Corrina is a pop culture and travel writer from Toronto. Here she shares about her 12 day trip to Sri Lanka.
In January I got off an airplane after 30 hours in transit from Sri Lanka’s capital city of Colombo to Toronto and felt… great. I know, I know—but it’s true. Despite the long trek home, I was feeling better than I had in a long time. Maybe it was the massive dose of sunshine-delivered Vitamin D, maybe it was the super fresh, made-from-scratch balanced diet I’d been eating all week, but I think there was something else going on… like spending time in a place where wellness is seamlessly worked into every aspect of people’s lives.
I’m guilty of putting all my healthy habits on hold when I travel. Daily yoga practice? Gone. Meditation? Bye! Mindful eating? I pretend not to know about it. As a travel writer, I’d say that I have the best job in the world—but when I’m travelling, it’s long days of seeing and doing (and eating) stuff, and talking to as many people as possible. Back at the hotel, there’s usually time for a bit of writing and a bath (two activities I frequently combine) before falling into a super deep sleep in preparation for doing it all again the next day.
Sri Lanka was different. I went there with the intention of learning about the healing powers of herbal remedies and spices and how they’re incorporated into traditional ayurvedic medicine. Mission accomplished: I came home with those lessons… and so much more. By the time I arrived at a Sri Lankan spice garden and had my first (of two) ayurvedic massages, I’d already learned so much about how to live in a healthier, more holistic way.
It began with the first interactions I had with people there. On streets, in shops, and especially at the sacred Buddhist shrines we visited, Sri Lankans would meet my gaze with an openness you don’t see at home (despite the myth of the ‘friendly Canadian’). Everyone smiled… and then they didn’t look away. It’s the kind of thing that could freak out an entire subway car full of Torontonians if you tried it here—unless we all did it. I began to wonder how much happier we might be if we did.
The second thing was the wildlife—or semi-wild life. It’s always really exciting to see animals like elephants and monkeys (Sri Lanka has lots of both) but there were dogs too. Like, everywhere. The Buddhist traditions practiced in Sri Lanka reserve a special place for animals (my G Adventures guide, Sam, refused to harm even the mosquitoes that came out at dusk) and the communities we visited had their own way of caring for local animals.
It was Sam who taught me about was the concept of kurulu bedda or “bird’s portion.” The idea is that each time you take something, you leave a little bit behind for someone or something else. At rice harvesting time, farmers leave behind a patch for the birds, at mealtime, Sri Lankans leave behind a handful or food for the local dogs. I began saving a bit of my breakfast for Mo (that’s M-O, for “Missing One”), a shy three-legged mutt who hung around our camp in Udawalawe. It was normal, no one judged me for doing it, and the look on Mo’s face when he had chicken for breakfast? That stayed with me for the rest of the day.
If happiness is a measure of wellness then I was well on my way. So when it came time to get down to the actual education in herbal healing, I was so ready for it. At Ranweli Spice Garden in Matale, a guide led us through lush surroundings on a sort of show and tell mission to learn about everything from aloe to sandalwood. We discovered that red pineapple can increase your metabolism, that cardamom is good for your skin and your bones, and that a nutmeg compress can help a migraine. Turmeric—everyone’s current favourite cure-all—is both an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory (so keep making those smoothies). Cinnamon oil for tech-itis (read: the sore wrists you get from typing away at a keyboard all day) was one of the natural remedies that surprised me most (and one that I’ll be testing ASAP).
The most common ayurvedic treatment that tourists seek out is a massage (though the scrubs are totally amazing, too). For less than $40 CAD, you can get an hour-long, full-body herbal balm massage followed by a steam treatment. Hot tip: the massage includes your scalp, so plan on heading somewhere to rinse off afterwards, especially if you have long hair (I’d love to share a photo of what it looks like if you don’t, but I’ve had them all destroyed).
One of the last places I visited in Sri Lanka (greasy ayurvedic hair and all) was the Sthree Women’s Cafe, a project launched by non-profit organization, Planeterra that’s designed to employ marginalized women and at-risk youth by giving them a way to earn money for themselves and their families. A cafe in the back room serves up delicious vegetarian food and locally grown tea while the shop in front sells beautiful loom-woven textiles and handicrafts. I got about 90% of my souvenir shopping done there. More and more, travel junkies are being given the opportunity to support an important cause or organization while travelling (it’s one of the main things I love about travelling with G Adventures).
Coming home from a long trip can make you grateful for a lot of things (not least of all your own bed) but this was bigger: I came back to Toronto with ideas and the intention to be kinder, more patient, and more empathetic—and the belief that those things are essential when it comes to happiness and wellness.
Waking up in paradise on Day One in North Central Province.
A hike up into the mountains and across Horton Plains will lead you here. Worth it? Um, yes.
Above the clouds: Horton Plains is home to World’s End, a stunning lookout point with a view from 4,000 ft in the sky (and the best place to take a photo).
Taking a break mid-hike in Horton Plains (and thanking myself for packing appropriate footwear)
If it wasn’t for airport security, these two little guys would be my current roommates.
The Dambulla cave temples are where you can check out dozens of incredible wall paintings and Buddha sculptures. // Flowers are on offer outside of every temple and stupa in Sri Lanka as a symbol of respect and devotion to the Buddha.
Look up! My favourite paintings were on the ceiling of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth in Kandy.
It’s a steep climb up to the cave temples but monkey photo ops make the trek easier.
Room with a view! This one came with a warning, too: Don’t sleep with your balcony door open unless you want to wake up to a room full of monkeys.
Tea country in Sri Lanka looks a bit like wine country in Europe—and smells so good.
See that big rock in the background? It’s called Sigiriya and I climbed to the top.
