Teaching, travelling, and taking photos – these are Radika Alahendra’s biggest passions in life. If you ask her where she’d most often be found, she’d name the sandy beaches and the magnificent mountains as her favourite getaways as she wanders our lovely island discovering all its hidden secrets and exploring the wonders of nature.
Having discovered her passion for travel at an early age – which she thanks her parents for – all throughout her childhood and into her adulthood, she spent her time exploring not just Sri Lanka, but several other countries as well. Somewhere along the way, she made a life-changing purchase – a camera. In conversation with Brunch, Alahendra told us that taking pictures of all the wonders she experienced piled up, and suddenly she was left with tons of photos on her hands. Like any other person, she took to the internet – Instagram, specifically – and began posting snapshots of her journey. “I learned a lot about travelling – tips and tricks, how to travel responsibly, good and bad places to stay, sustainability, and many more that I really wanted to tell the world about, so I made a YouTube channel with my husband for this purpose,” she told us. Over the years, she has garnered an impressive following for her helpful travel tips as well as her breathtaking captures.
Alahendra told us that she takes pleasure in enjoying the moment. “Our country has so much to offer – not just ours, but Mother Earth has done a splendid job crafting nature. Sometimes, the only way to take in all of this beauty is to keep my camera aside and breathe in the crisp, fresh air,” she shared. One such time, she revealed, was in Rathnapura, on the Sri Palabaddala trail to Adam’s peak. “It was quite a difficult task for us, so we had to stop looking for the picture-perfect spot and focus on climbing, so both of us really enjoyed this hike in nature surrounded by lush green hills,” she described.
Of course, she would like to capture such special moments, especially with their busy lives, but she and her husband see travelling as a good opportunity to relax their mind and stay in peace.
Unfortunately, the last two years were stifling for Alahendra, as her ever-wandering soul was confined to her house due to the pandemic. As many of us can relate to, Alahendra and her husband too had many travel plans before the pandemic, but not a single one of them worked out, due to the travel restrictions put in place and a third wave taking over the country. She eagerly told us that the second the restrictions were relaxed, she was already making plans for her next trip. “I didn’t even know where I wanted to go, but I knew I would love to visit the most unpopular and untouched places in Sri Lanka for a staycation where I could enjoy being surrounded by nature once again,” she stated, adding that their main concern was to begin their journey by taking all safety measures and precautions. Eventually, they settled on a sport both of them adore – hiking. “We decided to visit Kirigalpotta, as it is the second-tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, and also head towards the Kuruwita Erathna trail to Adams peak,” she informed us, adding that previously, they’d already ticked Hatton and Rathnapura areas off their list.
They also recently made their way to Gal, which, according to Alahendra, is a truly beautiful land untouched by people – the perfect place to connect with nature. Having stayed at a very unique eco-lodge-type villa, Alahendra told us: “We were able to explore the rich and mesmerising wildlife safaris since it is one of Sri Lanka’s most remote wilderness zones.” After taking a break from the mountain area, they also visited Sampur Beach, which is one of the most pristine beaches in the country. “It is also one of Sri Lanka’s most remote sandy beaches, so it’s a secret place where people have barely visited,” she added
Having travelled all her life, Alahendra did point out that travel now has changed fundamentally, post pandemic. “People must have found and experienced that the way they travel has changed because of the pandemic; even now, it is not entirely over,” she explained. She is of the opinion that travel must continue, but only by taking all safety measures and precautions. She advised all travellers to adhere to all health and safety guidelines – whether it’s the mask-wearing or face shield-wearing person, people should, by now, be vaccinated and using enhanced hygiene methods that we have learned so far to maintain our daily lifestyles.
She also highlighted that it is high time we focus more on Mother Nature, and urged travellers to make sure that wherever they travel, to please take only lovely memories back and leave only footprints, without tarnishing Mother Nature.
Instagram: @Travel_with_Radi
