Sri Lanka- Me Mixed In

Travelling alone is a real test of sorts. Can you entertain yourself or find enough things to think about during a two week period? (yes, and yes). Can you be fulfilled by standing at the top of a mountain and only having youself with whom to share the beauty? (yes!) Can you stand the near constant buzz of Sri Lankan taxi drivers asking you "what is your country?" "where is your husband?" "why are you alone?" "do you want to come with me?" "what is your contact number?" (no!) Also a real challenge to solo travel is figuring how to get yourself into a few of your own pictures. Thank god for the self timer button on my camera.
Taking a taxi van from the south of the country to the central hill country was one of the best adventures of the trip. I crazily waited until the last minute to book my transportation (trying to be flexible- what if I really liked Galle and wanted to stay 3 days instead of 1?) and was stuck with a less than ideal situation. My guesthouse owner called 11 different van drivers (booked!- "dont you know all of Sri Lankan government workers are off today?") and finally settled upon a young guy, with a commercial drivers license, borrowing a sketchy van from his friend, an inflated price, and a driver who depended on me and my Lonely Planet guidebook map to get us there in 10 hours instead of 6!! He got a pal of his to come too- they ended up chatting with each other while I looked out the window. About ten times he asked me, "Madame, are you ok? You appear so pensive." - this is a direct quote- Sri Lankans use the Queen's English! Well, we got pulled over by the cops twice for speeding and got a flat tire. (There is actually a MUCH longer story that involves a Chinese restaurant, a shady background check, and some police bribery- just email me for the full details).

This first picture is me standing next to a Sri Lankan teacher (retired, no shirt). When our van got a flat tire, this old man pulled out a coconut from his tree, grabbed a machete, and hacked away until I had a proper refreshment. He was the only one in his family who spoke English and treated me to afternoon conversation while the bumbling driver and his pal figured out how to change a tire.
Next picture, me in Mirissa, at the beach. Self explanatory. Note on clothing: I packed SUPER light- Mom, you would be proud! I wore two different pairs of pants the entire trip and had one skirt packed away for special nights. First, second, third and fourth pictures, I am making fashion statements in these pants. I got them cleaned about every other day in the guesthouses I stayed in. I often went shoeless because I was visiting temples where you need to remove shoes and hats. One day I sat next to this 1,500 year old pool, pondering life. I entered into some life altering reflections while on this trip, mainly about what it is like to be a single woman, nearing 30, travelling alone in the world. By the way, it is true- you start to smell like what you eat. I began to WREAK of spicy, garlicky, Indian/Sri Lankan food. I decided last minute that bringing the deodorant was not worth it- if you are going to rough it, you really need to limit the luxury items. Unfortunately for ANYONE sitting anywhere near me during this trip, I had an odor. I got to like it after a while, like an old friend.

Last photo I am half way up my climb of Sigiriya rock (one of the sites in the Cultural triangle of ancient cities). I am stopped in front of some frescoes 1,500 years old, totally protected by an overhanging rock. Naked women, rocking out. These frescoes are astoundingly crisp and appear newly painted. Notice the Sri Lankan security guard is napping.