Uda Walawa

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Uda WalawaWhat a descent! Down and down the riders went with just a few rises in almost 20 miles through sweeping bends on almost smooth Tarmac. And there I was stuck in the van in 32 degrees and my arm in a sling drinking copious amount of water. At lunch time we stopped at a rough cafe, called an hotel, where our agent Ivan brought sandwiches and bananas, which we ate in their premises just drinking their tea and juices. Where could you do that in Britain? It was an early start at 7.15 so we arrived at the Safari Village Hotel in Uda Walawa at 2.30 just in time to go on safari in the Nature Reserve. We hired three safari jeeps and headed out into the bush seeing the odd elephant and eagle or two thinking that it would not be a particularly good trip. Suddenly we came to the edge of the lake and were amazed by the sight of many water buffalo, elephants eating grass, painted storks, herons, egrets, bitterns, cormorants and yellow faced plovers etc etc. looking out onto the sandbanks we then saw at least ten crocodiles, one of which slithered into the water and snapped at a water buffalo calf bellowing for its mother. At this point the calf set off at a great run around the lake to its mother making an even greater noise. We came back as it was becoming dark having thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Chinese for dinner tonight- excellent. We have noticed the heat, having dropped down to almost sea level and the mozzy nets are out tonight, or the ceiling fans. The mozzies will decide.

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