DAY 5 POLONNARUWA

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After 2 easy days of riding today was an early start for a hot & hard 70km ride to Ritigala before a 60km coach ride to our overnight stay at the Siyanco Holiday Resort, Polonnaruwa. The distance was not the problem but rather the wind, continuous slight rise & sections of bumpy roads. Frequent rehydration stops needed to replace the sweat.

Much of the passing outlook was of rice paddies, man-made water tanks and patches of jungle. At Ritigala we visited the ruins of a beautiful Buddhist monastery where the ruins and rock inscriptions date back nearly 2000 years.

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Photos

Elephant hide
Elephants are a big pest for farmers & hides are used for early warning during their movement season.

Ritigala Monastery
Beautiful granite steps to the monastery.