Nov 29, 2016
By Peter Jones
A walk in the clouds at Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka
Clouds. That’s all I saw from the top of Adam’s Peak. The mountain that I had gotten up at two o’clock in the morning to hike. The one with 5200 stairs that I had so diligently ascended assuring myself the view from the top would be incredible and that it would be the highlight of my trip to Sri Lanka. But, after battling the rain and physical fatigue on top of my jetlag, all I saw from the top of Adam’s Peak were clouds.
I had only booked my ticket from Washington, D.C. to Sri Lanka days earlier. After months of submitting endless applications, I finally received a new offer and gave two weeks notice at my unfulfilling job as a U.S. government contractor. I decided that I deserved a reward for all of my hard work and also wanted a break before starting my new position at a non-profit. So, I bought a surprisingly affordable ticket to Colombo and left three days later.
Anxiety almost prevented me from going on this trip. I was so tightly wound from living in D.C. that traveling far away without a solid itinerary made me overthink whether this was a good idea. I had just moved into a new apartment and still hadn’t unpacked. Maybe I should just take my week off and settle in. I secretly hoped that my e-visa be rejected or that something last minute would come up to prevent me from going on my trip. But, my wishes never amounted to anything, and I could find no reason not to go.
Before arriving, I knew practically nothing about Sri Lanka except what I had gleaned from skimming travel blogs and websites days prior. I did know for sure that I wanted to make it to Adam’s Peak. Nestled in the highlands of Sri Lanka, this mountain is known for housing the Sri Pada or “sacred footprint,” which is significant to believers of four major religions. Buddhists believe the footprint to be that of Buddha, Hindus that of Shiva, and Muslims and Christians that of Adam.
I was prepared to take on the challenge and this entire trip solo. But, I lucked into making some new friends at my first hostel who had roughly the same travel itinerary as me. Despite being the rainy season, the two American girls and I took the risk to hike Adam’s Peak and set off from our hotel in the early morning hours. Outfitted in worn out running shoes, jeans, and carrying an umbrella in my hand, I did not look at all prepared for a strenuous hike.
However, thousands of steps and several hours later, we made it to the little camp at the top where twenty or so other hikers had gathered. They were mostly tourists like us, but there was one Sri Lankan guide who had been hired to accompany a group. Just after six o’clock, we all stood facing east, hoping the thick rainclouds would miraculously disappear so that we’d have the perfect vista for this amazing sunrise the guidebooks had promised.
We never saw the sunrise from the top of Adam’s Peak that day. The Sri Lankan guide claimed that he had made the hike to the top over a hundred times and that this was only the third time that the sunrise was not visible. So, this wasn’t the picture perfect travel experience I had expected it to be. But, sunrise or not, my footprints were now alongside that of Buddha, Shiva, or Adam, whatever you believe. Not too shabby for only three days of planning.
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About the Author
Peter Jones
Peter Jones has discovered a passion for traveling and blogging about his experiences, even if they don't always go as planned. He is starting a master's in journalism program this fall, where he hopes to turn his hobby into a semi-lucrative profession. Follow his blog at mustafajones.com.