Traveling the Triangle: Report from Sri Lanka’s Interior
byClick here to read my newest essay, “A Very Buddha Birthday.†I entered it in a travel writing contest; wish me luck.
Sri Lanka
New Year and New Plans
byAs several of you have observed, there has been a recent addition to our itinerary. I’m speaking of the new countries listed under “Africa”…
Ancient Cities teaser
byOur first weekend out of Nuwara Eliya was a sensory-soaked trip to Sri Lanka’s steamy interior, a.k.a. the “Cultural Triangle.” 2,000-year-old ruins and modern…
Sunsets in Nuwara Eliya
byFrom Toppass, we watch storms build to the southeast, over Badulla, says Sabah, looking with us. He stands watching the sky intently, his sweater-clad…
The Hardest Part About Traveling for 16 Months
byThe biggest challenge of traveling and working abroad for such a long time is not jet lag, financial management at home, nor even Traveler’s…
Volun-tourism: Why We Came to Sri Lanka
byWe did not choose Nuwara Eliya. We were assigned here. In my experience, allowing somebody else to pick one’s destination, especially in some sort…
Fancy Goods and Ironmongery: At Home in Nuwara Eliya
byBesides being the highest settlement above sea level on the entire island of Sri Lanka, the sprawling hill-country hamlet of Nuwara Eliya (or “Nor-REL-iyaâ€)…
Lil’ House in the Hill Country: Meet the New Crew
byThe five-hour drive from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya (pronounced, more or less, “Nor-REL-iyaâ€) takes us a mile-and-a-quarter above the Indian Ocean, a rise accompanied…
Colombo, City by the Sea: Welcome to Sri Lanka
byIt is less than a four-hour flight from Bangkok across the Bay of Bengal to Sri Lanka’s coastal capital, Colombo, which greets us with…