Stairway to Heaven – Part 1

For many years I have been hearing about Adam’s Peak (or Sri Pada as it is also commonly known) from our friends and family and this year I finally got to climb it.

Almost to the day 25 years ago, my wife and her friends climbed up together and stories of that day are often recounted; stories of the bad weather, the climb up, the climb down, the hardship of the cold (not really cold as we would know it here in Europe!), the aching feet and the sore knees. Quite honestly - I was feeling a bit left out!

Nothing definite was planned this year but as always I tried to encourage everyone that they really needed to go and as always I was met by the usual – “I would but…”

This year was different though. Our friends who we had planned to go down south with for the weekend phoned us up and said there was a change of plan – we would all be going up to Adam’s Peak – well, everyone would be going, but only I would be climbing (they would be sending me up with a guide). I felt humbled and slightly guilty that the plans had been changed, but I was also secretly pleased and excited.

The classic climb up Adam’s Peak is done during the night, setting off between 22:00 and 02:00 depending on your level of fitness, and arriving in time to see the sunrise. We would be travelling up from Colombo during the day on Saturday taking a leisurely drive aiming to arrive mid-afternoon.

Saturday Morning

We left the apartment bright and early to meet up with the rest of the gang. We would be travelling up together in a van which I, thankfully, would not be driving!



We grabbed a quick breakfast at one of our friend’s and then we were on the road.

The Saturday morning traffic leaving Colombo was not too heavy and soon we were out of the city and heading through the countryside.

Thirst Quenching

The day was bright and sunny, and the lure of the Thambili stalls we were passing was too great for some of the people in the van, so we stopped for a drink.




Here the young lady takes a coconut, slices the top off with a big blade and hands it over with a straw.



They were pretty good coconuts so we cracked them open and ate the insides too.




Full of Thambili we get back in the van and continue on our journey.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Stop for Lunch!

We had plenty of time, after all, I would not be climbing until the early hours of Sunday morning, so we were taking it easy and stopped for a lunch break in Kitugala at the Kitulgala Rest House – well known because it overlooks where the film The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed.

Once inside there is never any doubt about this.




Something else there is little doubt about is the stunning beauty of the countryside with the Kelani River flowing through it.





We laugh and joke, eat and drink (I wolf down a Sri Lankan omelette – one with chilli and onion, followed by a fresh lime soda) , then it’s time to hit the road again.

Higher and Higher

Leaving Colombo the temperature and humidity meant we had the air conditioning switched on in the van. 

As we continued on our journey we began to climb higher and higher until not long after Kitugala we were able to switch off the air conditioning and open the windows. There was now a lovely cool breeze blowing through the van.

One more stop along the way. In 1974 a Martinair flight crashed into the mountains nearby. As we drive we see the mountains and the memorial, including a tyre recovered from the crash site. We stop to take a look (I hope your Dutch is better than mine).



All along we have been seeing other people heading for Adam’s Peak. The vehicles heading for the mountain are clearly identified with a bit of foliage on the grill.



We pass a lot of foliage adorned vehicles – it’s going to be a busy night on the mountain.

We jump back in the van and continue on with the now short drive to the guesthouse where I would be trying to relax before my nocturnal ascent.

Along the way we encounter a police checkpoint but with the windows open, and we assume with the sight of me, a foreigner, we are waved through – we were not the people they were looking for.

You Have Reached Your Destination

We arrived at the guesthouse and sat down for a drink while they prepared our rooms. This was no hardship, the atmosphere was relaxing, the views beautiful and the company engaging – we were after all a group of friends on a road trip!



The rooms were fine although the mosquito net was a little worrying as there were several holes in it and even a few mosquitoes in residence! We were concerned about dengue fever more than anything else, but this was unlikely in the area we were in. No problem for me though, I would not be spending much time in it.

We had brought with us some extra strong mosquito coils and we would be lighting one of these in the room when we went off for dinner – that should have deterred even the most hardy of mosquitos.

Recon

The gang decided a little recon to the staging area would be good and although I would be heading there later, I decided to join them. This would be about a 10 minute walk to where the route up the mountain begins.

We pass lots of other guesthouses and the main comment from the people who did this trip all those years ago was how the place had become more built up and commercial. It was easy to believe as we got closer and saw more and more shops and cafes.

Because of the timing of our trip, the weekend before a Tuesday/Wednesday holiday (Thai Pongal and Poya), and this being the main pilgrimage season, the place was pretty packed. Most people travelled in groups by bus or van and these were all marshalled into parking areas; it all looked very busy.





A couple of people in our group get second thoughts about doing the climb but their common sense gets the better of them, while others were more resolute. In their opinion - once was enough!

The advice for travellers is very good (I climbed with nothing of value).




We wander further towards the mountain stopping once for some freshly cooked rotis. We cross the Kelani River (actually sourced from Adam’s Peak), which was looking a little dry, and that is as far as we go.




Jokingly the tea and coffee sign board is pointed out to me with the comment that the prices will be much higher at the top – this actually turns out to be pure cynicism, although perhaps justified considering the general air of commercialisation surrounding us.




At this point the heavens open, it starts to rain. Clearly a sign from the god Saman? This did not change anything, I would still climb, but I did not look forward to climbing over 5500 wet steps up to the top of the mountain and the thought of the descent was even less appealing.

We headed soggily back to the guesthouse.

The Last Supper

Given that I would be leaving the guesthouse at around 01:00 in the morning we thought it wise to have dinner early (dinner in Sri Lanka is rarely an early affair) which meant 19:00. This also turned out to be a good idea because everyone else was eating early for the same reason and we wanted there to be some food left!

So powering me up the mountain would be one (or two) servings of daal, rice, poppadums and eggs.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

And so it is that we head to bed. I will have at most three hours sleep to look forward to.

We bid our friends good night. With luck they should see me at breakfast in the morning, without it, I would be joining them for lunch!

In the room I prepared my bag for the journey ahead – one less thing to worry about when I awoke. One of our friends had lent me a hat in case it was cold at the top and another a torch, as my guide, who we met earlier, said that we might be taking a different route in parts to avoid the crowds and that route would not be lit.



My head hits the pillow and I descended into slumber.