Sri Lanka Tour, Singapore and Malaysia Trip of a Lifetime

To Begin Our Tour: July 27/28 resting July 29 Starts the Tour:

We toured with Deluxe Vacations PVT from Sri Lanka. Chitral and his partner do a wonderful and thorough job in arranging your Sri Lankan Adventures to your liking. We visited many UNESCO sites and his hired driver and guide was Lasitha Suruwan. A pleasant and fun loving young man.

We started our adventure flying 23 hours from Atlanta, Georgia, USA to Doha, United Emirates and then off to Colombo, Sri Lanka. We were met at the Airport after paying the visa tax in cash because it was late at night with seashell necklaces from Lasitha and he took a picture right away before driving us to the Earl’s Regent Hotel in Negombo.. Sri Lanka is much cleaner than India. India has a larger population but the tuk tuk, motorbikes and cars and vans all give consideration in their driving even if it looks erratic. People are not the type of crazy road range drivers. Perhaps it is the Buddhist influence of compassion and calm. We had a beach view balcony but beaches aren’t pretty and there are rolling waves with lots of Ravens that aren’t afraid to sit on the balconies instead of pigeons or seagulls or they say sea eagles. The Portuguese conquered and then the Dutch and the British. The former name of Sri Lanka before its independence from the British was “Ceylon” and the Sri Lankans are proud to call it “Sri Lanka” which means "Resplendent Island.”

The bed was such a welcome and so comfortable yet supportive. The bathrooms are of tile and glass and spacious and the first thing you notice is a sprayer hose attached to each toilet with modern plumbing to use instead of toilet paper. It conserves the environment on islands and cleaning that paper or prevents clogs. There is always a roll of toilet paper but believe me when touring at tour sites there are squat stand up toilets with a hole in the ground and sometimes sprayers don’t work and take wipes or tp with you. Sometimes Sri Lankans who do not see themselves the same as Indians from India very strongly have a water bucket with a dipper for the women instead of the sprayer again at your discretion and take wipes or tp if you aren’t keen on using that water. Water gets splashed on ground and seats so it’s not urine and the bathrooms in all resorts or hotels or tourist areas have a drain system even in Singapore or Malaysia is a drain system in the shower and the bathroom so easy cleaning goes down the drain. Anyway, enough toilet talk and sometimes they have public sinks outside and take wipes if there's no soap if you prefer. If you are at a Muslim Islamic restaurant; they will not have alcohol or pork products and are not allowed to bring it in for your meal. They have a public sink as people can eat by hand their rice, curries and muttons and wash off.

They visit after a whole day when you are sleeping and breakfast is provided or dinners you are on your own with lunch. The word for ‘full board’ means you get breakfast and dinner. Half board means breakfast or dinner provided in the package. They had to call us the next morning to get breakfast buffet and so much curries, hoppers rice flour bowl with egg to put savory sauces and ingredients or just sweets or string hoppers is rice noodles formed in small flat balls or milk rice which is coconut milk rice cooked together as a bar to eat again with curries. They have English items, sausages, bacon, potatoes, baked beans and eggs or they make an omelette to your liking. They have kokokam which is a green rice herbal blended soup or sago without milk and coconut milk porridges. They have many baked items and goods and lots of fresh fruit, salads and coffees or teas. Coffee can be made in Sri Lanka with a similar method the Vietnamese use and milk. They can provide Nescafe and creamer or sugars. Hotels in all 3 countries have instant coffees Nescafe but in Melaka Malaysia Kopi already prepared powder milk coffee. The chicken meat and eggs, dairy and meat do not have the garbage in the animals like we do nor do they enhance their fruits and vegetables, etc ..they don’t believe in supersizing. Serving size and if you want more…you get another plate.

Customs of the Sri Lankans and Singapore and Malaysian is to talk only to the men. If they are responding nicely it is because the service industry of tourism is used to engaging with the women directly and extensively. However, it is rude to talk to a woman or be construed as flirting and inappropriate with a woman who is with a man or married to him and recognize the man instead. They will greet you but do not engage extensively like with the male partners. Don’t take it personally…they don’t even know it is ingrained and they don’t want to be rude but Western folks especially women may take it that way or assume they are ignoring them.

We both, my husband and I have traveled a bit. He accepts it readily but being Western has questions but he says it is in their culture and traditions and they don’t realize it. Also, in Singapore it is so clean and no chewing gum is allowed, no bullets, no guns. There is a 7 year jail sentence for having a bullet or shooting or no food and drink allowed in public transport. They still have caning in Singapore for different crimes and there’s a doctor that checks if the person being caned needs to confirm stopping or continuing the required sentence of lashes. In some places in Malaysia the buses for traveling city to city don’t allow food to be eaten but if crossing the border; they have stops to buy food and restroom and passport checks. Didn’t see any Malaysians eating gum so there aren’t any gum gobs stuck on seats, schools, or public sidewalks etc. Vaping or ecigs are not allowed in some places and not drugs or alcohol sold in some Muslim/Islamic restaurants. 

We saw many Buddhist and Hindu Temples in Sri Lanka, some mosques have villages or towns just for the Muslims to shop and live and eat, etc. The Muslim women wear a veil where the women and shoulders are not exposed or knees and long skirts, leggings and pants with their clothing. No one harasses them for what they wear and even have their own schools.  Tourists have rented a sarong for men and women to use if they are wearing shorts or sleeveless shirts. Respect and traditions are honored. The men wear a’ lengha’ or sarong. Modesty is honored. 

However, the Western influences are seen with the younger generation and I have seen halter tops with midriff showing. It is also honorable to wear as a woman a sari a 7 length fabric of varied designs depending on sect and financial or ceremony or holidays word with midriff showing but with sleeves and draped in front with folders and tucked in and drawn across the body from back to front. The midriff tops are sewn at their textile factory for you to suit your measurements and they have a slip my Mother in law called a ‘gagaroh’ to wear underneath.

So many types of sandals and slippers are common to wear even the tuk tuk and some public bus drivers wear these because it is hot so it is best to do errands in the mornings.

Men wear when married an ornate “lengha" which is gathered after wrapping around and tucked in and the woman. They are like Kings and queens with headdresses and jewelry and the woman a sari. Sometimes, some men, if they thought I was alone even with my gray white hairs were flirtatious but straightened up when my husband was a few feet away when looking for an Uber ride to places but they are called “Grab” instead of Uber. They have pick up points and some Uber folks don’t speak thorough English to give directions if you are having a challenge to find them. You can ask locals but they may direct you to different places. Your Grab has the location but doesn’t give step by step enough to know the languages of the names of streets or the signs. We used Google Translator but my husband found no words for Malaysian. Singapore is a modern place inhabited by Chinese and they have built and still are building so much there and looks like a big modern city. They have any type of food you would like. Women are safe any time of day or night to go out in Singapore. Many women from other countries with human trafficking or no rights and dangers are completely safe and move there. Lots of Russians have intermarried and are happy in Singapore and Malaysia.

On July 30: We then had a couple days rest and traveled with our tour guide Lasitha to Wilpattu National Park…our first safari in Sri Lanka in an old time jeep. It was so hot during the day that the animals were sheltering for 2.5 to 3 hours. There were waterholes and many habitats for the animals to dwell in the forests. We saw 2 elephants mid way and waterbuffalos. Many deer and peacocks. The deer look like the ‘Bambi’ type in Disney with white spots and smaller. There were crocodiles that were small sunning on rocks and logs and small water ways, Monkeys and birds like the storks and herons so pretty and white, a black bear was evading us as we passed and leopards no show but one bird stood out in all three countries was the hornbill bird. It was like a black and white rock n’ roll bird black and white and with a large and yellow top horn like an axe and a bill of the same yellow color. You could see the male peacocks calling and some females as well. We checked into our hotel named Heritage Hotel.

The next morning on July 31, we rode to an old city that’s name means First City called “Anuradhapura.’ There were the temples. Some were ruins and it was a hot day. Even the Temples as Ruins you are required in the heat to take off hats, cover shoulders and knees with sarongs at ticket booths or temples and take your shoes off. Active temples have shoe booths to leave your shoes. You pay a guide to take you through the temples who is a government approved guide. We visited about 5 temples and ruins and old time monk universities ruins. There are stupas (I have a weird theory they are hiding high tech stuff and relics we are not allowed to learn how advanced these beings that created the designs and things…our guide confirmed some of the many headed very large giants existed because he is Buddhist long ago but not now and considered Gods and Goddesses.) And back to the reason a stupa was made where a relic of Buddha (tooth, hair or bone  is kept and not all temples have these and has no opening and a domed building with sharp tip at top and people pray with statues and areas to worship and give offerings to the Buddha statues. Water lilies are part of the gardens and sold before entry with the sarong rentals and shoe drop off. There are some areas where you can buy spiritual items in their shops if you wish and food vendors selling souvenirs and people at random selling to you. It is up to your discretion to buy and verify if the items are what they say they are that are the boothless walking vendors. Sometimes, we’d buy things to support them as the guide has compassion to all as the Buddhist teachings and we bought. We had fresh coconut water and bits and some tamarind sweet and spicy. Water, of course, is sold because of the heat but there are public fountains to refill your water bottle and wash hands.

Next was the Korneswaram Temple and Fort Frederick and stayed at the Nilaveli JKAB Beach Resort. Again the conquerors were Portuguese, Dutch and British. The temple is by the waters edge and very colorful and ornate from outside. We bought a Kandy painting of the adorned elephant from a vendor and some snacks. We saw the sacred Sanskrit stone and touched it. Shiva says hello to me child and welcome. I enter inside a small shrine where a family is going around in circles and see a spirit of a Monk of a towel wrapped in white on head and private parts and the white paint on the forehead and see many more. They are celebrating the opening of the temple with a long beard of white and mustache without a shirt and music is being played by the monks. I convey these images and spirits to the guide away from the people when leaving and he confirms that they are the monks and they do that for special ceremonies and when they open a new temple. A god may hold a deer in his hand. Deer are a symbol of purity but temptations to remind us that some things of beautiful nature may lead us off the trail and to be not tempted to allow beautiful things to take us off the trail of goodness. God holds this to be mindful of desires to avoid. When I told the guide that in our indigenous diet; we cook and eat many types of animals and deer. He was a little shocked holding his breath but I assured him that it is because of our culture and traditions. I talked about eating certain animals and Native American beliefs of the relics used for healing and power animals and eating some but not all gave us more of the healing power of the animal. He was understanding as I wanted to help him relax. Then we rode to Nila Veli Beach but it was overcast and some times this month it does get that and rains but stops later. The staff was so good to us and my husband treated them to local alcohol. He asked the guide Sri Lankans to drink whiskey made from coconut called “Arrack” and has different types of strengths and qualities. They have beers you have to buy separately at wine shops. We enjoyed the hoppers and string hoppers or omelettes and teas. Ceylon tea is most known in Sri Lanka and used to be called Ceylon when the British ruled. We stayed to relax a couple days walking and meditating and jamming by ourselves and met lots of folks from Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Russia as well as from India, locals and not many United States folks because our melting pot has to travel an entire day to fly. The government has high taxes but requires vacations and birth assistance after a mother gives birth to care for baby times off can be 6 months or more and not penalized and health care. Some don’t charge for school and just a reminder how much we are paying to exist on this planet in the USA. Thanks to our nephew who travels with his wife and children recommending that we do travel and expand our trip because we are retired and blessed to be in Singapore and Malaysia.

Next area of the tour; August 2 and we ride from Trincomalee to Pasikudah. We see so many rice paddy fields for miles and miles, waterbuffalo and herons and goats and cows. More and more goats in the small towns during the ride. We talk of foods like Biryani and mutton. In Asian countries and Africa mutton is not only lamb to us in the USA but includes goats. So when mutton is offered on the menu; that may be goat. We stop at a Fort and walk around seeing old walls and cannons. We end up at a resort called ‘The Calm’ by the beach. Very modern designs and different levels and a nice buffet for breakfasts and dinner. There is a bar, spa and pool areas and beach areas as well. We jam when we arrive and meet 2 Russian girls and one of them had a birthday and some Portuguese folks as well…2 couples older like us but still younger.  We needed a rest a full day at the beach and chose no touring and there was a hired drummer and guitarist we jammed with as well. It was fun and one recorded me but his phone light was on that kind of startled me but continued.

The next morning - August 3 & 4,  a man greets us and a staff of familiar faces. A few men flirt with me but I point out I am with my husband. One tells me he is 53 years old my waiter…I preferred that harmless young one but we sat at a different table and I told him that I am 62 and he backed off. Lots of people take us because of our energy and smiling and laughter that we are in our late 40s and in our 50s ... .hahaha. We rode to Fort Batticaloa built in the 17th Century again by the Portuguese (Portuguese used the coral and shells for building the walls) as there was evidence of killing by shooting with old bullet marks in the walls… and Dutch then British. We see the prison and I see the past prisoners and visitors and hanging and the old bell and cannons disappeared by the looting, We see the cashew trees and mango and papaya that came after and abandoned housing apts for the soldiers and women’s organization selling food, coffees, spices baskets, teas and we buy and in the middle courtyard a Hindu temple erection to go to pray. There are many places where shrines are made along the roadside to pray whether it is Buddhist or Hindu. Of course, Buddha is displayed and you can give incense, offerings as lilies or flowers and prayers and donations. The guide gave us pointers to the crocodiles still in the river when dumping prisoners' bodies from hanging or shooting to get rid and the records burned so the guide was passionate to pass the knowledge by word and asked us to pass the word.

Shortly after he highly recommended the mutton restaurant/resort which was very good and witnessed a young bride and groom Muslim photoshoot. They are beautiful and the sign by the waters edge is do not swim crocodiles. We jam and enjoy ourselves with the staff and manager. The mutton was so flavorful and the juices so fresh. The thing about Sri Lankans is they believe in natural herbs and spices in foods to cure us or fruits or teas etc. and have Ayurvedic places. We went to the resort recommended ones, We went to one with unprofessional putting us both in one room instead of separate and the male working on my husband was not very good and the girls was excellent but they had no showers working and towels and soaps like a professional one would have and gave no instruction. I asked the man who massaged my husband where the Ayurvedic doctor was or was he one and he was not in today and he was not. My husband told my guide whoever told him to do Ayurvedic massage and services was no good as we have been to many in our trip to India and I studied the beginning course and the protocol. He told the next day that he was not a good massage and professional space. Our guide was good at listening and providing feedback and very understanding. We made it to the Ambra Yaalu Hotel run by women.

Next day on August 5th  was a hike we will never forget not the 20 miles in Galapagos Islands near an active volcano but it was in Georgia there is a place with 600 steps not including steps & trail to get to the steps called ‘Amicalola Falls’ and this was 3 to 4 times the walk called ‘Sigiriya’ Rock which had a fresco of the Queen in natural dyes from plants of the King’s honor of her beauty as she was topless but the bottom of body not painted and ornate headdress and armbands necklace etc. in the 13th Century and a palace and Temple is up there and we jammed with 2 older English women…I believe where more then friends and that was cool. It was Polonnaruwa (UNESCO SITE Gal Vihara). And The Palace is above ground and a swimming pool. By the way the Sri Lankans love bathing fully dressed in lake waters like ancient times. It is not unusual to see families or people fully dressed bathing in nature's clean waters. So palaces have pools built with an intricate system built where water can be gathered. Of course the ruins are not maintained to hold water for swimming or bathing anymore but they are very impressive. There are a lot of statues and carvings at entrances of elephants and creative partly 5 types of animals for guarding the palace and temples. The palace of the King and Queen. I see images of their wedding outfits as I know now since our guide showed us his wedding pictures from tradition and culture. He is an open minded man and married a Christian gal and has two twin daughters and lives with parents…it is not unusual for older children to marry and live with parents…there’s no shaming due to economic set ups. Taxes on property for each floor taken out of their bank account by the government monthly. His wife attends church and goes to temple once a month. It is a different world with younger generations who don’t go as regularly as when they were brought up. His father is a police officer or higher rank and mother stays at home is the belief. I believe one parent at home is good for raising the children to be there and making sacrifices is what we do for the family. I see the King and Queen dressed and there’s a celebration on the palace grounds. Dancing girls are holding ghee lamps on their right hand to transfer ceremonially to their left hand from a symbol of change in old to new life and they don’t turn their back on the King and Queen to always symbolize in my mind going forward together.

By the way before going to  hotel run by women we pass through towns where the police and military are concentrated so many police throughout the trip and some military but friendly except one had a sign our guide didn’t see and he was 2 miles past the speed limit and his face looked like a man who hadn’t known joy in a long time. Jim would say hadn’t had sex in a long time. Anyway, he asks for our guide's papers and he tells him that he didn’t see the sign. He takes his driver’s license and then tells him as he drops us to eat lunch to the nearest local post office where you pay the fine of $10 then come back with a receipt and give his license back. Ridiculous. 

August 6 - 7 We leave and it is a full day as we pay for a package of bullcart ride, boat ride to local village and see village wear, food prepared old ways over hot fire areas in clay pots with firewood burning and jeep ride to a safari park with Elephants and get pictures…I see the ultimate shot two playful young elephants facing each other with trunks forming a heart called Kandula Safari Park and this jeep is a really awesome one. The Bullcart ride we jam on our ride to the path to walk to the lake. It has unusually low water levels but there are local plants and life and birds. The boat guide makes us hats with the lily pads and floral one for me and one for my Love. He apologizes for the low water levels but we tell him it is nature so we can’t control it. We get out to the village. We are given lenghas/sarongs a woman ties on us. They have a clay building where firewood is being lit for a while as I smell the burning smoke and cook traditional foods with 2 other women. She then demonstrates how they separate the old style of the rice husks from the rice to cook and it looks like a butter churner and the grains are poured in and the stick used very heavily to drop and separate and it is a workout indeed. She sings a song with my monkey playful husband when it is his turn and he dances while he does it. Then we have our meal served on banana leaves and given utensils and water. Fish, rice, vegetables and cut up fresh fruit. We return our leaves in the garbage and I give my hat to the woman in charge. She smiles and I thank her. The Sri Lankan word for ‘thank you’ is estutti. I say this often and we do when we can. We get back to the jeep and wait for our turn to get the tickets. Our tour guide is texted to come to the gate for entry as our jeep guide has achieved the tickets for the elephant safari. We have the best time and photos galore. So many elephants…What a treasure to see a massive wild enjoying their life of what they are supposed to have not chained and prodded and broken down til they dance and have costumes and get petted by massive crowds. I didn’t know this until someone told me after the huge Kandy Buddha Tooth Festival.

We go to our Ayurvedic massage totally professional spa and it is unforgettable but we are put in the same room. I am uneasy again but there were no other rooms for separation. Totally all professional. A male for husband and a very astute female  and professional woman. So good..then we are taken to a steam herbal sauna with herbs hanging from the ceiling and in the middle is a coal fire herbal burning to detox and complete the removal of the ayurvedic oils on our bodies. They give us herbal tea once dressed and dried off and some sweets. It is highly recommended and then our next stop is returning to Amba Yala, a hotel run only by women and so accommodating to wait for us finding out later elephants roam and cows and mango groves. Old time movie and camera equipment displayed and the Movie the hotel is named after. The manager is so good to us and the chef is holding off for our return to eat and next morning we leave honoring them with a jam session. They have an ayurvedic doctor. We get along with my training and she is impressed by my knowledge of ayurveda and wants to offer me the day leaving a free massage and convo but alas our visit must continue on our tour. They give us hearts and all along Jim my Love presenting his books he has written has made many friends along the way and people are more open to rawness, convo and honesty. They give our heart signs with their hands to all staff and Gen. Mgr and chef and Ayurvedic doctor. We go to our next destination on August 7 to see Dambulla Temple which is the 5 rooms filled with Buddhas and a monk is drumming and smiles at me observing his technique cave temple and shoes are gathered and no hats, again sarongs and lenghas rented but I am dressed and my Beloved appropriately. Unfortunately, 3 out of the 5 rooms are under renovation and bars blocked us from entering and just viewing the most beautiful room was the first but most beautiful was the last with Buddha had jet black hair and lotuses and flowers being sold as you hike up the stairs to it and it is full moon holidays so Friday no work and even goes into Saturday and end up and the Serendip Resort.

Temple Park we rent bicycles because a lot of ground and ruins, palace and temples to cover. Ganimay is our Guide (I know he is diabetic). This is the history of  Kings of Grandpa, Father and Son. Each built as they succeeded the throne a larger temple then their ancestor. It is a hot day and again we are required to take hats and shoes off even at ruin sites. I make sure I am wearing sleeves and covering my knees and my husband as well has a shirt in case but he is totally against this. It’s too hot for this. I comply because I am interested in the feeling and seeing of the story of this place. We go into the palace and I see the old spirits of the palace guards wearing white draped pants and red and gold hat turban like and no shirt with a spear or weapon. I see the King and Queen wearing White Tunics and crowns and the 300 plus concubines area is told to me. The concubines entertain the royal King and males and the dignitaries as it is a place where council meets with different nations. When I come into a room; I see a smiling Queen from Thailand or Cambodia with a crown and jewels in satin draped with customary marigold. She is petite and beautiful and since it is before Christ; she seems to be posing for a portrait. I see a Dignitary with a concubine for the night and then in the morning see his aide lay out his clothes and draw a bath scooting out the concubine before the Queen arrives or his wife. The servant changes the sheets and cleans the room for her arrival and the concubine leaves to bathe and rest in the concubine section further away from the Dignitary/Ministry Rooms. In ceremonies; the concubines have white flowers and the King and Queen have white lotuses. The Dignitaries of the Ministry either come alone or with their wife or the wife follows later from China, Thailand, Cambodia etc. for deciding affairs, maintenance, full moon ceremonies I am told by Spirit.

The ruins of the Son’s temple have Buddhas facing N-S-E=W and I greet in my mind touching each platform they stand on. Temples have a moon shaped stone with carvings of the elephants, etc lotus edges as a design for enlightenment and for wiping dirt from feet. I see and greet the Buddha’s left to right as only 3 are standing Any relics with precious stones were robbed of these so some hands are missing, head, etc. Getting on our bikes again with our guide following the temple guide in the van and park…You don’t need to worry about anyone taking your bike. We see ruins of the Buddhist Monk University, another stupa, and lastly the 4 buddhas of different size and positions to reflect the birth, death and rebirth. Meditation times are usually 6 to 8 a.m. in the morning. The first Buddha…small and center sits in lotus position and greets me as child…you have been here before as a favored concubine of the King. You know the details and usages of Kama Sutra and the pillars are showing some worn out scenes that you had passed before seeing me. Opposite the Karma Sutra columns the Guide points out to me is a Statue which I know is the Bodhisattva (female) and so beautiful and he tells me that the Bodhisattva existed before the Buddha. She stood alone in all her glory. Child You are a Light and welcome. Next cave is a Buddha who welcomes me tells me I was brights spiritual and very good at Karma Sutra and creative with positions and the King favored me and I highly respected his Queen.I see myself before the Queen after the night of visitation with the King and and I bow and cry because I feel sorry for being with her husband but as a sign of respect, and posturing for forgiveness and knowing her place as the ultimate Queen. She understands and accepts….we speak without words to each other on this subject. Women had distinct roles and power and limitations as you see.The 3rd Buddha has crossed arms of relaxation and surrender pose. The Buddha tells me Welcome you were a highly respected concubine and respected the Queen and when the Queen died…you were not Queen but in a high position next to the King. The final Buddha is the Dead Pose lying on side with hand on head and one on side and one foot little longer than the other for support of this position. This Buddha tells me you have been here many times as the other relaxed buddha says. You know meditation very well and you have done so often. Dead Buddha says you have come again and again so you don’t really die. I thank them and leave. I feel the temple guide's energy is depleted and shot…diabetes. Again, I do not know him and he walks us back for refreshments. We buy our tour guide and temple guide refreshment and the temple guide snack and feel his energy depleted is regained. I asked if he is feeling better and you are diabetic…he confirms and asks if he needs anything else? He says no. We had coconut water and it was time to go and the temple guide had diet soda and some small turnover of egg and vegetable. The temple guide asks if I am Buddhist and I tell him no after he sees me interacting with the Buddhas at a careful distance.

The next day on August 8,  we went to the Ayurvedic Botanical Gardens called Peradeniya Botanical Gardens for education and massage and shopping and trained and studied guide. We then go to another Temple in Kandy but it is Full Moon so the temple has too many lines to go into it. We look at outside points and come to places where baby elephants can be fed and pet. I pet one so afraid and patiently stepped back and looked at it with love but it was afraid of the iphone my husband coming in close while I was trying and the elephant guide asked me to pet it closer not towards the middle of the trunk as it squealed and I gave it space. I felt sorry. We toured a Batik clothing place for clothes for the Buddhist Festival called “Kandy Buddhist Tooth Festival” that has been going on for 1,750 years with dancers and performers of fire spinners, etc and lots of dressed up and lit up elephants. It was a 3 to 4 hour ordeal to get parking and take a tuk tuk and then 5 hours for the festival to finish and people were tired after 3 hours and we paid a tix fee of $70 each for seats. They gave teas and bread out to the community and vendors there. I would rather watch it on television but I felt so sorry for the elephants as I learned how they trained them in pain and broke their spirits. First and Last time for us.

We drive to Nuwara Eliya on August 9 After Nuruwa eliya went to Labookeele Tea Gardens Plantation and learned the process of teas supplied then the large companies we know buy and do a mixer fusion of their own and sell to us and bought a white, green and ceylon tea packets and had tea with cake. Jim eating the cake reminded him of high tea in England. We had a mountain lunch before and it was truly amazing seeing all the waterfalls and tea plantations. The next day,  we took a train ride for 4 to 5 hours with too many tourists standing up to elle and then stayed at the Galway Hotel…old town and ancient hotel. I had a nice chef, Lasantha, who made after we jammed that night gluten free bread and muffins for me and didn’t charge for capuccinos or espressos. Didn’t enjoy having done this in India and had more leg roof and interchanging of seats…too many tourists grouchy etc. Husband took beautiful views from the restroom window since he cannot smell. The GM liked us and the staff who joined in the jam.  The hotel stay was at the Galway Heights Hotel and on August 10 the  NineArch Bridge. Constructed by a British Engineer in 1919. It is the mountains and I am grateful for the cool air and new foliage. I see the spirits of the local laborers who are poor and hired more like slaves to work long hours for little pay but they are a small community. I see clothes wrapped. Every site I ‘see’ spiritually or given their stories and messages are confirmed by our tour guide as correct in celebration and dress and ceremony. I see the laborers' cloth wrapped around their heads for the dust and heat they have to work in with pick axes to break the soil down for making the arches and they are all lined up but have different ground levels below. The British Manager is cruel calling them ‘jiggery ninny’s. Slang that is demeaning that means deceitful usage of the labors and ninnies means stupid person…shameful but the souls are mending and acknowledging and forgiving…If one laborer fell off the bridge or committed suicide; they were considered worthless to the colonialist British…sound familiar? They would grab other young men to be laborers to work for them. One manager would reply after a death: “Well, we don’t have to pay the dead.” I see suicidal folks and p[rayed their souls taken from wandering for healing love to heaven, and forgiveness of each other and their perpetrators. There are Railroad tracks across the bridge people are riding in at different times on a schedule and wave to the passengers. There are coconut juice stand and snacks. You have to hike to the NineArch Bridge…bring water and wipes as there are restrooms too and farmlands, we encounter a cow and so friendly tied. We walk and so many people touring today and enjoy the sights of the nature around it. I see the grand opening of Dignitaries dressed in white turbans of the railroad and arch being opened. I tell our tour guide and he confirms. We leave for Moi Hotel and jam and meet GM who is Taiwanese and Sri Lankan and enjoys our time and meeting a English Indian couple and have Arrack and coconut waters together and converse about Jim’s many books and his spurred by our separating for 8 months. They are impressed with our lives together. We leave the next morning after the buffet and the staff love us because some are into music and music production and take our video…boy are we anonymously famous. 

August 11 We arrived at the Kumbuk Treehouse my husband specifically asked for. It is so unique in a small town and isolated above built around a great tree. There are so many types of great ancient trees…banyans, amari trees. You hear the frogs and the water way is there and a guard is patrolling late at night in the waters to make sure no one is swimming in it. Monkeys can be heard and a creature, maybe a cat is on the rooftop. There is a bathroom toilet, sink and shower and fan and open screened windows and no bugs. We enjoy our lover's privacy above and pass through the owners gardens and outside eating area and see a grill and mother owl with two babies in the trees. He makes us hoppers with rice flour with omelettes coffee and cut up fruits. What a feast. We enjoyed sitting around that area and it was time to go on our next adventure to another safari park called “Yala National Park”. The jeep is good as well and the driver is very friendly. Our tour guide always accompanies us with the jeep guides and water always provided. The leopards are here again. The lateness of the day doesn’t warrant them as all the guides are driving for 3 to 4 hours trying to find the elusive leopards but we see a dam, deer, monkey, hornbill. We leave after a bathroom break. We decide to jam and the jeep driver stops instead of proceeding forward for us to play and have our tour guide play with us and he joins in as my husband plays the elk drum…lots of fun. Then we proceed and in the middle of the road are two adult elephants and their baby in the middle. They are guarding the baby but also some folks have foolishly bought some fruit and dropped it in the middle of the road for them to eat. They come out at dusk and wander and my husband says let’s jam to honor the elephants. I tell him okay but don’t drum and I will try to play my didgeridoo low to see. Instead, the elephant is a male papa and starts running not even 1 minute after blowing the didgeridoo, seeing that noise as a challenge. The jeep driver and tour guide told us not to do that and to stop. I stopped and told them my husband wanted me to play. They told us that elephants don’t like sudden noises or flashing lights. Then my husband says video of the other elephant mama coming to my side and the flash is on the phone. I ask Jim how to turn it off and then finally drop it. Now the elephants are alarmed and gather around the baby again. The jeep driver is wise as he can hear the animals during the safari alert each other when the leopard is around but to no avail can we find the leopards today. The Jeep driver slowly backs up and angles the jeep turning off the headlights so the elephants think it has left and they retreat. We must wait until they move out of the road. They tell us of a van filled with tourists trying to buy from the fruitstand and come back to leave food for the elephants and they don’t leave. The driver is inexperienced instead he tries to rush through the elephants and it charges and its trunk is inside the van and smashes one side of the van and the tourists and driver escape. I felt so bad and apologized to the Jeep and Tour Guides. I told them: “If the elephants would’ve killed you two first and then us; I would feel so terrible my soul would wander to visit your families and the area in having gotten us killed especially you both in front. My husband laughed at this ordeal and he made a video on Tik Tok of this. Elephants don’t like drums, whistles, honking or shouting or rushing towards them or flashing bright lights. They are the King of the domain when you see them slowly retreat and wait til it is safe…they can actually remember you and one man harassed the elephants one time and the elephant can remember you and he was stopped and rammed and then the elephant turned the jeep over and found the harassing driver and went to him laying on the ground and stomped on him. If a family of elephants is feeling threatened; the adult male attacks and then the female. Then the baby joined in. So no joke it was a great lesson we will never forget. We pay the park fee and driver before heading out into the safari parks. We stayed at the Triple-O-Six Resort Hotel in Mirissa Beach. We skip the Katragama Temple and hang at the beach. August 13 we checked out after jamming the night before with the GM and his assistant and staff. They don’t want to charge us for some things I allow the two capuccinos and espressos to be taken off and we pass the Fort Galle…we skip a few forts and temple because we are forted and templed out…haha. in Mirissa Beach, Triple-O-Six hotel. Awesome staff and mindful of my gluten free allergies. We walk the beach enjoying cold coconut malai and visiting parrot rock as you wade through a small water pathway. People enjoying the beach again, many people from Europe and locals. We jam a little as the GM comes and he asks us to come next evening to jam. He has a meeting and his assistant comes and then he makes it to us as we jam in the lobby first and then we are videotaped again. The staff join and one is in a band and he enjoys it and another. We have fun. He thanks us and next morning checks out. The guy at the desk wants to forget charging us for laundry and the GM gives us wrapped gifts of cups of Triple O Six and one we give to our guide. We go clothing shopping as one shop is for men. The coffee shop is also the the closed clothing shop but they see we are interested in shopping and open up and cool clothes and they man says these are for men…oh boy the rebel in me says oh yah and we get these cotton cool ‘Aladdin’ pants and I get a Gilligan two tone reversible cotton hat as we are traveling with leather Australian cowboy ones that get my husband so much attention. Remember the custom is to pay attention to the man and compliment not be disrespectful and compliment the woman on her looks, etc. if married with a partner with a man. My husband gets a few cool shirts and we are on our way.

Tomorrow morning is our final day of our 18 day tour. We drove back to Colombo and ate at a nice mall and treated our guide to lunch. We know he lives nearby and we buy him fresh bag of curry chili cashews and kit kat doughnuts for him and his wife and cheesecake ones for his twin small daughters as he has already given us tour of government office, the Lotus Tower and Parks and enjoy the tour and see some metal sculptures and we are located by the ocean again top floor and a 43 billion hotel with exquisite bar and lounge and infinity roof top and a breakfast buffet an international traveler and gastronomic lover would be so passionate about. They have a high tea/coffee lounge and more. We had only one night and met Dinesha, the only son whose father built from gem stone mines this beautiful hotel. We see the railroad tracks just in front of the ocean and people boarding. We meet our tour company operator, Chitral and treat him to tea and we enjoy a coffee. We go to the rooftop lounge as Dinesh joins us and Chitral in jamming and he suggests we go. It is beautiful and there’s a beautiful singer, Mehndi and guitarist, Kasi. They have us jam and Dinesh videotapes us and shares. This hotel sees all of Colombo and we see at night the Lotus Tower change colors. Unforgettable. We are being taken to the airport to fly out to a changed itinerary while there to Singapore as Chitral gives us a small itinerary of using chatgpt for sites in Singapore and Malaysia. Since Singapore is a big city, modern people only stayed 3 days and two nights. We are gifted by our tour guide a plaque of memories. I am in tears of gratitude. He asks why I cry. I say because we give to others but now you give to us.  

Other small towns were highly surprised of hearing this that they asked our nationality to the our tour guide. He tells them that we are American and they wave us forward. I asked him why so much in these small towns are present? He says that Israeli terrorists hide out here and they catch some hiding in hotels on ‘vacation’ with weapons in their luggage. Wow! You never hear this in America.

Singapore is too city-like and posh for me. We stayed at a hotel off Orchard Road main street, restaurants shopping called “Yolet” and robots Yolanda and Yogi auto mated check in…smaller rooms. We ate at a Turkey Restaurant, Tarboush and a foreign dignitary and family was dining there, maybe from Malaysia…don’t know as we were told we were lucky to be there wearing the fezs for photo opps. We had soy coffee at Jollibean and rice baked goods and Shaw Centre had a movie promotion of the “Demon Slayer” out and took photos for my nieces, nephews, etc. Wanted to trip some eyelash, hair extension and nail folks and their restrictive fashions looking us up and down. We got 2 day passes on the subway train after Ralph Lauren had a coffee shop also located at Doha Airport called ‘Ralph’s” best coffees and even with oatmilk…OMG and met interesting people. One family man was young from a sect of Islam called Jaffali which is trained to question the beliefs and if you don’t believe in that particular part of it no penalty and don’t follow it…Jim reminded his wife of her uncle she favored and they had a young baby boy. We did all these explorations and visitations besides walking. We jammed in Chinatown after shopping Little India for gifts and joined the elders and a Malaysian guy, Albert treats us after taking videos of us jamming with them and buys us dinner cold chicken delicacy, rice, peanut soup broth, barbecue pork…OMG missed my pork being Filipino. We offered and he bought Jim a beer and me sugar cane juice while eating with us telling us to go to Melaka, his birth place and using bus or train. There are hidden Chinese only clothing items at department stores too. He refused us and told us to go to a walk way of street restaurants for tourists and we went to Gardens by the Bay and satay and food court with drinks was awesome with Jurassic Park theme and Cloud Forest so cooling and Flower Dome was too late to return from China Town and walked the street restaurants and saw the boat taxis like in France on the River Seine where you ride back and forth and saw a mosque in middle of it and some corporate buildings overlooking water so calming and danced with a guy playing music with a Russian and local gal feeling so safe in Singapore. We went to the iconic ship restaurant lounge at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. We were restricted because my husband was sleeveless to go to the pool restaurant area but the balcony and restaurant lounge was fine and what a view. We had Singapore Slings as part of the fee to pay for taking the elevator to that ship which included one cocktail. Clean everywhere so no smell of urine, gum and trash. They are mindful of cleanliness. 

Next day we leave for Malaysia and fly out to Langkawi Island, Malaysia at the Aloft modern hotel. All the planes are small but you have leg room. We enjoy the water sports & parasailed and enjoyed Char Kuay Teow like Thais not spicy flat noodle fried…they love their eggs in things…and Sambal Nasi Lemak coconut buffet and coffee machine was outta this world with gym, pool, kids area and Jim has his books and people enjoy. People from Kuwait, etc. there and all are in peace together on the beach whether they are covered or not. We go to sky cab, bridge and village and eat and enjoy $4-5 meals…miss the 3D art as run by Muslims so they stop at 6 pm for prayer times. Prayer Suara places in airports at community sites, etc. We also went to recommended Cenang Beach where tourist trap shops and fire spinners were. They were amateurs and not impressive from our days hiring professional fire spinners at our art and wellness center in Atlanta. Disappointed and not impressive. There were 3 to 4 kids performing for free. 

Then the next day, we traveled by plane to Penang Island at the Gurney Bay Hotel and had Ice Kecang, a Filipino ice dessert called ‘Halo Halo’. We saw the Chewy Jetty built in the 1700s by a Chinese village and impressive temple, buildings are everywhere and hotel staff are good. Go to the Street Art area and see murals and artist stores, shop for a few things and taste nutmeg juice tastes like coca cola sweetened no gas and healing juice. We get another one upon leaving and eat at a food vendor court some seafood fresh by walking and jam and meet a Russian married to a Malay whose sister works and labor birth/doula with natural herbs with indigenous jungle there. They enjoy life and have two kids and meet an elderly man who smiles, speaks many languages and enjoys each other’s company and Jim’s books. We have coffee at Marriott and then Batu Ferringhi Beach too small and eat fine burgers at the hotel and leave for another street vendor area nearer walking from our hotel Park Place Royal Gurney Bay Hotel and into a Muslim food court with cut up meats, seafood, vegetables to cook like Korean style at burners at the table. We enjoy coconut and local juices. I didn’t eat much, it was too hot, not airconditioned at night but I enjoyed it. Next day we leave for Kuala Lumpur Island by plane and a big city. Shoppes, muslim mosques hidden but the restaurants around…so delicious had beef rendang biryani and veg and hubby roti canai and mint yogurt chicken kebab. Our hotel staff is great and jam and he leaves his book to the staff. We walked the Changhet street…Anthony Bourdain loved this gastronomical alley filled with all kinds of foods galore…OMG. We do walk to see durian creature so cute and local food court during day but we already ate and return to the live music and bustle on streets and many reflexology massage places…We eat at this place with pad thai for me, Spicy basil beef with rice and veggies and he has Tiger beer and shisha. Enjoys making friends with a couple of men with shishas and they teach him how to do it properly and have a great time at another restaurant having cendol ice dessert and a new friend who has limited English but enjoys our company. We then go to Batu Caves (already given my encounters of these experiences for Gods and Deer and Monks etc. on another blog) and hire a taxi taking us to Tugu Negare, Palace (New), Thean Hou Temple and National Mosque. I am asked to put on a headscarf and they give it to me and they put it on me. We take our shoes off and hubby and I buy items from the Chinese Temple..a funny cap for him with hair braid and me a bracelet of protection. 

We then on our last day took a grab at Hein Restaurant. Traditional Ancestral cooking by a woman who makes charcoal clayport chicken and rice. Such a delicious and humble space that is Michelin grade food and has the greens and some juice. We thoroughly enjoy and share and take a walk to explore the food vendors and buy longan and lychees, etc. The cab was a challenge with no google translator and understanding the signs for pick up and drop off but I got a regular taxi paying double the price but back to the hotel for luggage and then to the airport to fly to Melaka. We flew to an airport a little further from our hotel but made it to Heereen Palms Suites after the taxi driver and locals couldn’t give me the way to the pick up and drop off point and got it the 2nd time. We ventured into a Portuguese over 300 year old hotel. It was acknowledged as 100 years old and portuguese architecture has no elevator which reminded us of Portugal no elevators and then we went to eat at Eleven Bistro after walking Jonkers Walk and finding it very commercial tour tuk tuks. I had Portuguese squid so good and Jim the Malay Duck and blue pea lotus rice and he had his beer and me my juice. Next day we took a walk and found a Limau Limau Cafe with good coffees, baked good food and lunch etc. Matcha chocolate chip cookies and Portuguese egg tarts…OMG and oat milk for coffee. We met her ex friends with his wife and cute baby boy and we jammed before they arrived and the owner fed them well. He makes Kombucha as a chef and we bought a couple bottles so smooth.  We then took a walk and saw the fort and old church in 1780s and the St Francis of Assisi, we went to take the River Cruise and It was not impressive, the recording was wrong about points to look for and you had to look to figure it out from art, villages, old town new town, the churches and sites we saw walking briefly. Then we hit La LuLu and a snack store with food and cendol ice treats. My husband loves the varieties of durian and he enjoyed his cendol with durian and mine red beans…so good. We then decided to take the taxi to the Floating Mosque near the sea. We had to rent a veil for me they put on for the visit. Not as pretty as the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur. They had informational brochures if you wanted about Islam, etc. We were not allowed at all in prayer areas like the National gave a portion. We took a taxi back to the hotel and rested as we met a couple at a bar to join them that night and ate at Siew Tin’s which is a nextdoor restaurant for Eleven Bistro…one party Malay and other part Portuguese. We had two bowls of blue pea rice this time and I had traditional Perakana local food chicken with potatoes and mixed veggies and hubby had tamarind chicken with wooden pods cracked open to scoop out granules of tamarind. So good and the bar was dead so she referred us to a friend pianist from Malay and he was sophisticated and had 3 sophisticated ladies. She thought it was a good idea to jam with him. But I didn’t think so so we stayed and recorded and enjoyed ourselves. Singapore people don’t like Malay and Malay don’t like Singapore as the pianist wanted to experiment with a Malay woman singer no 90s living in Singapore and one of the ladies said we don’t want to listen to a traitor…Oh boy then we started to jam and he add piano sounds and played and the lady went wild and played with Jim and rattled on his drum. I did a didgeridoo solo at the end as well. We left and packed for leaving to take a bus. The Kombucha guy recommended Redbus as flights were 3 times the price because of Independence Celebrations coming up and we were leaving as people were coming. We got a bus and 4 hours but in between we had a Malaysian stop for passports no luggage and trying to find the bus again to board again was frantic , a stop for food, bathroom and break, then a stop for Singapore we took out all our luggage and went to immigration and filed online card then we passed through finding the bus again as the last two people and then off to Yotel Hotel on Orchard Road again and they gave us Penthouse rooftop as check in was not going smoothly. We had dinner at their Komyunity Restaurant and Bar with a pool. He had Korean fried chicken with kimchi and I ordered truffle fries and then I had satay and blue pea cocktails. We had a balcony overlooking the night sky…I was shot but hubby wanted to film cheerful and I just was brief and went to bed. Next day we checked out one hour later, left luggage for Ralph’s coffee and went to Far East Mall…what an adventure after having Korean food unlike the thin fatty beef in the USA. Reflexology, massage, hair extensions, nails and eyelash places were busy and so many. Unbelievably, we found a cendol place and ordered a treat from my Mom's best Chinese-Flipina friend - Myra made childhood memories I had. I also ordered grass jelly but that isn’t my fav. We were checking out of Singapore and something troubling was a young Israeli man who was an IDF soldier thought my Jim was Colombian sharing how his group got killed in an explosion except him and three friends and was traumatized and his parents wanted him to get out. Jim was saying both sides think badly of each other and is it programming or the truth by asking yourself questions and he was uncomfortable. He said he had to leave and come back and asked my husband to hold his phone. After 5 minutes it was ringing like crazy and he wouldn’t answer. Our taxi was coming and he gave it to a hotel pool worker and told him that this was his phone. She took it and this soldier said he was trying to hook up with a hotel gal but she had a boyfriend but not engaged or married and was willing to go on a date. He said to my Jim that his religion wouldn’t allow it…anyway crazy world and images of people in movies happened in Jim’s head answering phones and getting blown up with others. He said he was exchanging texts with someone while he talked with my husband…scary.

Then we made our way to the hotel to board the plane from Singapore to Colombo and got a transit visa for free since we had a flight a few hours later to Doha-USA.  We boarded and hub bought gluten free rice cake triangles with chicken curry wrapped in seaweed & cashews and lychee drinks for us and I had my matcha cookies from that woman we went back day leaving to buy more and have breakfast and friended a biker man who road in bike club with old time Harley Davidson.  We got out in Doha to see duty free if it was worth it but not and so we went to Ralphs for coffees and he had almond best croissant. We saw the metal sculpture of bike riding animals I loved. It was time to check in again and go through the process of boarding from Doha to ATL/USA. They gave us good Indian foods and others but thank God beloved bought me rice seaweed chicken curry to eat…everything was gluten in it. He was so loving putting my seat back, eyepatch and blanket. Unfortunately, poor babies all around us crying are not used to long flights or changes of cabin pressures for ears. I felt sorry but I was there and did what we said when our kids traveled with us. We made and they did too. We enjoyed the courtesy of everyone no matter where you came from. The congeniality of being with other humans was so refreshing again. Well, that’s my blog about travels. Now I gotta check the sequences and get things arranged then you can hopefully enjoy reading. Hugs to those who stop by and read. Grateful to share so you are aware.