Day 9 - Mirissa to Tangalle

FFS. Awake again by 05:30. I’ve no excuse this time. I’d always blamed my shit sleeping on stress and strain, but I have none, and still… I at least know I can nap later to catch up a bit if needs be. It’s moving day - I’m heading down the coast to Tangalle, which is an hour or so. Heat and humidity are back up today, so think I’ll probably jump in a Tuk-Tuk or cab, rather than take the bus. A cab works out to around 100 rupees per kilometre, perhaps 25p, Feels like decent value to have an AC car for the journey.

Packing is pretty straightforward. I’ve not really unpacked, so little to shove back into my rucksack. The biggest logistical challenge is working out what to do with my sandy board shorts and flip-flops. I’ve got a carrier bag, so bung them in their, and attach it to my rucksack.

I need to grab something to eat before ordering a cab. I’ve not felt like eating breakfast out here so far. Couple of cups of coffee, and maybe a fruit juice has been easily getting me through to an early (ish) lunch. Today is no different, and I’m heading back to Mila on the main road. It’s a c 10 min walk with 25kg of backpack, and I’m building up quite the head of steam by the time I get there. The guys at the restaurant recognise a man in need, and bring me a Lion within seconds of my arrival.

15:00
Lunch at Mila was great. A simple prawn Kottu, and some chicken kebabs. The journey over was a breeze. My driver, Nishan, actually lives in Tangalle, and comes from Tissamaharama, my next stop. He gives me his card, and says he’ll undercut Uber by 15% if I contact him directly, as Uber take 30% of everything he earns in his cab. Sounds like a fair deal to me. The journey from Tissamaharama to Ella particularly will be a ball-ache, as it needs 3 separate buses, and would take around 7 hours. A direct cab will be more like 2 hours. Probably won’t be cheap, but already feels like good value. His cab feels sturdy, and he’s a rarity amongst drivers here - sensibly cautious. It’s also blissfully cool. I feel like he and I shall be friends.

The scenery on the drive over reminds me very much of Kerala. It’s beautifully lush and verdant. There are countless rice paddies bordering the road, and more than a few rivers and streams as we pass by. Much of the distance of the journey (if not the time) is spent on a highway - Expressway 01. It’s a lot less busy than the expressway from Colombo airport into the city centre (thankfully). Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has been booming in recent years, and has recovered from the pandemic particularly quickly. It’s easily seen that there has been and continues to be investment to attract travellers. Expressway 01 is the first (obvs) of 9 planned highways, all due for completion by the end of 2024. There are many other facilities that make the traveller’s life that much easier. When I first travelled around India, none of the places I had offered Wifi. To be fair, my phone at the time wasn’t exactly built for high speed internet. Roaming wasn’t a thing - any and all calls, texts from the UK were wickedly expensive. If you wanted to find somewhere to stay, you arrived there and asked if there was space. Certainly, the availability of sites like booking.com and Agoda has made finding accommodation much less fraught. I’ve talked before about my desire to be less constrained on the various journeys I’m taking during my sabbatical. I have a sneaking suspicion that whilst I’m really enjoying having next to no plan, subconsciously I’m aware that I can source transport and accommodation pretty quickly and easily.

Arriving into Tangalle, my room is ready for me. It’s a step up from Sajana Ocean Hill, which whilst clean and functional was pretty basic. Luaya Beach has a few more creature comforts - a minibar with soft drinks and beer in it, a table and desk, some shelves, a coffee station. My max stay for the rest of my trip is 2 nights, so I’m not unpacking as I go. I arrange a few things on the shelves to show willing, and head out to explore Tangalle.

18:30
The coastline in Tangalle is much wilder than Mirissa. The surf right at the water’s edge is messy and strong. Not particularly conducive to swimming. The beach is much more basic as well. There are still beach bars dotted along it, but they’re a much lower tech version of their equivalents in Mirissa - none the worse for it, but markedly different. There’s a strong wind blowing off the sea, which is keeping the temperature in check. At 16:00, walking around is just a pleasantly warm sensation, rather than the stifling heat to which I’ve grown accustomed. I stop for a beer at one of the beach bars. I’m one of perhaps 10 customers. The pace of life here is much slower and laid back.

Walking back to Luaya Beach, I browse a few restaurants for dinner later. One in particular jumps out - called Let’s Sea. There’s already a strong smell of garlic, butter and grilled fish emanating from the kitchen. This must be a good sign.

23:00.
Dinner was a cracker. I had a whole, grilled white snapper, with some grilled prawns, and baby calamari, and in a lightly spiced sauce. It’s accompanied by some plain rice, but also with a cabbage salad/slaw type thing, which has some pineapple running through it. I’m not always a fan of sweet and savoury together, but this is brilliant. The restaurant is full. Given how few people I saw on the beach earlier, I assume that’s because this is one of the best places for seafood, and thus very popular locally. Dinner costs a princely £12, including a couple of monster bottles of Lion.

I briefly consider a nightcap at one of the bars along the walk back to my guesthouse, but honestly, I’m not sure I have the energy or will. Look, it’s been a tough day, alright?Read more