Ever since I left Sri
Lanka in 2008, I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to go back and visit. It’s
a weird feeling, visiting a place you called home for 4 years – not wanting to
feel like a tourist or outsider when you used to zip around on a scooter, eat
the spiciest curries without breaking a sweat, and be able to name every
village between Colombo and Galle (learnt from hours sitting on buses along the
coastal road). But when I saw my friend Sarinda’s photos cycling around the
coastline last year, I knew I'd found the perfect
reason to go back. So on Easter Monday, my bike and I set out to join the group
of Around the Pearl 2015 riders for the 10 day, 13481 km ride.
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| At Gatwick airport ready to go |
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| How much can you fit in a bike box (as well as the bike)?! |
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| Reunited after an overnight delay for the bike in Dubai |
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| The amazing Sajith helping me reassemble it after the flight |
Day 1 - Thursday 9th April - Colombo to
Mirissa (146km)
Today was probably the
most familiar part of the whole ride for me. It turns out that I could still
remember most of the names of the villages along the coast, and our overnight
stop in Mirissa was the same beach I’d been at when the tsunami happened in 2004.
One of the busiest stretches of road in the country, the traffic was difficult
to navigate at times (especially the buses) but there’s strength in numbers and
right from the beginning there was a strong sense of teamwork with the use of
hand and voice signals to alert the riders behind about any upcoming dangers,
whether in the form of potholes, motorbikes riding on the wrong side of the
road or the occasional cow.
I realised today that cycling
to and from work in the British winter wasn’t the best preparation for the 30-35
degree heat and high humidity of Sri Lanka’s hottest time of year. Even my
bikram (hot room) yoga wasn’t much help. At the end of the first day, I spent a
good 3 hours in my room, rotating between being sick in the bathroom and lying on
my bed surrounded by every cold bottle I could find from the mini bar...
eventually getting in the pool once the sun had gone down.
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| Nearly in Hikkaduwa |
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| Navigating lorries... |
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| ...and 3 wheelers through Galle |
Day 2 - Friday 10th April - Mirissa to
Kataragama (138 km)
After yesterday,
avoiding overheating was my main priority for the day. I learned from the other riders to
pour cold water on myself mid-ride, and apply ice every time we stopped. I
don’t know what I would have done without the support team, led by the amazing
Ajani. As well as the ice and cold water, she has this almost telepathic knack
of turning up just at the right time with exactly what you needed, be it food,
ice, water or a hug!
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| Day two sunrise |
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| Mid-ride hydration and cool down |
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| Posing for water sponsors (Aquafresh) photo, forgetting I have ice on my head |
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| Taking the ice to the next level |
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| The amaaazing Ajani and her homemade energy bars |
Back to Kirinda Pre-School - 10 years after the tsunami
After today's leg of the ride, I went back to Kirinda to see the pre-school we built with the AIESEC volunteers after the tsunami exactly ten years ago. I didn't know whether it would still be standing, let alone be in active use. When I got there I didn't even recognise the pre-school road from the main road, now surrounded by houses and trees that had been previously wiped out by the tsunami. Asking for directions, I finally found it and couldn't believe that there not only were children playing in the play area (actual classes are in the morning) but also a community health clinic going on for new mothers and their babies. I met with the teachers who explained that the pre-school is now community owned and run, acting as a filter for the big school round the corner. Couldn't have hoped for a better outcome.
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| The road to the pre-school in 2005... |
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| ...and 2015 |
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| Building begins in 2005... |
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| ...and still standing in 2015 |
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| Just installed the playground in 2005... |
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| ...still being used in 2015 |
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| Teaching the kids in 2005... |
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| ...and with the full-time teachers in 2015 |
Day 3 - Saturday 11th April - Kataragama to
Arugam Bay (135 km)
We started the day
with a briefing about potential elephant encounters through Yala National Park
– something that I’d have welcomed during a safari jeep ride, but not something
to look forward to on a bicycle. Fortunately, while we saw plenty of fresh dung and
at times could even smell elephants themselves in the bushes, we weren’t
actually confronted by any on the road. As well as Yala itself, there was some
beautiful scenery as we cut inland for most of the day. It was very hilly with
some tough ups but fun downs until the last very open stretch into a headwind
in midday sun, so we were relieved to finally see the sea at Arugam Bay and
cool down in the water as the sun set.
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| In Yala National Park just after sunrise |
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| Lovely scenery just outside Yala |
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| Breakfast spot |
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| Squeezing into the shady spot around midday |
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| Arugam Bay |
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| Evening swim |
Day 4 - Sunday 12th April - Arugam Bay to
Pasikuda (148km)
Phew what a scorcher! Today
was fast and flat with little to no shade so a great opportunity to get into a
rhythm with the peloton, riding two by two in a long chain and taking turns to
be at the front. We stopped in
Batticaloa at lunchtime to meet with ATP partners Cerebral Palsy Lanka
Foundation who were distributing the 1000 wheelchairs raised from last year's
ride. As well as being a physical
challenge, the aim of the ride (which is likely to become an
annual event) is to raise money for wheelchairs for the many children in Sri
Lanka affected by cerebral palsy. If you’d like to buy a wheelchair, you can
donate through the website http://aroundthepearl.lk/ Because of the midday heat, the last 35km after
lunch were particularly punishing but I managed to stream Fonny for the last
10km and just counted down each km till we got to the end.
Day 5 - Monday 13th April - Pasikuda to
Trincomalee (127km)
Rest day - Tuesday 14th April - Nilaveli Beach
near Trincomalee (0km)
Today was very needed
and pretty much revolved around sleeping, eating, drinking and relaxing. Back
to 4am wake up calls and riding in the heat tomorrow...
Today began with a 5km
pre-monsoon downpour, clearing out some of the humidity from the last few days.
Breakfast at a Navy camp was followed by a crossing of the Kokilai lagoon. Flat
roads and clearer air meant the group reached speeds of 35kmph+ before slowing
down to cross the Vadduvakal bridge, which marks the site of the final battle
of the war in 2009. A haunting ride along the A35 past the deserted
battlefields finished at Kovil junction where we'll switch to mountain bikes
and continue our journey tomorrow.
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| Drinking in the rain |
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| Breakfast at the naval base |
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| Crossing the lagoon |
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| Vaduvakkal bridge - the site of the last battle in the war |
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| A deserted A35 |
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| Kovil junction - switching to mountain bikes tomorrow |
Day 7 - Thursday 16th April - Mullaitivu to
Jaffna (134km)
Today started with a
3am wake up call, 4am departure from the hotel and a 2 hour drive back to the
naval base where we had lunch yesterday. For most of the day we were
off-roading on mountain bikes in the Chalai area of the north-east where many
of the final battles in the war took place. It's very cut off, largely
inaccessible by car, and still suffering the effects of the tsunami (because
help couldn't get through under LTTE control) as well as the war itself. Heavy rain along the way made
the sandy track particularly tough on our legs for the total 100km on mountain
bikes. We switched back onto road bikes in Point Pedro (the northern-most town
in Sri Lanka) for the last 34km to Jaffna as the sun was setting. A 12 hour day
with 8 hours of actual cycling, rounded off with a trip to Rio ice-cream
parlour!
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| The start of the track to Chalai |
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| Army briefing |
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| Breakfast time chit-chat |
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| Crossing the beach... |
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| ... and the support vehicles get stuck |
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| Getting soaked in pre-monsoon rains |
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| Dodging puddles after the rain |
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| Going off the (already un-) beaten track... |
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| ...and past minefields |
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| Point Pedro - northern-most town in Sri Lanka |
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| Finishing at Rio ice-cream parlour in Jaffna just after dark |
Day 8 - Friday 17th April - Jaffna to
Wilpattu National Park (163km)
Fast, flat and hot hot
hot today. After yesterday's rainshowers and cloud cover, today we really felt
the heat on our longest ride yet. Leaving Jaffna, we passed through Pooneryn and its causeway, another
site of some of the war's most brutal battles. Our time in the north has really
opened my eyes to the vast extent of the conflict area. I cannot even begin to imagine
the bloodshed that has affected so many people – just so so sad. It will take
generations to recover. We carried onto Mannar (our rest stop tonight) before
reaching Wilpattu National Park, from where we'll switch back to mountain bikes
tomorrow.
Day 9 - Saturday 18th April - Wilpattu
National Park to Chilaw (130km)
We started the day
with 40km on the mountain bikes through Wilpattu National Park. It was like a
scene out of Snow White when two deer leapt out in front of us and we later
spotted leopard footprints, but quite relieved that the strong smell of
elephants passed without any direct encounters! While we were waiting for the
road bikes to arrive we had lunch by the river and went for a quick dip before
the 90km on to Chilaw, arriving just in time for sunset.
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| Second outing for the mountain bikes |
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| Wilpattu National Park |
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| Leopard prints |
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Wilpattu selfies and photo bombs
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| Bunching near the landrover when we smell elephants in the bushes |
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| Crossing the river in Wilpattu... |
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| ...and a surprise visit from Tilak the other side |
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| Lunchtime swim |
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| Watching the sunset in Chilaw |
Day 10 - Sunday 19th April - Chilaw to
Colombo (Moratuwa) (120km)
