Fortunately, I’d taken a seasickness tablet before setting off from Mirissa in Sri Lanka so I wasn’t feeling too queasy apart from the trepidation of being buffeted around in the swirling ocean.
Then there was a cry of “left, left” from one of the crew as he pointed out our first blue whale spouting water from the massive blowhole on its snout.
Its majestic body came into full view to wow the boat full of eager whale watchers. As it nosedived into the water I saw its enormous fin, the size of a football net, disappear from view.
We were treated to seeing two more blue whales before we got back to terra firma. At our hotel, the luxurious Amari Galle nestling on a sandy crescent on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, it was time to chill.
While the sunloungers by the pool beckoned, my friends and I couldn’t relax for long as we had a date with chef Indika in the Ahari Gourmet Gallery to show us how to make an authentic Sri Lankan fish curry.
We donned aprons and chef hats for our lesson and, most importantly, grabbed a fork for tasting.
Indika told us the secret was using fresh spices, coconut milk, a nice firm fish and nutty red rice. He made it look easy but the acid test would be recreating the recipe back home. Even better was a cocktail-making class at the Amari Galle’s swish Bommu Rooftop Bar.
Unfortunately, it was a Sri Lankan public holiday so our cocktail making was downgraded to mocktail making.
After a demonstration of how to mix a mocktail and achieve the right blend of sweet and sour from the expert mixologists, we were unleashed on an unsuspecting bar.
I partnered up with Natasha and we set about blending together a concoction of cranberry, orange, passion fruit with a dash of lime, mint leaves and syrup over crushed ice in a highball glass.
And our “Amari surprise” received lots of compliments from the judges. All that eating and drinking gave me an appetite for sightseeing so I was off to see the Japanese Peace Pagoda, a tranquil Buddhist temple built after the Second World War as a world peace initiative.
Situated on the hillside west of Unawatuna, the towering, white bell-like structure surrounded by gold-painted statues was a breathtaking experience. While the peace pagoda gave off an air of tranquillity, Galle’s most famous site, the Galle Fort, was bustling with visitors and locals.
The fort, which is a World Heritage site and exudes old-world charm, was built by the Portuguese in 1588 before being extensively fortified by the Dutch in the mid 1600s.
Within the ramparts and stone walls many magnificent Dutch colonial villas remain though a museum now occupies the old stables, and jewellery shops and cafés festoon the narrow streets.
The Dutch Governor’s residence is now the opulent Amangalla hotel where you can enjoy a G&T amid luxurious surroundings.
After all that sightseeing, what better way to unwind than at the Amari’s Breeze Spa. Mood massages were on the menu so I picked a “relaxed” full-body massage for a chill out experience.
My masseur Chatarika pummelled my aching limbs, using pulling and stretching techniques. She covered every inch of me including reflexology on my toes and a head massage. I emerged a new woman with warm memories of my Sri Lankan adventure.
