Memoirs of my travel to Anuradhapura and other places in Sri Lanka
Posted by Yin Teing on September 28, 2009 under Anuradhapura, The Samadhi Buddha | 
Be the First to Comment
This Buddha statue is located in Anuradhapura.
Buddha sitting in Samadhi. My guide told me that if one was to meditate and calm down the mind, one will see the face of the Buddha change in each angle. This photo is taken from the right side- shows a more relaxed angle.
Posted by Yin Teing on September 27, 2009 under Anuradhapura, Sri Maha Bodhi | Read the First Comment
The Bodhi tree is located in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka.
From the parking, you need to walk some distance to reach the entrance. Security is quite tight (to keep everyone safe) and you will need to go through bag and body search (see the blue shed on both sides? One for the guys and another for the ladies.
Posted by Yin Teing on September 26, 2009 under Anuradhapura, Colombo | Be the First to Comment
I was picked up from the Colombo airport by the driver with the van. From Colombo, we travelled over 200km to reach Anuradhapura. The plan was for me to visit Anuradhapura, then make a few stopovers on the way back to Colombo.
The above photo was taken- from the back of the van. The typical streets of Colombo looked like the picture above.
Posted by Yin Teing on September 23, 2009 under Anuradhapura, Travel Schedule | Be the First to Comment
I decided to go ahead with the trip despite many advice from well meaning friends to do otherwise. Well, I did not initially wanted to go alone but I had less than 2 weeks to plan the trip, so the time was not enough to bring any friends. Anyway, I had customised my tour JUST to visit ancient Buddhist sites, to view carvings, monastery and ancient ruins which date back thousands of years. No safari, beachside, tea plantation or shopping- so I didn’t think anyone will be interested anyway.
From what I learned by visiting Sri Lanka, I would like to share this with Malaysian friends who are thinking of visiting there:
**Note: Today (16 Oct 06) I have to withdraw a point that I had writen earlier about the country being safe as I just watched the Breaking News in BBC about 90 people dying in a blast near Dambulla. Still, I would say that if I am given free flight tickets and enough annual leave, I would not mind going back again***
1. If you wish to save more cost, first, buy only the air ticket from Matta fair. Then make arrangement with a travel agent in Sri Lanka. You should know the type of places you wish to go (you can do some research in the net or buy the Sri Lanka guidebook from Lonely Planet/ Footprint). Then just inform the travel company of the places and they will arrange an itenary for you.
2. About travel agents: do be careful. I have gotten comparison from a few agents. Some are overpriced, some give the itenary that is impossible to be followed. At the end I engaged the agent recommended by my friend: Lanka Vacations (but the last i checked, their url http://www.lankavacations.com/ is no longer working)–refer travel schedule provided by them below. I STRONGLY recommend this travel agent because it is excellent. Actually my friend’s uncle got heart attack during the trip to Sri Lanka. The owner of the agency personally took care of her uncle while the rest of the family comes back to Malaysia. The agent customised a package to the places I wish to go, offered me full board (accomodation at 5 star hotels with good meals) at a very affortable prize.
3. If you are visiting monasteries, and especially ancient sites, you are expected to be well covered & take off your hat and shoes. So if you have sensative feet, bring a pair of socks along. It means walking on hard granite, stone and sand in the middle of the hot sun. But if you go with a joyful heart, you will hardly feel any tireness or pain at all
4. Do tip if you can. Take heart that most people, especially those working in the outskirts only get peanuts. I noticed a very low occupancy rates amongst hotels in Anuradhapura and areas of the Cultural Triangle because many people are afraid to visit the area. A mere 50 rupees (less than RM3) means a lot to the porter who carries your bags to your room. And why not buy your mineral water from the stalls/shops at the roadside- it may be more expensive than the supermarket but you will be giving these people a break.
5. However, if you visit various tourist places, there will be guides offering their services, children begging for money or people approaching you to sell things. For such cases, to avoid complications, it is better to say no politely. However in some places, you are obliged to use a guide from the place and pay them a small fee- always seek advise from your guide on the appropiate action to take.
A guide in Sigiriya (Lion Rock Temple)
In Sigiriya, I had hired an guide (because the tour did not cover my tour guide’s entrance tickets). My tour guide had advise me to get a guide to bring me in Sigiriya because if not, every step of the way, there will be people approaching me, or talking to me. Once I engage the service of someone, the rest will not disturb (some kinda of unspoken code, I guess).
He spoke good English and explained the history of the site. I was very afraid of heights and he was very helpful. I did not dare to climb up the spiral staircase to view the wall famous paintings and he offered to climb up to take the pictures for me. Anyway, after I came down from Sigiriya and paid the guide, gave him my Robustoson sweets for his dry cough. Later my tour guide told me that the guide actually have a son (5yrs old) who is aneamic and every month the boy need to get blood transfusion. They hardly earn enough to make ends meet (because there are so many guides there). Still, they earn their money righteously. My tour guide who had been in this line for about 12 years, know him personally.
Posted by Yin Teing on September 22, 2009 under Anuradhapura, Travel Schedule | Be the First to Comment
Here was my travel schedule as provided by the tour agent:
Note: I stayed in mostly 5 star hotels with mostly buffet food. Was well worth the money I paid for. I’ve followed the schedule quite closely, but my driver decided to also take me to Avukana Buddha statue because he felt I would like the place. He was right, I love the place and the abbot there had given me an invitation to stay there the next time I visit.
Day 01 at 11.50am
Pickup by driver guide from airport
Proceed to Anuradahapura
Lunch at Local Restaura
nt Dinner & Overnight At Palm Garden Village Hotel
Day 02
Breakfast At Hotel
After B/F Sightseeing of Anuradhapura Srimaha Bodhi, Isurumuniya, Ruwanweli Seya Thuparama, etc……….
Lunch at Local restaurant
Visit MIHINTALE
Dinner & Overnight At Palm Garden Village Hotel
Day 03
Breakfast At Hotel
After B/F Proceed to Polonnaruwa
Sight seeing at Polonnaruwa
Lunch at Local Restaurant
PM Sightseeing of Sigiriya **SIGIRIYA ROCK TEMPLE
Dinner & Overnight At Sigiriya Village Hotel
Day 04
Breakfast At Hotel
After B/F Proceed to KANDY Via Visit DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLES
VISIT TOOTH RELIC TEMPLE
Lunch at Local restaurant
Proceed to Negombo Dinner & Overnight at Goldi sands (only this hotel was not very good)
Day 05 – 11Oct
Departure Transfer to Airport at 5am (I took a morning flight home)
We will offer you a very Special rate for the above tour programme @ US$ 465/-nett including Accommodation on full board basis (4*-5*) for 01 SGL room
+ A/C Car or Micro Bus with English speaking driver guide
+ entrance tickets to historic sites + Government Taxes
The Rate excludes last night Stay near Airport Hotel Tour Package = US$ 465/-Goldi Sands = US$ 50/-Polnnaruwa Entrance = US$ 20/-Total US$ 535/
-Our representative will provide you the balance of US$ 65/- at the airport deducting US$ 535/- from the US$ 600/- as per your request
Looking forward for your visit to Sri Lanka
Best Rgds,Rohan.
Lanka Vacations (Pvt) Ltd.43. St Anthony’s Mawatha,
Colombo 03, Srilanka.
Tel 0094 – 11 – 2576330 , 0094 – 11 – 2576668Fax 0094 – 11 – 2576282email :lankavac@slt.lk , resvac@sltnet.lkWeb : www.lankavacations.com/ (url not working the last time i checked in june 08)
Posted by Yin Teing on under Personal | Be the First to Comment
I flew to Chennai for work assignment in October 2006. I decided to use the chance to en route to Sri Lanka on my way back. The country is so beautiful. The country have everything for everyone: safari, waterfalls, lakes, ancient sites, tea plantations, postcard beaches, shopping, etc. There are actually a lot of news going around about the place being not safe to be visited, etc- well, I still went alone following my heart. A week before I was about to leave for India and Sri Lanka, I read a number of news of people being killed in accidents in our country. All these saddened me but also make me reflect that if one’s time is up, one’s life would end regardless of where one are. When I was there, I felt the country is safe- no one appeared disturbed about the war that went on for so many years
