Climbing Elephant Rock

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Journal 10 Friday 24th April Kurunegala

We got up early to walk up Elephant Rock and see Big Dave Buddha as he had become known here - his little Buddha was just across the road from us. At 7:00 we set off, and found the steps carved into the rock. At the start of the ascent we met a large troop of monkeys feasting on bread. We considered whether they had been fed these like the ducks in the park at home, or whether they had raided the discarded bread from local bakeries. Seeing their personalities as we climbed the latter seemed more likely. The climb was steep but fast, and very soon it looks far less like Wolverhampton. The views were spectacular, wood and jungle with many peaks, and the giant tank (reservoir). It was calmer but still noisy at the top, with the consistent honks of the bus station competing with the birds, insects and monkeys in the forest. It was cooler at the top, and Jake decided he wanted to live in the rooms carved out inside Buddha. The (relative) peace and cool and spectacular views meant we all agreed it would be an excellent spot and worth the hot and sweaty climb.

Fruit was so good that we rightly feared many of them at home would never compare. Nicky said after our first pineapple that she didn't think she would be able to eat it once we return. I think we will have to be careful not to bore people by saying how much better it is in Sri Lanka.

After last night’s culinary disaster we treated ourselves to tea out. We splashed out big time. Our food was bespoke, and prepared in front of our eyes. Yes street food, 2 plain roti, 3 (delicious) spiced egg roti, and 2 egg hoppers set us back 160 rupees, roughly 92p! We then wandered home in the rapidly falling dust with Big Dave Buddha still keeping a calm eye on us. Pineapple for pudding, and the boys making up dinosaur songs in the shower.

Funny how paranoid we get, as we settled off to sleep Jake was complaining about a sore tummy - my mind went into food poisoning overdrive, but further questioning revealed he was sore where Elliot had accidentally kicked him!

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Comments

[Zoe Capper]

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Hi Sir :), i hope your having a lovely time on your trip, have been meaning to comment to tell you mine and kats chemistry paper scores, she got 2 40's and i got 2 36's and for once i do not mind, a good score is shocking enough! Well Dr Beddingfield has been a very lovely teacher but you can tell that he's not you, and we acheived a record, it took only till the second lesson on tuesday back for mr jacob's to be called for coral and courtney!!! Everyone is doing okay though, we all just miss you. I had a sad moment today when i got out my leavers book and was about to say i wanted you to sign it, only to remember you were not there!!!! We're all very excited for prom, and i will put up pictures asap for you to look at when you eventually accept on facebook, hope your missing us all :), have fun, Zoe x

[Joeandnicky]

Well Done Zoe
And please pass my congrats on to Kate for beating you! I am never shcoked by you getting a good score, however the opposite would REALLY shock me. Prom must be next week then - I thought it was last Friday - how out of touch I am! Hang on to your leavers book- I will sign it when I get back if you ever bother to come and see me. Bizarrely I quite often dream about school - something I never do there. In Kandy I was woken from a dream about getting annoyed with a class of yr 7s who were making a terrible racket only to realise it was a murder of crows outside the window making all the noise (at 04:30!) Never have I so understood why a particular collective noun was coined.