e2e.bike

Cycling adventures across Britain and beyond

Menu
  • End to Ends
    • Britain
    • Ireland
    • France
    • Belgium
    • Spain
    • Poland
    • Slovakia
    • Isle of Man
    • Faroes
    • Cuba
    • Sri Lanka
    • Taiwan
  • Coast to Coasts
  • Yorkshire Ridings
  • Others
  • Writings
Menu
← PreviousNext →

Sri Lanka 3: Galle

Posted on 16 January 20152 April 2021 by Rob Ainsley


I’m desperate to get cycling, but with admirable restraint, I got the train this morning down to Galle, a tourist must-see. In Sri Lanka, you book your bike as a parcel, and it costs three times as much for the bike as for a single fare. But with the single fare costing under a pound for a three-hour journey, that isn’t too much of a problem. The Parcel Office (pic) was reassuringly old-fashioned, with not a computer in sight: all was biros, carbon paper, pasteboard tickets and handwritten ledgers. I rather liked it.


The train itself (pic) was a gorgeous ride, south from Colombo along the coast with constant views of palm-fringed beaches on one side and somebody’s rucksack on the other. (It was pretty crowded.)


Galle is a gem, a Portuguese-Dutch-English-Sri Lankan hybrid of colonial and local, on a tiny walled old city facing the ocean. This is the entrance to the historic centre, through those walls. It felt great to be doing it with my bike. There are quite a few locals on basic Indian- or Chinese-made bikes, too (pic). Clanky, ludicrously heavy, and cheap, my bike was clearly a source of fascination to them.


I walked around the walls and enjoyed the fabulous views (pic) before splashing out on a fish curry in a touristy local bar. Well, I think it’s important to interact with local wildlife.

Previous
←   Sri Lanka 2: Colombo
Next
Sri Lanka 4: (Galle to) Dondra Head to Tangalla →

You are here

e2e.bike > End to Ends > Sri Lanka > Sri Lanka 3: Galle

Random Posts

  • Church Stretton 2: A cycling writer’s work is never done25 March 2019
    Final cycle route research round beautiful Church Stretton on a glorious sunny …
  • Britain 13: Dent to Wheelton26 May 2010
    Three big, big climbs over the roof of England today, from Dales …
  • Quirky London 22: George Inn22 February 2010
    Where is it? One of the quirkiest, and best, pubs to cycle …

Recent Posts

  • Morley: Gone for a Beryl Burton 28 June 2022
  • King Alfred Way 5: Marlborough to Reading 21 June 2022
  • King Alfred Way 4: Amesbury to Marlborough 20 June 2022

Search e2e.bike

Find me

        
Facebook • Twitter • Linked In • Email
© 2022 e2e.bike | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme