There are multiple methods available to get from the airport to the city. In doing some research, they discouraged taking the train due to an irregular schedule. The idea of an hour-long ride, or more, in a non-air-conditioned bus in tropical heat did not appeal to me, so we arranged for a taxi at one of the multiple desks in the arrivals area. These were the most annoying touts we encountered in Sri Lanka. We went to the center of town, and the charge was 2900 LKR (about $22 USD) for an air-conditioned taxi (you’ll be asked if you want AC or not).

If you aren’t used to rather . . . interesting driving, I highly recommend not sitting in the front seat. I’m used to highly erratic driving, and I was still clenching my butt muscles several times as we narrowly missed accidents several times.

This area of Sri Lanka can be easily described as “India Light.” The roads are extremely congested, and it will take at least an hour to arrive in the city.

There are a few different sights to see in Colombo; however, after hearing from others how much foreigners are overcharged we decided to forego those and just explore the area on foot.

The people were quite friendly, and it wasn’t too difficult to communicate. Most of the shops had employees who spoke enough English to make it work, and of course pantomiming can be quite helpful.

We encountered some great street food, and we stopped at a gelato place to escape the heat and take advantage of the WiFi while we cooled down.

After doing some online investigation, I discovered the train does actually have a regular schedule, and it’s quicker than taking a bus or taxi, as well as being a LOT cheaper (360 LKR or about $2.75 USD). We decided to take the train back to the town where the airport is located. The train stop is located about 2 km from the airport, so you can either walk, grab a tuk-tuk (or 3-wheeled taxi), or flag a taxi.

Colombo really isn’t a place I would bother with unless you were in a similar situation. Sri Lanka has some really beautiful areas that would be much more worth your time if you’re planning on spending more time there.

Tips

• The train is faster and much cheaper than taking a taxi. You can check the schedule online. The airport is located in Katunayake, and you’ll want to travel to Colombo Fort.
• If you decide to get a taxi at the airport, make sure you shop around at the different desks. They’re competitive enough you’ll get a better deal this way.
• Getting an airport transfer from the hotel will usually cost you more than arranging your own taxi.
• If taking the train from Colombo Fort, get your ticket from window #10. It’s a 3rd-class train, so there are no assigned seats.
• When flying out of Colombo’s airport, know that you won’t be able to bring water to the gate. Also, plan on extra time as you will have to go through a security check again, and they very closely inspect documents for each passenger. The process takes quite a while. Make sure to go to the bathroom before you enter the gate, too, or you get to repeat the process.
• The city is fairly easy to get around on foot, but the tuk tuks are very reasonable. Make sure to grab one with a meter so you don’t have to deal with negotiations, etc. The average fee is 0.33 LKR per kilometer (less than a penny),
• If you’d like an alternative, head to Negombo instead. They don’t have much other than beaches, but it might be more enjoyable to chill at the beach than go around the city.

—by Val Dawson

My opinion of Sri Lanka didn’t start out as very good. Everywhere I went, I felt the hopelessness of the people, a sort of despair that crept through the air, entering my body and making me feel heavy-hearted and sad myself. People told me how corrupt their government was, gave me stories detailing their lack of freedom, the brokenness of their country and their lives.

One of the breaking points for me was that one of the nicest gardens that had cost almost $10 to enter had graffiti-carved into the plants! I was shocked and dismayed at how what could have been such a beautiful place was turned into something ugly and was killing the plants. I started holding my hands over the plants, giving them Reiki, to try to give them some healing energy.

For those of you who don’t know what Reiki is, it is a form of energy healing. It is believed that life’s force runs through all of us and can be transferred to other people, animals and plants by those who have had an attunement done by a Reiki master. As I was holding my hands out, my driver for the day, laughed and asked what I was doing. “I’m bringing healing to these plants and to this place.”, I replied.

My driver, who had been trying to talk me into going to endless tourist destinations that I had been telling him I wasn’t interested in, said, “I get it. You’re one of those. You’re one of those with compassion.”

His eyes lit up for the first time that day as he told me that his real passion was volunteering at a local orphanage. He said that usually tourists weren’t allowed but asked if I would like to visit and give the babies some Reiki. It sounded like the best idea that I had heard all day and off we drove to the orphanage.

I was humbled as I saw all of the babies in desperate need of attention and care. It made me grateful for the life I had growing up where there was always someone around to hold me and make me feel loved. Babies tend to be drawn to Reiki energy, and I was soon surrounded by many babies who just couldn’t get enough of the loving energy.

As the Reiki energy flowed through me, I was overwhelmed with compassion for the people in Sri Lanka. I realized how oppressed the people there felt and how this oppression came out in the form of violence and sadness in its people. I learned that when faced with others anger and fear, the best thing to do is to give compassion and love back.

I sent healing thoughts not just to the little ones that I was touching but to the entire country for what it’s gone through and is still going through. I thought of the beautiful words by Mikao Usui, the founder of Reiki.

At least for today:

Do not be angry.

Do not worry.

Be grateful.

Work with diligence.

Be kind to people.

Val Dawson writes the travel blog, This Way To Paradise, which is a guide to some of the best islands and beaches in the world. Follow along with her on her adventures! Facebook and Twitter.