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Our little family adventure
  • Jean, Angie, Lila and Seb
  • Jean, Angie, Lila and Seb

Our little family adventure

We are travelling for 6 months for a bit of world education for Lila before she starts school + we like travelling :) Lue lisää
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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Holy city of Pushkar

    25. heinäkuuta 2018, Intia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    It seems like there are many holy cities and places in India and today we headed to one of them, the holy city of Pushkar. Pushkar has a holy lake which sees Hindu pilgrims visit and bath in the holy waters. It's also well frequented by foreign tourists, so lots of restaurants selling non spicy food which widened Lila's eating repertoire:) We visited a brahma temple (said to be the only one in India or the world), got scammed with a blessing at the lake (common tourist trap apparently) and the most exciting part was Lila spent 1 morning at school. She was so excited she went to sleep early the night before and then woke up saying she was going to school. We dropped her off with some lunch and water and she was whisked away by a lovely sari wearing teacher. When we picked her up she was most excited about getting some chocolate for someone's birthday, so school in Pushkar was good according to Lila.Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Pit stop in Delhi

    30. heinäkuuta 2018, Intia ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    We made a quick stop in New Delhi to navigate the postal/courier system and met up with our new friend Armitish who kindly held our big backpack for the last month. Lila and I were kindly offered some beautiful henna and we treated ourselves to some ice cream at our favourite shop in Delhi. We then took the train (for what would be the last time this trip) for about 38hrs towards the south.Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Last stop - Chennai

    8. elokuuta 2018, Intia ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    An overnight bus brought us to Chennai, which would be our last stop in India. We happened to arrive the day after a very famous Tamil Nadu politician died, so we had the strange pleasure of seeing this usually buzzing city with very little traffic and activity in the streets (which I assume is quite rare in Indian cities), as all shops, restaurants, services were closed for the day. We visited the beach at Chennai, took the very new and clean metro, did some shopping the next day and Lila tried on the very over the top party dresses.Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Lessons of gratitude

    10. elokuuta 2018, Intia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Today we leave India and fly to Sri Lanka, after about 7 weeks in total visiting a small part of such a huge and diverse country. This trip we have been trying to speak with Lila about gratitude and being thankful for the experiences we have as well as the ability to do so. India is such an interesting and beautiful country, but at the same time can be extremely intense and raw, both for the places and people you meet. It's a place where you are face to face with the realities of living in a society that can be unjust and unequal purely dependent on what family and where you were born. Being a female is a huge disadvantage, someone told us that people cry when they have a baby girl, knowing what a hard life this child will have.
    However we are told that things are changing and we are always amazed at the capacity of people here to do so much with not a lot. People have amazing determination, persistence and capacity...anything and everything is possible in India!
    We leave India and Lila is sick with a stomach thing. We are lucky we live in a place with safe drinking water and generally safe food. As well as pretty good access to health care.
    Thank you India, we are very thankful for the experiences we have had here :).
    Special thanks to Dov n Agar villages, Armitesh, Smita, Carla, Sashwat, the chai walas, Ganges river, doctors n pharmacists, the shoe cobbler in Delhi, Jaipur.    Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Welcome to Sri Lanka

    10. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌧 26 °C

    Our flight to Sri Lanka is a quick 90 minutes from Chennai and we land at the airport and head to a town called Negombo. Negombo is a very touristy beach side town (mainly because it's so close to the airport and people are trying to avoid the capital Colombo) and we are quickly shocked by the proportion of tourists in such a small place as well as the expense of travelling in India's neighbouring island country.
    Our start in Sri Lanka is a trip to the hospital to see a doctor for Lila's tummy thing...always great to check out the local health care system! We have been to the doctor as a family more in the last 2 months than we have for 2 years 🤔 And decide to stay in Negombo for longer than 1 night so Lila can rest and recover.    Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Heading north to Wilpattu National Park

    13. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌬 30 °C

    After a few days of rest and 1/5th of the medication regime suggested to Lila we happily leave Negombo and head to a small village next to one of Sri Lanka's national parks. As an ode to our brother in law Ruber, who can climb a coconut tree as if it was like riding a bike, we have a try ourselves! We stay is a simple hut on an old coconut plantation and treated to some lovely Sri Lankan hospitality 😃Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Willpatu National Park

    14. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    Today we visited one of the oldest and biggest National Parks in Sri Lanka, Willpatu National Park. You're not allowed to walk in this park, so you need to visit with a jeep (so we are told)...which is what we did. The forest is mixed and varied with small lakes around. We saw lots of birds, including beautiful kingfishers and hornbills, spotted deer, crocodiles, turtles. After a few hours our driver went a little crazy and sped to another park of the park, so we assumed there was a sighting of something special. We arrive to masses of jeeps, we had no idea where they had all come from and find that we are all waiting to see a leopard who is sleeping or laying about 15m away. It was too far to get a decent photo with our phones, but pretty amazing anyway (despite it being zoo like with the mass of jeeps with people trying to see the elusive leopard). However our treat was to come, as we were driving to leave the park (which takes about an hour in itself) we by total luck stumbled upon a leopard doing a poo on the side of the road and it walked away, across the road, just metres away from our eyes! This was quite an amazing and special moment.Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Beach time in Kalpitiya

    16. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌬 28 °C

    We head to nearby fishing beach side town Kalpitiya. It's a fishing village which has tourism because of great winds attracting water sports lovers, mostly kite surfers. We thought it would be a great chance for Jean to try learn too. Lila had fun building some tunnels and pyramids and was lucky to find some treasure in the sand, five 2 rupee coins! In Kalpitiya we also got introduced to the Baker on wheels, a tuk tuk which goes around selling yummy baked goods and playing ice cream truck music 😊Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Kitesurfing

    17. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ 🌬 27 °C

    Jean spent 2 days learning and having a go at kitesurfing. When you see the experienced kitesurfers on the water they make the sport look really cool and easy, as they do some of their crazy jumps and tricks.
    Jean said he finally realised why some kite surfers wear a helmet! As he didn't quite understand before 🤔 and hopefully he can continue to learn more along our trip or in Oz or France, as it's easier to transport compared to a windsurf or boat!    Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Heading north to Jaffna

    19. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    We venture north today on the bus towards Jaffna, a place quite different to the rest of Sri Lanka, wirh its mostly Tamil population and compared to other part of the island a relatively young tourism industry due to the civil war which finished in 2009. The bus ride for 6-7hrs was a little crazy. We thought the bus in India was crazy...in Sri Lanka the bus drivers take it to another level. Anyway when we got here we were lucky to find a lovely guesthouse with very friendly and genuine owners/staff, right next to the most well equipped children's play ground we have seen in the last 3 months! Lila was very happy 😊
    We head out in the evening to see some of the festivities of a festival going on at the local hindu Nullur temple. It's quite amazing sight of familes dressed up (women and children in beautiful saris or sparkly and shiny outfits and men bare chested weaeing the traditional dotti or sarong) and coming to pray and celebrate at the temple.    Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Trip to Point Pedro

    20. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We rent a scooter for the few days we are in Jaffna to explore the beautiful surrounds of the northern region of the island. It's nice to have the freedom to go wherever you want and not be restricted to the bus or train route! Today we head off towards Point Pedro and we are greated with a lovely northern coastline and relaxed fishing villages, watching fisherman tend to their nets or at the shore drying fish or cutting up sting ray. We find a lovely beach with views quite similar to the Australian coast but luckily the water is so much warmer than the NSW coast!
    We also found some amazing beachside playgrounds (which made Lila very happy 😊).    Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Islands around Jaffna

    21. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Today we head for a drive around some of the islands to the west of Jaffna, mostly connected by bridges to the mainland. It's a peaceful drive through small villages which seem very much countryside, but at the same time you can see so many abandoned or destroyed houses from the wartime. We are told Jaffna is about half Christian and half Hindu, with a very small minority of Muslims and Buddhists (which is interesting in a Buddhist country). There are an incredible number of temples, churches and shrines all around which I find quite confronting at times (being non religious). The confronting part for me is the clear wealth and richness of these religious buildings, often close to schools which don't look anywhere near as well resourced.
    We search for a beach and head towards the well known and advertised Casuarina Beach, however we are quite disappointed after the beach we visited yesterday. Lila loves it though as the water is quite shallow for a long time and there are no waves what so ever so she was happily swimming and floating in the water 🤗
    Before we head back we stop at a really nice restaurant for sunset and dinner. The restaurant is run by the Navy and is part of a former prison, now hotel which is found inside a fort on a tiny island a small boat ride from the restaurant. Lila enjoys her new found love of fried cuttlefish and we are treated to a lovely sunset 😊    Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    More exploring around Jaffna

    22. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    This is our last day in Jaffna, a town which we have really enjoyed. Probably because it's a lot less touristy than other places we have visited (meaning you don't get hassled as often on the street to see if you want a tuk tuk or to buy anything), partly because it's population is mostly Tamil and we have loved this part in India. Also because it's very beautiful!
    Today we head to another beautiful beach, enjoy a lovely lunch at a local restaurant, where they specifically cook some pappudums for Lila :) and also head back to the temple we visited the first night as their celebrations increase towards the full moon height of ceremonies.    Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja
    11

    Nilaveli Beach

    23. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    We have headed to the east coast, where they say has beautiful beaches as well as a handful of beaches that are suitable for kids as there aren't too many rough waves. It is quite gorgeous and pictuesque, with clean and and turquoise waters, depending on the sun and the clouds. It's an almost private beach for the guesthouse/resort we stay at, complete with little beach cabanas and coconut trees.Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Lila's 5th birthday :)

    25. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    Today we celebrated our little miss turning 5yrs old 🎉 She said she wanted to go to the beach, which is why we are here!
    She started the day with video calls to our family and her best preschool friend and her presents, some silver anklets with bells (which lots of girls in India wear) + a new toothbrush! She was surprised with a lovely flower necklace from the guesthouse, and we spent the day on the beach 🏖 We shared some birthday ice cream🍨 (instead of cake) and got treated to an amazing sky of storm clouds rolling through in the late afternoon.Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Arriving in Polonnaruwa

    26. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    We leave Lila's beach birthday towards part of what they some times refer to the 'cultural triangle' of Sri Lanka. After what Jean described as the craziest bus trip he's ever taken, we arrive next to the lake of this old city. The area is surrounded by many national parks and we see some elephants in the distance across the lake. We decide to stop for some ice cream by the lake before working out that Google maps doesn't know you can't just take the roads in the old city without a ticket.Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Ancient city Polonnarawa

    27. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ⛅ 35 °C

    Today we visited the ruins of the ancient city of Polonnarawa, also a UNESCO site. Polonnarawa is the second oldest Sinhalese kingdom in Sri Lanka (2nd capital), which ruled from the 11th century. 3 different king's of over 2-3 centuries saw the city thrive as a commercial and religious centre. There are lots of Buddha statues, many without heads, an amazing sacred quadrangle, walls of the royal palace and stupas.Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja

    Aluvihare Rock Temple

    28. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Today we head to Matale a small town north of the second biggest city, Kandy. We decided to skip the more popular and apparently very amazing cave paintings in Dambulla to visit another sacred Buddhist temple in Matale. The area is beautiful surrounded by the hills and the beautiful Knuckles mountain range (named for its resemblance to a set of knuckles). We visited the cave temple in the evening and it was nice to feel and join with locals visiting the temple to pray/ worship. Lila decided she wanted to pray, and it was actually very cute watching her do it. Then she asks me 'do you have to do anything or just do this (with her hands in pray position)?'
    This particular temple is known as the place where the 'pali canon' (collection of scriptures for Theravada Buddhism) was first written down completely in text on palm leaves.    Lue lisää

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  • Jean, Angie, Lila and SebOur little family adventureMatkaaja
    1

    Visiting Knuckles Mountain range

    29. elokuuta 2018, Sri Lanka ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Today we head into the Knuckles Mountain range to try go for a few days of trekking. We are told we should be able to find some cheap a accommodation and a guide when we get there, so we head off on an early morning bus towards a village in the mountains called Illukkumbura. We local bus trip is long but beautiful (about 2 1/2hrs for 44km). We drive past tea plantations, rice paddy fields, small villages and get some beautiful views of the knuckles mountain range. The bus takes a narrow road and actually drives at a speed which is unlike other Sri Lankan buses which are trying to quality for pole position at the Grand Prix. We do however play the game of 'how many people can you fit on a bus', which is quite amazing to see and make us thankful we have a seat! We reach Illukkumbura and try find accommodation which we found wasn't cheap and then we were told that there were only Sinhalese speaking guides, so instead of trekking we have a picnic lunch by the river, Lila and Jean have a splash and a swim and we decide to take the bus back to Matale in the evening.Lue lisää

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