Hello Kitty’s Trip in Sri Lanka

I like the contrasting features of Shanghai but Sri Lanka is also a place which has attracted me for a long time.    It is a paradise island shaped like a tear drop in the Indian Ocean.  Formerly known as Ceylon and famous for its tea, Sri Lanka is a vibrant country, rich in its diversity of culture, race, language and religion.

To travel from Hong Kong to Sri Lanka, I need to first travel to Singapore.  On my way to Singapore, I discover several interesting islands with a large pond in the middle.  Although I do not know the names and locations of these islands, I manage to take a photo of one of them so that you can have a look.  Quite interesting!!

Island with Central Pond on Trip to Singapore

After travelling for about 3 hours, I arrive at the transit stop in Singapore.  This is the evening view of Singapore.  It has a very busy harbour and the sea is parked with vessels of different types and sizes.  What an amazing view from such an attitude!!

Evening View of Singapore from the Plane

When I arrive in Colombo, the first thing I notice is the different kind of public transportation used here.  The small vans shown in the photos are the taxis (called Auto Rickshaws) in Sri Lanka.  They are in a way quite congested and you can find them anywhere in the city district.  I feel that the various colours of the Auto Rickshaws decorate the roads and highways.

Colourful Taxis (Auto Rickshaws) in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has an abundance of resources, fauna and flora, mountains, rivers and beautiful beaches.  The hill country has gorgeous rolling hills and tea plantations.  I will show aa that in the upcoming posts.  The entire island is teeming with birds and exotics like elephants.  One special characteristic of Sri Lanka is that you can often see tourists riding on elephants in the secondary roads.  Usually five to six persons take the elephant ride.  Besides walking along roads, the elephant would also penetrate into palm tree plantations and even cross small streams.  Sometimes, if the elephant is happy with you, it would also pick up fruits and flowers for the ladies.   It is quite a special way to tour around Sri Lanka.

Elephant Ride in Sri Lanka

While I am on my way to the Dambulla Rock Cave Temple, I stop by a local tea-house to have a rest.  The environment here is very relaxing, with extensive shades from the tall bamboo trees.

Teahouse in Sri Lanka

The people are friendly, food delicious and costs low!  The weather is very hot so I ordered a fresh mango juice.   Totally refreshing!!

Hello Kitty Enjoying Manjo Juice in Sri Lanka Teahouse