Writing our exam in Sri Lanka

After a picturesque train ride that followed the coast all the way from the capital Colombo, we arrived in Weligama 4 hours later.

After spending 10 weeks surrounded by mountainous landscapes in Nepal, it was amazing to change the scenery and come to the sea and beach life. Variety is the spice of life!

The climate in Sri Lanka is hot and humid, and when the heat hit us in the face as we left the train and entered Weligama, we were overjoyed by the immediate proximity to the beach. We immediately noticed the calm and pleasant atmosphere that characterized the town.

Weligama is mostly known to many as a surfing destination. Most of those who travel here are on a journey through Sri Lanka, and make a stop to either enjoy the beach or the waves.

Rumors say that many come for a couple of days, but stay for a couple of weeks. In other words: Weligama is a popular destination.

We quickly fell into a kind of rhythm or routine in writing the exam and almost established the perfect days for beach life combined with working on the assignment. Unlike Nepal, there are far fewer places with air conditioning here, so one must learn to become friends with the heat.

However, most places have one or more fans, so it's bearable. Similar to Lakeside in Pokhara, there are many charming brunch and lunch spots with food that reminds you of home, and which are also great to spend many hours on exam writing.

We quickly established a favorite spot where we had a good opportunity to concentrate combined with good food and coffee.

We quickly discovered that surfing could be an ideal start to the day. It's quite affordable for both board and instructor here, and there are plenty of surf companies to choose from.

One can easily get a private lesson with an instructor for about 100-200 NOK or rent a board for about 30 NOK per hour.

After surfing, we sat down at the cafe to put in a good session on our exam, before taking a midday break for some sunbathing and swimming. On the beach, you can rent a sun lounger for about 10-20 NOK for a couple of hours.

It was a wonderfully delightful break from writing, where we also got to enjoy the sight of the beautiful beaches – a perfect interlude. After this, we usually sat down to continue writing on the exam, hoping to finish in a reasonable amount of time.

The south coast of Sri Lanka also offers good opportunities for day trips to other cities. There are many buses daily that can take you wherever you want. The island is small, so it's easy to get around.

Galle is a great day trip that offers you the chance to see ancient forts, or you could, for example, head to Mirissa for even more beautiful beaches.

As in many parts of Asia, food is a significant and vital part of the culture in Sri Lanka. Rice and curry are highly recommended, and there are numerous stalls selling everything from roti (a flatbread) to samosa (a fried pastry filled with vegetables).

The markets are full of tropical fruits at a cheap price - definitely something worth taking advantage of. Remember to withdraw cash. Some newer restaurants and cafes accept cards, but as a general rule: Cash is king!

All in all, Sri Lanka has plenty to offer. Historical and religious sites, beautiful beaches, tasty food, and fun tuk-tuk rides.

There are plenty of backpackers all around the island, so if you get a bit restless from all the writing, it's super easy to make some new friends!

Sri Lanka is the perfect destination to get some sun on your skin – while hopefully the exam writes itself..!