Coast to Coast

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Tavel south to via Puttalam to chilaw for a very enjoyable stay with couchsurfing host Roshan and his dear mum; a lovely home in a pleasant town. 03/04/16 I venture back 10k north to Anawilundawa and charm myself someone's bicycle for an enjoyable morning roll around the lesser known listed wetland. Very pretty and pleasingly heavy with birdlife, I return to Roshan's house until after a tasty lunch and head on my way via Kurunegala to Kagalle for a nights stay. 04/04/16 bus to Pinnawala and swing by to learn more of the nearby millennium elephant foundation (slightly construed ethics - essentially a heavily funded elephant riding park lol ) then after lunch dodging the mammoth entrance fee wonder down & watch the Pinnawala herd bath in the river.



I bus south onto Ratnapura, 05/04/16 enjoy a lie in, catch up on some internet and get my sandals stitched back together before my evening assent up Adams peak; after a 1 hour bus to Sri palabaddala I join the well established pilgrim path under shouting thunder, rain and monsoon mist. An impressive concrete staircase leads up all the way, I loose light after an hour so don a very necessary head torch for only the odd route lamp works , accompanied by a jolly stray dog, I meet very few others making an evening assent I reach the temple @ the top before 9pm. Grateful to find a sheltered sleeping bunker I pop out my trusty thermarest & bed down, expect the hoards arriving from 2am onwards to break your nap, 06/04/16 pack up at 5.30am to witness the famous sunrise unveil of ones hard work in the dark. Beautiful cloud punching hills surround leading down to the lakes in the north.



Taking the northern descent I stomp down just over 2 hours, grab a khottu for breakfast then reach Hatton by bus. with two route options I head east around the mountains on a slow bus taking most of the day, link onto a Ratnapura bus from Balangoda, grab my stuff and set fourth on more evening buses including a frantic switch & catch up chase in a 3 wheeler at Rakwana to eventually reach (9pm) the amazing couch surfing host Sena whom lives close to the rural township of Deniyaya in the forest region of Sinharaja. Enjoy heaps of lovely home cooked grub 07/04/16 visit town with Sena, catch up on some laundry in the local waterfall" later enjoy an evening stroll & local fiery khottu. 08/04/16 awake early for a 6am bus 1 hour north to the eastern edges of the forest, the whole area boasts some brilliant views. I venture out on Sena's jungle walk,a brief hand drawn map routes me through some beautiful dense forest for over 3 hours, shouty monkeys around and hoards of irritating leeches enjoy my feet for breakfast the path exits the trees returning to the roadside tea estates for a bus back home. I grab a shower wish a fond farewell to Sena bussing via Akuressa to Hakaman then onto Tangalle for a night near the waves. 09/04/16 Enjoy a lazy day until evening and walk for a couple of hours east up the sand to the Rekawa turtle watch, a government venture where funds hopefully finance nest protection. numerous turtle scuff prints along the beach on route and although busy with tourists and a little intrusive got to see several big shelled wonders hulking ashore for their egg laying ritual.



10/04/16 after moving sticks west to Marissa i book onto a whale watching trip, venture to relaxed pelohem beach in search of stilt fishermen but none about).11/04/16 join raja and the whales boat for a sunny day on the see headlining with a monster blue whale sighting and numerous energetic dolphin pods. I move onto midigama, beachside village home to many surfer pads for its close location to numerous consistent reef breaks, quite gutting and very envious not having my boat with me I spend the next morning and (first time ever) practising at soft sand wiligama with a foam board. I stood up once but didn't feel I was even close to mastering a balanced ride hah. A little concerned (though busy) with the obvious residential sewage in the watering a little sun torched I call it a day after lunch and move onto Galle by the afternoon, catch a movie and a local feed then settle through lack of options for probably my classiest stay ever inside Galle fort; good value for 1,500 rupees. Spend the morning crawling around beautiful Galle fort, a bit of a Dutch Covent Garden by the sea, clean pretty quiet streets lined with boutique shops & flash restaurants. I take a 3 hour bus to Colombo and then another to beach side Negumbo for a quiet last day

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