Page 10 of swanningaround Travel Blog Posts



Geo: 8.68664, -83.6662Costa Rica has provided plenty of interest to date. We stayed at Anita's in Manuel Antonio for 8 nights as planned and that gave us time to visit the National Park twice, the first time with a guide. We saw deer, two coatis, a couple of species of bats and strangest, of all, a three-toed Sloth. It does look like an abominable snowman, covered in long fur, slightly greenish in colour. He was definitely not photogenic but we did take some photographs. It is difficult tophotograph their faces as they are so high in the trees and very shy, turning away and hiding. Like the Koala in Australia, they eat leaves which provide little energy, so they move very slowly. In Spanish they are called 'Perezosas', meaning 'Lazies'. Why they have so much fur ... read more
Two-toed Sloth
Jim's favourite photograph.
The Teak House verandah that rocked!

Central America Caribbean » Costa Rica January 27th 2014

Geo: 9.38945, -84.1347 CostaRica 16th - 27th January, San Jose and CerroLodge (Carara National Park)It seems a life time since the last blog. We left Sri Lanka in December and after three nights in Beeston with Anna we flew to Lanzarote. It was a strange feeling when we arrived there, almost like going home. As we had stayed there longer than anywhere else over the last 3 ½ years ( 9 months ) perhaps it is not surprising. We had a lovely Christmas with the girls and Nick and even managed to walk up Montana Blanca.On 13th January we returned to England and stayed with Gilli and Nick in Windsor. They had only moved in 10 days earlier so it was very kind of them both to put up with us so soon after the move. ... read more
Reminded us of Mexican pottery
Animals figure large in designs
Stool with Jaguar head (I think)

Asia » Sri Lanka » Southern Province » Matara » Mirissa December 8th 2013

Geo: 5.94354, 80.4589Sri Lanka 26th November – 12 December 2013After yet another visit to The Quality Airport Hotel, where we were greeted like old friends, we flew back to Sri Lanka.In the Maldives Pauline and Colin's Thomson rep. Rohan, was very helpful and he arranged for a driver to collect us at Colombo airport and take us straight to Galle, so avoiding the waste of a day travelling if we had stayed near the airport overnight. Not only did the driver meet us but also Rohan's friend who had been asked to take care of us as it was night! They were both very pleasant but the drive was a challenge. The new road had opened for Prince Charles's visit 2 weeks earlier, and we were able to use it but there is a 10 kilometre ... read more
Another Bride and Groom on Ramparts in Galle
Beautiful markings
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose!

Asia » Sri Lanka » Uva Province » Kataragama November 29th 2013

Geo: 6.4092, 81.3318Maldives9th – 24th November 2013This will be a very short blog as the time in the Maldives was a holiday so involved eating and drinking too much and spending lots of time snorkelling, in the hope of mitigating the damage. It was really good to have Pauline and Colin for company especially as they both enjoyspending lots of time in the water so I had buddies even when Jim was feeling lazy. Meedhupparu is a larger island than we had visited previously and although the house reef has suffered lots of damage the fish life is superb, so I thought for this blog I would limit the text and include underwater pictures. They were all taken by Colin (I think, apologies Pauline if you were the photographer!) with a super underwater camera.I still can't ... read more
Soft coral opened up on night snorkel,
Pink starfish, looks like beanie toy
Green hard coral like brain

Asia » India » Kerala November 9th 2013

Geo: 10.012, 76.2251 Kerala,India 26th October - 10th November 2013We arrived in Kochi Airport to find a man waving a card with our name on as promised and he whisked us away speedily to the Quality Airport Hotel. We stayed 2 nights to adjust to India,or so we thought. What we had not realised was that the QAH is an oasis of peace and tranquility in the chaos that is India, but this did not become clear until we returned from our Birding trip. Kerala is meant to be one of the more efficiently managed states in India.At 5.15am on the 28th Peter, our guide, arrived and off we went towards Thattekad, binoculars and cameras at the ready. Thattekad is a bird reserve. However, it is closed and when we asked why/for how long we were ... read more
Outside tent showing ensuite at rear
View from tent
Jim on verandah

Asia » Sri Lanka October 25th 2013

Geo: 7.2083, 79.8358Anuradhapura-Galle – Koggala – Negombo 16th - 26thOctoberThis will be a short blog as we have had a lazy time over the last few days.We travelled from Anuradhapura to Colombo by 1st Class train and had a good journey. As they say online, (the only place you can book the First Class), that you are only allowed 10 kilos of luggage, we had emailed and asked what we could do about our bags. We received an almost immediate reply saying there would not be a problem as the guard would look after them. We retained the reply on my iPad to show anyone who objected but it worked very well as promised.So it came as a shock when we had to change to a Second Class, non-reservable train for the journey down from Colombo ... read more
View to Lighthouse in Galle Fort
Cricket in front of hotel
Original barracks on left

Asia » Sri Lanka » North Central Province » Anuradhapura October 17th 2013

Geo: 8.45732, 80.5438Habarana,Kandy and on to Ella in the Hill country 9th - 15thOctoberWe left Mr Abi in Habarana with great reluctance, we have never been taken care of so well. Sarat, the neighbour agreed to drive us to Kandy and stop and see sights on the way.The first stop was at Dambulla Cave Temples, 5 temples in 5 caves. They were interesting, especially the reclining Buddhas and the wall and ceiling paintings. As at all the temples, as soon as you enter their grounds you have to take off your shoes and walk barefooted. This canbe a real trial either because the ground is burning hot and it is very painful, or the ground is gritty, or as on our last temple visit of the day when there had just been a heavy downpour, it ... read more
Dambulla Cave Temple roof paintings
Painted feet of a reclining Buddha
Nalanda Gedige

Asia » Sri Lanka » North Central Province » Anuradhapura » Habarana October 8th 2013

Geo: 8.039, 80.7502On theroad again – Sri Lanka 30th Sept - 9th Oct2013We didn't start out to come here, we were on our way to Costa Rica, it is lucky chance that brought us here but we are so happy it did as we love Sri Lanka, so the early name of the Island, Serendip, is most appropriateAfter a pproximately 6 weeks in England for the usual “MOT” of doctor,dentist, optician etc and the much more enjoyable experience of meeting up with friends and family, we are travelling again. We are especially grateful to Paul and Angela who once again let us rest in their beautiful barn, which is the closest thing to a home we have had for 3 years now.Arriving in Sri Lanka on the 30th September we spent 2 days in Negombo, a ... read more
Small striped squirrel in garden
Iguana in the garden
Mongoose by verandah

Asia » Thailand » Central Thailand » Bangkok August 8th 2013

Geo: 13.7308, 100.521Lao People's Democratic Republic 26th July to 7th AugustWe made it to Lao and yes, it was definitely worth the effort, especially Luang Prabang, but if we did the journey again I would fly one way at least.It didn't start well. Online Jim had read that it was no problem to buy your train tickets on the day so we checked with the hotel travel desk in the morning to see if they could get the tickets to save us making 2 journeys to the station. They could, but the lady said it was very unlikely that 1st Class tickets would still be available but that 2nd class was air conditioned with 40 berths in the cabin. I couldn't believe she was saying 40 and kept asking, “14” until she said loudly Four Zero. ... read more
Cabin for 40
Our verandah at Le Bel Air
Riverside garden

Asia » Thailand July 24th 2013

Geo: 11.9727, 102.312 Thailand 1st July - 26th JulyWe were put on a flight out of Oz a day late. I think the visa situation influenced Qantas as the day before we had been told there were people ahead of us on standby and it was highly unlikely we could leave. The first firm date they could give was the 9th!I am not sure if it was our uncertain departure, the contrast between the empty outback and crowded Thailand, or just tiredness but when we arrived in Thailand we collapsed and rested by the pool for a few days. It was only a relatively cheap airport hotel but the pool was lovely.In fact the hotel only opened a couple of days before we arrived and it was a Thai version of Fawlty Towers. The middle aged ... read more
Open-billed Stork
Minibus sign - no words needed!
Guilty monkey, red lips show he raided shrine




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