Skip to main content

India Sri Lanka 21 March 2025

A Leisurely Farewell: Winding Down and Wrapping Up Our Adventure

After two weeks of early mornings and non-stop exploration, today was all about slowing down and savoring our final moments. Thanks to a late checkout, we got to enjoy another blissful sleep-in and a leisurely breakfast—a rare treat after so many days on the go.  
With no major plans for the day, we took the opportunity to relax, read, and make sure our bags were packed and ready to go. Of course, we also attempted the impossible: trying to squeeze the heavenly Sheridan bed and pillows into our luggage. Spoiler alert—it didn’t quite work out, but a girl can dream, right?  
We checked out at noon, and our bus arrived just before 1:00 pm to whisk us away. About half an hour into the journey, we made a quick pit stop at a service center before continuing on to Earls Regent hotel in Negombo. There, we spent a few hours unwinding by the pool, sipping on refreshing drinks, and taking turns freshening up in a room reserved for our group. It was the perfect way to ease into the long travel day ahead.  
Now, let me introduce you to the artistic souls of our group: Wei and Styfan. These two talented individuals documented our journey not with cameras, but with sketch pads and charcoal. Their unique perspective brought our adventures to life in a way photos never could.  
I’ll never forget the look of despair on their faces at Agra Fort when the entry guards confiscated their sketch pads at the gate. It was heartbreaking to see their primary means of expression taken away, especially when the rest of us were allowed to carry our cameras inside. It didn’t seem fair, but they took it in stride, proving that true artists can adapt to any situation.  The sketch pads were returned when we exited the fort, but their drawings were sketched from memory. Its not really the same.
Dinner at the hotel was a highlight—arguably the best buffet we had on the entire trip. And trust me, after two weeks of countless buffets, that’s saying something! We savored every bite, knowing it was our last meal together before heading home.  
By 7:50 pm, we were back on the bus and en route to Colombo International Airport. According to Google Maps, the trip was only 12 kilometers, but traffic stretched it to 35 minutes. Even after arriving, we had an hour to kill before check-in opened and waited until 11:00 pm for the gate to open. Our flight wasn’t until 12:45 am, so it was shaping up to be a very long day.  
As we waited, I couldn’t help but reflect on the incredible journey we’d shared. From early mornings to late nights, from sketch pads to buffets, every moment had been unforgettable. While it’s always bittersweet to say goodbye, I know these memories will stay with me long after the jet lag wears off.  

Here’s to the end of one adventure and the start of planning the next! ✈️🌏
Labels:

Comments

  1. thejaApril 17, 2025 at 11:43 PM

    Held up like a champ through heavy rain, wind, and even a bit of snow. Truly an all-weather beast
    All Weather Camping Tents

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Camino Portuguese Friday, 24 April 2026 - From Lisbon to Porto: Castles, Miracles, and a Chapel in the Sea

Friday, 24 April 2026 – From Lisbon to Porto: Castles, Miracles, and a Chapel in the Sea Today we finally headed to Porto. Alison had the brilliant idea months ago to book a private tour from Lisbon to Porto, and it turned out to be the best decision. Our driver, João, picked us up at 9:00 am, and we slipped out of the city, leaving the morning rush behind. The scars of the storm Driving north, we couldn't help notice the pine forests. Many looked brutally harvested, but the truth was worse. A cyclonic storm tore through here a couple of months ago, flattening homes, villages, and vast swaths of trees. The ones still standing are permanently bent—eerie sentinels of what came through. Petrol watch €2.13 per litre. Back home in Australia, we grumble at $2.65. Perspective is a funny thing. First stop: Óbidos We entered through the Porta da Vila, a tiled gateway into a 12th-century medieval hilltop town (because of course it's on a hilltop). Our first order of business? Gin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Camino Portuguese Thursday, 23 April 2026 - Exploring Lisbon.

Thursday, 23 April 2026 - Exploring Lisbon After a simple but perfect breakfast of croissants with butter and jam from the supermarket, we set out for a full day exploring Lisbon. Our walk began along Rua Augusta, where the street is lined with restaurants and outdoor seating with a variety of food - lucky we had breakfast. At the end of the street stands the impressive Arco da Rua Augusta, which opens into the vast Praça do Comércio. The square stretches out toward the river and is home to the grand equestrian statue of King José I, giving the whole space a sense of history and scale. From there, we began the steady climb uphill to the Igreja de Santo António de Lisboa, the birthplace of Saint Anthony. Not far away, we visited Lisbon Cathedral, where we received our first stamp in our pilgrim credencial—a small but meaningful milestone. By then, we were ready for a treat, so we stopped for ice cream before heading downhill toward the Tagus River, where cruise ships quietly lined t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Camino Portuguese Thursday 30/04/2026 Viana do Castelo to Vila Praia de Ancora

30/04/2026 Thursday Another 20km day today. We were down for breakfast by 7.30am, where we also made a bread roll for lunch, cake for morning tea and filled our travel cups with fruit. Todays walk was listed as having very few services, so we made sure we had enough food. It was raining when we were about to leave, so we put on our ponchos and headed out. That's the last we saw of the rain. It started out as overcast and steadily improved throughout the day. Our stop for morning tea must have only recently reopened for the season. We ordered a cup of tea and ate our cake. We tried to only stop every hour, not counting the times everyone waited for me to catch up.  Walk an hour - 5 minutes rest. Walk an hour morning tea, repeat, lunch, repeat, afternoon tea. Our walk was a combination of boardwalks and forests with welcome shade, with the occasional road thrown in. We were going to walk the final part into Ancora along the boardwalks, but the sand dunes had totally reclaimed ...
Post a Comment
Read more