We were told that all Americans had been asked to leave. The country was in civil war -- the tigers were the rebels. I didn't know that tiny detail when I was at customs and they pulled out my LSU Tiger rain poncho and cocked their rifles in rage. Dumb blonde. For safety precautions, I can not reveal the title of the official who moved us through customs, but we were the only Americans in Sri Lanka at that time. We had plans to go into the mountains to Nawalapitya, but there weren't any drivers willing to risk their lives and take us. Finally, we offered a van driver enough money for his life, and he agreed. Gunfire and bus-bombs awaited us.
What also awaited us is something that we weren't at all expecting: a beauty beyond anything any of us had ever seen in this world. The people had called it the 'Garden of Eden' and now we saw why. Around every corner of our death-ride, we encountered a new breath-taking scene of creation. Green lush valleys housed trees with red blossoms and large placid lakes. There are no words to explain the beauty hidden in Sri Lanka. Nawalapitya and Hatton were our destinations, off the beaten trail as opposed to the common destinations of Colombo and Kandy.
In the quiet villages, one hardly realized that there was a civil war going on. Hikes through the lush vegetation and the beauty of God's creation made one feel alive and free. Since there was no running water, a daily ride to the waterfalls was to suffice as a shower. The water pressure directly under the fall was the best that we had in all of Southeast Asia! And diving was exquisite. The villagers thought we were suicidal! Poor Gary (diving here in this picture, although I had my turn to fly too!) was the only one that experienced leeches in uncomfortable places.
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