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Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic {Photo Junket}

Posted on January 18, 2012 by airportl

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth in Sri Lanka

Boom!…………..Boom!………………Boom!………….This was no enticing drum sound to woo me deep into the bowel of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic; no, this was a command to follow the many pilgrims into the darkness of the night into the most important Buddhist site in all of Sri Lanka. The site that, as legend would have you believe, contains a tooth from Buddha himself. Smuggled to Sri Lanka by an Indian Princess, the sacred tooth has been at the center of many conquests as for it is popularly believed that whoever holds the Tooth holds the power and the right to rule over the diverse island of Sri Lanka. After stripping your feet from your earth worn shoes and passing over the deep moat, you enter an ornate and spiritual world filled with intricately decorated arched corridors, hypnotic sounds of drums and prayers, the intense aromas of burning incense and the throngs of the pilgrims dressed in white holding offerings to Buddha.

On entering the final chamber, waiting patiently for the door that houses the relic itself to be opened by one of the many monks that form part of an elite sentinel for the temple, you will glimpse a priceless golden vessel. No words can adequately describe its immense beauty, elegance and sense of spiritual power that it holds over so many Buddhists around the world, for the vessel houses the Sacred Tooth of Buddha himself. Draped in exquisite jewels and gems, surrounded by a room of golden light and lush red velvet drapes, you can’t help but be overwhelmed by the sight of people praying, placing offerings and crying, as for some, this is a once in a lifetime experience. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a must see in the city of Kandy in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka and will leave an impression on you for many years to come.

The Scared Tooth Relic protected by its guardians

Pilgrims follow the drums to the Sacred Tooth Relic

Burning candles as an offering and prayer to Buddha

The hypnotic mosaic tiles line the ceiling

The Intricate artwork is stunning!

The colourful offerings on display at the temple

The Temple of Tooth Relic Entrance Hall, Sri Lanka

Mosaic Tiles on display at The Temple of the Sacred Tooth

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

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Bathing with Elephants in Sigiriya

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Categories: blogsherpa, hill country, India and Sri Lanka, kandy, Photo of the Week, South Asia, spirituality, Sri Lanka, Travel, Travel Blog | Comments Off

Bathing the Elephants in Sri Lanka

Posted on January 14, 2012 by airportl

Bathing the Elephants at Sigiriya in Sri Lanka

There have been a few times in all the years that I have travelled and all the countries that I have visited that I have truly had an experience that has left me so humbled. So as I laid upon the stomach of a small Asian elephant, rising with every breathe that he took and feeling his coarse skin against my hands, I couldn’t help but shed a small tear at how magnificent these creatures truly are. Niki and I were in the small town of Sigiriya, in the central plateau of Sri Lanka. The day before we had climbed Sigiriya Rock and waking up early after a gang of monkeys attacked our guesthouse, we had planned to head south to the city of Kandy.

Magnificent Asian Elephant at his morning bath, Sri Lanka

Just before 8am the sound of a trumpeting elephant erupted through our room and as I peered out through our room’s dusty little window, I saw two mighty beasts lazily walking past our window. Niki was out of the door before I could even mention the phrase “elephants on parade’ and I was content to let her take some photos whilst I finished packing. A good 15 minutes had passed and I thought I should go find my wife who I had a strong suspicion that wherever she was, that she would be surrounded by an interested group of men. As whenever I left her alone in Sri Lanka, men would come in all directions to start up a conversation – whether friendly or with other intentions. So as I strolled down the road to find her, it came as no surprise that she was surrounded by two men whilst she took photos from a small bridge. Her images were of a small Asian Elephant on his side being bathed by a young mahout, who upon seeing us called us down in the river to have a better look.

Bathing Time for the Elephants at Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Climbing down the muddy embankment with Niki in toe, I stopped at the bank and felt my jaw drop. There was this creature that I had seen all over Asia, in a natural setting away from the touristic stage. There were no tourist buses, no tricks or elephant artwork, no elephant poo postcards and no amusement park atmosphere. I knew it wasn’t the same as seeing a Wild Elephant, however there was something special about seeing the mahout care for the young elephant as if a child of his own. Beginning to understanding, at least to a small extent, the bond that they share in the form of a working partnership that has been existent for hundreds of years in this part of Asia. Niki and I were then invited to enter the river.

Beautiful Asian Elephant bathing at Sigiriya

The coarse hair ran through my fingertips, the elephant’s eyes gazed upon me before contently blowing water over its back and continuing to rub the cool earthy mud over its body. All this whilst the young man used a sturdy coconut shell to scrub the elephant’s skin of the muddy dust that clings to the air in this part of Sri Lanka. Nervous like I was on a first date, I couldn’t help but lay my ear against the elephant’s skin. I wanted to hear the sound of his beating heart and feel the rise of his stomach as air filled its lungs. I laid there in the moment, tranfixed in a world of discovery and felt humbled at the size and placid nature of the elephant. After I helped wash the young elephant’s leathery skin, which I wasn’t much good at, I slowly retreated back to the bank with a tear in the eye and a sense of awe at some of the amazing experiences you get to partake in when you travel the world.

Bathing with the Elephants at Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

The dilemma of elephants in tourism is a juicy conundrum. New technologies are replacing the need for elephants in agricultural and logging industries, coupled with the high expense of feeding them, often mahouts either have the choice of releasing them (which they may not survive), destroying them or potentially engaging them in tourism activites. However elephant tourism if done wrong, can be cruel and tacky, with elephants made to do tricks and ‘perform’ for the paying tourist. Ideally in the wild is the best place to see them, however with this not always possible, many successful elephant tourism operators (orphanages and rehabilitation centres) have been developed that create a sustainable way of fostering a balance between using elephants in tourism to help tourists get up close with the animals whilst meeting animal welfare standards and continuing to promote the growth of the Asian elephant population. It’s up to us and our travel choices about which type of elephant tourism will win out in the future!

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

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The Lion fortress of Sigiriya {Photo Junket}

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Categories: blogsherpa, dambulla, hill country, India and Sri Lanka, kandy, sigiriya, South Asia, Sri Lanka, the ancient cities, Travel Blog, Travel Feature | Comments Off

Business Opportunities with Cheap Campervan Hire Australia

Posted on December 7, 2011 by airportl

New business opportunities and bright business ideas will pop out in your mind while discovering Sydney via cheap campervan hire Australia.

As you can see, Sydney is the oldest and most dense state in Australia. It is the home where diverse business concepts are translated into active operation. They perfectly worked out because of the extra delicate tastes of millions of tourists that travel in the area. Indeed, the trend of discovering what is rare and extraordinary are what people from everywhere would like to personally experience.

The busy people around are not taking any chances to escape looking for the unusual. Taking the right car hire company will bring you on time to where you want to go. Though car hire agencies are around, looking for the perfect combination for your travel needs isn’t unusual. However, cheap campervan hire Australia companies can work it out for you.

Due to the many successful business hubs, Sydney becomes a captivating place to visit. The city’s ancient and classical landmarks and attractions are blended with new generation arts and fashions. Elegant jewelries and accessories are a must-see and so are the impressive apparel designs could be alluring. Also, the gifted and warm people of Sydney will be another great interest to anyone.

Indeed, Sydney is really the place to beat. Nobody knows for sure but your business might find its place in the heart of the city. The many city attractions and marvelous natural wonders will definitely add up to you success. What doubts you? Unless you come and take the first move, everything will remain a bookmark.

Your trip does not need much effort and time. Just log on to any reliable car hire company and next thing will be history. cheap campervan hire Australia companies can give you more detailed information on how to get to the Central Business District in no time.

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Review of Saubagya Inn in Anuradhapura

Posted on December 6, 2011 by airportl

To be honest Anuradhapura accommodation isn’t cheap and Niki and I struggled to find anything under 2000rp per night. We ended up settling on the Saubagya Inn, which at the time of the post had a reasonable rating on TripAdvisor. The Saubagya Inn is a newly opened four bedroom property operated by friendly staff and is located about thirty minutes from the main street by foot and five minutes by a three wheeler in the main budget accommodation area. The area itself is quiet and residential, yet the streets are dirty. The local markets in the area will help you keep the cost low though if travelling on a budget. Saubagya Inn is about fifteen minutes by three wheeler to the main tourist sites and ruins.

The rooms at Saubagya Inn have a slight boutique feel to them with timber furnishings and semi stylish décor. Our room had two single comfortable beds pushed together and a good sized ensuite with hot water. The bathroom had a slight smell to it, however the area had seen some intense rain and the smell cleared after a few hours. Each room has mosquito nets however no fridges or internet.

The atmosphere had a more mature feel to it with many mature travellers and their drivers staying overnight. The food was a little overpriced compared to the street food located a mere 30 seconds away, yet well sized and delicious. You’ll pay about 500rp for a curry and three vegetables which turned out to be a great spread. Thirty seconds from the guesthouse is a local bakery and eatery which provides tasty hoppers, yummy cakes and any provisions you may need.

We paid 2500rupees a night and that got us a fan cooled room. 3000rp will get you air conditioning however at this time of the year fan cooled was perfect. Security is good both on the doors and windows. The owner, Sunil, was very friendly and warmly welcomes his guests by telling them that “My house is your house”.

My only small issue with Saubagya Inn was the front room merged into the restaurant and on our last night we had to ask the friendly but boisterous travellers to quieten down at 11pm at is started to turn into a late night drinking session. Besides that, Saubagya Inn was a comfortable and quiet place to spend a few days in Anuradhapura and well recommended.

Saubagya Inn is tricky to find as there is no signage or street numbers (Google maps says it is on the airport runway!), however it’s on the same street at Milano’s and just south towards the T junction. Saubagya Inn is next door to the bakery and look for the white walls and tables in the foyer.

Saubagya Inn Room

Saubagya Inn Bathroom

Saubagya Inn Restaurant

Saubagya Inn Yummy Dinner

Contact Saubagya Inn

Email address for Saubagya Inn: saubagyainn@yahoo.com

Saubagya Inn Phone Number: +94252223490

Saubagya Inn Address: 10/395 Bandaranyake Mawatha, Kada Panaha, Anuradhapura

Categories: accommodation, ancient cities, anuradhapura, blogsherpa, reviews, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Travel News | Comments Off

Colombo to Anuradhapura by Train

Posted on December 5, 2011 by airportl

Burnt out train wrecks from a war not long forgotten, butterflies and birds of intense blues and reds, cattle feeding in the fields of green and friendly waves from local villagers tending their rice paddies await for you along the rails from Colombo to the ancient city of Anuradhapura. Niki and I, after spending a day in the city of Colombo, decided to begin our four weeks here in Sri Lanka by heading north to the Ancient Cities region before making a circuit south through the Hill Country. Before commencing this trip, Niki sat me down and whilst referring to our recent chaotic adventures in Vietnam, gave me two strict rules; Firstly no entering into political sensitive areas and secondly, no dodgy trains. So at 5.30am when we found ourselves hurling through the backstreets of Colombo towards Fort station in a three wheeler driven by the Sri Lankan version of Michael Schumacher, I was hoping I wasn’t about to break Niki’s rule on train travel. On a side note, Niki’s post traumatic therapy sessions that she received after travelling in Vietnam by train has gone well, she is now able to look at a train without running in the other direction!

Fort Station in Colombo

Coach 15707 - Fort Train Station Colombo

Considering it was early morning, the city was alive with people going about their prayers, local business men buying their morning coffees and soldiers completing their intense Rocky Bilbao montages. Picking up some fresh fruit and roti from the local street stalls, we boarded our 6.50am train for Anuradhapura. If you’re like me and when you think of Asian trains you think of old carriages falling apart at the seams, chickens running lose and the carriages so crammed that people under your armpits can tell what type of deodorant you’re wearing, you’re in for a pleasant surprise! Niki and I boarded our clean 2^nd class carriage with only eight other people and as we took our seats, I sat with an anxious wait to see if anyone else was to board. Surely there had to be more people, every other train arriving at Colombo was so packed with early morning commuters that if someone farted a person would be pushed out the door! However to our honest surprise, we left on time in a quiet cabin bound for Anuradhapura.

Onboard the Train from Colombo to Anuradhapura

Waiting for The Train to Pass

For the first half hour of our trip we passed through the urban sprawl of Colombo city, passed shunting yards and other trains full to the brim with people. We eventually broke out into the green rice paddies and small villages that dotted our trip over the next four hours. The mountains shrouded in low mist were a constant backdrop. Everywhere you looked birds of vibrant colours where nesting and buffaloes were grazing in the fields. The further north you got the deeper into the jungle you went, with train stations becoming more overgrown with vines and tropical flora. Every stop would see men and women wandering the aisles with the most savoury and sweet dishes; from spring rolls to mangoes and my personal favourite, salted peanuts.

One of the many rivers you'll see from Colombo to Anuradhapura

Potuhera Train Station

As we travelled north, we also begun to notice more and more train wrecks and carriages on the side of the rails that the jungle was slowly claiming back. The wrecks, either by accidents or by more sinister doings, indicated that the north wasn’t going to be as tourist friendly as the south, especially considering I read that only a few years ago a bus was destroyed when it hit a landmine in the area. It was slightly unnerving to think that Sri Lanka was still in a state of military readiness and that Niki and I were moving closer to the areas that were under heavy observation and military occupation. There goes Niki’s first rule about politically sensitive areas.

A colourful lady walking through the Rice Paddies

Niki watching Sri Lanka go by.

About an hour from Anuradhapura station the clouds opened and started a monsoonal down pour that would last for the next twelve hours. Later on we would discover that this wet weather was the left overs from a big cyclone that hit the south of Sri Lanka and sadly took the lives of some of the villagers in the area. On arrival, we were greeted by the usual line of touts and were whisked away to our accommodation. We paid 100 rupees for a taxi tide to our accommodation at the Surabagya Inn. Even if this was too much the rain guaranteed that our driver held all the bargaining chips. The train was 380 rupees ($3.80aud) with reserved seating that we had booked the day before and gave an interesting insight into the local Sri Lankan life as well as provided a comfortable and very affordable travelling option to Anuradhapura.

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

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This is Colombo

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Ancient Ruins of Anuradhapura {Photo Junket}

Categories: anuradhapura, blogsherpa, colombo, India and Sri Lanka, South Asia, Sri Lanka, the ancient cities, Train, Travel Feature | Comments Off

This is Colombo

Posted on November 27, 2011 by airportl

Do you ever meet some people along your travels and think “what the hell are you thinking?” Take for instance the man I met on-board a train bound for Colombo today. Choosing to sit next to Niki and engage her in a smile and nod routine as neither of them spoke the others language, the elderly man eventually decided to latch onto me. Grabbing the inside of my hand he kissed it before clasping his hands together as if I was a miraculous person who just cured him from some horrible foot disease. After a brief lull is his escapades and just before pulling alongside a urban rail station where he was about to disembark, the man then grabbed my hand, looked deep into my eyes (which is when I thought he was puckering up for another kiss) and chose to snot on the back of my hand….yes, you read right, snot.

Street Vendors in the Pettah District

Sitting there as if I just been slapped in the face with a tuna fish, going over it in my head wondering if I missed some local custom where snotting in another person’s hand brings them good-luck, I contemplated how I was going to clean my hand or cut it off all together. My dilemma though was how to do it without offending the other passengers on the train who may misconstrue my overt hate for other people’s snot on my hand, with thinking the locals were dirty people. It was about this time I start contemplating my visit to Colombo and tried to work out where all this started?

The Chaotic Streets of Colombo

The first time I ever heard about Colombo was when I was working for an airline and there was a message left on everyone’s phones saying that some type of surface missile had been fired at a plane on the runway at Colombo airport. The message informed us that any current aircraft on the ground were told to get off the tarmac and into the air immediately to avoid being destroyed. I also remembered thinking at the time that the name ‘Colombo’ seemed mundane for a city name and couldn’t help but associate it with the image of an old detective program. Not to mention always getting it confused with Colombia! So why was I here being snotted on like I was in some Kleenex commercial from hell? The answer was simple, because the island of Sri Lanka had captured so many hearts and minds of many of the great travellers in our history, I had to visit to understand why!

Along the Colombo Rails

So ten years on from the message on my phone and in a time which has seem some stability return to Sri Lanka, Niki and I would begin our four week jaunt around the island in Colombo. As soon as we arrived we understood that whilst the war may have ‘ended’, the local military presence across the city was still unnervingly tight. This brings us back to me standing at Fort station in central Colombo for 30minutes scrubbing my hand like a crazed man. Colombo is chaotic at the best of times which when stifled by the humid weather made the traffic fumes intoxicating as you walked throughout the city. Coupled with the heavy military presence, which considering some of these military men and women only come up to my shoulder but looked like that could a do a Rambo on my arse, I started to realise that Colombo wasn’t some pretty tourist town.

Fort Station, Colombo

Since our arrival, there has been military everywhere; from bridges, airports, schools, train station and the list goes on. It’s not just a couple of guards either; its full blown bunkers, road closures, vehicles and weaponry. However the city is still thriving and I think their presence is more for precaution then necessity. The tourist attractions in the Fort area are small and limited to a ramshackle collection of furniture at the Dutch Museum, the various streets in the Pettah district selling all sorts of bits and bobs as well as a clock tower surrounded by the military. Which, incidentally, if you try to photograph you’ll have weapons pointed at you so quickly that you won’t have time to even think about peeing your pants!

National Museum in Colombo

Niki and I finished the day visiting the National Museum (south of Fort) which houses a unique collection of statues depicting the various religions of the island, unique archeological relics and heaps of great history displays to help us understand the regions we were about to visit. Overall Colombo is a city that is a faded relic of a time gone past. Modern buildings sit next to dilapidated shacks, retro buses push past the latest Honda however everywhere you look there is something to feast your eyes upon. From the colorful dresses that drape the women, to the buzzing three wheelers that own the streets. Yet the town, to me, just felt like a rundown city with too much pollution, no waste management and a clear divide between the rich and extreme poor. This is the real Colombo in many ways. After two days in Colombia, sorry Colombo, it was time to head north to the ancient capital of Anuradhapura.

This post is part of the India and Sri Lanka: The Search for the Forgotten Tree blog series.

Categories: blogsherpa, colombo, India and Sri Lanka, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Travel, Travel Blog, Travel Feature | Comments Off

The Car Rental Melbourne Airport Offers

Posted on October 5, 2011 by airportl

It’s never easy arriving in a new town and having to seek out a means of transportation but car rental Melbourne airport offers can be your solution. It comes with a large selection to choose from and the rates are relatively affordable and could save you more money in the long run.

photo credit: udeyismail

Now picture yourself arriving in a new city without any clue as to how to get around. Well, cab could help but the price you’d have to pay from just the airport to your hotel could be the exact cost of renting a car for a day. Renting a vehicle is
an option but so is deciding to commute yourself around and having to worry about where you are. With a vehicle of your own, you can simply roll your windows down and ask the locals for direction who would be more than happy to help. And if not, most vehicles for rent come with a GSP installed to ensure you the fastest routes around.

Car rental Melbourne airport could be looked up online and booked beforehand – this saves you the trouble. But if you’re sceptical about trusting online sites, then inquiring yourself once you arrive shouldn’t be much of a problem.

On the fun side to this whole thing is having your own car means that you get to see the sides of the city that don’t exactly appear in the tourist spots brochures. You have a chance to explore the city on your own time and decide when or where to stop and take a break. Melbourne is a great city that offers you not only the elegance you seek but the holiday you so longingly deserve.

Renting a car will come with a cost though. It is affordable but there’s still a price you’d have to pay so the best advice would be to do a little research online and try negotiating the costs. You should take a little passive-aggressive approach- but in the end should serve you just fine.

So why not go online to sites like this one and look up what other car rental Melbourne airport has to offer you and enjoy your holiday to the max!

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