Sigiriya: We Conquered It!

View from Lakmini Lodge (balcony)

View from Lakmini Lodge (garden)

I have a confession.

I have never seen a lion in the Sigiriya rock face.

Don’t hate me.

What I have seen is an amazing fortress, built by an equally amazing king who had art flowing in his veins.

Who else could have had the vision to build a rock fortress with huge pools at the TOP of the rock, or paintings of beautiful (half-naked :P) women on the walls, or shaped an entire rock to look like his spirit animal?

Ok. Enough fangirling over King Kashyapa. Moving on to budgeting to his wonderful, beautiful, artistic, majestic...

Stop.

You can take a bus from Kandy to Sigiriya for about LKR 300 but it will take you 3-4 hours so I recommend you hire a vehicle like I discuss in my previous blog post. Similar charges will apply.

My pen pal and I decided that Sigiriya would be too hot to climb during the day so we booked a hotel room and climbed it early the next morning. On the way we stopped at අළුවිහාරේ (Aluvihare), which is a beautiful and historic rock temple in Matale. Foreign tourists have to buy a LKR 250 ticket at the entrance. My pen pal was fascinated by the depictions of hell in the corner of the temple. Lots of blood in such a peaceful temple.

Kandy-Sigiriya via Google Maps

We got to Sigiriya around 3PM in the afternoon and had a late lunch at Sigiriya Village. Now, Sigiriya Village is a top hotel in the area and is not ‘budget.’ But we treated ourselves, especially because we… well… hmm. We needed to use the facilities. Cost us LKR 1600+ but it was worth it.

Iconic lion's paw ruins at Sigiriya

We stayed overnight at Lakmini Lodge. It’s a modest place, comfortable for 1-2 nights. Great view of Sigiriya. The overnight stay and breakfast cost us LKR 6000 (about $40). We ended up going out for dinner to a place called Wijesiri Family Restaurant. They do a mean apple roti. Cost us LKR 500 for an apple roti and a cheese roti.

The climb next day was hard, but very, very rewarding. We started out at 8.30AM and stood in line for a long time to get our tickets. It’s LKR 50 for locals and LKR 4620 for foreigners. Let me say right now that I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that foreigners have to pay that much more than we do. 100, even 200 I understand. But 4000? Nope.

So… we did it. We conquered it! Took us about 2 ½ hours to climb up leisurely and come down again but we did it!

Long view from the top of Sigiriya

Road leading to Sigiriya (view from top)

The view? Breathtaking.

Worth it? Abso-f***ing-lutely.


(Approx.) Total Time Taken:  2 days
(Approx.) Total Cost          :  LKR 13,650
Satisfaction                         : 3.5/5
*All pictures are subject to copyright © Asuka Randeniye 2016

Girl With a Budget update!

So...

I’ve been very lucky to be able to budget-trip A LOT recently. But as you guys saw, most of it was *cheating* with my family. He hee.

That is going to change.

My pen pal is here. Well, she’s gone back to England now but she was here for 2 weeks in early August. We’ve been pen pals since 2007. That is 8 and a half years people!!! We finally met this month and it was like I’d met myself from a parallel universe. Just with red hair.

So my pen pal and I budgeted our way around Sri Lanka doing a lot of touristy and not-so-touristy things too. This is a super short post just to let you guys know that the next few posts will be Helen and my (mine?) budgeting adventures.

Coming next Monday: we conquered Sigiriya!

Aberdeen Falls: Hiker's Paradise

Ginigathhena Valley from my humble camera phone

After 3 weeks of ‘almost’ budget travels, you guys must be wondering if I ever go on actual budget trips. Here is the answer: Aberdeen Falls was a true budget trip.

Aberdeen falls is a beautiful double waterfall located in Ginigathhena, close to Nawalapitiya. The area is mostly thick tropical forest, with a winding road leading up to Nuwaraeliya. It’s about 4 hours journey by road via Avissawella or you can also take the train to Nawalapitiya and come back down a few km by road. We did it budget style: by bus.

We started from Pettah, Colombo on a Colombo-Hatton air conditioned intercity bus around 7am. It costs between LKR 300-400 per head. You can also take the normal non-A/C buses going to Nawalapitiya or Hatton. Neither are frequent so be there nice and early; the next bus was scheduled to leave Pettah around 10.00am.

Colombo-Aberdeen Falls, Ginigathhena via Google Maps

 I hate long journeys on the road. They make me nauseous. I especially hate long, winding roads with canned air blowing in my face. But let me tell you, I forgot my nausea after the city was past and Sri Lanka flew by my windows.

The views are extraordinary. No matter how many times I go up these hills there is always something more to see. Once we passed Avissawella I started to see something else on the roadside.

Clutching on to the sides of these sheer cliffs are small hut-like structures all advertising one thing: Kitulgala white-water rafting. Yep, that’s right. This is where Sri Lanka’s famous rapids are and all through to Ginigathhena I saw tourists (local & foreign) flock to the various establishments. Sadly, we did not have the time nor the crowd for white-water rafting, but that’s now on my list.

We reached our destination, Aberdeen Falls Resort, around 11.00am, the bus having stopped on the way for tea (we took our own breakfast). The resort proper is a 30-40 min hike down a dirt track into the Ginigathhena valley but there is a small restaurant for wayfarers to stop for meals near the main road. If you’re feeling lazy, someone will come up in a 4-wheel drive vehicle and take you down; however, I recommend that you walk this scenic route. The prices vary according to season and room type so call ahead before booking; we paid LKR 8000 for 2 adults, 2 meals (dinner and breakfast) and one night stay.

This little monster was stretched across our trail!

There are hiking trails everywhere branching off this dirt track going into the forest. If you aren’t an experienced hiker, please follow the staff’s directions and DON’T go exploring on your own. It’s easy to get lost and mobile signal is abysmal. Also, look out for leeches as this is their hunting ground. By the time I got to the bottom I had two suckers on my ankle and another at the back of my knee. Note to myself: use soap water or lime next time.

In true Ginigathhena fashion, it rained – no, poured – halfway down the mountain. My boyfriend and I ran for it (we forgot raincoats). The trails got slicker by the minute and both of us went sprawling once or twice. By the time we got to the lodge, we were soaked to the bone, dripping leeches and had sworn off spontaneous hikes for a while.

Even if you stay close to the resort, there is plenty to see: a mini waterfall, a bathing spot in the Kelani River and various trails. Unfortunately we only stayed the night so we couldn’t explore much. We left the next day on a normal Hatton-Colombo bus (which was crowded) & transferred to an Avissawella-Colombo Fort 122 bus (which was not crowded) in Avissawella. We got back to Colombo around 3pm, having left Aberdeen Falls Resort around 10.30am.

And the punch line? After all that, we had a late lunch at Pizza Hut, Kirulapone :P

Note: Ginigathhena has one of the highest annual rainfalls in the country. Take raincoats and remedies for leech bites.

(Approx.) Total Time Taken   : 2 days

 (Approx.) Total Cost            : > LKR 9,500 (not counting the pizza!)

Satisfaction                         : 3.5/5

 *All pictures are subject to copyright © Asuka Randeniye 2016

Mihintale: The Rock That Burnt My Feet

Nuwara wewa © S. V. Randeniye 2016

Mihintale was always a priority on my travel check list because I have never made it to the top. Don't judge - I had a severe wheezing problem as a kid. So this time, I was determined to climb to the very top, including the top of ආරාධනා ගල (Ārādhanā gala - the rock of ... invitation?) and the newly renovated stupa. 

And I did. *fist pump 

We left A'pura early on the second day after a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast - Rajarata Lodge knows their breakfasts. We left around 8am, which is already actually too late because the sun rises around 6.30 in A'pura. 

Fortunately for us, the rock wasn't that heated yet so we managed to scamper up fairly fast on the first few flights.

Mihintale is located East of the road from Kandy to A'pura, meaning you have to turn right at Galkulama junction before you reach A'pura. Since we were coming from A'pura, we went along the Jaffna highway towards Trincomalee, along the bund of Nuwara wewa, to the Rajarata University in Mihintale and onto Poson mawatha that leads to the Mihintale rock. Use Google maps, everyone :)

Kandy - Mihintale via Google Maps

One thing everyone should know about Mihintale (ok, 2 things): It is 80% rock and 95% steps. That means that for most of the day, Mihintale is a trial in perseverance. You can wear shoes/slippers for half the way, but have to remove them and leave them at a counter like at most Buddhist temples to reach the final stage of the climb. The sand in the temple courtyard is worse than the rock; it blinds as well as burns. 

Steps at Mihintale

... and more steps

Mihintale goes like this: stone steps, sandy courtyard with ruins, stone steps, more stone steps, some more stone steps and the temple courtyard. From there you turn right and climb up the rock to see the dazzling white stupa; or you turn left and climb up the precariously balanced Ārādhanā gala.

Like I said, we reached Mihintale fairly early, before the hordes of pilgrims had arrived to dominate the endless vista of steps. Our only companions were the monkeys that raced up and down the sides while we (pathetically) panted and struggled our way to the top. There are plenty of detours available: a series of ruined stupas, an old stone tank which is now dry, an Ayurvedic herb garden and several other sites. But we had only one goal: Ārādhanā gala.

If anyone has vertigo, I suggest you stay on terra firma. I was praying non-stop on my way up because there is only one rickety hand-rail and no one waits for you to get a footing. No no, people will climb around you, under you, next to you and even through you if possible. But the view... omg, the view. It even made me forget the smell of burning feet.

Ārādhanā gala

Let me just add that the view from the stupa was equally amazing. It's not as high up, but we discovered a less-frequented path behind it that led to the old stupa (now in ruins) and a ravine behind where you could see for miles. It was a bit of a Lover's Lane for the local kids, but that didn't spoil the view for anyone - except my mom maybe.

Mihintale stupa as seen from Ārādhanā gala

I'm not sure this quite counts as a budget trip coz it's an extension of the earlier one, so I'm not tallying up. Expenses were few anyway: parking ticket LKR 50, and lunch on the way (4 people) LKR 1000 at a roadside kade. We made a brief stop at Kaludiya Pokuna just next to Mihintale before heading on straight home.

Kaludiya Pokuna (Pond of Black Waters)

Me at the edge of the ravine behind the Mihintale stupa

Satisfaction            : 5/5 (despite the roasted soles)

*All pictures are subject to copyright © Asuka Randeniye 2016

Anuradhapura: the Sight Seer's City

Kala wewa © S. V. Randeniye 2016

Most people go to Anuradhapura to worship at the feet of the අටමස්ථානය (atamasthānaya), the 8 sacred ancient Buddhist sites there. Which is fine by me, except that I am more interested in actually seeing the centuries of history and feeling the weight of all the wondrous architecture and skill look down upon me with their years of accumulated wisdom – 

Sorry. Old habits. I was a lit student :P

Anyway, my mother finally decided that my brother and I were old enough to see A’pura without being force fed history and culture (on a side note, I recommend Prof. J. B. Dissanayake’s රටක මහිම Rataka Mahima book series on Anuradhapura for nuggets of less-well-known historical facts).

Kandy-Anuradhapura via Google Maps

Our trip to Namal Uyana was actually a detour on the way to A’pura. We went straight up on the Jaffna-Kandy highway (A9 road) and turned left onto the A’pura road from Galkulama. We got into A’pura around 12.30pm and started walking – yep, walking – around as many sites as we could.

To everyone who wants to see A’pura properly: walk, or cycle. You can hire a bicycle at Tissa Wewa resthouse or at most of the smaller and cheaper guesthouses in the area. The sacred city of A’pura is a small area so walking is quite easy too.

Ruwanveliseya through some ruins

We went to Thuparāmaya, which is generally held to be the oldest stupa built in Sri Lanka. Then, Abhayagiriya (now restored into all its red-brick glory), Jetawanarāmaya (still under reconstruction), the Samādhi statue, Ruwanveliseya, the Sri Maha Bodhi tree, the Kuttam Pokuna (Twin Ponds) and Isurumuniya temple. We missed the Mirisawetiya stupa and the moonstone but put it on the list for next time.

Lunch was at the very clean, very affordable Rasa Gedara. They serve Sri Lankan rice and curry buffet-style on lotus leaves. We were ordered not to serve more than we could eat as they didn’t tolerate food wastage. The vegetable rice was LKR 200, the chicken and fish ones were LKR 250 – worth every cent.

Since we were sight-seeing and not quite on a pilgrimage we finally saw everything in A’pura we wanted to. We saw Ruvanweliseya as the sun set behind it and didn’t burn our feet trying to circle it as usual. We saw the night view from the top of Isurumuniya temple and wondered at the beauty of the city. Our only regret is that we didn’t have enough time to wander around Ranmasu Uyana, the royal garden, because we only stayed one night.

Jetawanarāmaya

Abhayagiriya

We stayed at Rajarata Lodge and it was a gem of a find. Located off Jaffna junction, this small but lovely hotel cost my mother, brother and I less than LKR 8500 even after we ordered dinner for the night – breakfast included. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to stay over at A’pra. It also had free wifi and the cleanest bathrooms I had ever seen.

If you are going there anytime soon, take hats, sunglasses and plenty of water; the sun is quite brutal. And do NOT feed the monkeys or tempt them with any food or drink hanging out of your bags.

Happy sight-seeing!

Friends at Abhayagiriya © S. V. Randeniye 2016

(Approx.) Total Time Taken : 7 hours
(Approx.) Total Cost           : > LKR 10, 000 (for 4 people!)
Satisfaction                      : 4.5/5

P.S. We stopped on the banks of Kala wewa on the way to A’pra and had kōn fruit fresh off the tree :D

*All pictures are subject to copyright © Asuka Randeniye 2016 

Budgeting to Namal Uyana

Welcome to Namal Uyana © Asuka Randeniye 2016

Ok, so I cheated a little on this one because this was a family trip - sort of. My mother suddenly decided on a road trip and took my brother (currently home for the summer holidays) and me along for the ride.

Therefore transport expenses are nil here. For me.

We left Kandy around 6.20am because we wanted to get on the road before traffic started. Small roads, plenty of hills with bends and curves and a bunch of schools starting at 7.30. Result: traffic jam (traffic is worse in Kandy on Saturdays btw). We avoided all that and actually arrived in Namal Uyana by 8-ish.

If you can afford to hire a vehicle, great. The cost varies according to vehicle (car, van or tuk) and distance (from Kandy, Colombo or somewhere else). An up-and-down journey costs anywhere from LKR 6000-7000 for an A/C van from Kandy. Derana cabs has a great offer for an A/C van for LKR 6500 both ways. 

Kandy-Namal Uyana via Google Maps

If you are taking the bus it costs approx. LKR 450 from Kandy to Dambulla, while Colombo to Kandy costs LKR 285-300 on an A/C intercity bus. There are other route combos too, but these are the easiest and cheapest.

We made it! © Asuka Randeniye 2016

The route we took was Kandy-Katugastota-Matale-Madawala-Naula-Dambulla-Madatugama. You have to turn left onto the Kandy-Jaffna highway from Dambulla; the right-hand road takes you to Trincomalee. When you get to Madatugama, there is a 'Dissanayake Wine Stores' on the left and a road leading to Namal Uyana just after that, also to the left. There is a sign, but it may be hard to find so just ask someone on the road and they'll point you in the right direction.

We stopped for breakfast at Bentota Bake House in Dambulla and get this - it cost us less than LKR 500 altogether. That's breakfast for me, my brother, my mother AND the driver. Bentota is very popular so it'll be crowded but the food is good, the place is clean and the price is very reasonable.

Parking costs LKR 50 at Namal Uyana and if you are a local, you walk in free. There is a paved road into the sanctuary that leads deep into the forest, going past ancient ruins and Na trees until it finally emerges at the base of the pink marble rock mountains. The mountain range is huge and has a killer view from the top.

The mountains are no longer completely pink because of exposure to air and rain, but you can still see bits of pink here and there.

Take your own water, hats and caps and sunglasses and avoid going there in the rainy season. There are plenty of monkeys there too, so don't keep your bags open and definitely do not have food in your hands. These fellows are not shy about grabbing.

(Approx) Total Time Taken : >5 hours

(Approx) Total Cost           : >LKR 3000

Satisfaction                         : 4.5/5  

Hi! I'm A Girl With a Budget :D

Not all of us who like to travel the world are blessed with dollars. If you're like me, a 20-something Sri Lankan who makes less than 50,000 rupees (about US$345) a month, then you will sympathize; after rent, bills, food and other essentials we hardly have any money left over to have fun globe-trotting.

Let's not forget that we're also supposed to save for the future - higher studies, marriage, kids, kids' education, kids' higher education, kids' marriage... you get the drift. 

So this blog is about my travels around Sri Lanka (hopefully the world too someday) while on a budget. I hope you guys enjoy going around with me on my travels, sympathize with my budgetary concerns and escapades and have a rollicking good time as well!

I'm Asuka and I'm a Girl with a Budget.
 

P.S. Soon to come - Budgeting to Namal Uyana!