Earth, Circumnavigated Twice
Walking through Hong Kong’s International Airport today (or was it yesterday?), I realized that I did it again; I circumnavigated the Earth for the second time.
Read MoreWaiting to go “UP”
I stand here, in the lobby of the Jaic Hilton, Colombo waiting. Waiting yet again for the elevator. Waiting, like yesterday and the day before, like I shall tomorrow and the day after. Waiting, for the slow-ass elevators to come, waiting for them to go, waiting for movement. Always waiting.
If my room were not on the 23rd floor, if I was not in a suit, and if it wasn’t sweaty hot I would walk the stairs. I need the exercise; I have a triathlon to prepare for. If the pool wasn’t so nice, the room rates so low, and the location so perfect, I would switch hotels.
Read MoreRiding the Colombo Rails
It’s a slow Sunday afternoon in Colombo, and I’m wandering through side streets and back alleys, enjoying the different styles of life visible over walls and around corners. Then I hear it, the “hoot” of a train horn, and off I am, in a mad dash to the train station.
That “hoot” signals the arrival of a train, a local commuter train and I am gonna jump on for a ride. See, as much as I fly, I really don’t like traveling that way. What, with the dry air, cramped space, and checked baggage intrigue, airplanes have none of my love.
Read MoreGood Times @ Galle Face
What a beautiful Sunday in Ceylon. The ocean breeze keeping everything cool, the skies a deep blue, a perfect time to enjoy the ocean. While others may ride the beachside rails, many in Colombo head down to the waterfront boardwalk at Galle Face Green.
With an open park on one side and the ocean on the other, the boardwalk becomes a whole attraction in itself if just for the people watching. I quickly grabbed a chair at one of the plentiful street food vendors, ordered a whole seafood meal, and checked out the view.
Read MoreCareening Around Colombo
Did you have a tricycle when you were young? Maybe a red one you were excited to pedal around the neighbourhood? Welcome to its adult cousin, the motor-tricycle or autorickshaw, Sri Lanka’s premier transportation vehicle.
Okay, so maybe its not the premier vehicle, Mercedes still has that title, but the autorickshaw, sometimes called a Bajaj is definitely the most fun. With a tiny engine, even smaller back compartment for two, and no safety features what so ever, it’s a thrill to ride.
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