Adam's Peak

Why should I do this for god’s sake I ask myself when I look at my watch and see it’s 3 o’clock at night standing at the foot of the mountain. The name "Adam's Peak" would hit the place where Adam put his first foot on earth from heaven. Sri Pada, or holy footprint, suggests that Buddha left a footprint here when he was on his way to paradise.

Or maybe Samanalakande, the mountain where butterflies go to die. Finally, there are stories that an early apostle of India St. Thomas or even the Indian God Shiva "left a footprint here. No matter which story or legend you believe, the peak has attracted thousands of pilgrims each year for over more than 1.000 years. The start of the route is not that steep and there are few pilgrims, even fewer tourists. I notice many closed stalls. Is it not the season to walk?

In the twilight we pass some tea plantations and now we are passing from the opposite direction to many elderly local pilgrims who greet us warmly. They are on their way back. Should I have started walking in the evening? There are boulders on the route and it is easily accessible; we see a dagoba, Buddha statues and we pass a gate. Suddenly there are stone steps and we stop a number of times because the French woman has to catch her breath; she already indicates that she will not finish the walk to the top.

On a plateau a number of restaurants are open and we decide to order a cup of tea and take a rest. Now I hear that the French couple and the boy stay here and I will go on alone. I feel good and speed up to make up for some time because I’ve got a long way to go.

The stairs become steeper and steeper while getting closer to the top. It’s still a long way and if you look in the distance you can see a snake of lights on the route to where I want to go . There are some light bulbs along the road and the moon is clear so it’s not too hard to see where you have to go.

Also, more and more Sri Lankan people are coming down the stairs; often barefoot, packed and the elderly are supported by younger family members or friends. A number of stalls are now open and besides souvenirs you can also order tea that goes well on such a climb in the middle of het night. It is still a long way and when I walk next to a somewhat older American, we decide to tune our strengths together and walk up together. The last piece is very heavy although it is a beautiful sight with clouds and mountains in darkness. An almost mystic sight.  

The stairs in front of us become steeper and narrower and I am happy when the end is approaching - the top! At the top, all the stairs are occupied by hundreds of mostly local pilgrims. Thick packed and wrapped in they sit close to each other to keep warm and some are asleep. We have to walk further to the small temple which is in the central part of the plateau.

And then suddenly the sun rises, the moment everyone is waiting for. It reminds me of the pilgrimage in Egypt close to the St. Catherine Monastery when everyone started singing at the sight of the first rays of the sun. Suddenly it’s ligth and you can see what you have traveled and where you are – high mountains in the distant surroundings, forests and the big lake where I came by bus yesterday. It is light, everyone takes their stuff and now you only see how tired everyone is including myself. The wind starts to blow and people get ready to start the journey back to the foot of the mountain. It is insistent on the stairs. I first walk around the plateau and remember that there is a bus at half past eleven; if I miss this I have to stay an extra day here.