I had chosen Ella as a stop because of the fantastic scenery. Most guesthouses a traveler could stay in provide wonderful views of dramatic, jutting green hills and the village looks past the imposing Ella Rock. The village itself is very quaint and described in the guidebook as the closest place in Sri Lanka to an English country village. The Ambiente guest house is on the west side of the village away from the majority of accommodation, which is to the south. It looks out on to Ella Gap and Little Rawana Ella Falls and my 1st sight from the balcony [View Full Entry]

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Sunday 4th December 2005 Peter and I found ourselves a seat and deposited our bags at the front almost on top of an alcove housing a huge and ancient gear shaft. Apparently this is where the large luggage sits to save space for more seats. It wasn’t too packed to start with though and I had a double seat to myself. I am looking forward to the scenery I am going to see on this journey and also an opportunity to review my trip so far. We passed by little villages and groups of white and blue uniformed school children on [View Full Entry]

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In a moment I was racing away from Unawatuna and the south coast, very soon into country roads passing by quaint homes with flowering gardens surrounded on either side of the road by dense, fresh green. Plants, palms and trees grow everywhere. After 20km or so, perhaps less, our path began to rise and the views changed as we passed by tea plantations. I didn’t think this area was known as the tea country. Where there was not hills of rising, layered pruned tea there were flat areas of rice fields but mainly just tea growing wild everywhere. The landscape was [View Full Entry]

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I woke up feeling quite groggy but after a shower and breakfast I soon came round. I spent the rest of the morning writing and drinking coffee. Later I got myself packed up and ready to move again. Only about 5 kilometres South East to Unawatuna this time! I had a nice surprise when I got the bill from Mrs Khalid. She had not charged me for breakfast or coffee or any extra taxes, which I was expecting. I gave her a box of Pot Pourri for her kindness and hospitality. We had a chat about each other’s family and she [View Full Entry]

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Wednesday 30th November 2005 I woke up at 05.00 and lay in bed thinking about the day ahead and getting to Galle. I packed up and waited for the time to move on. Once I was awake I felt uncomfortable due to the mosquitos. I took a taxi to the train station and bought my ticket to Colombo Fort. I chatted to an Englishman aged about 75 whilst I was waiting at the platform. He was stationed here during his national service and had fallen in love with the country and came back when he retired for a holiday and him [View Full Entry]

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I arrived home on Saturday 19th November and I am booked to leave the UK again on Sunday 27th November. I had a good few days at home catching up with friends and family and sleep. My sleeping pattern has been strange since I returned. I keep waking at about 06.00 and feeling tired by about 16.00. My pictures have come out fantastic. Seeing them on a 17” computer screen is a real treat. I have been feeling very tired this week. Currently I have absolutely no energy. Maybe it is my body subliminally creating the energy reserves I am likely [View Full Entry]

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We arrived at the airport and the transfer to Mombasa was straightforward. The difference in the humidity was astounding as we exited the plane. So moist and the air was damp. We found our guide and I jumped in with a liverpudlian couple. The driver was a real tall athletic looking Kenyan. He was a good man it seemed. A wealth of information about Mombasa and really well informed on the English premiership. He was also bemoaning the tribal rivalries that undermine the Kenyan national team. The journey involved crossing a ferry out of the city and we were driving through [View Full Entry]

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12th November This morning we met up at 07.00 for the journey from Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara national park. Unfortunately I am feeling rather delicate due to the sensitive nature of my bowels. Which adds stress to what I am warned will be the bumpiest ride we go on. The roads are not expected to be good and there are many potholes and other obstacles. I’ve had an Imodium and rehydration sachet so I’m all bunged up and ready to face anything! We headed southwest about 300km. We branched off at Nairobi. We came down a fair few hundred metres [View Full Entry]

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10th November At first light we made our way onto the minivan, bleary eyed and settled in for the initial return drive to Nairobi where we were stopping for lunch at the Jamuraga hotel which was very nice. We then continued north of Nairobi up towards the Serena Lodge at Mount Kenya national park. This was a fantastic journey leaving the bleak barren flat landscapes that characterised the environment to the south of Nairobi. The scenery was more vibrant, lush and green. Nick told us that in this area there were many small-scale independent farmers working small plots producing many diffe [View Full Entry]

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We set off early from Nairobi to Amboseli. Nick, our driver is excellent which is fortunate seeing as he’ll be driving us for about 8hours a day over the next week! I am sharing the van with 2 older couples, both farmers and also members of a closed harmony singing group although no sign of them breaking into song as yet! I have managed to bag the front seat next to the driver. We arrived at Amboseli national park at about midday. During the journey I did not see examples of extreme poverty. In many ways the streets, shops, houses and [View Full Entry]

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