saving face while hiking up pidurangala rock

If you haven't heard of Pidurangala Rock, that's because it is overshadowed by 'the other rock' that is Sigiriya, which is probably the site that draws the most tourists in Sri Lanka. Think of Sigiriya as Cambodia's Angkor Wat Complex and Pidurangala as Prasat Preah Vihear. If you wonder what Prasat Preah Vihear is, you get the drift.

Pidurangala (left) and Sigiriya (right) viewed from Dambulla.

What led Ail and me to this little-known place is the massive entrance fee Sigiriya Rock charges foreign visitors. While the ticket for Sigiriya is about 30USD, you can climb Pidurangala for just 500LKR or approximately 4USD.

The fee is actually for the cave temple, which is worthy of a few minutes' visit, located close to the entrance. The cave is merely a small hollowed-out space under the rock outcrop which is hidden by a relatively new structure built to preserve the historical treasure within. It houses a huge reclining buddha and a few other smaller statues. The paintings on the ceiling are impressive with their still vivid colors and details despite being thousands of years old.

Colorful and detailed painting in the cave.

An old man let us in the cave and gave us the place's history. Once we were done admiring the cave, he showed us the path to the top of Pidurangala. The trail, which is essentially hundreds of uneven steps, starts just to the right of the cave. The old man removed a dilapidated sign saying 'No Entry' and told us to follow him. I told him that we wanted to go by ourselves. He picked up a stick and said that the trail is dangerous because of snakes. Thanks or no thanks to Tripadvisor, I already had an idea about this old man even before we went to Sri Lanka so I insisted that we will be fine even on our own.

It didn't take much effort to convince the old man to let us be. But that may be because a couple arrived, the only other visitors the whole time we were there.

We climbed at a leisurely pace. There were no other signs so we simply followed the steps. Near the start of the trail, there are other steps and smaller trails which made it a little confusing. We followed the most obvious path but it suddenly disappeared among the tall grasses and bush. Remembering the warning of our host (a solo tourist has gotten lost in the forest), we turned back thinking that we might have missed the right way. Just a few steps later, the old man came. He was guiding the couple. He must be laughing at us! We didn't want to get defeated so when he asked where we were going, we just smiled at him and continued going back.

The other path we took led us to a little shrine. We spent some time there, convincing ourselves that the original path we were following was right. When we were already sure that we won't overtake the old man, we went back and realized that the path didn't get lost in the bush but only took a turn. A couple of steps from where I stood and I would have realized it earlier.

The path was then straight forward and it took us about 45 minutes to reach the landing where another huge reclining buddha could be found. This buddha had been badly damaged before and now is incompletely renovated. There is also an exposed rock on the ground with old inscriptions.

After the buddha, the path meandered among the forest and we had to walk over some huge boulders. Thanks to the dirt on the ground, we could see the footsteps left by the group ahead of us assuring that we weren't lost yet.

You're not lost. This is the right way.

The most difficult and scariest part of the climb was the last section where we had to scramble over several boulders. Okay, it wasn't THAT difficult but with the huge rock (the one that is ever present in pictures) above your head which seems like it would roll over at any moment, that's pretty scary. And what adds to the paranoia is the belief my grandmother held onto that people are more prone to fatal accidents when it's nearing their birthday. It was Ail's birthday the next day.

But we've made it that far and it was stupid to go back so we climbed over the boulders. I went first and when I was right under the huge rock, I had the choice to go right and climb a few other boulders or go left and squeeze myself under the huge rock to get onto a ledge. I opted for the easier one and went right. Ail was close behind.

And then we were trapped. We were facing a wall about 1.5m high and there were no more boulders to climb over. We could see the old man and the couple from where we stood and we knew he was looking at us. To lessen the humiliation, we pretended we were having a good time and laughed louder than we normally do. Thankfully they were already about to leave and they made their way down via the ledge. I only had two choices...

We spent quite some time at the top peacefully, sharing only the place with a dog. The place is wide and unlike Sigiriya, it is bare of any structures. It was mid-afternoon when we went to Pidurangala Rock and thanks to the thick growth of trees, we didn't have to worry about hiking under too much heat of the sun. And when we reached the top, the sun was low enough we didn't mind the lack of shade from vegetation. (There was only a small patch of grass and some cacti.) And the bareness meant that we had a 360 view of the landscape. We could also see people going up and down Sigiriya, almost all of them missing on Pidurangala.

the truth about hiking mount batulao

Outdoor enthusiasts living in Manila, despite being surrounded by a concrete jungle, are quite lucky for having lots of options on outdoor activities. Hikers, mountain climbers, trekkers, whatever you call them, beginner or seasoned, just don't seem to run out of places they could explore. Google 'best hikes near Manila' and you'll get five, eight or even ten recommendations.

Batulao is one of those mountains which are on the best list with the beautiful views it offers plus a challenging trail. Perhaps when I read a blog saying that it is also recommended for beginners, I stopped searching and immediately called my friends to make plans for a day hike. I sent them the link for the blog post to give them an idea of how the hike would be. In the end, everyone agreed to go to Mt. Batulao.

Journey to the jump-off point

From the DLTB bus terminal in Buendia, the drive to the junction of Evercrest Golf Club Resort in Nasugbu, Batangas took less than two hours. (Going back to the city is a lot longer though, depending on the traffic situation.) We left a few minutes past 4 in the morning and it was still dark when the bus conductor told us that we already reached our destination.

Several boys, most look like they're in their early teens, were offering services as guide. Since we still weren't sure if we wanted (more like needed) one, we just dismissed them and took the tricycle to the jump-off point. There were four of us and the ride costed 30 pesos each. (I read several posts saying that the tricycle could only take a maximum of three passengers for a hundred pesos. If this isn't official, I think that five average-built people could fit in.)

Truth be told, I felt more afraid in the tricycle than in walking on the narrow trails. The ride started out smoothly on paved road but it soon became a bumpy one. We couldn't see much in the dark and I felt like the tricycle would overturn as it passed on a very uneven road. Some people prefer to walk from the junction and I thought that it must have been a better idea.

Meet our guide

The driver dropped us at a small, unfinished building where several older men were hanging out and where we were supposed to register, with a fee of 30 pesos each. After much deliberation, we opted on taking a guide, thinking that it would be one of those men who looked toughened by the mountain.

To our surprise, the guide assigned to us was one of the young boys (some of them still snoring) staying inside the building. The men insisted that he was fit for the job. That was their set-up and there was nothing we could do. The older men apparently had more important things to do.

Our guide is Melvin, 17 years old, currently in high school. As much as possible, I really don't like to employ children (or minors). Or guides who aren't wearing the proper footwear. (Melvin was in slippers.) But he assured us that the money he gets from guiding in the mountains goes to his schooling. The standard fee is 500 pesos. And if they could get to guide in the weekends, they're good for the week with that amount. Of course, we'll never really know if all of it would go to his studies. But I'd like to think so. Hikers don't just get to enjoy, they also help those kids finance their studies.

The old trail

The woman who was in charge of the registration suggested that we take the old trail on the way to the summit and then the new one going back. That was exactly our plan anyway, after reading that the old trail could be more challenging and possibly dangerous if taken on the way down.

It was still cool when we started hiking. The first part was mostly going down on a concrete path that passes through some houses. After crossing a bridge over a small river, the trail started to climb. This part also has some trees that could provide shade. A few other trails diverge from the main trail. One could easily take the wrong trail due to lack of markers. That's one good reason to take a guide.

After ascending, we reached a flatter ground where ground cover is only grass and a few trees. This gave us an astounding view of the mountain, and the very steep trail we had to tackle. From afar, we could see the early hikers who were already halfway up. The steep slopes would only make you wonder how it is possible to reach the summit.

The rope section (where you could strike your winner pose)

It was only the night before our scheduled hike when we realized that getting to the summit of Batulao wouldn't be as easy as it seemed so. If there are sections where one had to use a rope, it would only mean that the trail is demanding.

After completing the hike, I realized that the parts where we had to use the rope wasn't really difficult. Some people would willingly hold their positions just to have their photos taken. If it's that difficult, people wouldn't be doing it.

The ropes were placed in very steep portions where the trail has been badly damaged, both in the old and new trail. What made the hike difficult was the condition of the trail. The loose materials covering the ground makes it quite slippery. And there seemed to be no trail maintenance. With the huge number of hikers who use the trail especially on weekends, it would continue to wear out. Perhaps they'd put more ropes?

At the summit

It took us about 3.5 hours to reach the summit. For experienced hikers, it could be done in much less time. (Two hours, they say.) We took a few extended rest stops. And since the trail is very narrow, passing a large group ahead isn't possible. It was only possible to go as fast as the slowest person. And in the rope sections, traffic is inevitable.

The summit offers a stunning 360° view of rugged peaks and vast plains. But it's not a big area so it tends to get crowded. There is also a stall which sells cold drinks and halo-halo. Perfect if you're climbing on a hot day. Or if you just want to enjoy you're halo-halo someplace unusual.

The new trail

Compared to the old trail, the whole stretch is exposed offering very little shade except from rare trees. The new one is also a lot busier, owing to its relative ease. More people take this route on the way up and back down. This meant that there are also more huts selling snacks and drinks to cater for the hikers' needs.

After the steep descent from the summit (there's also a rope section) the trail goes to the side of several smaller peaks which are very prominent features. I remember a few portions where the trail becomes really narrow with steep drops on both sides. After this, the terrain becomes easier with gentler downs and a few climbs.

Who's the toughest 

Although it's not their first climb, the three friends I went with are still beginners. And because Batulao is said to be okay for beginners, we chose this climb. All of us were able to get to the summit and back, plus a few scratches and bruises. And an epic day at least one of us would never forget. This is the story of Kirstie.

Kirstie is not the typical outdoor-adventurer type, although she still wants to do something out of her comfort zone. I'm the kind of person who wants to influence my friends to get into physical activities and adventure. So I guess we're a match. I've already brought her to three other hikes before, all of them very easy. And assuming that Batulao couldn't be much harder, I brought her there. (Yes, my fault. Should've done more research.)

Aside from the usual running out of breath and feeling tired which were addressed by extended rest stops, climbing to the summit wasn't much of a problem to her, even the rope section. The problem was going down. Almost everyone would agree that going down is much harder that climbing. There is more chance of slipping and falling especially when the trails aren't in good condition.

Our guide stayed with Kirstie the whole stretch of the new trail, assisting her literally every step of the way as they inch their way down. I could see the hesitation in her step with the fear that she might slide down and all the effort that she had to exert in order to take a step. (Ah, I could only feel guilt.)

There was quite a traffic at the rope section so we told Kirstie to rest first at a nearby hut while we wait for our turn. When the three of us had made our way down, Melvin went back up to Kirstie to assist her. Since the path at that area was very narrow, we walked a little farther ahead to give way to other hikers and find a place where we could wait for them.

We waited a few minutes. And a little more. We were getting worried when it had been more than half an hour and still there wasn't any sign of them. Then we heard other hikers talking about someone who was having cramps and thought that it must have been her. (More guilt here.) I was thinking about going back to her (although it's not going to help in any way) when Jen saw her starting to make her way down the rope section. She was being assisted by Melvin and another guide. How tough it must have been for her!

She was mostly quiet the rest of the afternoon and until we finished the hike. Did she cry? She didn't show us. She only mentioned she's not going to anything like it again. But here's the thing, she wanted to do another hike this year. Who's the real tough?

Some notes

• You may want to bring gloves to avoid rope burn.

• There are three 'checkpoints' where you have to pay a registration fee. I know, it's annoying. But that's how it is. The total cost is 80 pesos.

• If you think that your group is like us, do take a guide.

• There are a number of huts selling drinks and snacks along the new trail so there's no need to worry if you're running out of drinks. Along the old trail, there's only one. But it's still best to bring your own water in your Nalgene or any other water bottle to lessen garbage.

• And remember to keep your trash in your bag to keep the place clean.

sri lanka tourist visa (and how we almost missed our flight)

For anyone who plans to go to Sri Lanka and who may need a tourist visa, securing one is extremely easy. Sri Lanka requires everyone to apply for an electronic visa (which is called ETA or Electornic Travel Authorization) before arriving in the country. And it can be done in three simple steps.

1. Go to http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ This site is also full of information regarding ETA.

2. Fill-out the application form.

3. Pay the 30USD fee and send.

Easy right? And the best thing is that your visa can be approved on the same day the you applied. I got mine in less than three hours while my friend got hers in just an hour.

And while we got our visa without going through any trouble, we almost missed our flight to Colombo.

Here's the thing. If you're like me who doesn't print travel documents (flight itinerary, accommodation bookings, etc.) for reasons that may include the following:

a) You don't have a printer.

b) You could use your office's printer but you're just too lazy.

c) You think it's such a waste of ink and precious paper when you can show them a copy from your smartphone.

then you might be in for some hassle.

Our flight to Colombo from Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia was in the mid-morning. Since there aren’t any flights from Manila to KL past midnight, we opted to take the early evening flight and spend a night at Tune Hotel, which is a real value-for-money. We took our time the next morning, knowing that KLIA2 is just a few hundred steps away. Thinking that checking in would be fast, we only went to the airport about an hour before our scheduled flight.

The airport was a bit packed and there are queues in all the counters. We searched for the shortest line and luckily, the queue was moving fairly fast.

When it was our turn, the check-in staff asked us if we have the visa. Ail came prepared and had all her documents printed. I, on the other hand, took out my phone and showed her the e-mail confirmation of my approved visa bearing my name, passport number and ETA number. She asked if I have a printed copy and told her that I don’t. To my surprise and utter disappointment, she said that I need to have those details in paper before I could check-in for my flight. She then asked her colleague and confirmed that it was actually a requirement. She told me to go to the lounge and have my e-visa printed.

The lounge they were talking about was located at the shopping area. I spent a couple of minutes looking for it and getting confused and feeling really anxious because we only had a few minutes left before check-in closed. When I finally found it, I got confused again because in my mind I thought I was going to some sort of an internet café but all I could see was a front desk and two girls who looked like receptionists. Was I in the wrong place?

I told them what I wanted and thankfully, I was in the right place. I forwarded them the e-mail and my fingers were trembling as I tapped my phone. I had the printed copy of my e-visa in no time and it was probably the most expensive printing service I had ever paid. For a piece of paper with a few words printed in black, I paid 3 MYR (approximately 35 pesos). But hey, that paper was also worth my our whole trip.

I hurriedly ran back to the counters. I may already have the paper but we were still in danger of running out of time. I found Ail who was already next-in-line. I know she wouldn't leave without me but she would also never forgive me if we missed the flight. We got to check-in a few minutes before the counter closed. We were so worried we would miss the flight that even if we knew we had more than enough time, we still ran to get to our assigned boarding gate.

While waiting to get boarded, I realized all the running that we did wasn't necessary. And that we were still lucky. We were already seated inside the plane for some time when the last passenger arrived who, based on listening to his conversation with the flight attendant, I was sure made the same mistake of not printing his e-visa and arriving at the airport just in the nick of time. He was just a bit unlucky because he had to leave some of his stuff because he wasn't allowed to check-in his baggage anymore.

So, remember to print your e-visa when going to Sri Lanka.

Note: The FAQ section of the ETA website says that the "ETA is not a pre-condition to board a flight/vessel to Sri Lanka." I found out about it only now. 

touring bohol by public transportation

Most people that I know of went around Bohol with package tours. These tours which go to a lot of places include a private vehicle, a driver, maybe a tour guide and some food. But because it was just my friend Kirstie and I, availing of a package tour would be quite expensive. Add to that the fact that we didn’t have any concrete plans when we started the trip. It would have been nice to join a shared tour which would allow us to just show up in the afternoon and go the next morning, but we couldn’t find any organizer who offered that kind of thing. (Dear Reader, if you are aware of anything like that, please let me know.)

And so we went with our only option, that is to stay in Tagbilaran and not do anything… just kidding. We took the bus, made a few mistakes, and had fun with our little adventure.

Chocolate Hills

The famous viewpoint is located just outside the town of Carmen. And there are a lot of buses that ply this route from Tagbilaran. We reached the bus terminal at 6 in the morning and our tricycle driver dropped us behind the lone minibus at the stand. The conductor confirmed that it is going to Carmen. We boarded the bus and were quite pleased that it left after just a few minutes.

It was a sluggish drive. Because it was a school day, a lot of students were going in and out of the bus. The trip from Tagbilaran to Carmen is supposed to take just 2 hours. More than an hour later, I could still see the coast to the west and realized we were taking a different route. A longer route. A much longer one. It had been more than two hours when the bus finally stopped and all the passengers alighted, except for the two us. We were in a different town. Had we bothered looking at the signboard, we would have seen that the bus is going via Tubigon which I knew was way away from Carmen. And we could have walked a few hundred steps to the nearby Bachelor Express bus terminal in Tagbilaran which has a lot of direct trips.

It took us almost four hours to reach Carmen. But one of the two good things about it was that we were able to get a glimpse of the hills in Sagbayan. (The other one was the McDonalds breakfast in Tubigon.) Some people say that the views from Sagbayan Peak rival that of Carmen. And from a moving vehicle, we were quite amazed with what we saw. Had we not known about those ludicrous monuments in the viewpoint, we would have gone to the hills. But instead of enjoying the view, we would be spending our time bashing and laughing at those stuff. So it was a pass.

Coming from Tubigon, the bus does not pass by the junction to the Carmen viewpoint. We had to rent a tricycle from the town center for a hundred pesos to take us there. We could have just taken another bus and walk up or take a habal-habal from the junction. But the bus might not leave sooner. And I’m not really a fan of habal-habal when it has to climb a steep road.

The scenery was indeed stunning and it more than made up for the four-hour journey. But the viewpoint was still in ruins (remember the 2013 earthquake?), and the marker explaining the geological history of the hills was left lying aside. There didn’t seem to be any reconstruction, only a warning sign telling visitors not to go beyond a certain point.

Before leaving, we treated ourselves with a frozen drink called Chocobao, which is mango-flavored milk. From its name, I’m assuming it is carabao’s milk but wondering where the chocolate is. The drink is heavenly (yes I am saying you must have some of it if you go to Bohol) I could drink it all day. I wished I had bought a lot more.

We walked on our way down. It wasn’t that far. Just bring an umbrella if you don’t like the sun.

Tarsier Conservation in Loboc

It didn’t take long before a bus going to Tagbilaran passed by. It was supposed to drop us by the entrance to the Tarsier Conservation but the conductor must have forgotten, even if we reminded him a few times. Thankfully, we were already smart about watching out for signs.

A fee of 60 pesos is collected from every visitor. They only allow a certain number of people inside at a time so if there are a lot of visitors, you would have to wait for your turn. There wasn’t that much when we were there so we only waited a few minutes.

There aren't that many tarsiers in the sanctuary and only five could be seen that day. Most of them are in hiding. A lot more could be found in a sanctuary in the town of Corella which we didn’t go to because it was a little more complicated to get there.

Tarsiers are nocturnal animals. They are very delicate and disturbing them would stress them out. Hence perimeter lines are tied on trees, enough to keep people from getting too close to them. People, but not their cameras. It was irking to see people poking their smartphones on tarsier’s faces, thanks to their monopods. There were a number of staff members in the area but it seemed like their only job was to tell you that there is a tarsier on that tree (which isn’t exactly necessary because the place is too small they’re just a few steps away) and it’s up to you to do whatever you want.

One incredible thing about the tarsier is that it can turn its head 180°. Perhaps to show this trait, one of the workers shook a nearby tree with a branch adjacent to the tree where a tarsier was. Or maybe because the tarsier clinging to it was facing away and people wanted to take a picture of its face. Whichever it is, the tarsier turned its head and it was quite fascinating and eerie at the same time. But it still didn’t seem right. So much for raising awareness.

But they’re improving, albeit slow. When Kirstie was there six years ago, she told me they were even allowed to touch the tarsier! With the rate of improvement they’re going, maybe they’d be able to convey awareness to people properly just when the tarsiers are close to getting extinct. (I certainly hope they don’t get extinct, not in the near future. Because we’re all going to get extinct.)

So if you’re planning to visit the tarsier conservation, make sure to act suitably. Be quiet. Do not disturb them. Keep your (and your camera’s) distance. You’re not getting that photo published anyway. There are already a lot of close-up photos of tarsiers. If you want one, there is Google. And your friends would rather see them for real. Just admire the tarsiers from a distance.

Loboc River Cruise

With the pier where the cruise takes off just at the center of Loboc, it was easy to reach by bus from the conservation. We could have walked from where the bus dropped us but it was too hot and we were already famished. A guy with a motorcycle offered to take us there but his ride was small so we looked for one more. The lady at a nearby store decided to take one of us. We paid only 10 pesos each.

The lady insisted that she help us get tickets so we could get into a boat fast. We paid the standard 500 peso fee and not a couple of minutes of waiting our number was called. Maybe she did help us get in front of the queue. Or maybe it was easy to squeeze in two people into a boat that’s ready to leave. Whichever, we were glad we could eat sooner than we expected.

I don’t know about the others but our boat seemed crammed with all the tables and chairs surrounding a centerpiece where the unlimited food was served. The food wasn’t remarkable but it didn’t stop me from refilling my plate twice. While eating and cruising, we were entertained with songs and maybe dances but I couldn’t be sure because I was there to just eat and take in the serene beauty of the river.

Our boat made a stop in front of a platform where older people performed traditional dances and sang Bohol-anon songs. We were seated with a local tour guide and she told us that during the weekend, schoolkids do the performance for the visitors and the money they earn help their schooling.

Another kind-of attraction during the cruise were kids (and some adults) swinging on a rope and splashing into the river. They did that every time a boat passed by. A zip line also crosses the river and once in a while, a whirring sound and a person zipping past could be seen and heard.

The cruise ends at a tiny waterfall, goes back to the pier and lets people off at the same place.

Baclayon Church

Upon the suggestion of the same lady, we took a multi-cab to get to Baclayon. The thing about multi-cabs is that it would wait until there are enough passengers. But since Baclayon was our last destination, we weren’t in a hurry.

The same as the Loboc Church (which was just across the street from where we get off the bus in Loboc) and all the other churches we saw on the way to and from Carmen, Baclayon was also heavily destroyed by the earthquake two years ago. And it is still in the process of being rebuilt. The adjacent museum was open, though we didn’t get in.

Remember those markers you see in every church you visit where its short history is engraved? I remember them being filled with the year they were first built, years they were destroyed either by an earthquake or fire, and when the current stature of the church was constructed. 2013 would surely be marked on the markers of those churches.

Another multi-cab took us back to Tagbilaran. We could have stopped by the Blood Compact Shrine, which was also just along the highway, but we opted out feeling already tired.

That’s the downside of commuting. It’s less comfortable and you’ll be more tired at the end of the day. But it’s more challenging (which adds to the fun) and a lot cheaper than package tours when done right. It wasn’t my friend’s way of travelling but I never heard her complain. In fact, she was proud of herself for what we did.

Some may say that our destinations were limited by the bus route. And we’d only been to very few compared to the number of places we could visit in a day if we took a tour. Maybe. But those were the only places where we really wanted to go to, and it was enough.

So if you want to go to Bohol and thinking of doing it on your own, go ahead. It’s fun, if you have patience and humor, and it’s rewarding.

moved in hatton: an old man and a three-legged dog

People travel for a lot of different reasons. For some, seeing beautiful landscapes or architectural wonders is the priority. For others, it is the chance to immerse with different cultures or taste mouth-watering cuisines. Some others go for adventure and exhilarating experiences. Some will still give you another reason but as I see it, everything would boil down to one thing. People travel to experience something good and create beautiful memories.

But travel isn't all about seeing the good things. There are times when we are faced with situations which aren't exactly bad but we'd prefer not to witness. But it could turn out that these things would eventually move us and be part of the memories we wouldn't easily forget.

This happened to me when I was on my way to Ella and waiting for the train at the Hatton Station. Since the train wouldn't arrive until 30 minutes later, I made myself busy looking at the comings and goings of the passengers. And then an old man caught my attention. With only a threadbare shirt and a piece of cloth wrapped around his waist that dropped halfway to his knees, he stood out amongst the crowd. Hatton, being above 1270masl is chilly. Add to that the fact that it had been raining the whole day. Sitting on a bench, I watched him from across the railways as he walked on the platform followed by a white dog. He stopped in front of a trash bin, opened it and started scavenging.

Seeing what he was doing made me feel uncomfortable. Of course it wasn't the first time that I saw something like that. I know from watching TV documentaries that there are a lot of people who survive on scavenged food. Still, it's hard to be used to and indifferent to this. Especially when it happens right in front of you. But this isn't what I am writing about, so..

Finally, he pulled out a white plastic bag, opened it and took something out of the bag. Just as I was about to look away, assuming that what I was thinking was what he would do, he placed a paper on the ground and put the food on it. He was scavenging for the dog! He probably knew that the dog must be so hungry because he kept looking for more food while the dog was feasting on his find. Watching as the dog was enjoying his meal, I also noticed that the dog was missing half of a leg. I could only assume that the dog had an accident on the train tracks and it was also the old man who took care of him.

I may never know their whole story but while I only felt pity for the old man at first, he gained my respect with a seemingly simple act. For someone who has almost nothing, he had the heart to be generous to a dog. And while life hasn’t been very good to him, he had kindness to give to a helpless creature.

haputale

Haputale is a small town in the southeastern part of Sri Lanka's Hill Country. It can be easily accessed by train, with the train station close to the center of town. It can be said that the place is a little overlook, with very few visitors while we were there. Our main reason in going to Haputale is to see the famed Lipton's Seat, but we get to see a bit more.

Lipton's Seat

Early morning scene.

The main reason why people go to Haputale is to visit Lipton's Seat. Said to be the favorite spot of Sir Thomas Lipton to view his tea plantation, the place is named after the man behind that tea you're drinking. Perched on top of a hill, the viewpoint offers a breathtaking view of the landscape. In the early morning, the gentle touch of the sun as the mist settles in makes the scenery more sublime.

There is tea anywhere you look.

To get there, it is convenient to hire a tuk-tuk. From the center of town, it is a 17-km hair-raising trip along a narrow road winding through tea plantations, occasionally going through very steep slopes on one side and a scary drop on the other. But the views along the way of seemingly endless verdant pattern covering the hills and slopes certainly makes the trip worth-taking.

Another option is to take the bus to Dambatenne Tea Factory and walk for about two to three hours. The earliest bus leaves the town at 7 AM. Since we wanted to be there in the early morning, we opted to hire a tuk-tuk. And besides, the fair is fixed at 1500 LKR roundtrip which is pretty reasonable considering that it also includes a stop at the tea factory.

Dambatenne Tea Factory

Founded more than a century ago, Dambatenne Tea Factory one of the most famous factories to accept visitors. The factory is established by Sir Thomas Lipton himself in 1890. Today, the factory is still standing, functioning and employing about 1500 tea pickers.

The tour which costs 250 LKR per person is quite informative, especially for someone like me who has no idea about how tea is made. All of the stages from cutting, drying, fermenting, several stages of refining, and heating were explained to us while workers were hard at work. This factory produces only black tea of varying quality. They also make white tea in small amount but undergoes a different process and is really expensive.

They don't allow taking photos inside the building so here's a photo of their nice garden.

Adisham Monastery

Standing like a rarity in Haputale with its European design, Adisham or St. Benedict's Monastery was built by an English planter in 1931. The monastery is open to visitors only on weekends, Poya Days and school holidays except on Christmas and Good Friday. (Thankfully, we were there on a Sunday.) However, only a small part of the building is shown to visitors. Instead a video shows its interior and talks more about its history and the person who built it. You would need to remove your shoes before entering the building.

Photography is prohibited inside the building. Our tuk-tuk driver is a good friend of one of the staff facilitating visitors so we were given permission to take photos of the interior. But being me, I didn't take advantage of it.

It is easy to enjoy the tranquility that this place offers. Aside from the views of the mountains, they have well-mainted garden of roses and other flowers whose varying colors are truly beautiful. The entrance fee of about a dollar goes mostly to the care of this pretty garden.

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St. Andrew's Chapel

We took a leisurely walk to this tiny chapel to check if there was a mass. But the place was deserted, and the doors were locked.

More interesting than the chapel building are the tombs surrounding it. Reading the inscriptions, we found only English-sounding names. The tombs were old - some were already crumbling - giving the
church an eerie feel.

a story of kindness from sri lanka

Let's just say that our introduction with Sri Lanka didn't turn out quite well. Taking the wrong exit at the airport, a shuttle we couldn't find, an excessively inflated fare for a short tuk-tuk ride, and an old mini-bus that is filled to the brim - all of these reduced our enthusiasm for the country.

At the Katunayake Bus Terminal, we were waiting for the bus to Kandy which was already half an hour late. When it finally came another half an hour later, it was already packed. And we weren't the only ones waiting for its arrival. People started boarding while we were still arguing if we should hop in or not. We're no strangers to riding crammed buses (or MRTs) but with our backpacks, it would be a difficult three- to four-hour ride. We agreed on hiring a car instead, which would cost at least 6000 LKR if we could convince the two Korean girls to join us. Just as we were about to approach them, the first girl entered the bus, squeezed herself among the crowd and the other quickly followed. Our only hope was lost, leaving us with no other choice.

At the airport. Taking the wrong exit.

Several minutes later, the bus was still parked, the driver nowhere in sight. We spent the idle time strategizing, trying to secure a comfortable space in the bus. But it was futile because once the driver came back, we had to make room (from nothing) for other passengers. The man sitting close to us must have realized our 'difficult' position and offered his seat. Another man from behind also gave up his seat for us, seeing that we couldn't decide who between us would take the first seat. We never expected that but we were so grateful because along the way, the bus picked more passengers up and we could only wonder how it was possible.

One thing that we noticed while we were in the bus was a custom which I haven't seen anywhere else before. When one woman entered the bus, she gave all the stuff she was carrying to a person who was sitting. Well, they must be traveling together. In another case, one guy took the bag held by the person sitting next to me and thanked him before leaving the bus. Well, they must be friends. Another guy entered the bus and gave his backpack to my seatmate. I thought they couldn't be friends because they didn't greet or smiled to each other. Later on, we concluded that what we observed was their tradition. If you get a seat in the bus, you ought to help those who would be standing because you are in a comfortable position. This not only amazed me, but it also gave me a feeling of relief because they are a bunch who are willing to help someone they don't know. And somehow, it changed my initial impression of Sri Lanka.

But that is not the only story I wanted to share. I have another one.

It hadn't been halfway in the trip when I felt sick inside me. I fought it and then came a point when I knew I couldn't stand it any longer. I asked the woman standing close to me if she could tell the driver to stop at the closest gasoline station. She walked to the front of the bus. But minutes later, she hadn't returned and the bus didn't stop. My friend, who was a few seats behind me noticed there was something wrong and realized soon enough what it was. Nope, she didn't go to the driver (because he probably didn't speak English) but it was the guy next to here who volunteered to do so. (It's the same guy who gave his seat to us.) When the bus finally stopped, I rush out of it, threw my backpack to the ground and ran. I was in such a hurry I didn't even get to thank him.

I rushed towards a small eatery where two elderly women were chatting. I interrupted them (a bit disrespectful but it was an emergency) and asked for what I needed, not even considering that they may not speak English or whatever unfavorable response. Luckily, one of them spoke English and a few minutes later I was feeling a little better. I looked at her and she had this little smile and at the same time a concerned look. She was worried that I was not yet fully okay so she invited us to their eatery. She was hesitant to give me medicines, saying that it might not act favorably. So she just gave me something hot to drink instead. When we were ready to leave, she and her sister offered to find a tuk-tuk we could hire to get to Kandy (just in case I wasn't fully okay). They made several calls but thought that the price they get quoted with are too much. In the end, the woman who spoke English just helped us flag down a bus. I may have forgotten her name, but I will never forget the kindness she, and all the others, extended to us.