I suppose there are some advantages to bouncing along on a narrow strip of what passes for tar; namely, it becomes very easy to observe life. People were out washing at their wells. Dogs slept in the road. Unconcerned goats were munching garbage. We had time to read the UNICEF signs warning people not to venture off the road way because of unexploded landmines. We saw into the real huts of the poor people. It's all there ... right in one's face.
A journey in North American inevitably means rolling along on an Interstate highway which was designed as limited access. They are safe but sterile. That system is designed so one should never need to drop below 100 KPH. All the exits look the same whether in desert or forest. For the jaded, I suppose from a Sri Lankan bus window the villages blend into a familiar blur of dwellings too. Yet, at least it's up close and personal.
Our first section of the trip was about an hour. This brought us to the edge of LTT territory. We had to get off that bus, go thorugh a Sri Lanka military checkpoint, then walk a half kilometre to show the Tamil guards our temporary visa from when we headed north. (I thought the Sri Lankan Consulate in Ottawa had given me a 2-month document for ALL of the country!) Next, we boarded an LTT bus and rode for the better part of 2 ½ hours. At the final point we re-entered Sri Lanka and got on a small, private bus. It should have held 35 people but more than double were crammed in.
I was happy to get to Vavuniya where were checked into the Vanni Inn at 1:15. An air-conditioned room? I have a bit of a sore thoat and am sneezing already, but the a/c room at $15 was much nicer than the one in the same building for $5.
For entertainment at sunset, from our window we watched as thousands and thousands of birds came to feast on tiny flying insects that were hatching and then being immediately devoured.