Matt & Maria’s Trip to Sri Lanka 2018 - Part 4

Day 10 - 21st December 2018 - The Tooth Relic,  British Garrison Cemetery and Kandy Botanical Gardens

08:00 for The Tooth Relic; here a Tooth recovered from Buddha’s cremation pyre is preserved having been sent over from India by the king with the prince.  Sumi manages to find a perfect parking spot and shows us the temple, providing us with interesting information.  School is out so there are plenty of families with young kids and babies as well as school holiday trips; but we’re here in good time and beat most of the crowds.  Maria manages to have her photograph with a monk who has been in service since 1995 as well as a load of kids.  The temple and its surroundings are great but we never did see that allusive Tooth.   

Before picking up the car we headed to the British Garrison Cemetery and walked amongst the graves and headstones of young colonialists who died mainly from jungle fever.  The average age in the cemetery was around 27 years.  The first

resident was a captain who fought in the battle of Waterloo.  A young lad in his late teens is the  cemetery caretaker, and he shows us around. He knowledge of each and every grave and headstone was impressive. 

On the way back to the car Maria gets her shopping head on and trots of to buy 3 tops at bargain prices.  

Finally, after our little shopping diversion Sumi drives us to the Botanical Gardens where we take in the suspension brigde, orchid house and more; Here we had a relaxing couple of hours away from the hurly-burley of Kandy life.

Back to the hotel for a snooze, no sun this afternoon, just rain and then dinner.

Day 10 - 22nd December 2018 - Train to Neweru Eliya and the Grand Hotel

The previous night Sumi phoned us a 22:00 hrs to let us know that he managed to book us on the train to Nanu Oya, a station just 20 minutes from our next stop.  Our tour was meant to include this trip in the observation cart, but it had always been stated that there was a possibility that we may not be able to get tickets; for me this was just a rouse, we booked our trip in April so they should have managed to get tickets for December, anyhow Sumi managed it for us, good old Sumi.

Of course this meant another early start and the trip would be 4 hrs, so once again we have to drag ourselves out of bed, Sumi gets us some bananas for the journey.  

We arrive at the station looking forward to our trip only to be notified that the train was going to depart 30 mins late, during this wait we are approached by a government questionnaire who ask us were we are going, why and what tickets we have purchased.   Sumi explains all for the survey and it is here that he informs us that  we have second class seats, he also let’s it be known that he had bought regular tickets just in case we hadn’t managed to secure any seats; once again a sterling job by Sumi, but I did let him know that we normally travel first class and besides surely the observation cart is first class.  He reassures us that all is good.  

When the train arrives over an hour late, this is not Switzerland , we enter near the back, this is a possible place for an observation cart, especially if the seats are rear facing as expected.  Our cart however doesn’t seem to match my idea of an observation cart, it does however match my idea of a third class carriage, which strangely enough is what the sign says; third class reserved which now seems to match the seat allocation on the ticket TCR 3 & TCR 4.

Not first class and not an observation cart, our seats are however rear facing!   Rear facing seats in a third class cart mean that you really get to see nothing; oh well at least Sumi secured us seats, which is way more than Walkers Tours did.  

We were sat next to a cute family who did their best to highlight places on enroute, this even after I had opened a bottle of coke with volcanic effect all over the daughter.

I managed to get some pictures of the tea plantations, landscapes and waterfalls, but my best pictures were of the stations name plates.  It is really difficult to take pictures on a train when your back is in the direction of travel and you are seated on the mountain side of the carriage.  

Even though we didn’t manage to get great photos it was fun to experience a Sri Lankan train ride and we are happy that Sumi sorted it out for us.  On arrival at Nanu Oya we meet Sumi, his journey had taken about 2 hours compared to our 4 (tell me again why we took the train).  Anyway Sumi took us to our hotel.  The Grand Hotel is a magnificent old colonial building well over 150 years old with old colonial charm.  At the entrance we are greeted by gold braided uniformed staff and offered tea.  Our room is sorted out and we head up to it.  On opening the door we see that they have given us twin beds, Maria is not happy, even though we are only staying for one night.  When I take a look at the room card it actually states another name, not ours, so we ask to be moved to our properly allocated room.  Eventually they find us a another room, this room is in the older part of the hotel and has groovey furniture and a small bathroom, this room surely is not deluxe, we complain.  To our satisfaction our complaining seems to work as we our upgraded to a junior suite with an on hand butler, Anil, that’s better.  

Again, the hotel is magnificent and serves high tea at 15:30 hrs.  We actually decided against high tea; why spend a fortune on tea and cream cakes when you will not eat the cream cakes, instead we have a late lunch.  It is here that I had scrumptious tandoori wraps and Maria a club sandwich served by Sanjuana who would look after very well more than once. 

Today is full moon day so no alcohol served today.  Full moon days are poya days and alcohol and live beings are not allowed to be sold, almost all hotels observe the rule on alcohol but not on live beings, I.e. meat 🥩, hence I managed to get chicken tandoori wraps.

After a small rest I dress for dinner put on a jacket, it states jackets are required for dinner, and I check out if the hotel does indeed observe poya days.  Indeed it does as no beer is availableI in the billiards room.  With no Lion lager on offer I meet Maria and we take a look at what is on offer in the dining room.  Looking inside we notice that poya days may be observed by the hotel but obviously not the jacket rule by the guests, as I am the only one wearing one. It is warm and because we had eaten earlier we decide to take a walk instead of heading having dinner.  As we approach the Grand Indian, part of the hotel but a separate building slightly down the road from the main hotel it starts to pour.  The downpour doesn’t hide the great smells emanating from the Indian but it does curtail our walk.  Instead of getting soaked we head back and decide to just have a dessert and head up to our junior suite.

With an early night we look forward to our 7 hour car journey tomorrow to The Fortess Hotel, our last port of call.  The dogs outside however decided that an early night would be too good for us and decided to howl, bark and heaven knows what for most of the night.  

Day 11 - 23rd December 2018 - road trip to Galle 

We have breakfast, buy a hopper pan, and pick up our pre ordered pack lunches and head south.  About 30 mins out we visit a tea plantation and factory were we learn about tea ☕️: black tea, green tea and white tea, we do not learn about coffee.  This was quite a fun stop and we both left happy.  For the next hour we drive the winding road to a viewing stop to try our luck at yet more landscape photography, still struggling here, but I later discover that a polarised lens would  help.  Our viewing stop was also the home to a great wood craft shop which had some superb items, all way to big and expensive though.

Our next stop is an unscheduled stop for a drink and relief.  Next, about 6 hours later we stopped at the motorway service station, this was well timed as all people concerned were tired, and Sumi who was driving, seriously needed a red bull while I headed of to Pizza Hut, yum!

Some 8 hours after leaving The Grand Hotel we arrived at The Fortress.  The Fortress is the most impressive hotel so far, situated on the coast with spectacular views over the Indian Ocean.  The view from our room is stunning and the room is beautiful.  The Fortress is a boutique hotel with excellent service.   Sunset is at exactly 18:00 hrs and it is amazing, I manage to capture it with my best ever sunset photos.

Tired, exhausted but looking forward to a few days rest we have dinner; chicken tikka for me and buttered chicken for Maria before cocktails and bed.

Day 12 - 24th December 2018 - Christmas Eve Gala night & Galle Forte

A lie in at last, breakfast at 09:00 hrs then to the pool 🏊‍♂️.  We sit by the pool facing the rolling waves of the Indian Ocean 🇮🇳 🌊.  The skies are clear and the sun is out.  The pool attendants look after us, finding us a couple of deckchairs not already reserved by the Germans.  A couple of hours by the pool is enough on our first day of relaxation and we are already turning a dark shade of pink.  Best not to over do it.  

So in the afternoon we grab a three wheeler / tuk-tus into Galle Fort for some late Christmas shopping.  Maria points out a dress so I seek off and try to buy it.  I soon become frustrated by some french shoppers taking there time at the till.  The shop attendants weren’t helping either.  Finally I get to pay, but instead of charging my card in Sri Lankan Rupees they change the card in GBP.  I ask them to correct this error, but the insist that the cards is being charged in LRPs, I beg to differ, tell them they can keep the dress and walk off empty handed.  Later me and Maria split up in another shop where I find a great dress for her and managed to buy this one.  Having purchased the dress I look for Maria who is not to be found.  After waiting at the shop  for 30mins I finally decide I should phone her and discover that she is lost but at the National Maritme Museum.   So off I trot to find her and make our way back to the awaiting tuk-tuk. 

Back at the hotel we get ready for the evening gala dinner.  The dining area has been kitted out in Christmas decorations and Santa has arrived by bike to provide presents to the kids.  Dinner comprises of turkey 🦃 etc. along with a bottle of Champagne 🍾.  We meet a nice German couple who have just arrived plus chat with some ex pats living in Russia as well a the Smurf lady who we met the previous evening.  Bedtime was late for us at a heady 00:00 hrs.  We have had a good day.

Day 13 - Boxing / St. Stephens day - unlucky for some.

We wake up to find that Santa had been, unfortunately for Maria Santa thought she was 6 ft tall and her dress was way to long.  I got a fab Sri Lankan holiday shirt (Santa was better with my sizing).  

Throughout the trip I have been suffering quietly in pain (related to the medical discovery on the 14th).  Today however things seemed a bit worse and Maria said that I looked in more pain than previously and looked a bit ashen.  So after breakfast Maria calls for the local doctor who arrives at 10:15 hrs (arranged by the hotel superbly).  The doctor check me out and suggest that I see a surgeon 👨‍⚕️.  

The surgeon arranges for me to be admitted at the Asiriya Hospital at 14:00 hrs.  We grab some rays before departing by taxi (a Tuk-tuk would too uncomfortable).  The admittance to hospital is swift, blood pressure normal, medical history handed over and deposit paid (50,000 lkr).  We were led to a private room with a/c and a tv, one patient bed and one guardian bed, all reasonable impressive, not first world stuff but better than feared.  The tv’s only English Channel was BBC World service and the news of the day was that Japan was to start commercial whaling again; ironic really as we were meant to be on a whale sight seeing Trip the following day, Thursday.  

While I preparing for the operation I found out what it must be like to be a new inmate being doused for lice and hosed down, must have been on of the most humiliating experiences of my short life.  Ho-hum this is an adventure vacation after all!

Having been humiliated, hosed down, bare and disinfected Maria what to the fort to change her dress, well at least the taxi ride into town wasn’t waisted.  We were told surgery would be around 19:00 hrs.  19:00 hrs passed and went.  At around 21:00 hrs Maria decide that she would now stay the night with me in the guardians bed.  Love 💖 her loads.  While waiting staff popped in and out, some even tried to feed me even though I was nil-by-mouth 👄.  I think most of the staff were just wanting to see a handsome white guy in pain and practice English; everybody was however very friendly and helpful. Since I had only recently had blood test in November I offered the results to the instead of having new set carried out, this eventually proved harder than anticipated when there computer network would not accept the email containing the results.  Eventually all was sorted out through screen shots and the use of a private email address.  

At 23:15 hrs I am taken to the pre surgery area.  Here I wait while in front of me I watch 4 hospital staff reattached a mans dressings and stitches that appeared to have become unstuck since surgery; really what in need to watch.  20 or so mins later I am taken to another pre surgery area where I am asked to lay on a gurney, the linen on the gurney looked as if it had not been changed for a few prior surgeries, covered in sweat 😓 stains etc.  I am really beginning to get nervous 😬!  I say a few prayers and decide that after all the humiliation endured that it is too ,ate to back out now, beside I am in real pain.  At around just after 12:00 hrs I enter theatre and see the surgeon for the first time and remind him what area need attention.  I opt for ful anaesthetic as oppose to a spinal injection.  Just before I dose off I hear surgery utensils crash to the floor, I hope the floor is cleaner than the previous rooms and linen.  The last words from the surgeon were think of good things.  

At around 00:30 hrs I wake up, where I am assessed and taken back to the awaiting Maria.  My wound hasn’t closed so they stitch it in front of Maria with shed loads of blood poring all over the room etc.  In pain and agony I grit my teeth a thump the pillow in the knowledge that Maria will make sure all is good.  Uncomfortable 😣, tired and down I drift off to sleep.  Sleep 💤 of course is disturb for all concerned by the hourly blood pressure and O2 saturation check.  

Day 14 - 27th December 2018 - Discharge day.

Finally get some food at around 07:30 hrs (last food and water was the previous day at 10:00 hrs).  Breakfast was dry bread and butter and a really disgusting milky sugar sry tea; to be truly honest I am not sure it was tea, it may have been Horlicks or something, Maria was allowed to make her own tea but I was not.  

My dressing had leaked during the night so needed replacing.  Maria headed back to the hotel to fetch phone chargers, toilette paper (there was not paper nor towels in the room), toothbrush and other essentials or a stay.  I also told her to have a proper breakfast and catch some rays, I wouldn’t doing much this morning.  

While she was away they removed my stitches and re dressed the wound.  I have know idea what they were thinking but they redressed the wound in the most ridiculous fashion.  Let it be said that not a lot could be done and I removed the dressing within an hour.  Dressingless and in pain I prayed and waited for Maria’s return.  On her return she instructed the staff on how the wound should be dressed, much better!  

Maria paid the bill (another 200,000 lkrs or so) and I was instructed on my pill regime (not easy, but at least the labelling is pretty efficient, stating time of day and whether before meals or after meals).  

Before leaving Mafaz visits, which embossing was welcome.  We were hoping to spend more time with Mafaz prior to the change in plans.  Even though Mafaz was not used he was always an anchor to hold on to. Thanks Mafaz!

We head back to the hotel via tuk-tuk arranged by Maria.  This three wheeler driver was a smooth ride and he was very considerate to much condition.

Arriving at the hotel all staff ask after me and wish me well.  While changing my dressing we stain the bed linen, but the hotel are real troops and sort things out!  Dinner was appreciated tonight followed by an early night, we both go out like a light 💡!

Day 15 - 28th December 2018 - visit from Mafaz and family

Having taken a truck load of pills we wake up, me feeling groggy but in less pain, so all good.  Breakfast flowed by redressing, and some sun; even the pool attendants check how I am!

At 14:00 hrs Mafaz visits with his wonderful wife and three children.  We have drink and say cheerio 👋 .  I will, catch up with Mafaz in January.

Amanda and Andy (Amanda from the St Giles flower shop arrive).

Maria take a three wheeler (tuk -tuk is to difficult to write with auto correct on) to the pharmacy and tries to buy some more supplies before meeting me back at the hotel for sunset.

Further changes of dressing and a buffet dinner before bed 🛌.

Day 16 - 29th December 2018 - I think things are in the mend

Still have a few wound leakages but I think things are in the mend.  Maybe this episode is coming to an end and I can start sorting out the elbow!

Lazy day by the pool, Maria heads of to shop with Amanda and get some more items from the pharmacy, love 💕 her!

Had some good news today but that is for tomorrow’s entry.

Now have bad news, my medical issue seems to be back!