I kept a written record (as I always do) of my holiday. I also found myself noting down all the things I'd like to do in the future. Many will never happen but I thought I would record them for future regret and self flagellation.
Home version of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue; L’Eroica cyclosportif in grand retro style in moustache (Chianti in Oct); Nelmes institute of Art (giant Pollocks); Nelmes institute of Science II; Play cricket (at least once); Go to regular MKAC sessions; Sub 1:35 half marathon (Spring); Sub 3:30 marathon (Autumn); Duathlon or triathlon (Autumn); Time trial (Summer); Humphrey Institute II; Play more music; Touch Rugby (point at football, bite my thumb at conkers and fondle rounders); Three Men in a Boat: this time it is opulent; Set up wire stave and play starlings; Twenty five go mad in Dorset; Make ginger beer; Establish exactly how to boil perfect eggs; Book - A World Without...;PhD (Thames or Transport); Move house; Read Ackroyd on Thames; Buy British umbrella; Get Dad on Internet; Weigh own head; Go on Meredith/Wodehouse motor weekend; Escape from the 21st century; Snorkeling in the Ouzel; Become an expert; Read about ants; Buy a new dictionary ; Buy the first dictionary; Take part in nature survey; Plant willow wands; Write a book on packing; Puncture fairy; Bruce chatwin; BTCV; Read Great Railway bazaar; Read Richard Burton’s Arabian Nights; Explore Pushkin; Learn cycling Italian; Listen to Steve Earle, the Goldberg variations; Write a group novel; Organise an Italian trip (Venice Piedmont, L’Eroica); Establish friendly/cooperative society; Learn blues guitar; Hold a Nelmes Olympiad; Sow Christ in grass seed; Establish the nature of my purpose.
Gary Nelmes
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Sri Lanka: part three
Ella was a nice little town with, what I imagine to be, breathtaking views. It was fairly cloudy while we were there so we had to imagine them. I lieu of the views I went frog hunting and manged to track down a a whole little orchestra down by the hotel pond. It was only sometime later that I realised that there was a down side to frog hunting.
Lying in bed I put my hand on something slug-like. It turned out to be a leech engorged with blood from my foot. I was able to resist a girlish scream but there was blood everywhere.
From Ella we took a brilliant bus ride down to Tangalla. The bus seemed to plunge headlong down the hill with no regard for life of limb. Oddly you get used to that attitude fairly quickly and I spent the trip looking out and the rapidly changing landscape and reading. From the misty uplands we first dipped out of the cloud and then descended further onto the coastal plain.
As the landscape flattened the nature of the agriculture changes; first from tea to vegetables and fruit trees and then to paddy and salt pans. We started to see a different fauna too. The little egrets of the north were joined by intermediate egrets, terns, ibis, pelican, kite and gulls.
Lying in bed I put my hand on something slug-like. It turned out to be a leech engorged with blood from my foot. I was able to resist a girlish scream but there was blood everywhere.
From Ella we took a brilliant bus ride down to Tangalla. The bus seemed to plunge headlong down the hill with no regard for life of limb. Oddly you get used to that attitude fairly quickly and I spent the trip looking out and the rapidly changing landscape and reading. From the misty uplands we first dipped out of the cloud and then descended further onto the coastal plain.
As the landscape flattened the nature of the agriculture changes; first from tea to vegetables and fruit trees and then to paddy and salt pans. We started to see a different fauna too. The little egrets of the north were joined by intermediate egrets, terns, ibis, pelican, kite and gulls.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Sri Lanka: part two
Since last I wrote we're had some adventures. Mr Ranjit turned out to be a right royal pain in the arse - if not a crook. Emily had read that we should take cars and a 'driver' and I allowed myself to be over ruled as regards the train journey up to Kandy. As a result we got lumbered with a 34,000 rupee bill for a van, a driver, 4 nights near Habarana and tours of the ancient sites.
The drive up to Kandy (in the hills) was OK although I hate vehicles with dark windows. When we got there it was raining and we took quite a while to find a hotel. When we did we ended up with a place full of screaming women, snoring men and hard surfaces. We went to The Pub (not out of choice) a Chinese restaurant. We managed to get food poisoning and even I was sick.
The day after I was feeling rather unwell and had to grit my teeth through the Kandy tourist stuff. The weather was awful and the 'traditional dancing' somewhat trying. The temple of the Tooth was actually quite interesting but our driver spoke so little English that explanations of what was going on were next to useless.
After another night at the hard surfaces hotel (Man I tell you there wasn't a soft surface to be seen) we went what the Britishers call 'up country'. This was to the vast quantity of Stupas, temples, Buddhas and other religious sites in the north. When I say 'North' were were never less that 50km away from the fighting.
One of the sites in particular was fantastic. A kind of forgotten city in the jungle. A 1,000 years old and rediscovered by the Brits (I suspect that as with most of these things the locals knew it was there all the time). Our guide (not our driver) was quite superb and really gave us a flavour of the place.
We also went to the most fantastic botanical garden.
During this 'oop North' phase we stayed at Dream Cottage (another Ranjit idea). This was nice and the food was excellent but Ranjit sold us 3 nights for the price of 4 with no hot water. Still it was almost worth it for the bats and MASSIVE frog chorus which struck up at 6pm.
I developed a horrible cold and a chest infection while I was there and the carried it back to Kandy with me. At Kandy we divested ourselves of the driver (at great expense) and spent a couple of days getting better, coughing up blood, and seeing the sights.
Since then we have been winding our way cheaply and beautifully by train down south. Tonight we are in Ella in the tea planting highlands. It is truly lovely and not having the responsibility of 'staff' and the feel of the earth under my feet.
We may well be at the coast tomorrow where I will go over this to add some more detail and correct the errors.
Gary Nelmes
The drive up to Kandy (in the hills) was OK although I hate vehicles with dark windows. When we got there it was raining and we took quite a while to find a hotel. When we did we ended up with a place full of screaming women, snoring men and hard surfaces. We went to The Pub (not out of choice) a Chinese restaurant. We managed to get food poisoning and even I was sick.
The day after I was feeling rather unwell and had to grit my teeth through the Kandy tourist stuff. The weather was awful and the 'traditional dancing' somewhat trying. The temple of the Tooth was actually quite interesting but our driver spoke so little English that explanations of what was going on were next to useless.
After another night at the hard surfaces hotel (Man I tell you there wasn't a soft surface to be seen) we went what the Britishers call 'up country'. This was to the vast quantity of Stupas, temples, Buddhas and other religious sites in the north. When I say 'North' were were never less that 50km away from the fighting.
One of the sites in particular was fantastic. A kind of forgotten city in the jungle. A 1,000 years old and rediscovered by the Brits (I suspect that as with most of these things the locals knew it was there all the time). Our guide (not our driver) was quite superb and really gave us a flavour of the place.
We also went to the most fantastic botanical garden.
During this 'oop North' phase we stayed at Dream Cottage (another Ranjit idea). This was nice and the food was excellent but Ranjit sold us 3 nights for the price of 4 with no hot water. Still it was almost worth it for the bats and MASSIVE frog chorus which struck up at 6pm.
I developed a horrible cold and a chest infection while I was there and the carried it back to Kandy with me. At Kandy we divested ourselves of the driver (at great expense) and spent a couple of days getting better, coughing up blood, and seeing the sights.
Since then we have been winding our way cheaply and beautifully by train down south. Tonight we are in Ella in the tea planting highlands. It is truly lovely and not having the responsibility of 'staff' and the feel of the earth under my feet.
We may well be at the coast tomorrow where I will go over this to add some more detail and correct the errors.
Gary Nelmes
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Sri Lanka: part one
Christmas was a wash out but at least I had a further three weeks of holiday to look forward to. I drove back to MK to collect my thoughts, do laundry etc. I had dinner with Beccy at the Barge and set off to Oxford in the morning. The day was predictably full of delays but eventually I found myself at the same bus stop where my ill fated trip to Chamonix had begun. No omen I hope.
We took the bus to Heathrow (I slept all the way) then hung about in the airport waiting for our slightly delayed flight. About 30mins after take off I had my first taste of Sri Lanka. A lovely veggie curry. Sometimes I could chuck the whole meat thing in. It doesn't add much more than a cheap thrill to food.
Oddly and uncharacteristically I played video games on the plane. Admittedly one of these was chess (the computer was stupid) but there were also a few space invaders type games.
The Maldives looked pretty amazing from the air. Beautiful rings of azure in a deep blue sea. I understand that they have a pretty nasty government (hence all the Trouble in Paradise headlines).
Arriving in Colombo we too a too long taxi ride to Ranjit's place. It oddly reminds me of Leafield road in Oxford. Nice airy 70's architecture. Gareth didn't appear to have been sick down this wall however.
I don't have a strong idea of Colombo yet. We spent evening one eating at our B&B, Evening two at a New Year party at the Galle Face Hotel (V swanky) and evening three in an outdoor restaurant on Duplication road. In between we have seen the harbour, endless markets, the (quite lovely) National Museum and some nice churches and temples.
The people (as in India) have been lovely. This is balanced out by a slightly reckless attitude to the road and the heavy military presence designed to counter the very real threat of Tamil nationalism.
Today (Jan 2nd 2008) we will head up to Kandy via the Elephant Orphanage. Hey! Flumpage! I'll see if I can bag a couple of little ones to bring home.
So far I have seen egrets, frogs, things that look like chip monks, hooded crows and a bird beginning with k with a white spike and red eyes.
Lots if sight/site seeing to do today.
Gary Nelmes xx
We took the bus to Heathrow (I slept all the way) then hung about in the airport waiting for our slightly delayed flight. About 30mins after take off I had my first taste of Sri Lanka. A lovely veggie curry. Sometimes I could chuck the whole meat thing in. It doesn't add much more than a cheap thrill to food.
Oddly and uncharacteristically I played video games on the plane. Admittedly one of these was chess (the computer was stupid) but there were also a few space invaders type games.
The Maldives looked pretty amazing from the air. Beautiful rings of azure in a deep blue sea. I understand that they have a pretty nasty government (hence all the Trouble in Paradise headlines).
Arriving in Colombo we too a too long taxi ride to Ranjit's place. It oddly reminds me of Leafield road in Oxford. Nice airy 70's architecture. Gareth didn't appear to have been sick down this wall however.
I don't have a strong idea of Colombo yet. We spent evening one eating at our B&B, Evening two at a New Year party at the Galle Face Hotel (V swanky) and evening three in an outdoor restaurant on Duplication road. In between we have seen the harbour, endless markets, the (quite lovely) National Museum and some nice churches and temples.
The people (as in India) have been lovely. This is balanced out by a slightly reckless attitude to the road and the heavy military presence designed to counter the very real threat of Tamil nationalism.
Today (Jan 2nd 2008) we will head up to Kandy via the Elephant Orphanage. Hey! Flumpage! I'll see if I can bag a couple of little ones to bring home.
So far I have seen egrets, frogs, things that look like chip monks, hooded crows and a bird beginning with k with a white spike and red eyes.
Lots if sight/site seeing to do today.
Gary Nelmes xx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
