[2016 斯里蘭卡 Sri Lanka] Negombo > Kurunegala > Habarana

昨晚11:30飛機到達斯里蘭卡科倫坡機場，到達已預訂的住宿Villa Schneck已經差不多凌晨1時。說是Villa一點都不誇張，因為我們被安排到二樓一間獨立屋，有自己的客廳和廚房、獨立浴室、特大睡房連露台，可看到室外泳池的景觀，房價只需HKD186，十分超值吧！

We landed at Bandaranaike International Airport (also called Colombo International Airport) at 11:30pm and finally sit on the bed at Villa Schneck around 1am. The accommodation could really claims themselves as V-I-L-L-A because we were arranged to the suite on the 2nd floor with our own living room, kitchen, separated bathroom, large-sized bedroom with a balcony which could overlook the outdoor pool view. And the price is only HKD186 which is a good deal. 

離機場最就近的城市不是科倫堡Colombo，而是Negombo, 只有12公里，所以我們選擇由Negombo為起點順時針開始兩星期的斯里蘭卡之旅。

The nearby city to the Airport is not Colombo but Negombo which is 12km away. It makes more sense to start our two-week trip from Negombo and moving clockwise and ended at Colombo. 

Negombo最受遊客熟悉的就是魚市場，早上5-6時漁民會把新鮮的魚獲帶到市場上售賣，未到8時魚市場便會回復平靜，所以要看到大魚一定要早點到達。我們當天7時半才到達，漁民都走得七七八八，漁市場變得冷清，只看到零碎的小魚，無人問津。

The fish market in Negombo is the most popular sightseeing point. It started operated at 5-6am when the fishermen came back from the ocean with their fresh fish and seafood to the market for sale. The market will become peaceful when it is 8am. As a result, early bird catches the BIG FISH!!! We arrived at 7:30am which most of the fishermen have gone and the market became quiet. We only saw some baskets of tiny fish sell by an old lady which no one would like to pay for them.

那夾雜著千萬種鮮魚和腐爛海鮮而成的強烈腥味遍佈整個魚市場和對出海灘，我們聞著不好受，但烏鴉和蒼蠅卻特別鐘情這股氣味，一擁來開餐。

The market and the beach side were entirely covered by the awful smell of the variety kind of fish and the rotten-stinky seafood. Moritz and I obviously dislike the smell but the crows and flies seem like that so much which flew around the rotten fish. 

魚市場旁邊有一座仍然運作中的監獄，荷蘭式建築，以高牆包圍，高牆頂部以生鏽的鐵絲圍繞，烏鴉在周邊盤旋，感覺特別陰沉和充滿罪惡的氣息。

A Dutch fort which is currently a prison, still in used, is located next to the beach. It was covered by the high wall with rusty-iron-fence on top. The crows were circling on the sky which reinforced the feeling of guilty and gloomy in the area. 

沿路走路回Villa，經過一間家庭式小店，有即製的煎餅，正好作為早餐的選擇。一份煎餅只需20LKR=HKD1，新鮮製作，熱得燙手，老闆娘見我吃得津津有味，再推薦我吃加上蛋的煎餅(40LKR=HKD2), 真懂得upsell。正當我向Moritz抱怨吃煎餅沒有醬汁，口感很乾時，老闆娘端來一個小碟，上面盛著咖哩，然後報以一個微笑便離開，不得不說沾上咖哩的煎餅味道更有層次。

We came across a bistro on our way back to Villa. It is a family owned shop with fresh made fried bread. Perfect! That was our breakfast plan. One piece of fried bread costs 20LKR=HKD1 which is freshly prepared and so hot to burn my fingers. It was delicious. The shop lady could tell from my face that I love the bread so much and she brought me another one with the egg on it which only costs 40LKR=HKD2. ( I didn’t order) She is a smart business woman knows “upsell”. I only complained to Moritz that it was a little bit dry to just eat the bread without sauce. At the same time, the shop lady brought us a small plate of curry on the table and left with an “I know you” smile. I have to say the bread taste much better with the curry and my heart is melted by this shop and the lady. 

回到Villa收撘行李，我們便出發前往Habarana，從Negombo出發要先坐一小時巴士到Kurunegala，然後轉另一輛巴士到Habarana，大約兩小時。順利到達Kurunegala，已經下午1時，先吃午餐再繼續行程。

We started our journey to Habarana after packed up. It takes one hour from Negombo to Kurunegala by bus, then we have to switch another bus to the final destination Habarana for two hours. It was already 1pm when we arrived Kurunegala and we decided to have lunch before continue the journey. 

在車站走了一圈，沒有找到特別驚喜的餐廳，加上已經香汗淋漓，決定隨便選一間快餐店解決，點了咖哩雞飯，一塊炸雞加數碟混合不同素菜的咖哩，配以白飯或紅米飯就是斯里蘭卡的日常快餐。

With a walk around the bus terminal finding nothing excited to try and also sweating like a wet towel, we decided to randomly choose a fast food shop and I ordered myself the Chicken & Curry Rice. A plate with plain rice and brown rice served with a piece of deep-fried bony chicken and several plates of curry veggie is the daily meal for SriLankans.

當地人用手+撈埋一碟 vs 外國人用叉+分開小碟
Local use hand + mix vs Foreigner use fork + in plates

回到巴士站閒著等待著巴士，看著當地人努力地迫上巴士、追著巴士然後身手敏捷地手捉車門一跳，便順利地站在門口跟著巴士離開。30分鐘過去，其他的巴士都陸續到達，唯獨是我們仍然在等待著巴士出現，平靜的我開始變得焦急，嘗試向其他人查詢，都說應該快到，但下一分鐘只有失望，十分無奈。

Went back to the bus terminal for our bus, watching the local and students tried hard to squeeze in the bus, chased the bus and tried to grab the door as a handle to jump on the bus, every step is smooth and easy. 30 Minutes later, we were still waiting at the same spot while lots of buses have departed. I became anxious from peaceful and tried to ask people around. The answer was “Soon to come”. However, the next and the next after next minute, we were still waiting. 

這時有一個年輕人向Moritz撘訕，問我們要去哪兒？我當下心情很差，沒有理會他，Moritz跟他説我們要去Habarana，然後他告訴我們巴士不會來！！這句話啟動了我發瘋的開關，我在想他是否的士司機，想我們坐他車，我聽不懂他說什麼兩種巴士線，又說什麼今天擺工沒車，要坐車便去大路等待，把我攪得糊塗。最後他説可以帶我們到另一車站繼續等，因為車快到了。(又是這個答案!)

A young SriLankan came and talked to Moritz, asked us where we go? I was having a bad mood so I didn’t respond him. Moritz told him we needed to go to Habarana. Then he told us bus was not coming!! This bad news triggered my nerve to get crazy. I was thinking if he is a taxi driver trying to deceive us and then rip us off for fare. He confused me by saying something like two bus routes, strike today, and go to main road for the bus. Lastly, he said he could show us to another bus stop and the next bus is coming soon. (Yes… always coming soon)

糊裡糊塗地跟著他走，離開巴士站，走過大街，轉彎果然看到另一個巴士站，有很多人在等車。年輕人告訴我們斯里蘭卡的巴士分為公營和私營，政府決定向私營巴士公司徵收更高的稅/營運費，所以公司以擺工向政府表示不滿，結果人人都在等公營巴士，每一班巴士都迫滿乘客。

I followed him to go while I was not sure if that was the wise decision. We left the bus terminal, walked through the main street, made a turn at the corner and the bus stop is in front and lots of people were waiting already. The young man told us SriLankan buses are operated by two parties – Government and private companies. The government decided to impose a higher tax/ operation charge to the private companies which leads to dissatisfaction. As a result, the private companies planned the strike and turned out people were crowded at the station for the government bus and all the bus were packed. 

年輕人把我們帶到巴士站便離開，我十分感激他的無私幫助。過了20分鐘，我們仍然在等巴士，這時年輕人回到巴士站，看到我們仍然在感到驚訝，決定和我們一起等待。他的英文不算是非常好，但絕對能溝通。終於看到我們要坐的巴士，大家都整裝待發擁前等待上車，但車上的售票員向絕望的我們搖頭，指一指車箱表示沒有法子擠上更多人，同時車沒有減速或停下便離開巴士站，留下乘客們站在原地。我看著Moritz和年輕人苦笑，希望有人可以告訴我可以怎樣做？年輕人問我們會否選擇Tuk Tuk。時間已經不早，下一班車也未必能有機會上車，我們接受了這個提議。他更主動替我們找司機，著我們在原地等，我看著他用心為我們走來走去，向不同的司機問價，再次感激他。他回來很不好意思的對我們說，坐Tuk Tuk要5000LKR，最便宜都要4000LKR，問我們夠不夠錢，還說如果不夠，今天可以到他家過一晚，明天才坐巴士離開。相識不到半小時，他居然願意把我們陌生人帶回家，我十分感激他的好意，他真的是個好人，對剛剛認為他另有居心感到抱歉。

The young man brought us to the bus stop and left. I truly appreciated for his help without asking for money or anything. 20 minutes later, he came back to the bus stop and found that we were still waiting. He was so shock and decided to stay with us until we get on the bus. His English was not bad and we are able to communicate. Finally, our bus showed up and everyone grabbed their stuff for the moment to squeeze in. However, the conductor looked at all of us, shaked his head and pointed at the bus compartment saying the bus was already full. There was no chance for one more passenger. The bus didn’t slow down at all and left the bus stop. We, and other passengers, were left at the same spot. I looked and Moritz and the young man feeling so helpless. I hope the angel comes and tells me what I could do. The young man asked if we will take a Tuk Tuk. Consider that it was late already, it is not a guarantee the next bus would be free to get on, we accepted this suggestion. The young man looked for a driver for us and asked us to wait at the same spot. I saw him running around to get a price from different tuk tuk drivers and greatly appreciated his effort. He came back to us and felt sorry to tell us it costs 5000LKR and the cheapest would be 4000LKR. He ever asked if we have enough cash to pay the driver, otherwise, we could stay at his place and take the bus tomorrow. We have met each other for less than 30 minutes. His offer – to bring strangers to his place was so touchy to me. He is really a nice guy and I felt sorry to think he has bad intension when he first approached us. 

最後我們決定坐Tuk Tuk到Habarana，臨走前再次向年輕人道謝和感激他的幫助。

Lastly, we made our half journey to Habarana with Tuk Tuk. Of cos we said “Thank You” to him twice before we go. Without him, we were still standing at the terminal.

Tuk Tuk司機Manoj是hippie style，十分健談，三小時車程變得愉快，雖然我們的關係是建基於金錢，但離開前都交換了Facebook，發現他居然有超過1300個朋友，原來斯里蘭卡人那麼熱衷臉書。

The Tuk Tuk Driver named Manoj who is a hippie and very talkative. The 3-hour ride was so pleasant. Although our relationship is money related, we exchanged each other Facebook. He has more than 1300 friends on his Facebook and I was surprised Facebook is so popular in Sri Lanka.

未來兩天都會住在樹屋，是旅程其中一個亮點。晚上點起鋁罐造成的氣油火把，令我感覺自己在參加求生節目生還者。

The coming two days, we stayed in the treehouse which is one of the highlight in the trip. The gas fire touch inside the aluminium can at night made me think that I am in “Survivor”.