Expect the Unexpected

The title was the warning that had been passed along to us before arriving in India, and 24 hours later we can see why. While we thought driving in traffic was a bit wild in Sri Lanka, it was a trip through the suburbs compared to driving and walking around Chennai, our first stop in India. The main roads usually have 3 lanes but that seems to be only a suggestion since every spot of pavement seems occupied, with no particular lines observed. There is plenty of honking going on but it would be difficult to know who is in the right lane at any point in time with motorcycles, bicycles and tuk tuks slipping into any available space whenever traffic slowed down. Fortunately, we do not plan to drive at any point in this adventure. The poverty is also confronting, but if we gave a bit of money to everyone who asked, we would having nothing left ourselves, and our preference is to support those who seem to be helping themselves or at least trying. On the other hand, there is so much history here, and a growing population (1.3 billion now, expected to surpass China by 2025). It is a difficult country to ignore since 25% of their total population is under 25 years of age, growing quickly, 80% very caring Hindu people and technologically savvy to ensure rapid economic growth while still proud and maintaining their incredible historical sites, many of which lie ahead on our path. We will need to "go with the flow" as we move ahead on our journey.

Our final few days in Sri Lanka went well. We spent a day walking around Nuwara Eliya on their Presidential Election day. Although there was a heavily armed police profile, it was a very calm atmosphere (including the day after), in spite of an extremely tight election in which the opposition candidate won by  a 2 % margin. We wandered through the local market, over to the 1889 established golf course (one of very few in the country) and through the lovely Victoria Park, old horserace course and over to Gregory Lake where we enjoyed a nice lunch. The next day we drove through the Ella Gap mountain pass to Yala National Park where we did a late afternoon safari. It was a good outing (Elephants, Crocodiles, Wild Boar, Water Buffalo and a distant sighting of a retreating leopard) but not comparable to our previous experiences in Africa. Yesterday we drove along the southern coast and back inland to a new highway taking us to Colombo where we said goodbye to Rachel and our nice driver / guide Patrick before flying to Chennai.

Tomorrow we will take a bus to Mamallapuram (2 hours) as we continue our journey south along the eastern coast of India.

Nuwara Eliya - Victoria Park walk-thru, two months before most of the flowers start to bloom in the mountain city. Similar elevation to home (3500 feet above sea level) but 20C and no sign of snow!

The old race course with a 2 mile track. Someone forgot to tell the ponies that there wasn't any racing anymore.

Gregory Lake - we walked along the lake to a restaurant near the other end where we had lunch on their patio.

Hindu Temple on our way to Ella, and then Yala National Park.

Ruwana Falls, on our drive through the mountains.

 

Wild Boar sighting at Yala National Park on the SE coast of Sri Lanka.

Painted Stork

Colombo - preparing for Pope Francis' visit three days after we depart. The crowd control stalls were more plentiful on the opposite side of the beachfront main stage where he will be delivering mass to hundreds of thousand people.

Chennai two-lane traffic near Pondy Bazaar (major shopping area). No traffic lights in the area so we had to carefully time our street crossings.