I left Ella early, headed for the east coast and Arugam Bay. What began as a successful day navigating the buses, took a downward turn at the final hurdle. This was the point where I inadvertently swapped four hours of my life to save $3!
Leaving Ella was a resounding success, with the driver from the homestay dropping me at the bus stop just in time to catch the bus. Happily settled at the back my gaze switched from views of the landscape to curiously watching the men and women who entered and exited at each stop. I delighted in catching the eye of a woman sitting next to me and sharing smiles, before continuing on in happy silence. Journeying down the mountain road we soon passed my stop of the previous day (for Ella Walla Falls) and continued towards the large, bustling town of Wellawaya.
After a little confusion, where one minute I thought the conductor had told me to stay on-board, and the next it was most definitely clear I was being told to exit, I stood in the bus station gathering my wits and taking in my surroundings. Feeling more assertive and street wise than I had a few days previously I was wholly unconvinced when a man attempted to persuade me not to take the bus marked Monaragala (a name which took many attempts for me to remember and pronounce correctly!). I knew this was my next destination on-route to Arugam Bay and and could only deduce he was suggesting I continue to wait for a different, more expensive bus.
Most definitely pleased with myself, having had to wait less than half an hour, I sat at the back of bus number two and watched the activity unfold before me. A brilliantly decorated interior, shiny bright blue plastic with outlandish patterns, a TV at the front displaying a group performing as their music blasted through the sound system. The vehicle slowly filled with people, sellers made their way on-board walking down the aisle offering their wares before exiting out of the back door. Then finally, jam-packed, the bus pulled out into the busy streets and out of town.
As we arrived in Monaragala I was very satisfied with how my day was unfolding. Only a few hours drive until I would be at my destination. My host in Ella had tried to tell me it would take all day. From this moment, I feel as though I was given a masterclass in the consequences of smugness, as well as a strong lesson of the impact my stubborn nature can have. That said, nothing serious or death-defying occurred and the only person really impacted by my flurry of emotions was myself.
After disembarking the bus in Monaragala I had to wait a mere half hour before the next one arrived. I dismissed the many tuk-tuk drivers trying to offer me a ride, barely listening to the price they offered, annoyed that they likely saw me as an easy way to make some extra money. Boarding the final bus I sat down, satisfied, and waited. And waited. And waited. Over an hour later I was beginning to feel incredibly impatient. My emotions were stirred due to a mixture of having no idea how long we would be sat there, and starting to most desperately need the toilet! I didn’t want to lug all of my baggage off-board and search around, feeling that the bus would most certainly choose that moment to leave. My impatience was increased by the fact that the locals also seemed to be getting restless, if they were wondering why we hadn’t left yet then what on earth was our driver doing?! Eventually I could bear it no more, hoisting my ridiculously big backpack up onto my shoulders, the rest of my luggage into my arms, and hurrying off in search of a toilet.
Returning to the bus feeling slightly more relaxed, I shunned yet another tuk-tuk driver who offered a not so unreasonable price – by this time I determined, I’d waited this long, I would wait a little longer.
Finally, after a three hour wait, the bus set off and began the three hour journey. It was packed full of people, I had to pay for two people due to the size of my luggage (fair enough, but highly unpleasing to me in that moment). It was hot, there was a stop halfway for people to get out and stretch their legs. All in all, it was a highly unpleasant experience at that point in my day. After having given the poor conductor a slightly dirty look for the price of my two seats (realising there was very little price difference between this and the tuk-tuk) I realised it was time to have a word with myself. There was no-one to blame but me for my current state of affairs, and my mood was only ruining my own day. Recalling a sentence from a book I’d been reading, that we are in charge of our own emotions and can choose either to make light of a situation or to suffer through it, I decided this was the perfect moment to take heed of those words and regain the patient attitude I’m known for.
So it was, by the time I stumbled off the bus in Pottuvil (just over the bridge from Arugam and the location of my guesthouse), helped with my luggage by a kindly man on the bus, I was tired and most likely rather smelly, but my state of calm was restored.