“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

The need to escape from routine and take a break over summer led me to Sri Lanka, a country I knew little about. My knowledge was limited, apart from the fact that there had been a massive civil war waged for years between the LTTE and the government, and with peace only recently restored to the country, I had no idea what would await me. What I was certain of was that it would be an adventure, and with this is mind I began my journey into an unknown culture.

What I soon came to realise was that I was not alone in deciding to come to Sri Lanka. The country was opening its doors to tourists, with people like me keen for adventure, others flocking to the luxury hotels and beach side resorts, with Colombo at the centre of it all. The city is chaotic and hectic with the roads a dangerous maze of traffic and pedestrians. The pollution almost chokes your lungs at first and the saying ‘a city without a heart’ springs to mind as there appears to be no centre, with eating places and shops randomly spaced, making it difficult to get around and often exhausting. The city however does have hidden gems and the locals are extremely friendly and hospitable, it’s not hard to find a smile and a helping hand to get you on your way. To see the real Sri Lanka though one must leave the chaos behind and head for the hills.

In places like Ratnapura and Nuwara Eliya rolling hills covered in lush green tea confront you. Women hunched over, large wicker baskets bearing down on them dot the landscape and you know instantly this is the real Sri Lanka. The winding roads pass villages and road side shops where aromatic spices flavour the air and the mouth-watering curries await you. Humble tea pickers and farmers smile and wave upon seeing you, their children running after you waving ecstatically. With the luxury resorts and their guests left behind, you can become a bit of a novelty in the more rural areas but the local’s are extremely welcoming so finding information or a place to stay is not hard.

On one occasion driving through these winding roads, a van driver who myself and a few others had hired for the day asked if we would like to meet his family. We naturally did and a few minutes later there we found ourselves sitting in his small modest kitchen with his children and his mother. The fine tea set was bought out of the cupboard and dusted off and we sat around his rickety wooden table chatting and drinking tea, what else of course!

So with no idea of what to expect, Sri Lanka certainly gave me the adventure I was looking for. Staying with local families and venturing wide provided me with the opportunity to learn about the country and its culture. I arrived knowing little but I left with a lot.