Day 10 - December 15
Etymologically speaking, the whole point of a road trip is to hit the road with a loosely defined plan, an overambitious playlist, and the firm intention of getting *somewhere*—without ever being sure when or how. Once again today, we’re sticking to that definition to a T. From Haputale, where we are this morning, to Tangalle, where we hope to sleep tonight, the GPS is crystal clear: six hours of driving! With twelve hours of daylight forecast for today, we’ll be putting every minute to good use, given all the points of interest I’ve noted along the way... But let’s not put the cart before the horse—let’s start at the beginning with our first stop, reached after an hour of rattling around in our trusty Tuk-Tuk.
Sri Lanka’s beautiful island is often praised for its wild beaches, temples, and tea plantations perched in the mountains. But what people often forget is that the island is also home to one of the highest concentrations of waterfalls in the world. Over 500 cascades burst forth in the heart of its tropical landscapes. And guess what? The one that might just be the most impressive of all is right on our route today—Diyaluma Falls. At 220 meters tall, it’s the second-highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. You can admire it from the road, but what makes Diyaluma unique is the hike that takes you to its summit, where you can swim in natural overflow pools with a breathtaking view of the entire valley. No problem for my dad when it comes to hiking, even in tropical sauna mode. However, in the phrase "breathtaking view," he mostly focused on the word "breathtaking." So, he wrote himself a note excusing himself from the view *and* the swim. Signed: the scaredy-cat!
Alright, back on the road toward the unknown and our next stop: Buduruwagala Temple, literally "The Rock of Buddhist Sculptures." After visiting, I’d have gone with "The Rock of Timeless Buddhist Sculptures, a sanctuary of ancient sacred statues, the unofficial kingdom of monkeys roaming freely in a thick, buzzing jungle," but that wouldn’t have fit on the signs. In short, this hidden gem emerges mysteriously from the forest in absolute tranquility. We’re practically alone here, with a sense of discovery as we contemplate these enormous silhouettes carved into the granite, motionless for centuries, with the cries of monkeys as a soothing soundtrack. A little favorite moment...
On the road again! Between freshly squeezed fruit juice and scenic stops in rice paddies, we continue our pilgrimage, passing open-air roadside shops: stalls selling fruits and vegetables, tire vendors, gas canisters, car parts, sofas, coffins... All the essentials of life—well, except the coffins. We also make an unplanned stop in Galeria, thrown onto our route by fate... or rather by my dad, who seemed to think that a day where everything goes smoothly must be a scam!
During yet another contemplative stop in a photogenic rice paddy, my dad slips away discreetly to negotiate an urgent intestinal peace treaty with nature. By now, this scene is too familiar to warrant much commentary... Except that twenty kilometers down the road, in the middle of an equally inspiring banana plantation, reality—sneaky and lurking behind a bunch of bananas—hits us with a logistical slap. My dad, the hero, realizes that in the heat of the moment, he’d carelessly left our little backpack behind at his improvised drop-off spot. What was in this sacrificial offering to the local flora? Oh, just our passports, bank cards, driver’s licenses, plus a little bonus equivalent to the modest sum of 500 € in small bills... There you have it—the price of justice!
