The train to Vang Vieng was surprisingly easy, after going through a security check, we grabbed some snacks, boarded our train, which passed through rice fields and rolling hills, until 50 minutes later we had arrived in Vang Vieng. The best part of the journey was actually the last 5-10 minutes or so, as we got closer to Vang Vieng, the landscape completely changed and these massive limestone mountains appeared in the distance.

These mountains are actually the main attraction of Vang Vieng. They are steep cliffs, almost rising vertically from the countryside and are covered with thick green vegetation. They looked amazing and we were ready to start exploring them.

At the station we jumped into a minibus to take us to our hotel, the Sky Hotel. It cost us 40,000 kip each, which worked out at roughly $3 AUD per person, it could have possibly been slightly cheaper with a taxi but I couldn’t be bothered waiting for one when these minivans were already leaving. Once at our hotel, the Sky Hotel, we checked in and headed out to find some lunch. Now, although we ordered all meals at the same time, Suz and I were fed first and then, once we’d finished, the kids got their meals. Probably not the greatest place when you’re travelling with hungry teenagers (well almost two of them), but eventually everyone got fed.

Back at the hotel, we organised a tuk-tuk for the afternoon and headed off towards Nam Xay Viewpoint. Xander and I jumped out to do the climb while Suz and Eloise continued onwards to Blue Lagoon 1. The climb up Nam Xay is only around 150 metres in elevation, but don’t let that number fool you as it might be a short hike, but it’s a brutally steep climb. In the heat and humidity, it felt way longer than “just” 150 metres!

The climb was exhausting, hot and, in places, quite slippery, with plenty of sharp rocks to negotiate. By the time Xander and I finally reached the top, we were both questioning some of our life choices (well, at least I was, Xander was just skipping ahead). Thankfully, the views made every step worthwhile. From the summit, we got incredible panoramic views over the Vang Vieng valley, with its rice fields, winding roads, little villages and those enormous limestone mountains stretching out in every direction.

And then there were the motorcycles. Right at the top, there are two motorbikes that have been placed for visitors to get that obligatory Instagram photo. Naturally, there was absolutely no way Xander and I were climbing all that way and not taking a photo (so after having to wait for some Russians that were taking a million photos of each other, we finally got ours as well).

The journey back down was easier than going up, but it was still long and tiring. Once we reached the bottom, we found our tuk-tuk driver and headed to Blue Lagoon 1, where we met up with Suz and Eloise and jumped into the cool lagoon water which was very refreshing and just what we needed. We spent some time swimming and cooling off before heading back into town.

That evening we decided to treat ourselves to some massages, yes all of us got a 60min foot and back massage, which cost us a total of 480,000 kip, about $40 AUD in total for all four, what a bargain, we will have to do these more times. After spending the day climbing mountains and swimming in lagoons, the massage definitely hit the spot. 

We finished the night with a simple Chinese dinner surrounded by locals before taking a short walk back to the hotel. It was an early night because the alarm was set at 4:30am (ridiculous) the following morning. But we had to get up early, as it was hot air balloon ride time.

The 4:30am alarm came around far way too quickly, after turning the alarm off, I checked my messages to make sure the balloon ride hadn’t been cancelled yes. We’d had heavy rain overnight, which is normal for this time of year as the rainy season is coming to an end, but I looked outside and couldn’t see rain so we were in with a chance.

At exactly 5:00am, our minivan arrived to collect us. We were handed cards marked “Bumblebee”, which showed the balloon that we we’d been assigned to, and after a few more stops to collect additional passengers, we arrived at the Above Laos area. Here we were served coffee whilst given a safety briefing. The weather was still being monitored, and we were told that if conditions weren’t suitable we’d either have to wait, rebook or receive a refund. We were also told we might have to wait until around 8:00am to find out what was happening, so we settled in and waited. Then, around 6:30am, we saw as the balloon baskets appeared, the huge balloons began to inflate and suddenly this was actually happening and not long after this, we were airborne!

It’s difficult to describe the feeling of being in a hot air balloon. There’s no engine roaring, no sudden acceleration and no real sensation of movement. Instead, you simply rise quietly into the sky, carried by the wind, with the mountains of Vang Vieng stretching out below you. At some point I checked the height indicator which said 3,000 feet, which is not far from 1000 metres in the air. As a balloon can’t just be steered, we flew where the wind wanted us to go and as we went higher, the landscape became even more spectacular, with clouds and mist drifting around the limestone peaks and the patchwork of rice fields far below.

Around 45 minutes after taking off, our pilot started descending and we were almost floating above a large rice field, before we were able to be guided safely to the ground by ground staff that by this stage had been given ropes and were guiding us in to a safe spot.  Safely back on the ground, we were still buzzing from the experience, as for both Suz and I, this was a genuine bucket-list item, and being able to do it surrounded by the incredible scenery of Vang Vieng was just amazing. As luck would have it, just as we had touched down safely, the rain started falling all around us, talk about good timing!

Back at the main airfield, we were treated to breakfast, champagne and certificates showing that we’d taken part in the balloon flight. After returning to the hotel, we relaxed for a while before heading out again to Tham Chang Cave. Getting to the cave involved climbing a steep set of 147 steps before entering the cave itself. After the climb of Nam Xay the previous day, the steps weren’t exactly what I was looking for, but once we made it inside the cave it was worth it (and it also protected us from the rain that had arrived again). Whilst it was wet and miserable outside, the inside of the cave was cool and dry, and at times it felt like we had the entire place to ourselves.

After the cave we returned to town, grabbed some lunch and then spent some time relaxing around the hotel pool before it was time to head to the train station again, the time had come for us to leave for our final destination in Laos, Luang Prabang.

Later on we boarded our late evening flight to Singapore, leaving Melbourne at around 9:30pm and landed in Singapore at about 3:00am, giving us a six-hour layover before our final flight. Unfortunately, all the airport lounges and sleeping areas were already full at that time of the morning, so we wandered between terminals looking for somewhere to rest and eventually found a quiet corner where we could lie down for a few hours (and I even got some sleep).

Around 6am we finally got ourselves moving again and grabbed some breakfast, including Hainanese chicken and a traditional Singapore kopi (a strong, rich local coffee, served with condensed milk, just what I needed after a few hours of next to no sleep. We then managed to find a hidden corner with comfortable seats which overlooked the terminal and aircraft where we waited and finally got onto our airplane.

After a slight delay where some passengers didn’t turn up and their luggage had to be offloaded, we landed at Vientiane Airport about 2 hours and 40 min later, breezed through immigration with our eVisas and were soon outside, where we stopped at an ATM to get some local currency and become millionaires, although unfortunately being a millionaire in Laos doesn’t quite mean the same as it does in Australia.

We also managed to pick up a local SIM card for Xander, as his phone doesn’t support eSIM. For about $4 AUD he got seven days of data, and it actually turned out to be a great option as his connection was super fast, whilst the Airalo eSim we had was some of the worst I’ve come across (for future reference, do not use Airalo in Laos).

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Getting from the airport, I used LOCA app, pretty much Laos’ version of Uber. What arrived to collect us was a nice electric car. Actually, every taxi ride we took through the LOCA app in Vientianne was an EV, and we quickly noticed the vast amount of EV cars (and fast charging stations) everywhere. Coming from Australia, we were impressed and, to be honest, felt like we are the third world nation and way behind the times considering how normal EVs are around here.

We arrived at our hotel, the Mintra Hotel and checked into our interconnecting rooms. The rooms were comfortable, the beds were nice and plush, and after such a long journey, we were really looking forward to sleep in them. However, no time for that, we headed outside and found our first restaurant for some Lao lunch. The kids grabbed mango and watermelon shakes while Suz and I ordered our first Beer Lao’s (the first of many more to come).

After lunch we organised a tuk-tuk and headed towards Patuxai, one of Vientiane’s most famous landmarks, which is also called the Victory Gate. Patuxai is a huge monument inspired by the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, although with traditional Lao architectural details. We climbed the stairs to the top and enjoyed some great views over town.

From there we wandered through Talat Sao, one of the city’s many markets, before Suz and the kids decided it was time to head back to the hotel for some swimming in the pool. I decided to keep going, flagged down a TukTuk, and made my way over to Pha That Luang, a large golden stupa which is one of the most important national and religious symbols in Laos. The site was impressive, with the enormous golden structure standing out against the surrounding buildings.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

I eventually returned to the hotel where we all spent some time relaxing in the pool, where I enjoyed a cold beer. Then the rain arrived and we enjoyed some time in the water, whilst the rain poured over us.

We had originally planned to visit the night markets along the Mekong River, however due to the rain, we changed our plans and headed to Wanwan Food Park Center Point instead. Here we just sat down at a local restaurant, on plastic chairs, and ordered from a menu that had no English translations and, even more importantly, no prices. We hoped for the best and choose dishes based on the photos showed and hoped for the best. We ordered some pork larb, fried rice and morning glory with everything being delicious, however the food was definitely on the spicy side and a too much for the kids (and Suz).

After dinner we wandered around the markets, picking up a few snacks along the way before finally returning to the hotel. It had been a very long day, starting with the drive to Melbourne, the flight to Singapore, a six-hour layover, another flight to Laos and then a full afternoon and evening exploring Vientiane. By the time we got back to the hotel, we were more than ready for bed.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

One thing that really stood out during our time in Vientiane was the city itself, there are some large and impressive buildings throughout the city, some incredibly modern while others incorporate traditional Lao architecture. We were genuinely impressed over their scale and design.

The next morning we grabbed some croissants and a few other things for breakfast and headed towards the train station. Along the way we passed even more of Vientiane’s impressive buildings, before arriving at the station itself.

And speaking of impressive buildings, the Vientiane railway station is absolutely massive. It feels more like an airport terminal than a train station, with a huge modern structure that really stands out from the surrounding area. After going through security and grabbing some snacks for the journey, we made our way onto the platform and boarded our train towards our next stop in Laos, Vang Vieng!

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After an early start with a 4:30am wake-up, we said goodbye to Sri Lanka and made our way to the airport for the next part of our journey. Our little friend the dog, even wandered over to say good morning and farewell (and I even let it into the kids room to get Eloise out of bed). From Colombo we took a short 1.5-hour flight and landed at Velana International Airport in Male, the main gateway to the Maldives.

After landing we had about two hours before our speedboat, so we  withdrew some local cash from an ATM and tried to exchange our remaining Sri Lankan rupees. Unfortunately none of the official exchange counters would accept them, so we ended up swapping a small amount with one of the many people offering exchanges in the arrivals hall. It wasn’t a large sum, so we were happy just to convert it into Maldivian rufiyaa, the local currency used on the islands and whilst the rate was terrible, it was better than just carrying around the $80 or so equivalent that I had in Sri Lankan rupees.

Eventually it was time to board our speedboat transfer and after all passengers were onboard, we pulled away and sped across the open water. The ride itself was a bit dramatic at times as we travelled through patches of rain and rough seas, but about 90 minutes later we arrived at our destination, the island of Dhigurah.

As soon as we arrived we were greeted by staff from our hotel, TME Retreats Dhigurah, who loaded our luggage onto small electric golf buggies and drove us through the sandy streets to the hotel. After a refreshing cold towel and welcome drink we checked in and headed out for some lunch before walking down to the beach.

One thing that quickly became apparent is that Dhigurah is a local island, meaning there are certain rules visitors need to follow. The Maldives is a Muslim country and alcohol isn’t permitted on local islands, only on private resort islands. Beaches are also divided into regular public areas and designated “bikini beaches” where tourists can swim in regular swimwear. Once we reached the bikini beach area though, we finally stepped into the water and had our first proper swim in the Maldives. The water was warm, crystal clear and every bit as beautiful as we had imagined.

Later in the afternoon we returned to the room and washed a few items of clothing by hand. We had used laundry services throughout Sri Lanka, but here the hotel charged about $1 per item, which would quickly add up for four people. After our quick washing session we headed out to explore the island, wandering along sandy streets lined with palm trees and small guesthouses.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Along the way we passed small shops selling souvenirs and local snacks before eventually finding ourselves back at the beach just in time for sunset. The colours over the Indian Ocean were incredible and it was the perfect way to end our first day in the Maldives.

That evening we enjoyed dinner at the hotel where I tried a traditional Maldivian dish called Garudhiya. The dish is made with tuna cooked in a clear broth with salt, lime and chilli, usually served with rice, onion, chilli and lime on the side. It was simple but incredibly tasty and quickly became my favourite meal during our stay. We finished dinner with some locally made coconut ice cream before heading back to the room for an early night.

The next morning started with another early pickup, this time I was heading off for some diving with Dhigurah Island Divers. After heading out by boat for about 25 minutes we reached our first dive site, Noo Giri. This site is a coral pinnacle rising from deeper water and we began the dive at around 25 metres before gradually working our way upward around the reef.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Almost immediately we were surrounded by tropical fish including parrotfish, angelfish, clownfish, along with starfish scattered across the reef and so many more. Towards the end of the dive we were also lucky enough to come across a large sea turtle which calmly continued feeding while we floated nearby watching.

After a short break on the boat we headed to our second dive site, Kuda Rah Thila, often nicknamed “Turtle Point”. Like the first dive, the reef was full of colourful marine life and once again we were lucky enough to see another turtle during the dive. Both dives had excellent visibility and it was an incredible experience to finally tick off diving in the Maldives from my bucket list.

Back on land we met up again for a light lunch before renting bicycles for the afternoon. Dhigurah is perfect for cycling and we rode all the way down to the southern tip of the island where a long sandbank stretches far into the ocean. At first the weather looked a bit questionable as dark clouds rolled in and a short burst of rain passed through, but soon afterwards the sky cleared and we were left with amazing views across shallow turquoise water stretching in every direction.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

The following morning we had another early start, this time a snorkelling trip for Xander, Eloise and I, in search of manta rays. Once again we headed out with Dhigurah Island Divers, although the boat ride that morning was a little rougher with some fairly large waves making the trip out a bit uncomfortable.

Luckily, the moment we entered the water made it completely worthwhile. Almost immediately we spotted our first manta ray gliding gracefully through the water. It had been years since I’d seen one in the wild and it was the first time for the kids. Watching these giant rays swim effortlessly through the ocean is always an incredible experience.

Within minutes however, several other boats arrived and the area became quite crowded with both snorkellers and divers. It quickly became difficult to keep track of everyone in the water, so we all returned to the boat. Then whilst Xander and Eloise stayed on the boat, I was dropped a little further away from the crowds where I found a few more manta rays and enjoyed a quieter swim before we continued on to another shallow reef area where we spotted a turtle along with plenty of colourful reef fish.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After returning to the island we spent the afternoon taking things a little easier. Suz headed to the beach to relax while the rest of us enjoyed a slower afternoon.

Later that evening we found one of the small beach cafés where we ordered mojitos and watched the sunset over the Indian Ocean. Of course, the mojitos were alcohol-free as again, alcohol isn’t permitted on local islands in the Maldives. Resorts operate differently and serve alcohol normally, but islands like Dhigurah follow local cultural rules.

Either way, it turned out to be the perfect final evening on the island.

After sunset we headed back for dinner where I once again ordered Garudhiya, still my favourite dish of the trip, before returning to the room for a relaxing final night in the Maldives as tomorrow we would be heading home, bringing an incredible journey through Sri Lanka and the Maldives to an end.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

On our final morning on Dhigurah, Suz and I made the most of our last few hours by heading down to the beach for one final swim. The water was that same incredible clear turquoise that makes the Maldives so famous, calm and warm as we floated around soaking in the moment. Meanwhile, Xander and Eloise decided to relax back in the room and enjoy a slower start to the morning.

After returning to the hotel we packed up our bags, checked out of TME Retreats Dhigurah, and made our way back to the harbour. From there we boarded the speedboat for the journey back to Velana International Airport.

It had been a long trip and we were definitely tired by this stage, but also incredibly happy. Visiting the Maldives had been one of our dream destinations for years, and finally experiencing its beautiful islands, reefs and marine life made it a perfect ending to an unforgettable holiday.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After leaving Kandy, we began our journey towards Sigiriya. The drive initially involved navigating quite a bit of traffic, not only within Kandy itself but also in the smaller towns and villages along the way. As it turned out, we were travelling just before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, one of the biggest celebrations in Sri Lanka. People were everywhere, shopping for food, clothes, decorations and sweets in preparation for the holiday. The closer we got to the smaller towns, the more lively the streets became, with markets packed full of people getting ready for several days of celebrations with family and friends.

Our first stop of the day came about two hours later at the impressive Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. The temple complex sits high on a large rock formation and reaching it requires climbing roughly 300 steps. Unfortunately for us, we were doing this in the middle of the day when the heat was at its strongest. After making the climb and reusing the sarongs we had purchased the previous day in Kandy, we entered the caves and explored the temple complex. Inside are several cave temples filled with statues and murals of the Buddha, with over 150 statues spread across five caves that date back more than 2,000 years. After spending some time exploring and taking in the impressive artwork and statues, we made our way back down the hill, passing plenty of monkeys along the path before finally reaching our driver waiting for us at the bottom.

After a quick lunch stop we continued the drive towards Sigiriya and arrived at our originally booked accommodation. As usual the hotel staff grabbed our bags and started taking them towards the room, but when they reached the door they suddenly seemed confused. There were shoes sitting outside the room and it quickly became clear that something wasn’t quite right. They tried to show us a different room but that one only had two beds instead of the three we had booked. After a bit of discussion they even attempted to offer a larger room, but again it only had two beds. In the end we decided to cancel the booking entirely. We called our driver back and simply asked him to take us to another hotel so we could check availability ourselves.

After some quick online searching we came upon a hotel nearby, the Lion See Hotel which luckily had a room available with three beds (and slightly cheaper than the original one). We checked the room, accepted it straight away and checked in. It didn’t take long before we were all in the swimming pool cooling off after the hot day. That evening we walked along a small, dark path to a nearby restaurant for dinner before returning to the hotel. Getting to sleep that night turned out to be slightly challenging though, as loud music, celebrations and fireworks were going off at a nearby house, most likely part of the upcoming New Year celebrations.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

The next morning we had an early start. Before breakfast, Xander, Eloise and I headed off to climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Suz decided to stay behind at the hotel as she was still feeling a bit under the weather and the climb from the previous day had convinced her that another big hike probably wasn’t the best idea.

Sigiriya, often referred to as Lion Rock, rises about 200 metres above the surrounding jungle and was once the site of an ancient royal palace built by King Kashyapa in the 5th century. Today it’s one of Sri Lanka’s most famous UNESCO World Heritage sites and one of the country’s most recognisable landmarks.

The climb to the top involves roughly 1,200 to 1,300 steps and although it’s not easy, the reward at the top makes the effort completely worthwhile. Along the way you pass impressive rock walls, narrow staircases and the famous Lion’s Gate, where two enormous stone lion paws guard the entrance to the final staircase. Once we reached the summit we were able to walk around the ruins of the ancient palace complex, including foundations, terraces and water reservoirs, all while enjoying incredible views across the surrounding jungle and countryside.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After making our way back down we returned to the hotel hot and sweaty, only to discover that the air conditioning in our room wasn’t working due to some electrical problems. A quick cold shower fixed that problem temporarily however the heat quickly returned though, so after breakfast we quickly checked out and were on our way.

As we were finishing our breakfast, our driver Sumeera approached us with a small surprise. He handed us a framed photo of all of us together from earlier in the trip, which was a very thoughtful gift and a great souvenir from our time travelling around Sri Lanka with him.

After checking out, we joined a Sigiriya Village Tour which gave us a glimpse into traditional rural life in the area. The tour started with a ride in a wooden bullock cart through the countryside before we transferred onto a tractor for the next section of the journey. After that we took a small boat ride across a lake before arriving at a village home where local residents showed us how traditional Sri Lankan dishes are prepared. We were even invited to help with the cooking before sitting down to eat the meal ourselves. There was no cutlery provided though, which meant we had to eat the traditional way using our right hand to mix the rice and curry together. The tour was very gimmicky and touristy, however we still enjoyed it and it was nice to have a bit of a cooking class whilst in Sri Lanka as well!

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After the tour we were all incredibly hot and sweaty, so getting back into the air-conditioned car for the long drive towards our final hotel felt very welcome. By early afternoon we arrived at our final accommodation in Sri Lanka, the Dinu Lanka Resort.

Here we said goodbye to Sumeera who had been driving us and guiding us across the country for the past week. He had helped us navigate the language barrier, taken us to amazing places and generally made the entire journey incredibly smooth. We would happily recommend him to anyone travelling around Sri Lanka and can pass on his WhatsApp number if anyone is interested!

After checking in at the resort we were immediately welcomed with fresh lime juice and a selection of traditional Sri Lankan sweets and snacks while chatting with the owner about her life and experiences. With most shops closed due to the New Year holidays, we ended up walking to a small supermarket to buy some noodles and snacks for our final dinner in Sri Lanka. After returning to the hotel we packed our bags and tried to get some rest before our alarm went off very early the next morning.

Our wake-up call was set for 4:30am, as our flight was leaving at 7:20am for the next destination on our journey.

The Maldives…

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After leaving Udawalawe, the drive took us through several small villages with fairly straight roads, but before long the scenery started changing. Mountains began appearing in the distance and soon enough we found ourselves driving along winding roads as we slowly climbed higher into Sri Lanka’s hill country.

Not long before reaching Ella we stopped at Ravana Falls, one of the widest waterfalls in the country. The waterfall cascades down a rocky cliff face beside the main road and is believed in local legend to be connected to the ancient story of King Ravana from the Ramayana epic. There were plenty of monkeys around the area, thankfully they all seemed fairly relaxed and didn’t attempt to steal food or get too close (I’m looking at you Gibraltar).

Shortly afterwards we arrived in Ella town, where we first stopped at the railway station to confirm our train tickets for our travel in two days time. After that we grabbed a quick lunch at a restaurant called Chill Cafe and after lunch we drove towards our accommodation, 9 Arch View Rest Inn.

The hotel sits just outside town and as we approached, the roads became smaller and steep and they were simply too narrow for our driver’s van to continue. With our driver’s help, we called the owner who soon arrived in his tuk-tuk and loaded both us and our luggage in for the final 500 metres. I did offer to walk, but he insisted on driving us.

When we arrived and stepped onto the balcony, the view immediately made the effort worthwhile. Right in front of us was Nine Arch Bridge, one of Sri Lanka’s most famous landmarks.

Right after checking in, Xander, Eloise and I decided to walk down to the bridge itself. We wandered across the railway tracks and stood on the bridge just as a train slowly rolled across, which was a pretty cool experience.

That evening we asked the owner if he could drive us back into town for dinner. On the way there the sky suddenly opened up and rain started pouring down so heavily that it became difficult to even see the road. We ended up standing under an awning in town trying to stay dry before eventually deciding to just run across the street back to Chills, since we already knew the food was good.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

During dinner the rain stopped again and once we finished we simply messaged the hotel owner on WhatsApp who within minutes arrived to collect us and drove us back to the hotel, best service ever!

The next morning we enjoyed breakfast on the balcony overlooking the Nine Arch Bridge, which was a pretty incredible way to start the day. After breakfast we decided to hike Little Adam’s Peak. Suz wasn’t feeling the best so she stayed behind while the kids and I set off.

On the way there we passed Flying Ravana Adventure Park, where Xander and Eloise decided to try the zipline which they loved. After that the kids convinced me to take the Little Adam’s Peak Skywalk, which is a metal walkway and staircase route that climbs the final section of the hill. While the views were fantastic, it was definitely a tougher climb than simply walking up regular steps and I definitely regretted my choice a few times along the way.

We finally reached the end of the walkway and there was only a short hike from there to the summit where we could enjoy some amazing views across the surrounding hills and tea plantations.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Later we met Suz for lunch and that afternoon, the hotel owner drove us in his tuk-tuk to Halpewatte Tea Factory where we joined the plantation tour. We learnt that Sri Lanka’s tea industry dates back to the 1860s when James Taylor introduced commercial tea cultivation to the island. Before that, Sri Lanka was mainly known for coffee production until a plant disease destroyed the coffee crops. We also learned what tea comes from what leaves and then also got to dress with a traditional tea pickers basket to try hand-picking tea leaves ourselves (which we only did for a short time before we got tired).

Afterwards we returned inside the factory for a tea tasting where we sampled several different varieties, with this being the first time Xander and Eloise had ever sampled tea.

The next morning it was time for us to catch one of the most famous train journeys in the world. We got ready to board the train from Ella, as our driver Sumeera took our luggage with him in the car and drove ahead to meet us.

Normally this train runs all the way to Kandy, however due to severe flooding and storm damage from last years typhoon, parts of the railway line are damaged with nil trains running that part of the route. So, we opted to ride the train for around two hours to Ambewela.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

The train ride through Sri Lanka’s hill country is often ranked among the most scenic rail journeys in the world as it provides some incredible views across the tea plantations and mountains. This train is normally packed however we felt the train was far quieter than normal and after a couple of stops we basically only had to share the entire 2nd class reserved carriage with another family.

Once in Ambewela, we met up with Sumeera again and continued our drive towards Kandy. We drove past vasts tea plantations near Nuwara Eliya and drove along some very windy roads as we descended from the mountains. On the way, we had a quick stop near Ramboda Falls for lunch and later also a quick stop in the small town of Pussellawa to buy some snacks. Walking along the street here we were definitely the only foreigners here and even Eloise noticed it as she said: “we definitely stand out here.”

Eventually we arrived at our hotel, Kandy City View Hotel where after checking in, we headed out to visit Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, also known as Sri Dalada Maligawa. This temple houses what Buddhists believe to be a tooth relic of the Buddha and is one of the most important religious sites in Sri Lanka.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Before entering we were stopped and told that our legs needed to be covered. Suz, Eloise and Xander quickly bought sarong-style coverings for about 500 rupees each (I just had to ensure my shorts we pulled down enough to cover my knees) and we were allowed to enter.

Inside the temple, we walked through a series of halls where people come to pray and offer flowers. The sacred relic itself is hidden away and only taken out during special ceremonies.

After exploring the temple we returned to the hotel where there was a rooftop restaurant with a stone-baked pizza oven, which after such a long travel day, pizza sounded perfect.

We enjoyed dinner on the rooftop before finally heading to bed, ready for another day  in Sri Lanka with Sigiriya being next on our itinerary.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Not long after leaving the coast, Sumeera pulled over just off the highway and returned with fresh king coconuts for us and ice creams for the kids. It was a small gesture but a really nice way to start the drive as we continued through the Sri Lankan countryside.

Eventually we arrived at our accommodation, Jungle Paradise Hotel, where after some welcome refreshments we sat down for lunch before checking into our room. Upon entering our room we got a nice surprise, what we thought would be a standard room turned out to be a full two-bedroom suite, or as the hotel calls it, a deluxe apartment. It was spacious, comfortable and easily the nicest places we had stayed so far on the trip.

Once we had dropped our bags and settled in for a few minutes, we headed back out again for our first activity in Udawalawe where Sumeera drove us to the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home. This is a rehabilitation centre for orphaned baby elephants that have been found across Sri Lanka who have lost their mothers due to accidents, human-wildlife conflict or other circumstances and the centre cares for these elephants until they are old enough to survive on their own, at which point they are released into Udawalawe National Park.

As a result, visitors aren’t allowed to get close and there is no interaction with the elephants so you get to watch from a viewing area of about 30 metres away. We were there during feeding time so a few elephants at a time were released and came running up to the staff who had prepared large bottles of milk attached to funnels. It was pretty funny watching them charge in, making loud trumpet sounds as they rushed toward the milk. After some milk, they were shooed away so others could have a turn, however a few of them clearly had other ideas though and tried sneaking back in line for seconds and towards the end, there was one small elephant who simply decided to help himself, using his trunk to serve himself some more milk, hilarious!

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Just as we were leaving, the weather suddenly changed and our first rain in Sri Lanka began to fall. And when I saw it started to rain… it absolutely poured. We realised how lucky we were to have booked the safari the next morning and not that afternoon as we contemplated as we saw several safari jeeps driving past completely covered with rain tarps.

Instead we returned to Jungle Paradise Hotel and spent the afternoon relaxing in our apartment while listening to the rain and thunder outside. Dinner that night was at our hotel where Suz had Kottu and I went for another Sri Lankan rice and curry. The portions were huge however and we were nowhere near able to finish them off, no matter how good they were. 

After dinner we changed into our swimmers and spent some time in the hotel pool, enjoying a night swim with the warm water, the quiet jungle surroundings and the stars above us, not a bad way to end a pretty good day!

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

The next morning started very early, we were up before sunrise with me grabbing a quick coffee before we climbed into our safari jeep at 5:30am together with our safari driver Lasa.

Driving through the darkness towards Udawalawe National Park was a pretty special and as we got closer, we started seeing the sky slowly started to brighten, turning from deep blue to orange and pink as the sun prepared to rise.

After purchasing our tickets at the entrance gate, we began the safari and it didn’t take long before we encountered our first elephants. Just a short distance into the park we came across a group of them standing beside the road, several adults, a few juveniles and one tiny baby that couldn’t have been more than a few weeks old. The little one stayed close to the larger elephants, clearly being protected by the rest of the herd.

As we continued through the park we saw a wide variety of other wildlife as well. There were many different birds including eagles, herons, bee-eaters and pelicans. We also spotted crocodiles resting near the water, monkeys moving through the trees and countless peacocks wandering through the grasslands.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

However, the real highlight of Udawalawe was all the elephants and as we continued throughout the safari we encountering more and more of them. At one point a group of five or six elephants completely blocked the road. Two of them were juveniles, one slightly bigger than the other, and it looked like the smaller one was trying to start a fight with the bigger one.

Towards the end of the safari we came across a young male elephant standing alone near the lake. He already had some decent tusks growing and as we got a little closer, his trunk stretched out curiously, almost as if he wanted to grab something, possibly Suz.

By the end of the safari we had seen around twenty-five elephants in total and our driver Lasa was great help in pointing the animals out and providing binoculars so we could see the animals at distance as well.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After a fantastic morning we returned to Jungle Paradise Hotel for a late breakfast where Suz and I decided to try a more traditional Sri Lankan breakfast which included String Hoppers, red rice, coconut sambal, eggs and a dhal curry, whilst Xander and Eloise opted for toast, eggs and fresh fruit.

Once breakfast was finished we headed back to the room to pack our bags and relax for a short while before Sumeera arrived right on time, loaded up our bags and off we went.

The time had come to leave Udawalawe and drive to the small mountain town of Ella.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

We left Galle Fort and arranged a taxi through the PickMe app, although it took a few attempts before we actually got moving. After cancelling three different drivers, including one who called asking for more money before the ride had even started, we finally found a driver who was happy to take the trip as booked. Our eventual driver turned out to be pretty good and stopped along the way near Koggala to show us the famous Sri Lankan Stilt Fishing.

Stilt fishing is a traditional fishing method unique to parts of southern Sri Lanka where fishermen balance on a wooden pole planted into the shallow ocean. Sitting several feet above the water, they cast their fishing lines and wait patiently for fish to pass beneath them. It makes for some incredible photos and is one of those iconic images you often see when looking up Sri Lanka.

We were initially planning to take some photos and videos, however the fishermen were asking 5000 rupees for the privilege. For us that felt a bit excessive for a quick photo stop, so we decided to skip it and jumped back into the car.

Not long after leaving there we had to make a quick roadside stop so Eloise could get some fresh air as she was feeling a bit travel sick. Standing next to a busy road with traffic flying past probably wasn’t the most relaxing place to recover, but it did the trick.

About an hour after leaving Galle we arrived in Mirissa and reached our accommodation, Resort Deepika, around midday and although check-in wasn’t officially until 2pm, we were lucky and one of the two rooms we had booked was already available.

We dropped our bags into the room and headed straight down to Mirissa Beach for some lunch. One thing we quickly noticed was that prices around Mirissa were definitely closer to Australian prices (not quite there, but not cheap either), I guess that’s something that comes with being a tourist area.

After lunch I grabbed a motorbike taxi into Mirissa town as I needed to find myself a rashie as with the short time to pack everything before the trip, as I was working right up until the end, I had somehow managed to leave mine behind. Thankfully I found one pretty quickly at a store called “Sun Ray Clothing Shop”. Getting a tuk-tuk back using PickMe however wasn’t happening though, it would seem that what many travellers refer to as the “tuk-tuk mafia” control transport options in town, basically freezing anyone out from using the app and force people to pay 3 or 4 times as much by paying them directly. I ended up walking the kilometre back to the hotel instead and grabbed myself a fresh coconut along the way.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

With my rashie finally sorted, we headed down to Turtle Beach for a swim, the water was warm however it was so choppy that it was no point in snorkelling, so no turtles for us this time and we didn’t stay too long. We instead walked up to Coconut Tree Hill, one of the most photographed viewpoints in Mirissa. After climbing up the hill we kind of looked around and thought… “is that it?” It’s one of those places that seems to get Instagrammed to death and, in reality, it didn’t quite live up to the expectations built from all the photos online.

After that we cooled off with a swim in the pool before relaxing in the room for a while.

Dinner that night was very easy as we simply walked next door to a restaurant called “Simple Mirissa” where Suz had chicken fried rice and I went with seafood fried rice, both portions were huge and we barely finished them. The kids both had chicken burgers, served very simply with lettuce, still not quite there with the local food options.

The next morning started with our included breakfast at the hotel with bread, eggs, fruit and coconut pancakes served with yoghurt and honey. After brekkie, Suz and I dropped off some laundry down the road which would be ready the next morning just in time for our departure. While Suz and the kids stayed behind at the hotel, I caught a tuk-tuk back to Coconut Tree Hill to try flying the drone. The wind was incredibly strong though and I kept getting warning messages, so the flight didn’t last long. I still managed to capture some nice footage of the coastline before heading back.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After returning we relaxed for a bit longer before heading back down to the beach, this time near Parrot Rock. This part of the beach was much quieter which made swimming far more enjoyable. Eloise and I also rented some snorkelling gear and headed out into the water. The visibility wasn’t great but we still managed to see a large sea turtle swimming beneath us, actually Eloise was the one that spotted it!

Xander and I also climbed Parrot Rock which involves crossing a very rickety wooden bridge that didn’t feel particularly safe. The views from the top were definitely worth it though.

We then walked along Mirissa Beach until we found a place that looked nice for lunch where we ordered some cool drinks and food. While we were waiting to be served, Eloise spent the entire time in the water running into the big waves. She absolutely loved it and couldn’t get enough of the ocean. After lunch both Eloise and Suz went back into the water for one last swim before we returned to the room for a few hours of relaxation.

Suz and I eventually ended up sitting at the rooftop restaurant at the hotel where we had some cold drinks and worked on our Galle travel blog.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

For dinner that night we caught a tuk-tuk into town to eat at a restaurant called “No. 1 Dewmini Roti Shop”. Suz ordered a Sri Lankan kottu while the kids and I ordered roti. Mine was a savoury one, while Eloise and Xander both went straight for dessert versions. Yes… dessert for dinner.

After dinner we wandered along the main road in Mirissa town, picked up some snacks for the journey the next morning and even found a nice sarong for Eloise before heading back to the hotel for the night.

Our time in Mirissa was very relaxed, with lots of beach time and a nice cool break after the heat of Colombo and Galle. Tomorrow we’re leaving the coast behind and heading inland with our organised car and driver through “Sri Lanka Driver Guide“, for the next stage of our Sri Lanka adventure.

Unfortunately our food took quite a bit longer than expected. Xander had ordered waffles with ice cream and I went with a chicken kottu. When the food finally arrived we ate quickly before heading back upstairs to grab our bags and finish packing. The food itself was tasty, but with the delay and us needing to leave, the whole breakfast felt a bit rushed.

With everything packed up we jumped into a PickMe and made our way to Fort Railway Station. Once there we bought our tickets for the train down to Hikkaduwa and made our way across the platforms to find the correct train. Waiting at the train station, even this early in the morning, the heat of the day started to make itself known to us and there were quite a few small complaints from the little ones….

As the train rolled into the station we could immediately see it was already quite full, which made us wonder if we would even get seats. Luckily we all managed to squeeze on and eventually found seats — although they were scattered throughout two carriages rather than together. Before I got a seat, I stood in the open door and just marvelled at the views of the passing ocean.

The train ride itself was hot, but the open windows and doors helped bring in some breeze as we slowly made our way down Sri Lanka’s southern coastline. It definitely wasn’t a luxury train experience, but it felt like a proper local way to travel.

Towards the end of the journey I managed to grab a spot beside one of the open doors. Sitting there with the door wide open and the wind rushing through while watching the countryside pass by was a pretty unique experience — and definitely something that wouldn’t be allowed on trains back home in Australia.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After arriving in Hikkaduwa, we grabbed another PickMe and headed to the Community Tsunami Education Center & Museum. The small museum focuses on the devastating Boxing Day tsunami of 2004, which hit Sri Lanka particularly hard. We were given a short tour and shown photographs explaining how tsunamis form and the damage caused that day.

What really made the visit powerful though were the personal stories from the two staff members working there. Both had lost family members during the tsunami and shared their memories of that day and how the community slowly rebuilt afterwards.

Outside we were also shown part of one of the train carriages that had been washed away during the tsunami. Seeing that up close really helped put into perspective for the kids just how powerful the waves were.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After the museum we jumped into another PickMe and continued south to Galle Fort, where we would be staying the night. Our driver dropped us a little short of our accommodation and it felt like he was hoping we would pay extra for the rest of the trip. Having learned our lesson from the tuk-tuk adventure in Colombo, I told him the fare had already been paid through the app and walked away. No more bonus payments from us.

We checked into our accommodation at The Dutch Wall, located just a short walk from the Galle Fort Lighthouse. After dropping our bags we headed straight out to explore.

Galle Fort is a UNESCO-listed colonial fortress originally built by the Portuguese in the 16th century before being expanded by the Dutch. Walking through the narrow streets inside the fort feels very different compared to the busy cities outside the walls. We wandered along the fort walls and down towards the lighthouse before continuing along the ramparts overlooking the ocean.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

The heat in Galle that afternoon was absolutely brutal. Colombo had already been hot, but with the hot train ride and then walking around inside the stone walls of the fort felt like someone had turned the temperature up another ten degrees. The sun was relentless and the breeze from the ocean only occasionally gave us a few seconds of relief.

Even short walks between streets had us searching for shade wherever we could find it. By the time we reached the clocktower overlooking the cricket ground we were completely drenched in sweat and very happy to sit down for a while and watch the local boys playing cricket just outside the Galle International Cricket Stadium. It certainly felt like it was one of the hottest days we’ve experienced while travelling.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After cooling down for a bit we eventually made our way to dinner at Punto Café inside the fort. The kids went with a safe option of chicken and chips, while Suz tried the chicken kottu. I ordered a chicken rice curry which arrived with five small bowls of different curries alongside a plate of rice. Each bowl had a slightly different flavour and spice level and it ended up being one of the best meals so far in Sri Lanka.

After dinner we slowly walked back through the quiet streets of the fort to our accommodation. Following such a crazy hot day, the showers that night were easily some of the best showers we’ve had while travelling.

The next morning we woke up to a breakfast included with our stay. The table was filled with fresh fruit including papaya, watermelon and pineapple, along with fresh juice, coffee, toast and fried eggs. We were also served hoppers, a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast dish made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk batter. They are cooked in a small bowl-shaped pan which gives them crispy edges and a soft centre, almost like a bowl-shaped pancake. The hoppers were served with a potato curry and a lentil curry. The potato curry in particular had a really nice spicy kick to it and both tasted great.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After breakfast we wandered back down to the Galle Fort Lighthouse for one final walk along the ramparts. The morning light over the ocean looked beautiful and I managed to fly the drone for a few minutes to capture some aerial views of the fort.

Eventually it was time to return to the hotel, pack our bags and check out as it was time to continued towards our next stop which will take us further along Sri Lanka’s south coast.

Time to head off to the beaches of Mirissa!

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Our Sri Lankan adventure started with a long but fairly smooth drive from Albury to Melbourne Airport. Travelling on Easter Friday, we were expecting heavy traffic heading into Melbourne, however and quite surprising, we had a very smooth ride with barely any traffic.

Once at the long-term parking at Melbourne Airport, finding a parking spot in took longer than expected, but once inside the terminal, as we had already checked in online, we skipped the check-in desks as always and walked straight through and settled in to wait for boarding.

The aircraft arriving from Sri Lanka was a tad late and our departure was delayed by about an hour. Once onboard though the seats were comfortable and the entertainment system had a good selection of movies. Unfortunately my entertainment system didn’t quite cooperate with me as headphone jack refused to work properly and eventually the tip of my AUX plug snapped off inside it, leaving me with no sound for the entire flight. Luckily I had downloaded plenty of shows onto my laptop beforehand, so the flight was still easy enough to pass the time.

Landing in Colombo was surprisingly quick and efficient. Immigration was fast and within minutes we were walking into the arrivals hall. The first task was getting a local SIM card for Xander (his phone unfortunately doesn’t support eSIM). For about $10 AUD, he got roughly 50GB of data for two weeks, which felt like a great deal. Next we got some money, Sri Lankan Rupees, from an ATM with our Wise card and booked our first ride using the PickMe app, which worked perfectly and took us straight into Colombo city.

By the time we arrived at our Airbnb in Trizen Towers, it was close to midnight. Check-in was simple, but we quickly realised we didn’t have any bottled water in the apartment for brushing teeth, drinking etc. I walked downstairs and was told there was a 24-hour supermarket nearby and the guard at the gate flagged down a tuk-tuk driver, telling him where to take me. He quoted 1000 rupees return, which sounded expensive but considering it was about $5 AUD and I was exhausted, I just agreed to it.

Then things got interesting, on the way back from the store, the driver asked if I wanted some beers, and being hot and tired, I figured why not, I mean, it sounded like a good idea at the time. The driver first took me about 500 metres from my accomodation where he said he was going to grab the beers. He told me because it was midnight and stores were closed, there was only black market beers available, so it would be 2000 for two beers, again very expensive but now I was in the middle of it and gave him 5000 rupees (didn’t have smaller as there were just large notes from the ATM). He proceeded to drive me halfway across Colombo before finally stopping somewhere to grab the beers. By the time we returned he claimed the beers were 2500 rupees each. As he already had my money, negotiating was a bit difficult so although I complained, I couldn’t really do much about it. I still had to pay the initial 1000 for the ride and he then asked for another 2000 rupees for the ride (due to the extra driving). I basically lost my sh#t, told him I didn’t agree to any of this and basically threw the 1000 in his face before walking away, shouting some lovely Australia words to him.

Anyway, lesson learned, from that moment on, we only used the PickMe app to book rides as it has the prices fixed and you just link your Wise card to it (basically a Sri Lankan Uber).

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

After the late night arrival, we started our first proper day in Sri Lanka with a short walk to a nearby café called Grind where I had a nice oat cap with a nice smashed avo sourdough (always good to start with something you know on your first morning). It was good however prices were a tad high and surprisingly similar to Australia. Still, it was a great way to start the morning before heading out to explore the city.

One thing that hit us almost immediately though was the heat and humidity. Even early in the morning, the air already felt thick and warm, and by late morning simply walking between sights meant we were constantly looking for shade, air-conditioning or somewhere to grab a cold drink. Coming from Melbourne which had 18 degrees when we left, it definitely took a little time to adjust. Thankfully Colombo has plenty of cafés, malls and taxis which make escaping the heat fairly easy.

Our first stop was Gangaramaya Temple, a Buddhist temple near our accommodation, however as a service was taking place, we didn’t want to interrupt, so we stayed outside and watched quietly while taking in the temple grounds. From there we walked to the nearby Seema Malaka Temple, which sits peacefully on Beira Lake.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Shoes had to come off before entering, and Suz grabbed a sarong to cover her legs. We wandered slowly around the floating platforms surrounded by dozens of Buddha statues looking out across the water. It felt incredibly calm compared to the busy streets around us.

After the temples we walked across to Colombo City Centre Mall which gave us a chance to cool down in the aircon and with some cold drinks. We also picked up a couple of small souvenirs including magnets and pins.

Next we jumped into a PickMe tuk-tuk with one of the friendliest drivers we had all day. He almost acted like a tour guide on the way to the Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, often referred to as the Red Mosque based on its red-and-white striped architecture, one of the most recognisable buildings in Colombo. Again, a service was taking place so although we didn’t go inside, the exterior alone made it worth the visit.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

Our next stop was the towering Colombo Lotus Tower. To get there, we had originally booked two tuk-tuks, but when the first one arrived the driver simply told all four of us to squeeze into the back. Apparently fitting four people into a tuk-tuk is perfectly normal in Colombo.

At the tower we paid the foreigner entry fee and took the lift to the observation deck which offered fantastic views across the entire city. On the way back down we also caught the Pixel Light Show, which turned out to be a really fun surprise.

For our first lunch of the day, we stopped at Vibe Restaurant where Xander and Eloise had grilled chicken and chips while Suz and I enjoyed a couple of local Lion beers. Afterwards we took another PickMe ride to Fort Railway Station to organise train tickets for the following day’s journey toward Galle however were just told to buy in the morning.

We then proceed to our second lunch of the day, at the Curry Pot Restaurant along Marine Drive. We both had curry and rice where Suz asked for her curry to be not spicy, while I asked for mine to be spicy. When it came time to pay, despite a massive sign saying VISA accepted, we were told it was cash only and quoted 6000 rupees for the meal. So, another “guilty white tourist price”, converting it to Australian dollars it was about $30 for two large curries, rice and drinks for all four of us. Anyway, we started eating with utensils but quickly switched to using our hands just like the locals. The food was great, the ripping off was not.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

We returned to our accomodation and after a cooling and refreshing swim at our pool, we headed out again for a sunset at the Galle Face Green. Upon arriving we saw that the entire area was full of locals enjoying the evening, families walking along the waterfront, kites flying  in the air, street food stalls cooking seafood, and even a few snake charmers entertaining crowds. At one point we even spotted a monkey on a leash wandering through the crowd. From there we walked into One Galle Face Mall where I had a nice masala chai before grabbing some food from the food court.

Back at Trizen Towers we finished the evening by heading all the way to the rooftop which offers incredible views over Colombo at night. From up there we could see the Lotus Tower glowing and changing colours across the skyline.

A pretty perfect way to finish our first full day in Sri Lanka.

Tomorrow we’re catching a local train down to Hikkaduwa on our way to Galle!

After two weeks exploring the famous (and very busy) sights of Japan and its busy cities, we traded neon lights and shrines for sunshine, sea breeze, and the beautiful beaches in Okinawa.

Leaving Tokyo was a bit of a chaos, we left our Airbnb and squeezed onto the train at Komagome during rush hour on the Yamanote line. We were all standing shoulder to shoulder, squeezed in like sardines. We got off at Hamamatsuchō Station and made to board the train to Haneda airport. As we got off, the platform turned into a sea of people, all trying to reach the escalators and stairs, all lined up. As as new trains arrived at the station, the chaos continued but eventually we got onto the train and were all pushed from behind as more and more people were trying to get on. So a quick tip, when leaving Tokyo, try not to do so during rush hour, it’s a bit crazy. 

Anyway, we finally made it to Haneda airport and checked in where we were assigned seats, three together and one by himself (me). Unlucky for me, I got the middle seat, squeezed between two fairly large people, however the flight was just about three hours so it was doable.

After landing, we caught the monorail and made our way to our hotel, the Hotel Palm Royal Resort Kokusai Street. Checked in, we left to explore the nearby Kokusai-dori street, filled with shops and restaurants. After some lunch, we wandered down the Tsuboya Pottery District, where Suz was trying to find something for Granpa. After our exploration we just happened to wander past a local craft beer brewery, Heavy Sasori Brewing where we stopped to sample the goods before returning to the hotel for a much rewarded dip in the hotel pool. 

Later that night we wandered down to the Kokusai Street Food Village where we tried some classic Okinawan dishes such as Goya Champuru, a stirfry of the bitter vegetable goya mixed with pork, tofu and eggs, quite bitter but very tasty and also tried some Umi-budō, or ‘sea grapes’, tiny green bubbles that pop in your mouth, unleashing the salty flavour of the ocean. Both of these went down a treat, specially combined with an ice cold Orion beer, the famous local brew of the island!

After dinner we wandered down Kokusai-dori street once again, where we ducked into Don Quijote, a crazy 24hour mega store that has almost everything and is found everywhere in Japan. Here we did a bit of shopping for some souvenirs to take back home. We grabbed a few different bags of KitKats in all kinds of flavours, Xander grabbed an electronically instrument called Otamatone, quite quirky, shaped like a musical note and makes funny sounds when its squeezed. Finally, Eloise and I both got personalised Hanko Stamps, with our names in Japanese script, a great memory of our trip!

We ended our night at the hotels onsen, a great way to relax and get ready for the following day where we planned to visit Keramashoto National Park.

[See image gallery at travellingmedinas.com]

The next morning we made our way to the Tomari Wharf ferry terminal (by Taxi, despite to what we had read, taxis in Japan have been surprisingly affordable, especially for short rides). Here we collected our ferry tickets to Tokashiki Island, I had initially planned to visit the island of Zamami Island. However as I left it too late I missed out and instead booked tickets to Tokashiki. 

The ferry took about 70 minutes and it was a smooth ride to the island, once we got there we got onto a local bus service that took us to Aharen Beach. Upon arrival, Suz and Eloise went straight to the beach, Xander and I however decided that we wanted to explore a bit first and made our way to the Kubandaki Lookout. On our way there, we came across a small quiet cove that we had completely to ourselves and were we enjoyed the beautiful turquoise waters before we continued our exploration. Once we climbed to the lookout, we were offered with amazing views over the bay and we then joined Suz and Eloise for a well deserved swim in the ocean.

Eloise and I then got some snorkelling gear and went for a swim. Whilst the area near the beach didn’t really offer great views, it was filled with tropical fish and it was just great being back snorkelling in tropical waters.

Once we finished in the water, we wandered over to Arakaki Shoten, one of the few convenience stores in the area where we got some cold drinks (and a yummy Spam Onigiri) before we got onto the bus again and returned to the harbour and our ferry back to the mainland.

Back in Naha after a great day out, we jumped into the hotel pool and that night we headed out for another dinner with local food. Here we got to try some Mimiga which is a thinly sliced pig’s ear that is cooked and served in a sesame sauce, quite chewy but tasty and went down great with a cold beer. We also got some Agu dumplings, made some Okinawa black haired pork, some Okinawa soba noddles and some Rafute, a slow cooked pork belly, all of it delicious!

We got some dessert from Blue Seal, the famous Okinawa ice cream chain where Suz, Xander and Eloise went for ‘normal’ flavours whilst I had to try the ‘Salty Milk’ soft serve, it was creamy, salty and almost a bit of cheese flavour to it, it was ok but I would probably not have it again.

The next morning we checked out of our hotel and caught a taxi to Orix car rental where we collected our vehicle for the next few days.

Our first stop was the Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters, where we got to climb down into the tunnels which were dug by hand during the WWII battle of Okinawa. The narrow corridors were a sad reminder of the desperation of the war with one of the rooms still showing damage from hand grenade where officers took their own life rather than surrender. 

We next drove to the Okinawa Peace Memorial Park, a large area overlooking the sea where one of its section has the listed names of all the people that died during the war. We walked, all by ourselves, amongst the granite walls which was a surreal experience, specially since so many other areas of Japan had been filled with people.

Last on our list of areas from WWII, we visited the ruins of Urasoe Castle, where a small sign shows the area of Hacksaw Ridge, the location of one of the bloodiest battles of the war and the story that inspired the movie Hacksaw Ridge.

We left the sites of WWII and started our drive north, stopping at the American Village and wow, it’s such a tacky place, it’s a crazy mix of shops, diners and neon sighs that would look more at home in Florida than in Japan. We found a place for some tacos, because why not, and then continued our drive north.

By mid-afternoon, we reached and checked into our accommodation, the Grand Mercure Okinawa Cape Zanpa Resort, arriving just in time for their 3–6 pm free drinks and snacks, which meant unlimited beers (Orion, Asahi or Kirin), soft drinks and lollies and snacks before we walked across the road to a local restaurant, Hanagasa, where I got to try some taco rice, a very post-war fusion of cultures.

The following day we just relaxed at our hotel and used all the facilities available to us, the pool, the slides and event the inflatable water park at the beach. I took a quick trip and climbed the Zanpa Lighthouse which offered spectacular views over the ocean. After some more free beers we just had dinner at the local pool bar which offered pizzas and didn’t require us to travel anywhere for food. We again finished our night with the additional free cocktails between 9-11pm, a great way to spend a full day relaxing!

On our last full day in Okinawa, we drove to the Ocean Expo Park, a large area where we got to see large sea turtles, manatees and a dolphin show, however the highlight was the Churaumi Aquarium, which houses a massive tank where you were able to see manta rays and a whale shark swim past gracefully, absolutely beautiful, even after seeing one up close when snorkelling with them in Philippines.

On our way home, we stopped at Family Mart to enjoy some Famichiki, which at this stage had become one of our favourite snacks from the Konbini stores in Japan. We finished our last night once again at Hanagasa for our final dinner which consisted of fresh sashimi and crispy karaage chicken. Not a bad way to finish up in Japan.

Back in our room, whilst packing to leave the following morning, I got to enjoy a final One Cup Ozeki sake, which had almost become a nightly routine for me during this trip! We also had some time to reflect on our trip, with part excitement to go back home (to see our dog Toby) but also sadness that our great trip was coming to an end!

The next morning, we drove back to Naha, returned the rental and boarded our flight to Osaka where we only had two hours before we flew back to Singapore and finally touched down in Melbourne!

We have had an amazing three weeks in Japan, from beautiful and serene temples and shrines to theme parks and baseball to monuments from WWII, including Hiroshima and Okinawa, to the beautiful island of Miyajima and the craziness of Tokyo and Osaka to finally finish in a tropical island, Japan has really showed us a beautiful part of itself and we can’t wait to return!

Arigatou gozaimasu, Japan…. until next time!