Colombo 14 November 2024

Hello again!
Sri Lanka!!! The pearl of the Indian Ocean.
Now I’m finally here. Ceylon, a place I’ve wanted to visit since I was a child.
Early on Saturday morning (October 12th—over a month ago now), Raj, my Indian driver, drove me to the airport. I found the “special assistance” desk to inform them I needed an “aisle chair” to get to my seat on the plane. They suggested I sit and wait there until it was time—about four hours! I tried to politely explain that I wasn’t interested in sitting there for so long; I wanted to get through security, browse the duty-free shop, and, most importantly, have breakfast. They were completely uncomprehending, but suddenly, they said I could go.
The same story repeated at security. Was I traveling alone? How would I manage this? Sometimes I get so tired of being underestimated just because I can’t walk. You don’t need to be Einstein to put your hand luggage into a tray! Anyway, I got through and finally had my breakfast.
The flight itself was a bit of a nightmare. I didn’t feel well at all—almost feverish. I was freezing and experiencing the nerve pain I often get when I’m coming down with something. Choosing a budget airline with seats that felt like park benches didn’t help. It was a long 3.5 hours before we finally landed.
I collected my luggage and wheelchair, exchanged some money, sorted out a SIM card, and then took a taxi to Hotel Cinnamon Red.
The first thing that struck me was how quiet the traffic was. Sure, there were the occasional honks, but nothing compared to Delhi. It felt strange after more than two weeks of constant honking.
I had deliberately chosen a good hotel, and it was such a relief to have a soft bed and a fresh bathroom. I felt a bit better but was still tired, so after a few hours of sleep, I had dinner at the rooftop bar and went back to bed.
A fun surprise was that a friend of mine happened to be in Sri Lanka at the same time. So, on the second day, we had dinner together—great company! He grew up here in Sri Lanka, so in addition to his company, I now have a local guide. Could it get any better? 🤩👌

I ended up spending many days in Colombo and found an apartment to rent via Airbnb. It felt good to settle in one place for a while, especially since I still felt a bit tired and under the weather. And there’s plenty to see here too.

Here are a few short notes about everything I did and experienced:

Gangaramaya Temple
A combination of a temple and museum—at least in my opinion. Inside, there was a huge mix of items: Buddha statues, furniture, and porcelain, along with old cars, cassette players, and something that looked like the logo camera we used at the printing house I worked at in my youth.

Port City
I’m not entirely sure how to describe this place, but you could say it’s a new district in Colombo. After a quick Google search, I saw that Sweco had been tasked with designing the city plan (though perhaps it’s not so Swedish anymore?). Either way, it will be exciting to see what it looks like in a few years. Right now, it’s mostly undeveloped land, but there’s a nice walking path. I thought a walk there would be a good idea—turns out it wasn’t, as a rainstorm rolled in shortly after. Or should I call it monsoon rain? We got soaked—right down to my underwear. Everything in my backpack was drenched. Evening plans had to be adjusted since a change of clothes became the top priority.

Lotus Tower
At 356 meters, it’s the tallest tower in South Asia. A great place to get an overview of Colombo and its surroundings.
After that, I took a walk in the Galle Face Green area, where you’ll find many new hotels as well as old buildings like the historic Galle Face Hotel from 1864. You could really feel the history here. Beautiful interiors and architecture.

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, the administrative and judicial capital
Since my apartment wasn’t far from the Parliament in Kotte, I decided to take a walk there one day. Generally, it’s easy to get around Colombo with its sloped curbs and accessible sidewalks. But you can still encounter obstacles—like a tree growing in the middle of the sidewalk, its roots making the path narrow or uneven. In those cases, you just have to share the road with cars, motorcycles, and tuk-tuks.
The area near Parliament is very peaceful and green, with lush plants winding around flowering trees, well-raked paths along the water, neatly trimmed lawns, and blooming flowerbeds. I was also startled by a relatively large monitor lizard. It wasn’t interested in me at all but still managed to give me a little scare when it suddenly appeared in front of me.
I don’t like retracing my steps on walks, so I continued and planned to turn back at the next bridge. Perhaps not the best idea, as it turned into a very long walk with many hills.
When it started to get dark, the caretaker at my accommodation checked in to make sure I was okay. Thoughtful of him!
After finding an ATM, I decided to take a taxi for the last stretch. It was quite dark, the traffic intense, and the area lacked sidewalks. No need to risk getting hit by a car.
Back home after about six hours, with blisters on my hands, I measured my walk at 13.5 kilometers.

Shangri-La
Sometimes you get lucky. Thanks to my friend’s brother hosting his wedding there, I got a big discount at the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel. I was even invited to the wedding itself—amazing!
There are many beautiful hotels, but this one stood out for its incredibly service-minded staff. I don’t know why, but after my visit to the pool, I found a lovely dessert waiting for me in my room. And when I checked out, they gave me a jar of tea as a gift. Others didn’t get such perks—must be my charm, haha. In any case, staying there was an experience.

Kandy
I took a day trip to Kandy and the Sri Dalada Maligawa, or “Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.”
It’s said that one of Buddha’s teeth is housed here, and three times a day, selected monks pray in the chamber where the tooth is kept. We arrived just in time to witness one of these moments. However, I was mostly preoccupied with finding a toilet, so I wasn’t very receptive to the spiritual atmosphere.

Unawatuna
We took a short trip to the beach in Unawatuna and stayed at a small hotel right by the water. The kind staff helped me twice so I could swim in the sea, which I absolutely love.
One morning, in addition to swimming, I got to feed the turtles swimming next to me—an amazing experience!
On the way to Unawatuna, we stopped in Galle. The Portuguese founded the city, but I believe it was the Dutch who built the impressive fort in the 1600s, which still stands today. At least I think it’s impressive—I couldn’t explore it because stone bollards at all the entrances blocked my wheelchair. So, I had to sit outside… 😝 A bit disappointing, but such is life when you’re "wheel-bound" and too wide to squeeze through.

Illness
Oh yes, I also got to experience Sri Lankan healthcare. I came down with a nasty urinary tract infection and needed medication. I have to say, it worked very well. In no time, I had booked a doctor’s appointment, done lab tests and an ultrasound, and gotten a prescription and medicine. A week later, I had a follow-up.
Okay, I admit my friend helped me call and arrange everything, but still. It all went so smoothly, and the staff were very professional.
I wonder how it works for tourists in Sweden?

There’s so much more to say about my time in Colombo, but I’ll end my letter here. I’ll tell you more when I get back.

//Kristina