This was probably the first day I didn’t have to wake up ridiculously early. As we drove to tea country as I called it in Elle, Sanju stopped several times at what he considered the most picturesque spots of tea plantations. And this is why I’m convinced Sri Lanka has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Lush green views were breathtaking at most and downright not fare to a New Yorker like myself. Tall buildings be damned compared to the views I was gifted with seeing in Sri Lanka. I had asked to be taken to a waterfall along the way and boy did he deliver with Ramboda Falls. It was beautiful. He even had us take a photo together. I know. Cute. We were taking a liking to each other. Before long we had arrived on a tea plantation. I know what you’re thinking, was slave labor involved? Okay... so maybe I was the only one that thought so but No! They’re paid. It started to rain so I wasn’t allowed to tour and have the workers show me how they plucked their tea but the owner of Damro Tea who just happened to be Sanju’s good friend offered a tea tasting and factory tour instead for free. After trying their tea, I will admit I wasn’t that impressed but the factory tour that followed was pretty educational. A great deal goes into the process of turning leaves into the tea mix we all enjoy in those little packets. Did you know that the darker your tea the longer it’s been oxidized? Did you know that tea came in various degrees of shades and colors? Tea is Sri Lanka’s bread and butter. They export tons and tons of tea throughout Asia. After a quick stop at one of Sri Lanka’s oldest post offices made into a mini museum and one more awe inspiring waterfall, we proceeded on our way to Yala National Park. I was most excited about this because I was finally going to be able to do a real animal safari. The drive to the southernmost part of the island was long so as you can imagine I napped but not before asking Sanju a ton of questions about Elle. Why it happened to be so much cooler than the rest of the island? Why did it rain so much? And lastly how many types of bananas did Sri Lanka have? The answer was 27 to the last one.

Sanju chose the town of Thissamaharama for the night. I promise you all the hotels he helped me choose were adorable. This one was no exception as the owner was a cute old man who treated me like I was royalty. His hotel was close to Yala National Park and much more affordable for me to stay in than in the actual National Park. Oh yeah, you probably should know that you can stay in the actual park overnight. They have elaborate tree houses to over the top glamping grounds as options. Being on a budget and Sanju understanding that, his pick of a quaint hotel near the National Park was on the money. I enjoyed a delicious dinner across the street from the hotel. I didn’t feel like eating alone once again at a restaurant and opted to take my food back to the hotel. They were more than happy to oblige except that they took super long to call my hotel and let me know it was ready. Sanju was chatting with the owner of the hotel when he noticed me come outside my room for the second time to check and see if my food was ready. He offered to go back to the restaurant with me and see what the holdup was. Once they saw Sanju and me they instantly apologized and Sanju insisted I sit down for dinner instead of carrying my food back to my room. The owner asked if he would be joining me and he quickly said no. I guess he didn’t want to give off the vibe that we were like together or something. He was good at keeping it pretty professional. I didn’t have the courage to tell him he didn’t need to and just how much I had become to enjoy his company. Besides he had to know by now that I was a good time. We could have continued to get to know each other. And I would have probably learned that he was married. With a kid. And another on the way. I know... bummer right. You were hoping for this great love story to unfold. Don’t worry. It will. Sanju kind of kept those details to himself. I would learn eventually.

The next day I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed ready for my very first safari. I was beyond excited. Our hotel supplied us with breakfast to go since we had such an early start and the safari Jeep driver arrived to pick us up. He was the quiet type but Sanju promised he was the best. The week before he had been on safari with some other clients and the same guide hadn’t been available. As a result, the clients didn’t get the ultimate experience they were hoping for and left disappointed. They hadn’t seen much of the really big animals, including elephants.
So Sanju pre warned me that I had already seen three elephants along the way on the roads and to not be too disappointed if I didn’t get to see any in the Park. Immediately upon entering the park however our guide was able to coordinate with his friends and alert us to an elephant gathering where we happened upon a mommy and her baby elephant. It was too cute for words. Elephants are so beautiful and they live just as long as human, up to almost 80+ years. Did you know that a female mommy elephant is pregnant for up to 22 months? Can you imagine having to carry around a baby for that long? I guess one of the world’s biggest animals needs a little extra time cooking their babies in the oven. As we continued the safari, I sat in the Jeep holding on for dear life. The roads were rough and dusty and the truck was quite open to the elements. I rode in awe as the guide pointed out several unique birds and animals that were indigenous to the island. We even saw hyenas and warthogs. It was something straight out of the Lion King! I was so satisfied with my safari thus far when all of a sudden our guide did a swift U-turn and started to rush down the road. Sanju whispered into my ear that other guides had spotted the elusive leopard, an animal that usually only came out at night because of how hot the sun’s rays were during the day. As I held on while chewing on my banana that the hotel owner had packed, I eventually couldn’t contain my nervousness. This jeep was hardly protective enough against a wild animal like a leopard but I wasn’t about to tell the guide to stop. When we came across the two leopards sitting on a single rock together my mouth dropped. Was this real life? The guide zipped and zagged a little just so we could get the best view of the animals. And then I realized there was nothing to be afraid of. The jeeps that swarmed to give their clients a view of the animal all knew to keep their distance. Sanju went on to explain to me that the male leopard was unsuccessfully trying to mate with the female leopard. I joked and said just like human life to which Sanju just blushed and smiled. Remember I said not to judge me. I still didn’t know about his having an entire family and what not. After the male leopard gave up and left the rock, most jeeps pulled out and we were able to move up just a little closer. I was in complete heaven ogling the female leopard rest in the shade on her rock.


Since I chose a full day Safari we stopped near the beach to have lunch. Apparently the park is closed from like 2-4 I believe. My safari guide was a jack of all trades because he was also an excellent cook. The spread he provided included several Curry’s, chicken and veggies, rice, fruits and Sri Lankan beer. Sanju asked me if I drank beer before offering me one. I nodded and he then offered me like he always did a great story about Sri Lankan beer. Lions beer as it’s called, even though Sri Lanka’s history hasn’t recorded any lions on the island is one of the only beers Sri Lanka produces on the island. It’s actually quite tasty for a beer. He also explained that he personally believed that there had to be lions of sort, even if they were brought over from neighboring islands or how else would they know what they looked like to carve their image into a rock. What sound logic right? He was smart that way. The two of them both Sanju and the safari guide, (I’m sorry guys, I forgot his name), insisted I eat first before they enjoyed their portion. True gentlemen. I sat in the back of the truck with my feet hanging out and swinging, enjoying the gorgeous views of the ocean. I admired people taking a walk along the sand. When Sanju returned with the guide to finally partake in what was prepared. I asked him why there weren’t that many people on this beach. He explained that the waters were very rough on this side of the island. He also mentioned the fact that you have to practically drive about thirty minutes through the park to even reach it. As the guys ate with their hands! I quizzed them both about themselves. By the way it’s a legit custom in Sri Lanka... to eat with your hands. Messy but if it’s one of the many reasons I was so enamored by this country, it kept giving me vibes of Africa which was what I wanted all along for my birthday. If you’re wondering, nope, on this Q and A, I did not find out about his wife and kids. I know you’re reading and waiting for our love story to develop even in-spite of me spoiling the story by mentioning his wife and kid. Does it have anything to do with the fact that that I forewarned you not to judge me?