Posts Tagged "tuk tuk"
We have agreed with our tuk tuk driver at the lecture a day trip, so we can see more of the area off the beaten path and experience. What we have seen on the tour and who has met us all can read it here.
All beginnings are difficult:
At 10 clock after breakfast, we are well equipped with cameras and water entered into the tuk tuk. It was in the middle of the jungle and go directly to Koggalla lake. The wound is so nice that we can imagine a boat ride, but to arrange a non-typical-tourist cruise .. mmh .. difficult. At the first contact point where our driver Sunil stops were waiting the typical tow: big grin on his nose, dollar signs in their eyes and the rustle of the rupee in the ears. To make matters worse was the landing on a Spiece Herbals and Garden - because it should immediately be suspicious.
When the pompadour then still called the price of the trip is clear: he thinks we are dumb like white bread, and he is a worthy successor to Einstein. 4500 rupees is expected to cost the fun: about 30 €. Although we recognize change and without a word to each other, as that will make the trip never to play the game: we act. We just say it's too expensive and even the price is 4000 rupees. We say that an hour is way too short. Suddenly the whole thing and extended the price drops to a 3500 rupees!
After that, yet clear: It's too expensive. When we stop the senseless trade, we get to hear that we were friends of the house and you want to provide us with the ride for 2500 Rupees. This seems to be the real price. Really? Probably not. Absolutely not!
We decline with thanks, and go back to the tuk tuk. As we say to our tuk tuk driver, we are not interested in such tourist attractions. He understands and smiles a little mischievously. He understood now and can go right off the tour.
We go through several villages in the south, by day and by night. Traffic on Sri Lanka is an experience in itself. The English have in the colonial period ensured that there is on this beautiful island transport links. There are still many of the more than 2 million tuk tuks go and meet a many vintage VW Beetle, Peugeot 404 or Citroen 2CV and many other vehicles that we do not know.
The rapid and sometimes reckless overtaking are used to. There is apparently a rank order on the streets, which is related to the size of the car.
Our carriage moves to the honking, slowly past the car vorfahrenden right. This gives way slowly to the left. As long as no oncoming traffic, everything is no problem.
Is it the one opposite, starting a large Hubkonzert. Depending on the speed and size of the opponent, either the brakes off, or you'll find at small, brakes and rejoins the rear. Of course, all the time honking on properly!
The horn is here, as in most developing countries (Thailand, Turkey, etc. ..)
the most important instrument in the street:
- Attention I get it!
- Thanks be, for stopping by.
- Please, I'll gladly place.
- Pedestrians, watch out!
- Hello!
- Bye!
- Dog, get out of the street!
The night is always driven with high beam. Off for oncoming traffic?
Nope, why is that?
Bicycles are only rarely light. Many cyclists ride at night because of one hand and holding in his other hand a light. Even pedestrians are visible at night difficult - especially between the places where the street lights sparingly, if at all, is present. Therefore, many of them a light in the hand.
A conspicuous number of red banners with the inscription: "Airtel" meet us on the road. A phone card operator.
Furthermore, many white pagodas to see and always have colorful flashing illuminated glass boxes on the roadside, where Buddha statues are placed.
Most people here are also colorful dress: women wear saris and in Umbrellas Umbrellas, so that their skin is not dark. Because light skin is required and the Sinhalese differ only slightly in their skin color, especially in rural areas have only a little darker hard to find a partner.
Men wear a scarf tied around the way: a sarong.
After a great breakfast in the garden, we took a tuk-tuk and off we went for shopping. Some fruit for lunch would not be bad. So we are of our tuk-tuk driver went to classes, where he buys himself.
What are the fruits we have bought here in Sri Lanka?
Rose apples look like pink pears and fresh fruity taste by a mixture of apple and melon.
Passion fruit with a spoon spooning it out of the slimy, sour-sweet pulp.
Soursop: in German, the prickly fruit also called sour sack. You pick the fruit and let them lie a few days until it is soft. She remembers the taste of fruity gum.
Papaya: Here it is nearly seedless and is sprinkled with lime juice.
Our villa is located in the tropical jungle. At breakfast in the garden monkeys jumping on our heads from palm to palm tree and beautiful colorful birds come flying by. On foot you get into a good 15 minutes to the state of our concierge can also order for the laziest a tuk-tuk, the pace of the state is included.
The tuk-tuk drivers are very hot on it to offer a full range of tourist services and the tour guides make powerful competitive: they offer the same tours at lower prices. And let loose either. The tuk-tuk drivers, who are responsible for the transfer of beach, have apparently done in a tuk-tuk clan together. Since there are always the same driver and a "no" for not taking full, the beach trip was tiring after a short time:
Tour to National Park? No.
Tour to Galle? No.
Jewels Buy? No.
Buy masks? No!
Tour to Lake Koggalla? No!
Tour de France? Non! Rose wants to buy? ...
The offer of the tuk-tuk driver seems to be inexhaustible.
We quickly realized that this, if it continues, could be very stressful, so we have asked for the time here in Sri Lanka, the task us to practice equanimity.
So we look forward from now on to other tuk-tuk rides and over again the same tour offerings ..
On a trip to the beach our driver will be forced on the roadside of our Dearest nerve cheek "Nalin" to stop. of this entry »
Our tuk tuk driver Mr. Lampong come punctually at 10 clock down to the department to collect us.
As the first target we chose the Mu Ko Chumphon National Park. The lies about 20 km south of Chumphon. We stand on the tour, this runs on bridges over water through a portion of mangrove forest. (This grows in a range of fresh and salt water mix). Interesting plants and - if lucky - even animals can be discovered. While I desperately pursuing a bird with the lens I see a big Varan. what we discover everything on our tour ...
Yesterday evening, Thomas Evren also arrived by train to Chumphon. They had found a beautiful resort in Ayutthaya, which is why they have remained there longer. We were all still drink a beer and have this day started at 9 clock with breakfast together on the beach. of this entry »
It is time to Bangkok and this wonderful place: to leave "Four Wings". You should book this hotel through a booking agency on the Internet, since the prices locally are twice as high. We travel with bag and baggage to the train station "Hua Lamphong" book and the 3rd Class to Ayutthaya. 15 Baht per person. That's the equivalent of about 30 cents. Starting in Bangkok and all the trains from different directions of the country. Except for a few exceptions.
Our train is already there and we are looking for seats in the 3rd Class can not be reserved, so fast in, first-come, first serve. of this entry »
