Back on the Trail. Pekoe Trail 05 Sri Lanka

It is four days since my last Pekoe Trail, but I am here again, lacing up my travel boots and readying for Pekoe Trail 05. I have high hopes for an exciting adventure, although the reality of the journey may be far from my expectations.

The 11.7 km trail starts in Kumbaloluwa and will finally end up in Watagoda.

As I trek through Kumbaloluwa, a small village in the Central Province, I stumble upon a small hut that houses enormous containers filled with sap being heated into treacle. This is a common sight in this area, where the Fishtail Palm (Caryota urens) is widely grown and some of the best treacle is made.

Soon after, I find myself mostly walking on tarred estate roads, which lack the natural beauty and excitement I had hoped for.

The trail is hot and humid, making the walk more tiring than it already is. The only relief is the shade of the occasional tree.

The trail is largely quiet as the country prepares to welcome the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Today, April 13th, marks the end of the old year, and according to local customs, it is the 12-hour neutral period during which everyone is supposed to follow religious observances and visit their local temples and kovils.

We stop at a small boutique for water and are kindly offered local sweetmeats (made especially during this period) by the husband-and-wife duo. Again, Sri Lankan hospitality at its finest!

Kumbaloluwa and its postal town of Pundaluoya is tea country from the James Taylor era and the Pekoe Trail traipses through the North Meddecombra Estate.

However, unlike the previous trails, this one lacks variety and excitement makes the journey seem endless, but I keep reminding myself that the destination is worth the effort.

A waterspout is a welcome reprieve from the heat of the day.

In retrospect, I realize that not every journey can be exciting and filled with adventure. Sometimes, the path to our destination may be uneventful, and we have to push through the monotony to reach our goals. While I may not enjoy the journey as much as I had hoped, I learn an important lesson of pushing through and never giving up.

We spend the night at Kithul Cottage, a delightful place run by proprietor, DJ, businessman, and all-round entrepreneur Dee J Shenaz. I need a good night’s sleep to be ready for another trek tomorrow.

Good to know:

Carry your own water bottle. Refills are possible along the way.

Wear sunblock and a sunhat.

Talk with people along the way. They love to share stories.

Do not litter.

Follow the app carefully. There are off roads that can be misleading.