Colombo - Part 3

Just like in any other countries, I have visited, tourist traps are many in Colombo. I read in a Tripadvisor forum thread, many tourists got ripped off when taking the three wheeler or better known as the tuk-tuk in Colombo. A lady shared her experience when she was tricked into seeing an elephant parade in the city. Approached by a soft spoken tuk-tuk driver she ended up in a place where she had no intention of going to in the first place. And it wasn't just the destination, the tuk-tuk driver demanded that she paid an unbelievable amount for use of the tuk-tuk.

Lesson learned - always be careful when using the service of tuk-tuk drivers; this I paid extra caution the entire time I was in Colombo. (A similar incident happened to the three of us - Jupe, Muni and I when we were in Bangkok some time ago. Will blog about this next time.)

In the city of Colombo, there are so, so many tuk-tuks. There is no waiting time or queuing of these three wheelers, which most of the time are ever so willing to be at your service.

As we walked the main street in Colombo, hoards of these tuk-tuk drivers approached us. Each one has a story to tell. One guy wanted to take us on a tour of the city and promised good rates for using his service. There was another one who said that we should go to the local handicraft factories. Such great selling skills and so much determination.

After covering some distance in the city on foot, we decided to take a tuk-tuk to Sri Lanka National Museum located in Colombo 7. (Notice the distinct difference in my travel itinerary when I travel with Abe, compared to when traveling with my friends. With Abe it's museums... museums...museums..... but when I am with my girlfriends it's shop...shop...shop till you drop)

It was tough getting a good and trustworthy tuk-tuk driver, I must say. Some couldn't understand English...so no go with him. Some had really unpleasant dispositions, like those crooks seen in Tamil movies. Also no go.....takuttttt!!!

My interview with Abdul Rahman, our tuk-tuk driver that afternoon

We took our time in getting a tuk-tuk. I can't remember how many we flagged down in such a short time span. In the end, we settled with a big sized guy who greeted us with a salam before taking the liberty to explain the routes he was going to take us. In his explanation, he told us that we should go visit a gem factory. Ahah....I smelled fish already!! We insisted that we were not interested in buying gems. He was smart with his reply. He said, "No obligations Maam. No pay to look." Smart huh? And so cleaver playing with words to a person whose heart was already at the shops. Anyway, it's the museum that we want to go visit. My firm insistence made him give in but he did say, perhaps after our museum visit, if we still want to go visit the gem factory, he would be very happy to take us. Okay lahhh...when he put it that way, I sensed the honesty in him. Plus in my heart meluap-luap juga nak pi gem factory as I tried my level best to hide the excitement from Abe.

After bargaining how much we should pay for the trip (yessss...U MUST BARGAIN, else dia akan bagi rate yang suka hati dia je and bargain before you sit in the tuk-tuk), we got into his tuk-tuk and headed to the museum.

The museum established in 1877, was founded by built by Sir William Henry Gregory the British Governor of Ceylon at the time.

Directions to the various section in the museum

School children on an educational trip

All girls museum visit...notice their school uniform - all white!!

Side shot of the museum. Photography is not allowed in the building (errr...boleh but must pay, a common practice in India too)

In the museum gardens, one can find huge trees like this one.

The bus - a mobile museum

Dah penat....lepak bawah these huge rooted trees