Once A Traveller, Always A Traveller
Across the Mistry Mountains: A Journey to Remember
One peaceful evening at university, Pranami Wanigasooriya sat beside me and asked about the most unforgettable adventure I had experienced recently. That conversation slowly turned into a beautiful discussion about my very first camping journey to Suriyakanda.
Before we enter to your travel journey, can you explain a bit about yourself?
My name is Bathiya Wijesinghe, and I’m 22 years old from Matara. I’m currently a second-year student at the Faculty of Science at the University of Colombo. University life is pretty busy right now, with lots of academic work and responsibilities. Despite the busy schedule, I make time to travel and enjoy nature whenever I can. I especially enjoy camping because it helps me feel free and connected with nature. It also allows me to live a simple and minimalistic life for a few hours away from my busy daily routine.
Why do you choose travelling as your favourite hobby over other hobbies?
Apart from academics, I enjoy travelling and exploring nature. Travelling is one of my favourite hobbies because it allows me to experience new adventures, visit beautiful places, and create unforgettable memories. Moreover, I also enjoy capturing wildlife videos and photographs. Travelling gives me many opportunities to explore nature and observe wildlife closely.
How do you like it? To travel alone or with company?
I mostly like to travel with my friends because we can enjoy the journey together, sing songs, and cook our own meals. Travelling with friends also makes the experience more fun and memorable. Moreover, I feel a little scared in unfamiliar places, so travelling with friends makes me feel safer and more comfortable.
What was your first and last camping experience?
My first camping experience was in Suriyakanda, located in the Sabaragamuwa Province. It was a memorable journey that introduced me to the beauty of camping and nature. My most recent camping experience was beach camping at Ussangoda National Park in Hambantota, which gave me a completely different and exciting experience near the sea.
Among all your camping experiences, what is your favourite one and why do you like it most?
My most preferred camping experience is Suriyakanda because it was my first camping experience, and we created many unforgettable memories there. I especially enjoy camping in cold places, and the environment in Suriyakanda reminded me of Nuwara Eliya with its cool climate and beautiful scenery. Moreover, two of the friends who joined that camping trip are now living abroad, which makes those memories even more special to me.
How was the experience of spending the night outdoors?
Spending the night outdoors in unfamiliar places can be both dangerous and adventurous. There is always a possibility of wild animal attacks, which made the experience more exciting and challenging. However, camping with friends was very fun and full of adventure. We camped at the top of a mountain viewpoint, surrounded by nature and beautiful scenery. We also made a bonfire for our safety, to protect ourselves from the cold weather, and to create a more comfortable atmosphere during the night.
How did you spent your night at the camping site?
That night was very beautiful. The night sky looked amazing, and we could see many stars clearly. We made a bonfire and enjoyed the warm atmosphere. We cooked noodles and sausages and had a BBQ party together. After having our meal, we sang songs and took pictures in the dark misty environment.
Our night started with a lot of energy as we sat around a big bonfire. We played music and danced until the fire became small. Around midnight, we took our lamps and went for a quiet walk on a dark road. The light from our lamps helped us see the way.
Before going into our tents, we spent some time looking at the beautiful night sky full of stars. After we got inside the tents, we didn’t sleep right away. We stayed awake, talked, made jokes, and shared interesting stories. It was a fun and peaceful way to end the night before we finally fell asleep.
How did the sunrise and morning atmosphere enhance your camping experience?
We woke up at 5:30 a.m., before sunrise. We went to a water spring to collect fresh water. Then we made a perfect cup of tea. While drinking it, we enjoyed the beautiful view around us. We also shouted loudly so the villagers could hear to wakeup them. We said, “Nagittina Mage Puthe!” in a motivational way, like an encouraging father (At that time, this phrase was very popular on social media.) After watching the beautiful sunrise, we took some photographs around the area.
Do you face any challenges during that camping, and how do you overcome those challenges?
After getting ready, we prepared to make our breakfast, but we faced an unexpected problem. We had brought pre-made pol roti dough from our home and kept it in our scooter luggage. However, due to heating during the day and cooling at night, the dough had gone bad and was no longer suitable to eat. So we did not have anything to cook for breakfast.
Luckily, we had our mother’s Sambola (sri lankan spicy food) that we brought to eat with the pol rotti. So for breakfast, we ate biscuits with katta sambola instead. After that, we enjoyed our light meal together while smiling with our friends. This was a very memorable incident for me, something I will never forget.
Can you share your most heart-touching moment during your camping trip?
We met two new friends -two dogs. They were very friendly and stayed with us throughout the night. They guarded us and slept near our camping tent. When we were leaving, they followed us for a long distance. This was one of the most heart-touching moments of my trip.
What message would you like to give to travellers who love exploring nature?
After that, we cleaned everything we brought to the campsite and left the campsite. Moreover, the only thing we left behind were our footprints. This is our responsibility. We protect and care for our environment. And thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my experience with everyone.
YouTube link: https://youtu.be/Q4PV0TED9gg?si=ZlNymfumXmpONdvW
Written by: Bathiya Wijesinghe
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