Galle —-> Tissamaharama – July 29
Today a blinding sun shines, and the sky is blue. Breakfast is not included, so I have a hard time trying to avoid the chic restaurants. I drink tea with milk at the kiosk of the sports club, 30 LKR, then cookies, bananas and a crepe (50 + 80 LKR). I take a walk around the fort, I take my bags and walk to the bus terminal. Bus from Galle to Matara 80 LKR, sudden connection to Tissamaharama 150 LKR. Today, the cruising speed is reasonable. I start to think that maybe the exception was what happened yesterday. We coast along the beaches. Mirissa, Tangalle, and other locations where some travelers friends of mine stayed. Narrow strips of sand, palm trees swaying at the wind, somber sea. I do not want to stop. The bus station in Tissa is downtown, but I want to stay in the lake area, so I take a tuk tuk (60 LKR). The driver takes me to a friend’s place, just by the lake, but with my low budget, rather than in a bungalow, they would like to put me in a room adjacent to the restaurant, and only separated by a folding screen! Disgruntled, I dismiss him saying that I want to find something on my own. I go back on the main road, without any good idea. Fortunately I see a strip of hotels, and I stop at the first one, Reny, which is not mentioned anywhere. The rooms are awful, I haggle 4000 LKR for 2 nights, I choose a wide one with a lovely balcony at the back. The bathroom is dim so I check it hastily to find out later that it’s horrible, the shower drain is clogged from cigarette butts and hair. That sucks. I ask for information for Yala National Park safari, getting a last price of 5000 LKR for half a day, later in the street independent guides will offer 4000 LKR. I take a walk along the lake and the green paddy fields, and reach a temple
Coming back I buy water, 120 LKR (a lot) for 2 lt bottle. Then I dine at the New Cabana, well reviewed on Trip Advisor, but bloody expensive (949 LKR), I am at the beginning of the trip and I still I have to understand well how prices work here