Today, because it was so special, I've included a large number of photos. Hopefully everyone will enjoy them and feel some of the joy we felt being able to do this safari her in Sri Lanka. Udawalawae National Park was originally created to provide a habitat for animals that were displaced when the Walawae River was dammed. It was created in the early 1970's and is about 300sq km in area. It is a very important habitat for both water birds and Sri Lankan elephants. In addition to the park there is an elephant transit facility for the rehabilitation of orphaned baby elephants to ultimately release them back into their natural habitat. The baby/young elephants are raised here for five years then returned to the park where they are, presumably, accepted into the herd (to be ... read more

One of the attractions of Ella is Little Adams Peak. Adams Peak (the real one) is famous throughout Sri Lanka both as a holy site for pilgrims and also a hike for tourists to watch the sunrise. Well Little Adams Peak (LAP) is a lot shorter but great views from the top at sunrise. So why am I telling you this, well, to prove he doesn't need me to get lost, Chris set off to walk it this morning. He did this believing I'd run it as I was planning to do, unaware I'd decided a sleep in was order of the day. Just before breakfast he arrived back, hot and tired. Seems he had missed the turn off and carried on along the main road towards Colombo. Luckily a caring tuk tuk driver stopped and ... read more

Full cooked breakfast cooked by our own personal chef and served by the trusty staff, you could get use to this, although again the standing watching us eat was a bit awkward. Decided to walk into town and have a look around then get tuk tuks to a tea plantation about 4km out of town. Tea plantation was fascinating, tour of the factory was another step back in time. All the machinery looked like it arrived with the raj. They were not operating as its was a Sunday and also most of the production occurs at night. Ladies pick up to 18kg per day and this particular plantation had about 400 pickers. Donna still not too flash so she had an afternoon off while Chris, Marie and I went to the Grand Hotel for high tea. ... read more

Up early and a run around the lake, great seeing the town as it awakens and gets ready for another day. A lot of school children on their way to school (7.00am so school day must start early)and busses and other traffic gridlocked around the lake front. Came across Chris who was out having a walk. Breakfast in the guest house was good and included small rolled up pancakes with a coconut, caramelised sugar and cardamom paste inside. Really tasty and refreshing. One thing that was a bit off putting was the staff standing around watching and trying a little too hard to please, we understand they are doing there best and probably in the Sri Lankan culture it is ok but we found it uncomfortable. The lady who owns the guest house (and I would ... read more

Decided to move on from Anuradhapura and go to Sigiriya given the "resort"was not really doing it for us and we'd exhausted the tourist highlights. Got a van and this time driver and co-driver, both looked a like Sri Lankan wide boys complete with bling, tats and a big as amp and subwoofer in the back of the van. Interesting journey, as we left Anuradhapura stopped at a roadside alter and the made a donation/offering for a safe trip, then duly blessed drove like crazy. We did come to a quick halt at one stage when a lizard walked in front of the van and waited for the lizard to make his/her leisurely way across the road. Although there was little concern for human life or potential injury apparently killing animals is a big no no. ... read more