Kate and I signed up for the Lanka Challenge for a number of reasons; mainly because it offered us a unique way to see a LOT of Sri Lanka in a relatively short period of time. We knew it would be tough, dirty and a bit dangerous, but those things made it seem even more exciting. It forced us way off the regular tourist trail, and miles outside our comfort zone, and we love that it did so.
One thing we didnt want to do was to be consumed by the competitive side of the Challenge. We wanted to enjoy the daily challenges, the scenery, the people and the food without worrying about who was ahead on the leaderboard at the end of the day. So after sunset on day 7 when the first score update was announced, with The Chilli Express in pole position, I think it subconsciously affected everyone's approach to the whole Challenge, including ours. After all, if we were ahead so far without really worrying so much about the points, then who knew where we might end up if we actually put in a little more effort?
So the next morning we made sure we were up bright and early and ready for whatever trials they had planned for us that day. First stop was a local Buddhist temple built on the side of a mountain. A mountain I had to climb so that I could collect a lotus flower from a monk at the summit. Kate later used the flower to complete her half of the challenge, which was to construct a traditional Buddhist offering of incense and flowers, while wild monkeys watched on from the trees with great interest.
Once we were done at the temple, our only other challenge for the day was a Chilli Challenge, to be held at the campsite later in the evening; meaning that we had the rest of the day to figure out how to find the campsite itself, and enjoy the ride along the way.
The trip to the campsite was beautifully rural, and mostly isolated. We were traveling with a few other teams, and we all stopped at a roadside shack for some homemade rice and curry, which is what Sri Lankans typically have for lunch.
After a few wrong turns and directional help from countless locals, we eventually rolled into our very secluded campsite, set up next to a sprawling wetland full of all kinds of waterbirds. The sunset was absolutely picturesque; in direct contrast to the mess that the Chilli Challenge turned into. Each team nominated one person to try to eat increasingly spicy pastes and chillis without being sick, passing out or showing warning signs of either. Of the 18 teams, myself and 4 others were declared tied winners, since it was clear that someone was going to get hurt if everyone kept eating straight green chillies.
I have a feeling that the pit toilets took an absolute beating that night.
6:30am. The tent was like an oven. Damn I hate camping. We gladly left the tent behind and got back behind the handlebars.
Day 9 was an uphill battle in every possible way. Our destination for the day was Kandy, the mountaintop town a thousand or so feet above where we started.
Our first unplanned challenge was changing yet another flat tyre, using our trusty spanner purchased in some town a few days earlier. Every time I fixed a flat, I couldn't help but think of that line from The Castle; "That thing just paid for itself".
The official daily challenges started with a stop at a fruit vendor to eat something called 'wood apple' which looked like a crap-filled coconut, and sadly tasted nothing like coconut. We also had to sample our old friend, the Durian; a fruit we first encountered in malaysia, which is banned on all public transport and enclosed spaces due to it's smell.
With brunch taken care of, we pushed ahead to our next official challenge of the day. This one was a doozie. We had to purchase 600 rupees worth of anything we wanted from the local market in Kandy, which is next to a bus station, and then do our best to resell our wares to the locals who were innocently waiting for their buses. To me, this challenge was not only outside my comfort zone, but also wildly outside the comfort zones of the unwary locals we were being asked to interact with. It wouldn't have been so much of an imposition if we were asking for free food, or for some crazy photo opportunity, but we were basically asking these people for money. In Kandy. A place well acquainted with rich western tourists, but not necessarily accustomed to being asked to support them financially. The reception was confused, if not a little cold and aggravated. We ended us reselling our branch of bananas to a fruit vendor for a lot less than we paid. Good riddance.
With a long, very tough day behind us, we finally made it to the hotel - The wonderful Amaya Hills Resort, hiding amongst the clouds in the mountains surrounding Kandy. Some major contrast to the canned heat of the campsite the night before. What an amazing spot.
The best part of our exhausted arrival was knowing that the next day was our second and last 'rest day' of the challenge. And in a place like that, we knew we would have no problem capitalising on our precious free time.
less than 24 hours since subconsciously becoming 'competitive', and we were both ready to collapse. This whole thing was starting to seem like way too much work.
Could we keep up this pace?
How would we spend our relaxation day in and around Kandy?
How do they get those little ships into those little bottles?
How many questions can be asked before the people just stop reading them?
For the answers to at least one of these questions, be sure to tune into the next installment of Bs2Bp.
Till next time!
//Brendan
The trip to the campsite was beautifully rural, and mostly isolated. We were traveling with a few other teams, and we all stopped at a roadside shack for some homemade rice and curry, which is what Sri Lankans typically have for lunch. 
The best part of our exhausted arrival was knowing that the next day was our second and last 'rest day' of the challenge. And in a place like that, we knew we would have no problem capitalising on our precious free time. 
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