Beach and safari

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We spent two and a half relatively uneventful days on the beach, in a splendid hotel complex in which we took a upstairs downstairs cabana. The boys again got the pick of the rooms, but we have agreed with them that at some point this trip we will get a shot of the prime accommodation. The first day it rained and the adults read, wrote, planned and chatted with the odd dip in the sea while the boys played on the beach. On the second day it was sunny and we spent the time together on the beach and in the surf, the boys particularly revelling in the sand sea surf combination and becoming quite adept at catching waves on the boogie boards they borrowed.

The days were uncharacteristically uneventful with a handful of highlights, including a 5ft monitor lizard walking up the beach and looking for all the world like it was stalking Jake, Elliot screeched a warning and Jake scuttled up to us. The boys built a fabulous prehistoric sand village, complete with temples. Best though was the thrill on the boys faces when they caught a good wave, and Elliot’s nonchalant arms crossed pose for the last bit into the beach. The boys made some friends and played between sea, beach and pool, and loved the buffet breakfasts and dinners.

On the Saturday morning we were picked up Karu, the guide whose guesthouse we had stayed at in Akurala at the beginning of the Sri Lanka trip. We had met him every time we went through Colombo Fort train station, and felt if we were going to pay anyone we would like to pay him. We were driven via the hugely disappointing blow hole (I think the swell was too small) but at least we were only charged 10 times what the locals are to get in and that was less than a pound each. Karu took us to another hotel from where we were picked up by a big old Land Rover, and then into Yala on another safari. We had hoped for leopards and bears but were more than satisfied with what we got. We saw elephants, one family that came within a couple of yards of the jeep, with a 2 month old baby that had been born as we arrived on the Island. Spotted deer were seen initially in glimpses, the odd one or two in the foliage of the shrub jungle, then herds again first in the distance, then closer to. Wild boar bucked that pattern; our first sighting of them was a group of them jostling over the carcass of a deer. After that we saw them in herds, small groups and solitary ones running on the plains or rooting in the scrub. There were wild buffalo, including big herds wallowing in the mud, and crocodiles lurking and gaping. The bird life was equally impressive, with storks, waders, orange breasted green pigeons, eagles, kites and the as charming as they are beautiful green bee eaters. Mid safari we had a break on a beach with tsunami damage, and the strangest memorial talking about "revenge for former sins" and the number of germans and japanese killed there. It also mentioned other foreigners and locals as though they were "collateral damage" in a deliberate attack on former enemies - weird! Also on the beach we found giant footprints and elephant dung - hard to miss though!

As the safari neared an end Jake suffering a little with his ear sore again, showed a hint of teenager to come, sitting playing on his DS as we drove out of the spectacular wildlife park. Food was ok and we negotiated where to be dropped tomorrow, before settling in a crowded(3 beds between 4), mosquito ridden (I killed 6 IN the net the next morning) room. In the morning we planned to head East to the surfer paradise that is Arugam Bay.

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Photos

Monitor lizard on the beach
Jake has just run out of the frame!

Nicky and Jake
In the oh so brief dusk

Elephant poo on the beach
With my size 10 flip flop for Scale!