March 17, 2025
Negombo 2
Wow what a morning! But more on that later as there is still a few more photos from yesterday. Firstly we have seen quite a few mongoose around the houses plus so tiny squirrel type animals which are quick and hard to photo. I did manage this very grainy photo of a mongoose
We put the bikes together yesterday morning and it was hot work!
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4 days ago
We went out down to Sachas last night for dinner that serves normal food and Sri Lankan food. We are not here to eat a chicken burger but Sri Lankan food so we got their version of Butter Chicken and plain rice with a vegetable samosa. The butter chicken was mild by Sri Lankan standards apparently but it was lovely until you stopped eating and then I felt the "burn" - first on the lips which then progressed down the oesophagus and then onto the stomach! But I managed to cope with it and it took about an hour before I couldn't feel it tingle any more. It wasn't debilitating or uncomfortable it was just that you knew that you had eaten something with kick. So I think that Sri Lankan mild is the equivalent to Australian hot!!! However the vegetable samosa was the best I have ever had!
We fell asleep last night at 7.30 pm, we tried to watch a tv program but both fell asleep! We will try again tonight - this time sitting at the table in the hope we won't fall asleep! Despite the early night we both slept ok. It was hot and humid and I find the humidity the most at night compared to the day it is just sweaty and hot! Going to bed is a bit like when we first started cycling in Darwin in April last year and we got in the tent, zipped it up and you could feel the heat coming of the ground and we had to sleep in temperatures in the mid 30's despite it being 25 degrees outside the tent!
I woke early and we got up to sit on the communal balcony as it was cooler than our room. Our host saw we were up early and asked if we wanted our brekky now - Now I should mention our host is a couple that are both deaf and mute (when we arrived most of the communication was done via one of the sons that speak great english and does sign language for his parents). I knew this before I booked as it was mentioned in one of tthe comments. They are lovely and so we communicate via writing as she can read english. So we booked our last 3 nights here, asked if we could leave our bike boxes in storage and if we could have our brekky at 7am tomorrow ... they were very accomodating with us and said yes to all!
While waiting for dinner I spot a guy at the end of the driveway putting bags into his hand drawn cart and then I realised he was picking up the rubbish. We wondered how it was done as we saw people yesterday just walk out of their homes or businesses and put rubbish on the sort of nature strip come footpath come drain! Definitely not a structured rubbish collection like Oz but then again nothing is structured here as we found out cycling today!
After brekky we set out to take the road that we will ride tomorrow to Colombo. But first we stopped at Dialog to sort out our esims for the 2 phones and a physical sim for my tablet. We inadvertantly only got data which is ok as we messenger everyone and our accomodation bookings are done online.
After that we braved the elements and hit the road, both wearing our hi vis vests not that we needed too but more to stand out but then again our brims and helmets make us pretty different, our cycle apparel makes us different, if they can tell that I am a woman makes me stand out (but I don't think they can tell until I get off the bike!) I saw one other female rider and she was an elderly woman more pushing her bike! But it was ok and we took refuge in a cafe for a coffee and cake - not that I wanted a cake but Neil wanted somewhere to look at our internet. The cake was just a tasteless chocolate sponge and the coffee was hot and sweet - but I ate the cake and drunk the coffee!
Back in amongst the chaos and quietly gaining confidence on the road and quite at ease when needing to pull out to over take a cyclist or pedestrian and even someone riding/ walking against the flow of traffic or when a vehicle just pulls out in front of you! It is all at a slow pace and I do suspect the car drivers a bit more cautious as their cars are a sign of their income status and they do not want a bingle with anything. Who is not as cautious are the mopeds/motorbikes and tuk tuks but I don't find them dangerous or threatening! Man I love riding here - it is enjoyably chaotic!
Riding along it is still warm but cooler being on the bike compared to off it. But then the smell hit me as we approached the coast -the smell of fish left out in the sun too long smell and it is a strong smell. We were approaching the massive Negombo fish market. Alongside the road you start to see small road side vendors selling fruit and veges and the you see the smaller boats and next minute you come to a large green cricket ground area and the fish markets are right there. Crikey by now I am almost gagging at the smell and I think of Mum - she would be having a kiniption by now (remember that medical term I told you about last year? Kiniption = when something causes you to loose your bladder, bowels and have a heart attack all at once!)
So we pull over to the sidewalk and chain our bikes up to the railing and then realise that we have to pay, which is no problem as there is no where else to put them so off course we get charged the tourist rate of 40 rupees per bike (the local rate is 20 rupees!) not sure how much it is to park your motorbike/moped but probably less than what we paid!
Into the market we go and I am almost regreting coming here as the smell is so overwelming that I can't wander around and so head straight for the beach
Here they are drying out the fish fillets! So I walk past them as the smell is a bit better and have a look at the fishing people unloading boats and reloading with their nets
I just stand and watch and saw a group of men all with face coverings and big chopping cleavers - crikey the Pitcairn Island memories came flooding back!
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Both men and women are fishing people and I think they have their assigned roles.
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walking back we got accosted by a man with a monkey and wanted money for the photo I took so we gave him 200 rupees - he wanted more but we said no.
back through the markets walking as quick as I could, we could see their was a bus load of tourists also walking as fast as they could but for them back to their air conditioned coach and for us our air conditioned bikes!
We ride around the cricket pitch and came across the law courts so these are for you Russell. We pulled up to take photos and I saw what man who could only be described as probably a lawyer or solicitor as he was carrying all the paper work, nicely dressed and you are going to love this Russell he was wearing jandals/thongs on his feet - did you wear those?! I was too slow to get a photo for you!
So we did manage to find what we actually came here for and that was the old fort or what remains of it. It is right next to the prison!
We decide to head back to our accomodation for our lunch as you could not just pull over anywhere and eat as there was no where to pull over - well not a clean clear spot like a community park! LOL we did get to see these 2 mates in a somewhat quirky way to dink. If there is 2 on a bicycle it is usually a husband a wife combo where where she is on the crossbar side saddle or on the back rack, I did see a dad carrying a child in his arms which I thought was very talented of him!
We had discussed this back at the law courts as to how we were going to do this intersection in the photo below. It is a major crossroad intersection with no light controls so it is basically a free for all. We figured out the best way to do these (and we will get more of these tomorrow) is just wait for a big car or any vehicle and go alongside them as they offer some sort of protection and anything on your left will slow/stop as they will hit us and then the vehicle - this is the best approach! (I am still not thinking we should have travelled according to our age group Sharon!)
We get to our next major intersection and that has lights but we found it is best for us (as we had to turn right) to go straight across as most of the traffic was going that way and then use the pedestrian crossing to actually get across the road. It is all about working the system to create the least amount of stress!
We spent this arvo - Neil working out a way to get through Negombo and me doing this blog and packing my bags for tomorrows first cycle touring day.
Until tomorrow folks - hopefully we will survive!
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That fish market was such a reminder of Mum & Pitcairn, although didn’t hear flies buzzing around 😂
Ooooh I could feel your lips burning eating your butter chicken 🥵
Sounds like you are really enjoying it & settling in which is really great to see ❣️😍
1 week ago