Hi again, just a quckie this time as we have spent most of the last 3 days relaxing by the pool/beach. We have our own elephant in the hotel grounds so we had to go for the obligatory ride, this time bare-back. She is 35 years old and moves very slowly, thankfully. We have made quite a few pals which is fun in the evenings, and have not a bad tan so far, 2 more days to top it up. See you all soon [View Full Entry]

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So from the hills we then returned to normality and scorching heat in the south of the country. We had a 3 hour afternoon safari, so be prepared for loads of animal photos. We were a bit shaken up by the jeep but we had a really good time. We saw over 140 elephants, deer, buffalo, croc and a great variety of birds. The next day we travelled down to Galle, just in time to go onto the old fort and see the very last wicket of the Sri Lanak v Pakistan test cricket match (SL won). We finished the tour [View Full Entry]

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Yes we are still in SL, but we spent a day up in the mountains at Nuwera Eliya. It was a long and winding drive up there and the weather deteriorated all the way. This is usual for up here though and it is where the tea plantations are located. It was like being back home on a typical October day. I had to wear long trousers! The hotel was very Scottish, even tartan curtains and a full size snoooker table, old colonial style. I even walked on a golf course for a bit but it was getting too dark to [View Full Entry]

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We have now reached the hill town of Kandy after a few stops from Habarana. We visited the Dambulla caves which were started in 1st Century BC. Very impressive with giant Buddhas and various religious relics in them, well worth a visit. We also had lunch at a cafe that our guide called in advance otherwise they would not have opened, tourism is quiet in SL just now. Yesterday evening we went to a music and dance show with firewalkers. Again this was great fun. Life is busy on the road so when we reach the hotels it is just enough [View Full Entry]

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We have now left the Colombo district as the tour has started. Our tour guide is Aloy, a lovely man who seems to know everything about Sri Lanka. Our first stop was to visit the elephant orphanage It's a great facility that looks after around 100 elephants. One is blind and another has one gammy foot from a rogue bomb from years ago. We saw them being fed then going for a swim, of sorts. So that was Wedneday's highlight. Today we are staying in the same region and after an architectural tour this morning of teh old capital at Poolanawura [View Full Entry]

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As the title suggests I managed to set fire to the toaster on breakfast. The chef was not too impressed with the smoke coming from his machine. We skipped breakfast today so i'm not sure it is working now!! The time in this hotel has been very relaxing and well worth while coming out a few days before the tour which starts tomorrow. We will be joined by 6 others, 2 family groups i think. Just to make you all jealous here are a couple of shots from Mount Lavinia. [View Full Entry]

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We arrived around 5pm on Saturday evening into the wonderful hotel that is Mount Lavinia. This was formerly the home of the British Governor, but nowadays they let anyone in! The jet lag as ever caught up with us, it took 24 hours from Glasgow to arrive her, via London and Male. The Sri Lankan people seem very friendly so far, rather like the weather, very warm. There have been a couple of downpours and one great thunderstorm during dinner last night We wandered beyond the hotel grounds this afternoon and, as ever, picked up a guide who took us to [View Full Entry]

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The travel fairy has waived her magic dust again, so we have nearly reached the time to venture abroad in Summer 09. To Sri Lanka for a 17 day tour/beach trip. We leave on the 26th so the packing needs to start NOW! Get the mossie spray ordered the tasty Europeans are coming. Will be updating as we go on tour 2009, between cups of tea. [View Full Entry]

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After 22 days, 6 countries, 10 flights (I think), 9 hotels and several other forms of transport, we are back in Glasgow. The temperature on the last day was certainly the hottest, 40 degrees C in Madrid. Was kind of glad to return to half that temperature in Scotland. The final couple of days in Madrid were spent either in the rooftop pool, on a bus trip around the city, including a visit to the Real Madrid ground (FAB!) or in the great tapas bars of the city. What a great trip, tiring at times but so many great memories, it's [View Full Entry]

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So we have made it back across the Atlantic, but now there are only two of us left on the trip. sadly we had to say goodbye to Gee at Madrid airport as she made here weary way home to Omagh. The overnight flight wasn't too bad and the prospect of even hotter weather in Madrid cheered us up. Unfortunately mel getting flinched on the Metro didn't, but as we later found out this is an all too common occurence, thankfully she only lost some Sterling and a couple of bank cards, now stopped. Well now for the hotel in Madrid, [View Full Entry]

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