Colombo —-> Galle – July 28
My plane lands in Colombo at 10.10. The first purchase is a Dialog sim card (1300 LKR) which will allow me to keep in touch with home. I cross the road in front of the arrivals atrium, and jump on a direct public bus to downtown, 100 LKR. Under an insistent rain, I get off at a terminal whose name I ignore. I just stop at a horrid latrine, I pray the guardian not charge me anything, because I just withdrawn cash from an ATM airport and I do not have small coins.
They make me hurry and jump on a departing bus to Galle (220 LKR). I ask if it is an express bus and I get an affirmative grunt by the driver. Actually, more than an express bus, this is a supersonic rocket
Just outside the Columbo traffic jams along the Mount Lavina Road, a mad race at full speed begins, with a lot of reckless overtakings and non-observance of safety distances, as well as of the basic rules of common sense. I had read in the guidebook about this monetization of transfer times, pressure on drivers to do everything faster and faster, and I realize that for once the Rough Guide was not exaggerating … The bus overtakes regardless of other vehicles coming from the opposite lane, no matter their size, puts high beam lights on, honks to intimidate, to slow down and to dodge whoever in front of him. The ticket collector helps him in this operation, he protrudes from the steps through the door (open) and with the arm invites the other ones to stay aside without fuss, attracting all kinds of insults, especially by tuk tuks. At the first stop I am already half dead. We stop in the cort yard facing a kind of local restaurant,
the outside toilet is much worse than the previous one at Colombo bus terminal, a huge cockroach observes me from the edge of a sink 10 centimeters away from my face, the size of the closet does not allow me to stay farther, while I do balancing acts 1) not to touch the toilet holding my backpack and the camera meanwhile 2) with the same two hands, simultaneously hold my trousers away from the floor, dirty with mud and who knows what. 3) not to make any sudden movements which could frighten the cockroach which, running away, could fall on me.
Again I think: “fuck, if these are the driving and hygiene standards of the country it will be a nice holiday”.
We pass through a series of well-known seaside villages like Unawatuna, but traveling at the light speed I find it hard to get a full picture of the landscape, mostly it’s about frames imprinted on my retina at random.
Finally Galle. I get off the 4 wheels trap, and I see in front of me the fort walls. I can reach them with a 5 minutes walk. I could stay in the new city, where the accommodations are inexpensive, but since I’m leaving already tomorrow, I prefer to sleep in the most interesting area. I know that one of the cheapest accommodations should be the Old Dutch House. I’m lucky, I enter the citadel on the right side, I see a sign that indicates it, so I find it effortlessly
Another fluke, they have a free room with shared bathroom, both spotless. The cost is 2500 LKR. The room nr. 3 is located in the mezzanine, and it’s an attic, the fan is approximately fixed to the oblique ceiling, and swings and squeaks when I switch it on. Keeping open the two windows I create a fresh and pleasant air circulation that allows to keep the fan off. I take a shower and go out. I walk on the ramparts at sunset, breathing the monsoon and enjoying the feeling of freedom and well-being that traveling alone gives me. There is a lot of moisture, but I do not mind, now that the sun has disappeared behind thick piles of dark clouds. I think it has just stopped to rain. It’s full of people, especially teenagers, many still in school uniform, which are enjoying life
There are many beautiful houses in Dutch colonial style, transformed into shops or restaurants,and several churches
Along the entire perimeter of the walls in the opposite direction, passing near the lighthouse, I go back to the bus terminal, hoping for some cheap meal, but nothing inspires me, so I have to return to the fort. Scared by prices, I stop at Anura Restaurants, one of the cheapest, 500 LKR for a rice and curry. Go back in my room, keep windows open and I am fine, till when a sudden storm spills into the room tons of rain, so I have to close the shutters and switch on the squeaky fan