Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Polonnaruwa, a village near Sigirya, is beautiful and quiet, surrounded by rivers and rice fields. After a long sunset walk, we went out for a unique dining experience at an organic farm/restaurant. There was no menu, we just sat down and the owner started bringing out the food. 21 dishes in total! It was delicious, healthy, and all for only $9 NZD a person.

Next we headed to the famous Sigiriya. An awe-inspiring rock/volcanic plug that seems to protrude miraculously from the jungle below. On top of it are ruins from an ancient city. Because we are on a tighter budget than Jon and Barb, we let them climb to the top by themselves, while Andreas and I hiked a nearby mountain that gave us a spectacular view of Sigiriya. Rain had been looming on the horizon all day, so we waited until the last moment to climb down the mountain before the skies opened and it started pouring. We took shelter in a sacred cave until it stopped. Next stop, Kandy!Read more