After having completed my first visit to Sri Lanka, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised with your country. The people were extremely friendly and welcoming and it was easy to meet/talk with so many locals from all different walks of life - which was definitely a highlight of the trip. I especially got to meet some nice people while traveling third class on the train.
One lady on the flight to Sri Lanka told me that she was sorry her country did not have a great transportation system like developed countries and asked me to have patience with delays and whatnot. There is no need to apologize for something like that. It was fairly easy to get around by bus/train, and I only experienced a major delay once during my stay. A worker at a temple stopped me from going to the washrooms for locals and pointed out that there were separate washrooms for tourists (I didn't realize that and had already used the washrooms for locals once a bit earlier). I asked him why we couldn't use the same washrooms and he replied that Sri Lankans should use dirty washrooms but tourists should use clean washrooms. Tourists are not above locals. We are all the same, all connected in one way or another.
To the many people who helped (in small ways) to make my trip go smoothly - thank you so much. To the honest tuk tuk drivers I met (and yes there were quite a few) - thank you! But most important - to those who took the time to answer my questions or share your personal stories, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your people are as beautiful as your country, and I already long to return for a second visit.
