Unawatuna

After hanging out in the hill country for a good part of the trip, I was ready for the beach. I was going back and forth whether to stay in Galle, a Dutch fort town, or the beach. The Chinese couple I was hanging out with were leaning towards Unawatuna, so I went for it. And I'm glad I did.

Of course getting there was an adventure. We took 2 buses from Tissa to Unawatuna. The first one started out ok as all the school boys just wanted to talk to the white girl sitting next to them. So I obliged. One of them complimented my glasses or my eyes. Not sure. Maybe he liked both. They all got off and I had shuffled my seat around a bit to get comfortable. I chose poorly since a drunk guy (I learned later) sat down next to me at some point during the ride. He started a conversation but I wasn't having it as I didn't like the vibe he was giving off. I made it clear that I wasn't interested in talking. It was a crowded bus but he sat too close and again I made clear with body language to not get that close. Totally not necessary. He didn't try anything and I was just hoping he'd get off soon. Once he did, this other guy told me what was up. And everyone around, including the women seemed to be in agreement so I trusted what he was saying. It's just like that guy standing too close to you on a crowded subway. If he had tried anything, I had my massage stick in easy reach. 

On our second bus, there was another incident. The fare collector wouldn't give me the proper change. He said he'd be back and when I flagged him down he refused to give it to me. I spoke up and continued to until he would give me my change. He did not. He even tried to kick us off. I refused. My change wasn't much, but the principle mattered. I also wanted to be sure my friends got the right change as I'm sure they were owed more. I know I've been getting ripped off and overcharged but I think it's been worse for them as English isn't their first language. Since I made a big stink they dropped us off further down the road in Unawatuna. Stuff like that infuriates me and you shouldn't be able to get away with it on public transportation. I know they want to make as much money as possible, but not be honest about it isn't ok. I end up taking the train to Colombo, where the fares are made clear, and probably end of being cheaper for tourists. And more comfortable. 

I finally made it to the beach and it was time to relax and forget about the bus rides. I walked to the ocean even though it was dark and stuck my feet in. I totally wanted to jump in, but really couldn't see anything and didn't know the lay of the land. I couldn't wait to come back the next morning. I grabbed dinner with my friends at the Roti Hut, where I'd eat a few times during my stay. Good juice and good kothu. 

Kothu and papaya juice.

The next few days involved running in the jungle and along the beach, swimming in the Indian Ocean, and exploring the area. It was definitely perfect beach weather, when it wasn't raining of course. Which, fortunately, wasn't as much as elsewhere. I even got a tan. Only several months and halfway around the world later. Did I mention that I didn't really have a summer? Well I'm getting it now. The water was beautiful and there were waves to play in. Not like the Northeast, but good enough. It was also relatively quiet, and not as many crowds as I expected. Which I liked as I don't enjoy crowded beaches. Hello Long Beach. 

The Indian Ocean.

I ran most mornings and got a 20-miler in. Was it good? Perfect beach weather doesn't make for perfect running weather. I was definitely wishing I had cooler temps about 5 miles into my long run. I knew the shorter runs would end soon so I put up with the humidity but that 20-miler was rough. I drank so much water. Good thing for all the stands by the roads. I did see some great spots along the ocean and ran through the jungle. The ocean was a little bit of a tease though since all I wanted to do was jump in. During my runs, it wasn't monkeys or lizards I was afraid of, it was the dogs. The dogs in Unawatuna bark at you. Elsewhere they pretty much leave you alone. One chased after me and was right on my heels. After I felt it grab me, I turned and yelled at it in English. It at least understood my tone as it backed off. Give me a lizard over these dogs. 

One afternoon, I reluctantly left the beach to explore the nearby Dutch fort town of Galle. I had thought about staying here or at least spending one night. But I didn't feel like switching spots for one night when I could do it in a day. And it turns out that all I needed was a few hours. It was a nice little town and the fort walls surrounding the town had some really great views. But since it was so hot, I'm glad I stayed near the beach. From the city walls, I took a look at the cricket stadium and then made my way around the perimeter of the town towards the lighthouse. A lot of locals also take the opportunity to walk the wall, so I saw lots of people out and about. And of course I continued to draw attention wherever I went. I think there must be  sign on me that says "talk to the white girl". Mostly I don't mind, especially with the women and children. Children are not shy and they give me a lot of smiles. Which puts a smile on my face. 

Galle fort.

After my fill of the wall, and before the sunset, I wandered around the cute streets. There were a lot of ruined places among the newer places. I think some places were just left deserted from the tsunami. Others were completely renovated and looked pretty nice. There was some construction going on throughout the town and I do hope they can get back to what it was like before. I then went to catch the sunset, but then then it decided to rain. And it was time to go back to Unawatuna. 

Old versus new. 

I had a lovely stay and would think about returning to the area someday to see more and do more. Definitely a top recommendation. And one more ocean checked off my list.