Breakfast at the Spice House is a typical fruit selection with a choice of eggs, omelette etc. However there was an added surprise on the pastry plate - one was definitely a doughnut, the other we assumed was similar with a cinnamon coating. Taking a large bite proved that it was in fact a spicy curry vegetable roll, very nice but not convinced it goes well after donought and jam on toast! Tuctuc to Galle was about 32km, longest journey by this type of transport we had attempted. Apart from the kamikaze bus drivers it was relatively trouble free and we followed the coast road all the way. As it was a full moon day it was another national holiday (they get 60 per year in Sri Lanka!) so the 'fishermen on stilts' were more interested ... read more

Beautiful morning dawned, warm and sunny. Breakfast and a leisurely couple of hours in the swimming pool and reading before Safari at 1:30. We struck lucky as we were the only two on our jeep (Nikolai Safari organised by Athgira River Camp so we had the driver (who was also our guide) to ourselves. The park is fantastic, the only 'big' game are the elephants but we saw so many other animals and loads of birds - it was a truly memorable afternoon. Lots of crocodiles, water buffalo, jackals and even a mongoose plus several herds of elephants, one group more than 20 including several babies, it was a privilege to see. The bird life was perhaps even more amazing with all kinds of water based species such as cranes, ibis and herons. Three different types ... read more

Today we learnt that our Mr Fixer had not managed to fix us some reserved train tickets to Elle. Mr Fixer is just like the fella in the Grand Marigold Hotel! Instead of the train, he suggested a taxi all the way to Uduwalawale - but the train still could be an option if we wanted to go to the station an hour before the train leaves tomorrow and get unreserved second or third class tickets (gulp). At this point, as you can imagine, I was less than convinced but a) dad needed to be certain that there were no seats left and b) that we could just rock up and get on - so we hopped on a tuktuk and off we went to the station. What d'you know ? No tickets but yes we ... read more

Off on the next leg of our journey, departing Kandy by car with driver to head up another 4000 feet into the tea country. Stopped at a Herb & Spice farm on the way and learned all about most of the common bottles in our cupboard at home. Excellent guided tour but were a little suspicious about the products on sale at the end so bought nothing. Next stop was a tea plantation; by now rain had started so a short tour around the factory, a quickly sample of four different types of tea, bought some leaves to bring home and then on up into the clouds to Nuwara Eliya. Lots of waterfalls on the way suggested that there has been a lot of rain here recently and none too warm either - arrived in 13c ... read more

Well, all I can say is I'm glad we didn't rent a car for this holiday - remember Palermo? Sicilian drivers are pussy cats in comparison to the ninja drivers of Sri Lanka! Who needs lines in the road, rights of way, traffic lights, give way signs anyway? They are purely decorative here - no purpose whatsoever! We left the hotel about 10, met Harold and our driver, handed over some cash and off we went. Now I suppose naively I expected Colombo to end - suburbs/ shanties etc and then countryside and then a village or two before reaching Kandy - eh no! It's homes/ half built concrete structures/ shops etc in a linear development all the way. And traffic! - tuktuks - (who were now the enemy as we were in a car!), Motorbikes, ... read more