26 Nov. Kandy to Negombo

I'm getting round to the point in the trip when I really must keep tabs on a few practicalities. I need to pay close attention to how I get from place to place, booking accommodation ahead, and how much cash in the form of Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) I have left. The LKR is a non-convertible (i.e. 'closed') currency. If I get lumbered with it back home, I can't get it exchanged anywhere.
So it's ta ra Kandy again and off to the bedlam that is the streets where the 'normal' (not express) buses leave from. As I've come to expect, it's bucketing down with rain. My feet and rucksack are wet, but my brolly's holding up.
It's a shame the bus ride is so twisty and stop-start. I'd have liked to read on re journey, but I'd run the risk of travel sickness.. It's a bit boring, but uneventful - apart from when the driver pulled on the brakes suddenly, and I skidded off my seat.
Into Colombo, the urban sprawl took over. Even through the rain, I can still taste the pollution. As I'd read before leaving home, it's an uninteresting city. So I continued on to Negombo: It's on the coast and I know how to get there without too much drama. It'll do of a night before I head to the airport.
The sharp-eyed among you will notice the visual quality (and more?) of the photos today isn't up to snuff. I left the okay camera in my bag and just shot a few things with my phone.
Shocking how the standards have dropped, I know.Read more