Hoosier Cruiser

March 9-10, 2026

Our visit to Sri Lanka included a tour of the capital city, Colombo, and a tea/rubber plantation about 70km southeast of the port. Sri Lanka has had various names over its history. One of the earliest was Serendip from which serendipity was derived. Ceylon is probably the best known identity in the western world. In 1972, the country adopted its current name. Like many of the spice islands, Sri Lanka was dominated by a series of European powers (Portugal, Netherlands and Great Britain) before gaining independence post-WWII. In Colombo, there are examples of Dutch and English architecture undergoing renovation as well as some unique modern structures.

The city tour took us through a bustling market area which seemed more oriented towards the locals rather than tourists. There were also some urban religious sites; the most notable being the Gangaramaya Temple. Besides the incredible imagery contained within this Buddhist temple, there is a bodhi tree which is said to have been grown from a cutting of the bodhi tree in India under whose shelter the Buddha gained enlightenment in the 6th century BCE.

Our journey to the tea and rubber plantation near Ingiriya was on a smaller than normal coach. The driver had to negotiate some narrow washboard roads on the plantation which kept us all alert. Before arriving at the tea factory, we had a brief stop for one of the workers to demonstrate how the rubber trees are tapped for latex. At the tea factory, we first observed the picking process. Plants take about four years to mature. Harvesting takes only the smallest leaves at the top of the plant. Ten days later the process can be repeated. We were greeted at the factory with garlands of tea leaves and a bougainvillea blossom. The atmosphere inside the factory was stifling and deafening. I didn’t see anyone using masks or ear protection. Thankfully, we shortly retreated to the superintendent’s residence for a tea break.

Next: Maldives and Seychelles

Colombo

Tea Plantation