last time I had continued to fight my plague, but finally found the strength to face a day on the train so that I could find my way down the coast to greener pastures. Errr… bluer waters that is! The train itself is a bit of fun experience in Sri Lanka, as the old lines pass through remote areas of the country so you can see some rural life as your pass by at a slow pace. I enjoyed my trip, and found my way to the beach destination of Hikkaduwa.
A huge strip of sand set right off the main highway, it draws backpackers from around, and is quite popular with the Russian travelers in particular. As indicated by the signs sporting Russian fonts. The town itself had fallen into the path of the 2004 Tsunami, and taken heavy damage. I had come to lay in the sand however, and to once again find myself to the bottom of the sea.
I booked myself a two dive combo at a local shop, and after an easy evening including a massage, I turned in. Then next morning we were heading out in sunny skies and blue waters to have a look at what was lurking below. They were decent dives, and it felt like home to be back in the water again. However, the dive sites were not the most interesting. This is the tail end of the season on the west coast, so visibility was not great as the sea starts to churn.
That night I kicked back a cool beach bar that was playing some sweet beats. For those that haven’t ventured, SE Asia plays some of the shitiest EDM bullshit you could ever feast your ears on. The Sri Lankans however, seem to have found their way to an awesome collection. A pleasant surprise indeed! I chilled and drank beer, but had decided I would move down the coast the next day to another beach town called Unawatuna. A friend told me the diving was better down there, and I was eager to give it another shot. Also, I was approaching my 50th dive too, an achievement I had hoped to knock off at the start of the trip.
The next day I grabbed a tuk tuk and hit the road to find the next stop!
See you under the sea again soon!