Hiriketiya, Sri Lanka
Hiriketiya is a laid-back beach town on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. It’s known for it’s picturesque beauty, excellent surfing conditions, and local flair.
I needed a little stability in my life. Moving around every two or three days for a couple of months can really take its toll, so I decided to park myself at a beach for two full weeks. I couldn’t have made a better decision than visiting Sri Lanka, and specifically going to Kima in Hiriketiya.
The people.
Surf camps are a great way to meet people. These places have a way of attracting people from all over globe who have shared interests, like spending time outdoors and exploring new places. I was able to meet some truly incredible people during my time in Sri Lanka, and I know at least a few of them will be lifelong friends.
My long lost cousin
Long before I started my travels, one of my relatives visited Akron over the holidays and let me know that his son, Matteo, was planning to travel around Asia. When I decided to take a trip of my own, Matteo and I connected on Instagram, and we occasionally kept each other up-to-date on our travel plans.
Our worlds finally collided in Sri Lanka. He and his girlfriend, Roxanne, had been there traveling and surfing for a few weeks, and we decided to meet up. We hadn’t seen each other in ~20 years, so neither of us had any idea what to expect. We immediately hit it off, sharing travel stories, catching up, and making up for lost time.
We saw each other almost every day that we were in the same town—hanging out at the beach, going out on the town, and scootering to an incredible local restaurant called Nimal’s Kitchen. It was a really special and surreal experience to re-connect with a family member halfway across the world. If you’re considering doing the same, I’d highly recommend it.
Actually learning to surf.
One of my first stops on this journey was a surf camp in Costa Rica. I was just getting the hang of surfing by the time that it was time to leave. This time, I was determined to leave catching green waves all on my own.
I did it. I met my goal and made so much progress while I was at Kima, but I still felt like I left too early. It turns out that surfing is a lot like golf—it’s really hard and takes an impossibly long time to master. I am so grateful for the coaches that helped me make so much progress in such a short time. I can finally tell people that I surf!
The daily routine.
My daily routine was the perfect mental and physical refresher.
Early morning surf lesson
Delicious breakfast
Yoga
Afternoon surf lesson
Hang out by the pool (and drink a smoothie)
Dinner
Hang out until bed
Sure, we had an occasional big night out, but it was mostly chill vibes. The whole experience prepared me physically and mentally for my upcoming Himalaya trek.
Other stuff
Our secluded little surf camp was really beautiful. Here’s a fun drone shot of me chilling in the pool.