tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50754694338546169602024-03-19T02:39:39.673-07:00Travel BlogBali, Sri LankaAnna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-64728559890866686462010-10-01T21:04:00.000-07:002010-10-01T21:10:23.703-07:00Nusa LebonganNext Jet (my Dutch travel partner) and I moved on to Nusa Lembongan. At first look we were sceptical, but the place turned out to be paradise. Soon after arriving we were told to leave our bags and hop on the back of two motorbikes to look for accomodation. We were then driven all over the island and settled on Mushroom bay. We had a beatiful traditional Balanese Villa over looking the ocean. From there we have a veiw of a volcano on Bali. Again there was crystal clear water for swimming and snorkeling. That night however, we found that the place was a bit quiet. Jet and I were in bed reading at 8pm and asleep by 9. The next day we rented our own scooter and found dream beach. It's name was fitting and it easily one of the most beautiful beaches I ahve seen in my life. We then had lunch at Scallywags an organic resteraunt on the beach. It was a truely perfect day.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-29809564176271915832010-10-01T20:33:00.001-07:002010-10-01T21:04:05.111-07:00Gilli Islands<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxw8wlHRv_i69DyeF_QPL9YtRkRq806uXqOj-U1qRnHpdH1vscd6QGJ0nMx2BXJv8_1fQCjxb7e0NvDMxo0_V9AvUUoG3Y6_mlf1PRvgdqCua6ifD22p_KjGFivdPvAvGWiiwje9x4KVk/s1600/P9260493.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxw8wlHRv_i69DyeF_QPL9YtRkRq806uXqOj-U1qRnHpdH1vscd6QGJ0nMx2BXJv8_1fQCjxb7e0NvDMxo0_V9AvUUoG3Y6_mlf1PRvgdqCua6ifD22p_KjGFivdPvAvGWiiwje9x4KVk/s200/P9260493.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523294550559665714" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwyP3JhZtfva2erAH1662C_tG2ERromrQENde5ZO-OiiMpJE28a2LuAmetBrJiCVCDsMe5qhyphenhyphen4VHNkug6q4dm9whlcrzXhtLfqlMXMFgoC18Teh0ZBAyQXq9wRoN5qaJBisLtBScDFRM/s1600/P9250480.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwyP3JhZtfva2erAH1662C_tG2ERromrQENde5ZO-OiiMpJE28a2LuAmetBrJiCVCDsMe5qhyphenhyphen4VHNkug6q4dm9whlcrzXhtLfqlMXMFgoC18Teh0ZBAyQXq9wRoN5qaJBisLtBScDFRM/s200/P9250480.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523294547072422898" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6SMLrNjBf7V-Er24dNEWg4Tce7b3L27amlOfbLYO3GtVTGbuvlz-cBQbB05vlJRIH_eHaXkEcMN6-CYcbpKF0OldHLV1jfMFHWEFAqKj-shOizve43jjKtxc-XglIbuun04dpl9yS9OI/s1600/P9250473.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6SMLrNjBf7V-Er24dNEWg4Tce7b3L27amlOfbLYO3GtVTGbuvlz-cBQbB05vlJRIH_eHaXkEcMN6-CYcbpKF0OldHLV1jfMFHWEFAqKj-shOizve43jjKtxc-XglIbuun04dpl9yS9OI/s200/P9250473.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523294543101866898" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FqzZC-fW-wUPn6OStiMyonIPxP4uJc5-8oKVvZgpG90vaAlvYxZnnqU6DoJQAjAoaP5OCC3-gKUpBR0ASxK1M4OfVlPjwdbV4CcKen3gGHmwF6mLEuSvCT9sq35mi9o6vA-XF-uyE-U/s1600/P9240467.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FqzZC-fW-wUPn6OStiMyonIPxP4uJc5-8oKVvZgpG90vaAlvYxZnnqU6DoJQAjAoaP5OCC3-gKUpBR0ASxK1M4OfVlPjwdbV4CcKen3gGHmwF6mLEuSvCT9sq35mi9o6vA-XF-uyE-U/s200/P9240467.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523294534328968610" /></a><br />After Ubud , I headed off to the Gilli Islands for a little sun and fun. Unfortunately what I got was a bad dose of food poisoning!!! Luckily, my new found Dutch friend turned out to be a wonderfully caring person who brought me ginger tea and stayed in with me watching DVD's instead of partying at the many beachside bars. After a couple of days I was able to enjoy the stunning white sand beaches and crystal clear water. The place we stayed had a pool with a swim up bar right on the beach, so not bad digs. There was great snorkeling right off the beach where you can spot a few turtles swimming by. We stayed for five days - most of which I was ill - but it is was hard to feel bad in a place so beautiful.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-44500535886098275572010-09-22T03:29:00.000-07:002010-09-22T03:35:09.765-07:00More Ubud photos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJWPE-C3W3oiK2WUK8LhcXzzx5J-ipikKduawn3XoG6erkARQ2wwzTmhARYL1FUA23_Lj_4us9TPQSMVLLYj3MkK0dELDClRWRQht7Pxa0NtD8Ow2TRGRncHeLtJUf_b8JpM4V9E09xM/s1600/P9190411.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJWPE-C3W3oiK2WUK8LhcXzzx5J-ipikKduawn3XoG6erkARQ2wwzTmhARYL1FUA23_Lj_4us9TPQSMVLLYj3MkK0dELDClRWRQht7Pxa0NtD8Ow2TRGRncHeLtJUf_b8JpM4V9E09xM/s200/P9190411.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519684517290756882" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mv_K3GJDzB4xygqfgwTJ7Pwp73lqt9UE_eCD8Gs5XEyXUyj1V_MY5bAsCncaLuBz2FLB42HVYu8tvVFuhmQn5O_wZeLxp-0ARN-1FWRbQ9GyDOhlyenjFs9LIiGhoP28HzpotjMQew8/s1600/P9190391.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mv_K3GJDzB4xygqfgwTJ7Pwp73lqt9UE_eCD8Gs5XEyXUyj1V_MY5bAsCncaLuBz2FLB42HVYu8tvVFuhmQn5O_wZeLxp-0ARN-1FWRbQ9GyDOhlyenjFs9LIiGhoP28HzpotjMQew8/s200/P9190391.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519684511864549250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtl5vGqFzCiRqeDnq4FUAQrMcPlwYCLWx1OdtBugPCACXAW-a-KiTe68Z1WX2ANMzfbSVnXAb7-CT4FYT2NmflGVHJvV8mAnnisS1uCAVkbvLzMuIe834ufbXO67u9GOF5Bqm6bMrkUQ/s1600/P9200432.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWtl5vGqFzCiRqeDnq4FUAQrMcPlwYCLWx1OdtBugPCACXAW-a-KiTe68Z1WX2ANMzfbSVnXAb7-CT4FYT2NmflGVHJvV8mAnnisS1uCAVkbvLzMuIe834ufbXO67u9GOF5Bqm6bMrkUQ/s200/P9200432.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519684500322384978" /></a>Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-28773577633805462272010-09-22T03:09:00.000-07:002010-09-22T03:39:14.157-07:00Ubud<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJccKtcvvHCvautqLaV-hUoVOegMdmbeJcbfC9ymD2gjS8dxTaJGyVba9Pzy8kNGxgRg4irzDUa3MNbRF3-D-zAH7q86N6W5dRaw9kUIQBJsDoEmuHB1fXYTTsWuSElpEn4pFmsN_LCKE/s1600/P9200426.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJccKtcvvHCvautqLaV-hUoVOegMdmbeJcbfC9ymD2gjS8dxTaJGyVba9Pzy8kNGxgRg4irzDUa3MNbRF3-D-zAH7q86N6W5dRaw9kUIQBJsDoEmuHB1fXYTTsWuSElpEn4pFmsN_LCKE/s200/P9200426.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519682649100549266" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4ab3iCK7MFckEJ4sjpxtyXQYuS9IvI8gIVVPp51siGXl9Cb7-UBXm88w7jFS6m2r1lEAvVzoLo-eLKzWAblMbKy2ckrr57jKpUSHJTqfNFrro5fdWAu67WK_amhyZEQW1wyXMVIiUOE/s1600/P9200424.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4ab3iCK7MFckEJ4sjpxtyXQYuS9IvI8gIVVPp51siGXl9Cb7-UBXm88w7jFS6m2r1lEAvVzoLo-eLKzWAblMbKy2ckrr57jKpUSHJTqfNFrro5fdWAu67WK_amhyZEQW1wyXMVIiUOE/s200/P9200424.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519682643123938946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDhJcamdWiD6ew8fZgLkzRyKibh4fmojFm4uQzr39Ar1lYeLq493Z3e9gMqm-NrDPyJJsWu8fvYfLOiZwsfUcd8BuooZr38e4IURs8xxtcCC9trBjbTmKjpwJQFaUGLHXsSedn3aZSM4/s1600/P9200416.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkDhJcamdWiD6ew8fZgLkzRyKibh4fmojFm4uQzr39Ar1lYeLq493Z3e9gMqm-NrDPyJJsWu8fvYfLOiZwsfUcd8BuooZr38e4IURs8xxtcCC9trBjbTmKjpwJQFaUGLHXsSedn3aZSM4/s200/P9200416.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519682632871095490" /></a><br />A relaxing three days in Ubud is unfortunately coming to an end. Rice fields, volcanoes, hot springs,monkey forests, exotic Indonesian dancing,good food, and massages have all been on the agenda here. I mean how can you dislike a place that has a restaurant serving nothing but suckling pig and another called the dirty duck that specializes in ...crispy duck. The town has an extremely relaxed vibe even though it is fairly busy and the scenery around it is stunning. The shopping is good too and I am finding it excruciating trying not to shop. Tomorrow I am heading to the Gilli Islands with a Dutch girl I met in the Laughing Buddha Bar last night. Although sad to leave this little oasis, I am happy to be headed to what I hope will be stunning beaches.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-24174418473637307452010-09-21T03:41:00.000-07:002010-09-22T03:38:32.654-07:00More Kuta photos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvfxY0lD5oO2iYRtyhoAsDyq6YPdCJ_VtF0BahP8jp09b3T2c7PE9vFdiCAX2gd1K8U4gksa22l4TOFxrYcDktkk_XtG8SJUWTRG2yaUyCbSlddVMxSlpAImbgVcZrecTX5FR4f60CyE/s1600/P9190379.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvfxY0lD5oO2iYRtyhoAsDyq6YPdCJ_VtF0BahP8jp09b3T2c7PE9vFdiCAX2gd1K8U4gksa22l4TOFxrYcDktkk_XtG8SJUWTRG2yaUyCbSlddVMxSlpAImbgVcZrecTX5FR4f60CyE/s200/P9190379.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519316352177350562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4r6wMsE9CN0845-AFO-rJAOD4tr41uY1T2FMHhr4lgLc-KKO7_HEuyJpL2BT3USTIW_ZJiLnxNMeu7lDc9gzjN7g8nZ-gOWY3OyMcXt8WpWKfHxa_oLBDWURmcYONw6PYLc1lTWCnbpI/s1600/P9180377.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4r6wMsE9CN0845-AFO-rJAOD4tr41uY1T2FMHhr4lgLc-KKO7_HEuyJpL2BT3USTIW_ZJiLnxNMeu7lDc9gzjN7g8nZ-gOWY3OyMcXt8WpWKfHxa_oLBDWURmcYONw6PYLc1lTWCnbpI/s200/P9180377.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519316336860191810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5Aj2LUapm5R46zRq4G4gAdqJ41O0jP8mRZyhvVU9T1rrz9GVW9t8KlKW2qTHiMaFsgvGIAo-F1s-iWTpVdfCKPP6s7WiKcQ3LE9H1ld5tv85-fITWTqEc5J-nh7x-Skc8N72H1E0PfI/s1600/P9170371.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO5Aj2LUapm5R46zRq4G4gAdqJ41O0jP8mRZyhvVU9T1rrz9GVW9t8KlKW2qTHiMaFsgvGIAo-F1s-iWTpVdfCKPP6s7WiKcQ3LE9H1ld5tv85-fITWTqEc5J-nh7x-Skc8N72H1E0PfI/s200/P9170371.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519316331200482914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOjhSeI8vt0Wd_JqaWODOdR1DZAXA09eu8xH8VRsSUqct4s2-Qs3i7vvsMhsfbn20UUmJ8j2ognDmt0ZsAVC9_L8PaK7YvRnyr6FFCISiVjHaOfCYu9eYhahLN4UXspvhRkZ-iYu5g0I/s1600/P9170370.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOjhSeI8vt0Wd_JqaWODOdR1DZAXA09eu8xH8VRsSUqct4s2-Qs3i7vvsMhsfbn20UUmJ8j2ognDmt0ZsAVC9_L8PaK7YvRnyr6FFCISiVjHaOfCYu9eYhahLN4UXspvhRkZ-iYu5g0I/s200/P9170370.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519316322656658418" /></a>Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-90181278656843330122010-09-21T03:39:00.000-07:002010-09-21T03:40:44.817-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3CXu0GOHnKAtzHJidLaE0HzJuZzMfOaiZxJW_xU4tB9EffF62UkOibC5LC3jHJWIXuhZCxEc08mzH1Bpf0IPKyIwOhRynOm0BYyLy5C80cLDLVAdHGdt2txmPRsdxseC8ICvo48EZw0/s1600/P9170368.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3CXu0GOHnKAtzHJidLaE0HzJuZzMfOaiZxJW_xU4tB9EffF62UkOibC5LC3jHJWIXuhZCxEc08mzH1Bpf0IPKyIwOhRynOm0BYyLy5C80cLDLVAdHGdt2txmPRsdxseC8ICvo48EZw0/s320/P9170368.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5519314835676350962" /></a>Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-9212795580244651652010-09-21T03:28:00.000-07:002010-09-21T03:54:20.828-07:00This stinks!Okay. I have just spent close to an hour trying to upload pictures from Bali and have in the meantime deleted all the ones from Sri Lanka! Urgh!Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-15931564849365677622010-09-21T02:44:00.000-07:002010-09-21T03:04:29.191-07:00Bali - Kuta - LeaginI am going to try blogging again while in Bali. Mostly just to keep a record of what I have done here. Feel free to have a read and look at pictures if you are interested. Bali so far has been a real treat despite the frequent downpours of rain. Even Kuta which I was advised not to go to was surprisingly relaxed and fun. I think it helps that it is fairly slow in Bali at the moment and that I stayed away from the clubs. My hotel was lovely with swimming pool, air-con and tropical garden for $20 US a night. The Balinese are lovely too. On my first day I went looking for a SIM card and found a group of young Balinese shop keepers who were more than willing to go hunt one down for me, put it in my phone, and help me call home - all for less than it would cost me to do it myself. It then started pouring rain and I sat with them for a couple of hours chatting, eating banana chips, and watching Japanese Animation on their cell phones. In the evening I went down to the beach for sunset and listened to the locals play guitar, drank beer, and took in the sunset. It all had a lovely feel to it. The only real disappointment was that their are strong currents and big waves all along the beach which didn't make it great for swimming. The hoards of surfers were happy though. I also found there to be a fair amount of rubbish on the beach despite the hundreds of signs asking people to keep the beach clean. All in all I had a good time, whether it was walking down the beach, getting a pedicure,massage, or just hanging with the locals.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-76775289616447158972010-01-15T03:03:00.001-08:002010-01-15T03:07:11.743-08:00KandyBarely walking after Adam's Peak, we headed to Kandy, the second biggest city in Sri Lanka. There we visited the elephant orphanage where they take care of elephants that have been abandoned or injured in the wild. There are over 80 elephants. It was quite cool to see so many up close and being treated well. In Kandy itself we stayed in a beautiful colonial hotel and spent the day walking around the lake, shopping, and in the evening going to see some cultural dancing. It was a nice city, but we found that a couple of days there was enough.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-35183306456672132042010-01-11T21:43:00.000-08:002010-01-11T21:50:45.789-08:00Adam's PeakBegrudgingly, we left Ella and headed by train to the town of Hatton. The nearest stop to Adam's Peak. The train ride was a beautiful journey through hills and tea plantations. Strangely enough almost everyone we had met in Sri Lanka ended up on our train, so it was a bit of a reunion. Once arriving in Adam's Peak we had dinner and went to bed at 7pm on hard beds, that really could have been a bit cleaner. We overslept a bit and woke at close to 2am ready to battle the seven km and over five thousand stairs needed to get to the top. It was cold, but spirits were good. It was a fairly challenging climb, but we made it with the help of some strange coffee/tea mix and a few rotis. The sunrise from the top was stunning and well worth the effort. Coming down however was a different story. My knees were shaking half way down and by the end I was using Aleks as well as a walking stick to get to the bottom. Needless to say my legs were a bit sore for the days following, but I am glad we made the effort!Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-22409665435221331112010-01-11T21:25:00.000-08:002010-01-11T21:31:20.469-08:00EllaAfter leaving Yala National Park we headed to the small mountain town of Ella. The only word that comes to mind to describe this town is glorious. The weather was perfect,warm and sunny with a cool breeze. For the first time since arriving in Sri Lanka I was not constantly repeating I'm hot. I am really hot. I am unbearably hot. Instead I was thinking this is perfect, and it really was. The views were magnificent both from our hotel and on the walks we did in the afternoon. The hills were covered in Tea Plantations and monkeys roamed freely. Having a massage there just topped of the beauty of it all. We also had a great group of people still traveling with us from Unawatuna, so in the evenings we drank beer and wine while enjoying the views. Needless to say, I was sad to leave this perfect little spot.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-77738440453499492362010-01-05T02:52:00.000-08:002010-01-05T02:56:59.641-08:00Yala National ParkWell, we reluctantly left Marrissa and headed to Yala National Park. We set off at 5:30 am in a 4x4 jeep in hopes of spotting a leopard. We were not as lucky as we had hoped but did see a number of animals including crocodiles, monkeys, deer, elk, water buffalo, elephants, peacocks,a mongoose, monitor lizards, and a viper. All in all a pretty cool journey through the park. We also stayed in a lovely guest house where the family cooked us an array of curries and took care of us as one of their own. Just a quick but interesting visit.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-246663736502295122010-01-02T05:36:00.000-08:002010-01-02T05:41:29.384-08:00MarissaOkay, I think we have actually landed in paradise. The beaches just seem to get prettier and more relaxed as we move down the coast. Seriously, my only worry is that a coconut might fall on my head. I just wish we had a bit more time in our newest destination. It also appears as we move down the coast that it is harder to use the internet and impossible to upload pictures, so that will have to wait for awhile. Tomorrow we leave the beach and the chilled part of our trip. We have found a group of people to travel with and are headed to Yala National Park tomorrow. With a bit of luck we will spot a leopard, Fingers crossed. So that's all until we find the next internet cafe. Hope everyone had a great New Years! Happy 2010!Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-58614577490268401192009-12-30T20:21:00.000-08:002009-12-30T20:31:23.905-08:00New Year's in UnawanatunaWe are still hanging out on the beach in the strange town of Unawanatuna. It is a beautiful spot that seems to be filled with super wealthy, super well travel Brits and Sri Lankans. It seems as though I haven't met anyone who has traveled to less than 30 countries and gone to either boarding or international schools. I was even given a ride home by someone's driver last night! I also met a Turkish guy who was flying home today to his house in Qatar to throw a massive New Years party by his pool on the Ocean. Despite all this everyone is surprisingly laid back. We have met a nice group of Londoner's to spend New Years with and are just sitting back, eating curries, and laying on the beach. Aleks bought an arsenal of fireworks, a bottle of black label whiskey, and a few cigars, so I am sure our New Years will start off with a bang:) I am trying to upload pictures, but it is very very slow. Anyway, Happy New Year!Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-10624990156656749342009-12-29T04:37:00.000-08:002009-12-29T04:44:44.039-08:00Chillin' in UnawanatunaSri Lanka is a place where cold showers feel like a luxury. Basically, it is very hot and humid. Lucky for us, we are not doing much more than chilling in a beach town in the South of Sri Lanka. Yesterday we went to visit the old Dutch city of Galle. The old city there has a fort built around it and consequently suffered no damage from the Tsunami. The building are old and the town still feels very colonial. Today we spent the day in a cooking course learning to make a number of Sri Lankan curries as well as coconut roti and pancakes. It was fun and now we have some great new dishes to try out at home. We met a nice group of people and have decided to stay here until New Years. It's laid back, has great restaurants, and a pretty beach. Not much to complain about!Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-527811240274398852009-12-26T08:08:00.000-08:002009-12-26T08:18:20.884-08:00Day of the Tsunami - 5 Years LaterWe woke up this morning to watch the local surfers paddle out and form a circle in memory of those who died in the Tsunami five years ago. It was bone chilling to think about all those who died in this very spot. After the memorial they each caught a wave into shore and Aleks and I went to meet Rosie and her friend (resident turtles over the age of 80). They were beautiful animals and we were able to feed them a seaweed snack. Afterward we snorkeled out to a rock garden where we saw lots of fish, squid, and another turtle. In the afternoon we went to the lagoon and paddled around looking for giant lizards. We ended the day with an Ayurveda massage and are now feeling a bit slow. Probably obvious in this posting. Tonight we will have a few drinks and head off to our next destination. All in all a very nice day.<br /><br />Things I have noticed about Sri Lanka so far:<br />1. It is nothing like India - including the food.<br />2. The people are some of the nicest and most accommodating I have found anywhere in the world.<br />3. Despite their having been a war here just a few short months ago, it feels very safe and peaceful.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-36722100916705495002009-12-25T04:08:00.000-08:002009-12-25T04:16:03.948-08:00Christmas - Really???I lay in bed last night thinking about all the children all over the world snuggled up in their beds waiting for Santa. Meanwhile, I was laying in bed pouring in sweat and being eaten by an army of mosquitoes to the likes of which I have never seen. It was hot and to be honest a bit miserable. Christmas morning came none too soon and the rise of the sun meant relief from the mosquitoes. Walking out onto the beach the restless night was soon forgotten. I can't say we had a normal Christmas, in fact it felt nothing like it. The only reminders were the odd surfer sporting a Santa hat and Christmas carols were playing while we ate roti and curry for lunch. Overall, a very chilled day on the beach with a bit of surfing, reading, and chatting with other travelers. It would have been nice to spend the day with family, but to be honest it didn't even feel like Christmas. Guess we skipped it once again.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-29466494844973732572009-12-25T03:52:00.000-08:002009-12-25T04:04:05.242-08:00Hikkadua or Something Like ThatOn Christmas Eve we left Negambo and headed for the beach. After four hours of chaotic traffic, including cows and elephants on the side of the road, I began to wonder about the beauty of Sri Lanka. All I saw was shop after shop, truck after truck, garbage heap after garbage heap. However, upon arriving in Hikkadua I began to see what all the fuss was about. We had arrived on a beautiful beach, that can only be described as idyllic. Crashing waves full of surfers, blue water, lazy cafes, beach beds, and an overall relaxed vibe. We quickly put on our bathing suits and spent the day swimming and enjoying the sun. Nightfall soon arrived and we enjoyed a curry on the beach as it poured with rain cooling us off a bit from the hot humid day. Still tired from travel we managed to watch a few celebratory fireworks and headed off to bed.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-8023224183514446612009-12-24T03:08:00.000-08:002009-12-24T03:20:36.696-08:00Laziness Sets InWe arrived in Negombo, Sri Lanka and managed to get up for breakfast before napping again till noon. The small guest house where we stayed was simple with a small tropical garden and friendly staff. The beach was nothing special, but it was nice to have a place to chill for the day. We took a tuk tuk into town and were greeted by the chaos I expected to find in Sri Lanka. The streets were packed with hoards of people shopping, street hawkers trying to sell you their worldly possessions, buses, motor bikes, cars, tuk tuks, and the odd stray animal. It took all I had not to get myself run over while taking in the sights and smells of the street. We quickly found a local restaurant where we ate a buffet of dahl and other very spicy vegetarian delights. We quickly learned that you are shit out of luck if you don't like a bit of spice in your food (breakfast included). Afterwards we headed back to the beach and paid to use one of the nicer hotels pools and sipped lazily on a few local cocktails made with Arrack the local liquor. This was followed by another nap and dinner. All in all a pretty lazy day.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5075469433854616960.post-13806224232699685192009-12-23T01:02:00.000-08:002009-12-23T01:21:23.945-08:00The Most Efficent Day EverWell, I have decided to start a travel blog after years of not writing. I guess it has been since our world trip that I have shared our travel stories. So here we go again. We started on Dec. 22 in Melbourne, flying with Thai Airways to Bangkok. Upon boarding, I was quickly reminded of the Thai love of colour as the inside looked like an Easter basket with seats fashioned in pink, purple, and yellow. I was wearing a purple shirt and fit in nicely with the background. The flight was uneventful and we soon arrived in Bangkok. We decided to head to Kao San Road and were able to get a room for the day for 1100 Baht or around 30 dollars. I was happy, as the rooftop boasted a beautiful pool which I planned to lay by in the afternoon. We napped, had breakfast and headed out for the usual Thai beauty treatments. $10 and two hours later I had had a massage, manicure, and pedicure. Feeling relaxed and slightly sore (Thai massages can be a bit brutal) we headed out for lunch, time by the pool, and then a two hour nap. By 5pm we were headed back to the airport in Bangkok's manic traffic arriving almost two hours later. Back on the plane - this time Sri Lankan airways we headed towards Columbo. I must admit I was wishing for the nauseating colours of Thai Airways as this plane was yellow and green and the pillows looked as if the were soaked through with sweat. The smells on the plane were another interesting part of the journey as were the suffocating aresol spay they douse you with once on board. In any case we arrive in Sri Lanka at 11:30 on December 22 having had one hell of a day.Anna Mitrovichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15426002656205341064noreply@blogger.com0