Escaping what’s left of the Adelaide winter

2 years after first getting a contractor organised to re-coat our fibreglass pool and after we had dug out the sides to remove bulges (digging down 2 meters not fun).  It has now been finished – and it only took 5 days to do.  What a rigmarole, so many obstacles, retiring contractors, finding new ones, dates changing etc…  It looks great now though, almost like a new pool instead of one first put in in 1981.
The worst thing about the pool is our planned trip to visit family and get away from winter could not be booked till pool physically done (could not trust given dates). Of course, last minute flights these days are much more expensive than when booked 3 months or more in advance, luckily the pool ended up cheaper than original quote so one cancelled the other out. But still changed plans for our UK visit.

Sri Lanka here we come.

This will be my 4th visit here (1985, 1987, 2015) and Steve’s 2nd but we mostly go to different parts – except when wanting beach down time.  Our plan had been to get the train from Colombo to Polonnaruwa and then taxis to the next places but after a midnight trip to our hotel in Negombo from airport and talking to others we realised it was not really viable.  The cost of one way taxi is 3 times the price of a daily car and driver?  Not sure I can work out why and it certainly was not like this pre covid.  As our first 3 stops are all 2 nights and long drives we got a driver for that part, definite advantages like finding us proper Sri Lankan food, not bland tourist food.  Plus of course stopping when you like to photograph Elephants wandering along the road. Later transfers are shorter journeys so will be done by one way taxis – or tuk tuk when very short.

Ruins View in Polonnaruwa where we stayed for the first 2 nights was a great place, $19 aus per night, big room, ensuite, balcony and great food. There were cheaper rooms with no a/c but at this price worth splashing out on the better option.  We were the only guests, the family were really lovely and so helpful.  This is also the first time I have found 2 shower heads together, one adjustable as usual for hot and another for cold only – you can use either or both.

The accommodation was also really close to the ruins too, very handy.  I was surprised by how spread out the ruins where – you need a car, bike or tuk tuk to get around them.  Even with a car and not seeing every single bit we were over 5 hours looking around.  It is 39 degrees so pretty hot for walking, lucky to have car.  

We started at 7am when it opens, hardly any people around.  Getting busier near lunchtime, but nearly all are locals, not so many overseas tourists around. 

The driver took us to what he said was a great popular restaurant for lunch – to us it was overpriced and bland. The homestay did much better food. This was the only place he gave us a bum steer on food, I think maybe he was not sure that we would really like proper Sri Lankan food.

There are some amazing frescoes still in one building but no photography allowed.  A mock up of one of the buildings in the museum shows how elaborate the buildings once were.  Quite incredible how they built these.

Next stop Gal Oya National Park – Eastern side. 

On the way we passed a unique road/rail bridge Manampitiya over the Mahaweli River built in 1922 and was manned each end by Army Guards to ensure vehicles and trains did not end up trying to cross at the same time.  On the way we stopped for the driver to have a cup of tea and we walked down the road chasing some birds – we became the tourist attraction with everyone came out of their houses to say hello or just stare.  This route is definitely not on the usual tourist route.

Along this route, we also saw 3 separate elephants wandering along the road -they are not easy to spot as their colour blends so well with the tarmac and shadows of trees.  Wonderful animals and still so plentiful in Sri Lanka.

Charitha Rest was our homestay here, great grounds and family, lots of birds.  The owner’s wife would come and find us every time a different bird came in the garden – just lovely.  

This side of the park is for boat safaris, mainly to spot birds but sometimes elephants too.  Fantastic scenery and many birds, really pleasant morning.  Early morning departure (5am) to make our 6am jeep safari on Western side of park – called Nilgala Forest -this area is only frequented by serious bird watchers – and very few foreigners at all. 

This Painted Francolin is one of the special birds here, hard to see and even harder to photograph, they only break cover briefly and run really fast. We saw one other jeep in the forest all morning – and as there is only one track in and out we assume there were no others.  Great forest and many unusual (to us) birds.

Onward to Nuwara Eliya – we had spent time here in 2015 so really just using it as a base for Horton Plains National Park further south.  We decided to spend a day though and go to the 2 botanic gardens again.

We also visited a waterfall called Lover’s Leap.  Not a lot of water as half of the country has been in drought for 5 months, really bad in places.  Of course, I managed to get caught up with a guide who told us to go up to high part.  It became obvious after a short while that it was too tough for Steve who decided to wait while I carried on.  It was steep, slippery, narrow and only just do-able for me but expected only a short hike.  Then guide says come this way, different way down past other scenic spots.  WELL…… I would not do it again- or would not have done it if I had known.  Very tough climbing, jumping etc, could not see trail at all and would have been completely lost without the guide.

 This beautiful lizard made it worthwhile though. At one point I slipped and ended up sprawled on my back in a lot of blackberry bushes.  Lucky only small cuts and nothing major.  This hike left Steve on his own for 1.5 hours – he thought something drastic had happened.

Reminder to self – Not so young anymore, curb my adventurous side and stay with easy.

Food Courts in Nuwara Eliya are very different to in Australia – they come with table service and alcohol, very different – but not much cheaper than a restaurant either.

Horton Plains National Park – such wonderful scenery but far too many  people and very expensive, quite disappointing really. 

The park is supposedly great for birds and wildlife but not sure how you get to that area.

Udawalawa National Park is next, we got to this area a day before planned (deciding not to do more in Horton Plains) and as the homestay we had booked was busy we chose another.  Fantastic place, Birds Paradise Inn, pity we had not booked it for the whole time. 30 aus per night, lovely bungalow overlooking river, great swimming pool and large grounds to walk around with many birds. 

Had a great feeling to it – only 1 other guest and we did not even see them. Great relaxing afternoon and morning before heading to Green View Safari Lodge.  Nice grounds (not big enough to wander around but pretty, and really lovely family.  Sitting on our porch in the evening a large frog landed on my hand – unfortunately it went again before I could really find out what species it was.

In the majority Sri Lankan people are so helpful and friendly – one of the reasons I always enjoy coming here.

Our safari into the park was great, although sad to see how many of the waterholes were dry or almost dry – hard for the animals. 

We were going looking for birds so mainly avoided all the other jeeps looking for elephants etc.  In fact only saw one other jeep the entire 7 hours.  Lots of new birds to us and a great guide. 

We also spotted 2 different mongooses (Ruddy and Grey) along with Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Black Naped Hare and Sri Lankan Axis Deer.  Again, the scenery is stunning all around this area.

Food wise the first night here was very disappointing as there were other guests and so all food was plain and tasteless.  The next night they cooked a proper Sri Lankan curry for us and it was excellent.

From here to Sinharaja Rain Forest, staying at the bottom for 2 nights then up inside the forest for another 2 – a jeep is needed to get you up the extremely rough, narrow 4×4 road.

Both places were good for different reasons but Martin’s lodge in the forest was a stand out.  We went into the forest on 3 days and each day was very different species. 

There is a 5 hour hike to an amazing look out but we decided not to do that as it was so hot and very very steep ( 5 hours for 2km).

 
Fantastic to catch the Sri Lankan Blue Magpie eating a frog.

 
These Hanging Parrots are often so high and tiny so lucky to get this.

 
Such a variety of butterflies, did not get many shots as most do not stay still.

Even when pointed out by the guide, these are hard to spot.

The variety of Lizards is amazing.

 
He was bright green when wings open.
 

Steve was so busy looking in trees for birds he almost trod on 2 meter long Oriental Rat Snake, scary at the time as we did not know what kind of snake it was.

Amazing forest so many species of reptiles, snakes and birds.  Luckily there is also a stable population of Purple Faced Leaf Monkeys – endangered due to loss of habitat from 80% of original in 1980 to 25% in 2001 and today only 3%.  Scary how fast the world is getting ruined.

And now for relaxing on the beach, 5 nights of not much.  First night in Rita’s where I stayed in 1985.  Unfortunately, as happens they have built so much more on the land it has ruined it – plus the beds were like rock, no good on my back.  Shame as location great, sea view etc and cheap but this time as another 4 nights to go we found a better place, more expensive but with a great view, swimming pool and better mattress.  It is quite a large place but we again are the only guests.

We have had some outstanding food across the trip (and occasional poor stuff), so different when you get proper Sri Lankan food.  Many breakfasts are String hopper, with curry and chili coconut sambal – YUM.  Lunch and evening has seen a variety of vegetable curries that come with the chicken curry ie Cucumber, Mango, Banana and every vegetable under the sun.  The downside of the food is that every meal served is HUGE, and as it tastes great and they are so keen for you to like it overeating is a given.  Feel like I have put on kilos in 3 weeks.

Another thing I find interesting is short memories of governments (pretty sure this is world wide).  After Tsunami in 2004, there was a building change to stop anyone re-building within 100 meters of tide – of course what do we see, new buildings going up only 20 meters from high tide line. 

Another sad thing was walking along the beach and seeing  hundreds of small dead fish (all the same species), we have been told it is likely dynamite fishing………

Catching up on everything, enjoying the beach, pool and food (weird Bacon though) and then off to the UK.