or plane – and never understood how people can randomly start a conversation with people they don't know.
Well, there is something about travelling that just makes these things happen, I guess.
To another nine days in Sri Lanka. Which truly is a pearl in the Indian Ocean.
Here are a few photos for you to enjoy:
