SEC-S14W4 | The best place you have ever visited | Adam's Peak

Hey Steemian friends!

There’s a very interesting saying in Sinhalese for this attraction, which translates like this “Visit once, you're a wise person. Visit more than once, you're a fool.” The reason for such a strong saying is that you need to experience this heavenly attraction even once in your life but it is not quite easy to reach peak specially some decades back that they even settled all the dues before visiting this place. A lot of tales and stories are related to this amazing site. So, I will share with you the best place I visited so far “Adam's Peak”

👉 Please describe what the theme/purpose of your visit was

It was my birthday and I wanted to witness the sunrise from the peak of Adam's Peak. Quite a wish I had in my mind! Don’t know why though 😅 Also, this particular hike has a religious significance, hence my mother always wanted to reach the peak and worship the temple up there which we believe has the footprint of Lord Buddha. Despite her not being in peak fitness, me, along with my family, embarked on a journey to climb 2,243 meters and celebrate a truly unforgettable day surrounded by loved ones.

👉 Was it in cold weather or on a summer trip?

^{15°C proved too cold for sunbathers in Sri Lanka!}

Sri Lanka is not renowned for cold weather, but our central highlands have chilling whether we are not used to. We started our journey to climb at around 2.00 am and the temperature was around 15°C that time. Also, the extreme breeze wasn’t helpful in the morning. However, when the sun started to peak through the mountains temperature transformed. We felt the heat while descending, reminding us of the diverse climates this beautiful island offers.

👉 Did you go with your family or friends?

The adventure was shared with my family. My wife, parents, and one of my wife's friends were there creating lasting memories.

^{Enjoying the train ride!}

👉 What were the attractions during your visit? If you have your own images, please provide them.

Every step was an attraction, from the train ride to the climb. We bypassed other stops, focusing on our main goal because we all were aware of the physical demands that lay ahead. Temples and natural wonders greeted us all the way and here are some of the attractions while we climb.

^{First temple at the entrance gate}

^{Entrance gate}

^{We believe Sumana Saman God is the guardian of this place, this is the place to worship him}

^{The natural beauty makes it feel like we're in heaven}

👉 We would love to read about your vivid and memorable sightseeing, local culture, and dining experiences.

We took a train and a van as our transportation methods and stayed the night at a hotel close to the trailhead. It was comfortable and situated 200m away from the starting point of the climb. It was a very convenient place for travelers. I recommend anyone to go with this place because it was a family run hotel and they were hospitable to all the guests. We had our food here since this cozy establishment made our experience comfortable.

^{There's a unique ritual for first-time travelers, involving bringing a needle and thread to weave here.}

However, while climbing there were many shops beside the trail. Anybody can have a rest and have a hot tea cup with snacks in such shops. Even there were some foot massage SPAs available. But when you get to the top the prices become double and triple. It is quite understandable how hard for them to get those foods to such heights.

^{Having our meals, Sri Lankan rice and curry on a banana leaf}

👉 Please describe: was your journey safe and trouble-free, or did you face any problems?

One thing that happened was the train journey was not a direct train to the exact location, so I thought I could get to our destination by bus. So, getting down from the train station I came to the bus stand with my family to learn that bus will wait until it gets filled so they don’t promise the time they leave. That was quite unexpected and we decided to hire a van and get to the hotel and have a rest without waiting in an empty bus.

^{Inside the train}

Then I read from the trip advisor that this climb is around 04 hours and I planned everything according to these timings. But unfortunately, my mother couldn’t keep up the pace and she began to worry that she was making us slow. But I decided that I would somehow take her to the summit no matter how much time she would take. She got to the summit but while she was coming down, she was exhausted and had no energy so we spent about 10 hours getting back to the hotel. I booked another night to rest before we left the hotel the next day.

^{The hotel we stayed: Hugging Clouds}

With these amazing memories, I wholeheartedly recommend a visit to Adam's Peak for those seeking a nature friendly adventure holiday.

Thank you for this interesting contest @travelingsteem. Looking forward to taking on the next week’s challenge. I would like to invite @moyeon, @sualeha & @saintkelvin17 to participate in this contest.

Thank you.

Peace to all 🙏

^{All the images are from my gallery. Some pictures may have used in other contests.}