Savage to Sri Lanka. Dummies' Manual (episode 6)
In the morning, after having breakfast and renting the room, we said goodbye to the caretaker rather warmly. Dragged with all the belongings to the bus station. We did not even try to get on the direct Colombo-Matara bus - it was problematic with junk. According to my observations, it was crowded at any time of the day. And where are they all going?
We boarded an empty bus from Hikaaduwa-Galle. The conductor walked around with a cloth and polish, wiping the interior. Carrier turned on some mournful chants - probably some Buddhist mantra prayers. He had a bunch of incense sticks smoking behind his seat. Well, just so devout!
The day before, I spent all the small things in the alcohol shop - the seller did not have change from a large bill. And now I had to give the conductor 1.000 rupees. He took it silently, but was somehow in no hurry to give back. I didn’t worry about this - maybe I haven’t caroled by this time?
The monastic wails were replaced by slightly more cheerful clips about unhappy love, accompanied by a display of beautiful seascapes. My heart sank and tears welled up! Where are we sailing (sorry, we are going)? What for? But the bridges have been burned.
When Hikkaduwa had already left behind, and it was still quite a distance to Galle, the driver pulled out smoking sticks and threw them out the window. Some funny! They're not even halfway done yet!
And there is still no change! We arrived at the bus station. Vadik and Vera came out, I gave them the things. The driver smiled sweetly at me. I say, where is the chench? He called the conductor, who had already jumped out, and he handed me some bills. I had already left by then. The conductor jumped into the cabin, and the bus pulled away. After counting, I found that this bastard estimated our fare at 300 rupees! We quite often rode back and forth in this direction, and by experience I found out that the price of a ticket is not even 40 rupees, but 35. And then 100!
Having told her to wait, she went to look for the bus. He was already standing on another platform, and the conductor, as was his wont, beckoning the passengers in an obnoxious voice. I tell him that he gave me 700 rupees. He escaped on the bus. I naively believed that he went for the missing amount. When he returned, he thrust something into my hand, and jumped into the bus that immediately fell off. Opening her fist, she discovered that it was not money at all, but, like, tickets - a long piece of paper on which he wrote “100” by hand three times! I'm just taken aback by such impudence! Here is the parasite! And he pretended to be decent! Buddha on your head!
I had to swallow that pill! Not like that, of course, it is a large amount - only 33 hryvnia, which I was scammed on. Was it worth ruining your karma for her? But my mood was spoiled pretty badly. I am already unnecessarily suspicious, and now, even more so, I began to expect from everyone and every dirty trick.
Take the next Galle-Matara bus.
Last time the trip from Hikkaduwa to Matara cost us 60 rupees. Well, it can’t be more expensive from Halle? It turned out that even as it can! True, this time they treated us more humanely, taking 65 for a distance three times or even four times greater than Hikkaduwa-Galle. In short, I realized that the pricing of trucking in Sri Lanka directly depends on the integrity of the conductor. But in this particular case, apparently, long-distance flights are cheaper than near ones. Or maybe not! It's just unpleasant to think that I was thrown again!
In addition to being cheap, the Colombo-Matara direct bus had another advantage - it traveled almost non-stop, and the road at that time took us only an hour and a half. Well, this time, it was different. We arrived in Matara already at the beginning of the eleventh. The direct bus to Ella has already left, as well as the passing Matara - Nuwara Eliya.
On the platform in the booth (probably an information desk), the guy told me which bus we need to take and what time it leaves. Just had time to visit the outhouse for prevention (the road was still long). For some reason, the female turned out to be 2 times more expensive than the male! (20 and 10 rupees respectively).
If earlier our luggage was piled near the carrier, right on their soft green artificial skins, now they are loaded, as expected, into the luggage compartment. All right, I think! Now they also charge for luggage in full! Just in case, I prepared a smaller bill (500) - stop fooling us! I hand it to the conductor, and he gives me 630 rupees from you. And gives a check, stamped by a cash register. And there is written the final station - Velavaya. This is a little before Ella. I grimaced and said, “Only Velawaya? ". The conductor starts to say something to me, looking straight into my eyes.
Of course, I didn’t understand a word, but the translation clearly sounded in my head: “If something doesn’t suit you, you can get off and take another bus! ". Has this happened to you? Not? So I've gone crazy! What a shame!
She spread her hands and handed him the required amount. I looked into my papers and found a record that the fare for Matara-Ella, indeed, was about 250 rupees. Nevermind. Especially the cash register! You can't argue with him.
I thought we would immediately turn inland, but no! We drove along the coast for a long time. Well, a very long time! There were wild traffic jams in Dikwell. Green flags protruded from the windows of cars, firecrackers exploded. I even closed the window to keep out of harm's way. What's happening? The full moon has already passed, the new moon has not yet arrived. It seems that there should not be any holidays on this day?
The bus was barely moving. The sun is past noon and we are still on the coast! The brain helpfully drew pictures, one scarier than the other.
We arrive in absolute darkness and cannot find our hotel! No not like this! It's pouring rain and we're dragging our suitcase and backpacks in total darkness, wet and cold!
But the carrier is a hammer! Sometimes he gained impudence and overtook entire columns of cars and buses in the opposite direction. When the traffic jams were over, he rushed with such speed that he could only pray!
We drove along the coast all the way to Hambantota. In order to see better, we each sat near the window. But I already managed to enjoy the ocean, and did not suffer much. And Vadik was still photographing something along the way.
We passed some airport, with wide pretentious steps at the entrance. But no planes were seen either taking off or landing.
Much later we met a plane standing by the road for some reason
The conductor came up to me and began to explain something.
The internal translator did not turn on this time, but I already understood (because I knew) that we needed to transfer to another bus. The fare is 60 rupees. In Velawaya, after giving us our luggage, the conductor pointed to the bus we were supposed to take. And we almost immediately moved on.
60 is not 60, but we were charged 64 rupees each. Since the bus was already leaving, all the seats were taken. I had to stand, bending down, to see what was outside the window. And there was something to see outside the window! The mountains have begun!
Soon the people came out and we sat down. I took pictures endlessly!
We didn't drive so long. Somewhere at half past three we arrived in Ella. Quite a picturesque village. And most importantly, no rain! Simply, I read that after dinner, as a rule, he has a place to be there! Mountains!
So, where is our hotel?
Booking promised that it is 800 meters from the center. I wonder, of course, where is the center here? The map on my phone was helpful and showed me where to turn. We turned and began to climb the serpentine up the hill. After the first loop, it smelled "divine"! The road turned out to be something like a station for processing (sorting) garbage. I rushed up the mountain quickly. When the smell stopped tickling her nostrils, she stopped to look around the surroundings. Yes, impressive! I would rather get there, drop things and run for a walk. It's still two hours before sunset!
But how! Run here! Verka, and on a straight line, is not particularly a walker, but here is a mountain! Yes, even with a backpack! Her husband is a great skier and mountain tourist, for so many years he never bothered to make a man out of her! What for? It is more convenient for him - while he is in the mountains, his wife cooks borscht at home and guards the dog. And now I'm in pain!
I left Vadik to accompany the puffing Verka and ran forward.
At the turn there were a bunch of signs with the names of different hotels. Where is ours? She braked the truck, which was emitting puffs of stinking black smoke, and asked the driver. He did not know. Then I went into some building by the road and asked the woman who came out. She showed me the way to go. I'm going. A few more turns of serpentine. Cool hotel. Ours is not to be seen. This is what I chose! I will be cursed for all eternity!
I found it on the forty-fifth orbit! She took out a Booking printout and with a sigh of relief handed it to the approaching peasant. Nate, sit down! He stared at me in bewilderment. Are you alone, he asks? No, I say, three of us! Ah-ah-ah! Well then it's understandable! And where are the rest? Where! (and jokes). They crawl. He took me to show the room. Well, nothing so room! Better than the previous one. Although... Stop! Where's the balcony with the great view? And there was not only a balcony, there was not even a window! Barred crack somewhere under the ceiling, I don't count. Capeeee! We've arrived!
I almost cried. Where is the view, I ask? Well, no, he says, look, sorry! Views only in doubles. He took me to the roof. Here, he says, the view! That's happiness! No, the panorama, of course, is gorgeous, only the view of the roof itself was somehow not impressive. Looks like they were going to build the next floor.
Then, seeing my frustration, the kind host said that we would only sleep in the room. And we can use the balcony of the next empty double. Ordered to show. Blimey! This is exactly what I saw in the picture in booking.
I've calmed down a bit. Finally paddled my companions. With a penitent look, she said that she had screwed up with the hotel. But Verka didn't care anymore. She collapsed onto the bed, of which there were as many as three - one large and two slightly smaller. I would gladly change the third one for at least a decent window.
The hospitable host offered us a cup of tea. But Vadik and I were already running away to look for a supermarket, and I asked for tea only for Vera.
And it was quite pleasant to go down the hill along the serpentine, and without backpacks! And not so far away! I finally remembered the pedometer on my phone and turned it on. One and a half kilometers! If you hold your breath and try not to mouse in the area adjacent to the landfill, then everything is very fine!
No, we still need to block off all the insanely smelly vehicles scurrying back and forth.
But is there a supermarket in this village? It must be somewhere, I read it! I asked a group of Europeans who were coming towards us with a question. One of them began to explain something at length. I just rolled my eyes. But from his tirade, I learned two things: firstly, there really is a supermarket here! And secondly, by the wave of his hands, I determined the approximate direction of movement. Well, good! Senkyu Veri Match!
Having reached the crossroads, she again asked for directions, this time from the girl.
The girl, too, did not limit herself to a couple of words and, grimacing, told something for a long time. I understand that the supermarket is not so hot, the range is rather weak! Come on! Let's find something to eat.
We finally found a supermarket. Indeed, there was no smell of pickles here. Bought a couple cans of mackerel. Hovered over the fridge with cheeses. Germany, Holland. Bree even was. Well, the prices are right. Let's break it down. We bought a big roll in some shop and went back. Having found a beer stall, we could not deny ourselves the pleasure of drinking a bottle for two with some spicy local delicacies.
The hotel had a kitchenette with an electric kettle and some utensils. There was also a stove, but without a gas bottle. There was no fish here, nothing to fry, so we didn’t need it. But we needed a knife, but it just wasn’t there! I went to the owner and said that I needed a knife to open canned food.
Brought a hefty cleaver. Vadik opened the banks, and we settled right in the lobby, since it was not possible to do this in the room.
We had fruit, arak and a long-suffering raw smoked sausage with us, which we could not manage to beat. Either we took a lot, or we eat little.
The owner has arrived. His dog arrived.
The owner was treated with sausage, the dog with a bun. Thinking about it, they asked if he was a Buddhist? How about pork sausage? He said he was a Buddhist, but pork was no problem! And happily ate a slice.
But that's not all!
