Unorganized, I began my climb at roughly 5pm on the Wednesday afternoon, the guide I had printed off the internet, said start your climb in the morning, my first error, I managed to climb the first 1.5 kms before it started to rain, torrential rain, the puddles filled to 2 inch deep in minutes. I sat huddled under a primitive tin roof bus shelter on a wooden slatted bed, luckily half a meter off the ground, I sat and wondered, was this where I would sleep the night.
Leaving Negombo earlier that morning, full of excitement, I did not believe it would take me that long to arrive at the base of the climb, roughly 200kms , but after 9 hours of heart stopping, bum numbing, ear deafening, arm pit sweating I was just glad to have made it this far, after taking 3 different disco buses, 2 separate 3 wheelers and walked quiet a few miles in circles to find connections. I had passed through many small towns on my way to Ratnapura before going on to Siripagama going climbing from 30 meters to about 500 meters in altitude and my final destination would be over 2300 meters, along a 9 kilometer cement path with over 5000 steps on foot.
As I sat huddled under my dripping tin roof shelter I wondered what to do, I was being encroached by seeping water, when a little old lady appeared in the door way of the wooden house across from me and beckoned me to cross the 3 meter sea that now divided us, I declined to wallow in my self doubt and having on my waterproof shoes knowing the water would enter from the top. She disappeared and re-appeared with an umbrella, shoes off, barefoot I entered her home.
A warm coffee in hand I surveyed the room we were in, large wooden table with TV and Video recorder on, a well used double bed (couldn't sleep there), wooden bench (that could work), Honda 600 motorbike (how did they get that up here), one small dog at my feet and a lamp to light the room, my options were limited. We made small talk until thankfully the rain stopped as the conversation was on it's third round of "where you from?", her English being far better than my Sinhalese, I said my goodbye, pressed a couple of notes into her hand for the coffee and made my way in my flip flops.
The higher I climbed the steeper and darker it got and the vegetation grew denser, I had to conserve my torch as I did not know how long the batteries would last, having only purchased it this morning in Negombo, the sweat grew thicker and drenched my vest, walking over wet leaves my mind drifted to leopards and leeches, quickly I turned my torch on and searched the jungle for eyes before searching my feet, blood sucking, slimy leeches had attacked I removed them with haste leaving a trail of blood behind each of them, what would Ray Mears have done I wondered, it was time to put my shoes back on.
The jungle exuded stimuli that had my senses on overdrive, crickets, flogs and sounds alien to me kept my ears busy, moist flowers and trees dispersed scents to my nostrils, mosquito's kept me busy swatting, my lips felt dry, my heart pounded in my mouth and the 12 kgs of my bag on my back weighed me down, my vest wet with perspiration, my legs ached and my mind played tricks on me, what to do if a leopard attacked? I felt more alone now than ever the houses that lined the lower climb had now filtered out and it had been a good half an hour since I had seen any signs for human activity.
I sensed something move passed my legs, I stopped and flicked on my torch, a small animal, a dog, a dog I sighed with relief, another followed it and they began to bark, I felt relieved dogs mean humans, humans meant a place to rest.
"Hello" called a voice as I entered an encampment, the lights I had seen after meeting the dogs, "Hello" I responded ready for a big bear hug, like I had just located Dr Livingston.
They invited me to stay awhile, I was in know mood to leave, so we sat around the table and they produced a bottle of Extra Strength arrack, a spirit like whiskey but made from distilled coconut, I accepted a beer knowing I was only half way through my journey and we began to laugh and joke. They spoke about the conflict and since the "war" was over and "we win" they were posted on the Sripada track to keep it open, as most used the Dalhousie side because it was shorter and easier, I had to agree with them. The hierarchy was lead by corporal, in his late fifties, short with glasses, he got to drink the most arrack and light the cigarettes, so soon he was slurring his words and believing his English had improved.
Bala, was second in command, aged 27, bright and had the best English, he decided when the arrack was done, he wanted to teach me some dance steps to impress the local girls, guess he felt bad I was not married and Chef, third oldest so third in charge joined in, the younger 4 new their place like hired back-up singers kept the beat going for corporal to slur the words, we laughed and giggle like a bunch of boarding school boys, who managed to sneak a bottle into their dorm late at night, what else could happen on this climb I I had to wonder, as I tried to follow their lead, they laughed louder at seeing this clumsy foreigner trying to keep step.
Chef called halt to proceedings and I was invited to join them for dinner, we went outside to the open air mess/ kitchen, chef had prepared rice noodles, with tasty dahl curry and spicy chicken curry, they found my right hand eating extremely funny, I just tried to follow what I had seen earlier in Ratnupura when I had my lunch, and once again, I came stone last to experienced food shoveler's even my training of growing up in a large family was no match to this stiff competition, I was placed next to corporal who had me in fits of laughter as I watched him try to aim for his open swaying mouth. The leftovers were given to the dogs on pieces of newspaper and we watched as "Commando" the lead dog who had scared me earlier, ravaged his food and growled every time I got to close in my attempt to take his photo.
After dinner I was persuaded to stay the night and walk tomorrow in daylight by corporal, who would not take no for an answer, I packed my bag and made a mental note where everything was before I climbed onto my bunk next to corporal's, he slurred goodnight a few times maybe five, before I drifted away.
I awoke later in darkness, a little confused with where I was before my head cleared, I made my way out on the pretense of using the toilet, quietly I opened the door, outside was bright the full moon shone in a cloudless sky, I grabbed my belongings, laced on my shoes quietly and made my way up the path, Commando and crew barked but I carried on, up and up the path I went, the vegetation grew less dense, the moon light lit my way, the air was cool and fresh, the jungle noises had died away, my body felt better for the little sleep it had, I guessed it was between 12 and 2 am, but had no idea, would I still make the top by sunrise, I did not know but had to try.
An hour later sweating again I got my first glance of the monastery on the top of Adam's Peak, it's bright lights shone like a the peak was ablaze, I could not judge the distance but least I had an idea where I was going. Up and down stairs I trudged I counted 1 - 100 steps then rested, crossing streams and bridges my progress seemed slow but at least I was moving forward, my vest again was soaked and I stopped many times to fill my water bottle with fresh mountain water, that kept me going.
Corporal had told me they had seen leopard tracks up here in the hills, I didn't know if this was to make me stay the night or if it was true, but I did not want to think about it and tried to block it from my mind.
I stopped in a small settlement and had some of the food I had been carrying, curry flavored rotti triangles, similar to samosas, the flavor sat in the back of my throat and burned long after I had finished them, but I needed energy to make the summit, it was about 1 km to go according to my printed guide, but this was the worst of it nearly straight up. 1,2,3,4,5.........100 I would stop rest and go again, willing my legs and pulling on the metal railings that lined the stairs, the view back already looked amazing and now it became a race against time, would the sun beat me to the stop, I thought about leaving my bag and coming back for it, but I planned to go down the easier side to Dalhousie so that would not work.
I still had the 4 or 5 kms decent to take on, my calves pained, my thighs burned, I would not walk properly for the next 4 days, but as I watched the sunrise, I felt very relaxed, relaxed to be in a far away country, with no guidebook or watch or worries, I had made my goal to climb Sripada the hard way, a success.
- The finish line would be in that valley down below.
How I felt, up above the clouds, still managed a relieved smile -
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