Blogs from Polonnaruwa , North Central Province, Sri Lanka, Asia

I’ve always had the passion to see the wild life but I never really had the opportunity to experience it for real. This time I was lucky enough to see some wild elephants up close and personal. We started to this small safari around 5pm so that we could see some wild animals in action. We knew that we were going to see wild elephants but we never thought that we will be lucky enough to see a lot of them. We saw the first wild elephant just after we started the safari. It was a HUGE elephant and there is a saying that if there is an elephant alone ( without it's herd ) then you shouldn't mess with it. Well that saying is absolutely correct. As soon as that elephant saw our safari jeep ... read more

We encountered hectic traffic as we try to get out of Kandy, we are driving towards Dambulla, took us couple hours, we got pulled over by the cops for crossing the line, the driver, Mr. T gave them 500 rupees bribe just to let us go. Another stop we made was to a small shop where we had tea. Arriving in Dambulla, it was cloudy but not raining yet. The Golden temple was impressive, there were mannequin monks that line an elevated path going towards the Golden temple. Then we climbed up to see the Rock temple, we met Sylvie from Malaysia, she was ahead of me but stopped and waited for me and asked if she could walk up with me, she does not want to do it alone, we hiked up and Nish and ... read more

This is just my last blog from Sri Lanka, just to say thank you to all my friends and family back home, for all their help over the past few years and for making this trip possible, there are too many people to list but you know who you are. I am just going to put a few photos together and a few words. Sri Lanka is a beautiful island and I would recommend anyone to visit it, but one month is probably long enough, particularly if you are situated up north, where I am. There is very little to do once you have seen all the major attractions unless you want to travel for 4 or 5 hours to get to a major city! Although I have loved my time here, my new family, and ... read more

This why I came to Sri Lanka to offer a "Hand of Hope". I arrived in Sri Lanka on the 31st of August - it was a hard decision for me giving everying up to come over here and try and help out in some of the orphanages here. It has been quite an experience, back home I dont think any of us have much idea about how these children actually live. In the first orphanage, it was Gillian McAlister, Katie Chester, Hannah K and myself, that went to Pollonaruwa, their days were always the same, up at the same each day to prepare for school, come home at the same time and have lunch, then.......what do we do until bed time, other than do our homework and play? play with what is the question, they ... read more

Well here I am, after many months of planning this trip of a lifetime, making sacrifices, leaving my job, my daughter, family and friends I finally left all that I knew and loved on Sunday 31st August 2008 to embark on "journey". My friends Nickie, Rosie, Heidi, Sharon and Caroline took me to Heathrow. My mum and dad wanted to come to the airport but I wouldnt let them, it would have been too hard for me seeing them walk away and then have that long drive home!! Saying goodbye to these people made me realise that I really was leaving, I stood there shaking saying goodbye to them, it was the strangest feeling i've ever had - going off to the "unknown". As I disappeared through customs turning each corner there they were all waving, ... read more