Dinner at The Cricket Club!

Pat & Garry and Monica and John Kirby with Jith in Bundala Wetland

01st to 15th Nov. 2011,

Arrived an how late at 5:30 am to rain. Jith and Mr. Silva were waiting patiently for us. A shortish drive took us to our first hotel in Colombo Sovereign – changed from Ranwelli Holiday village – but it was OK for 1 ½ nights. In the evening Jith organized a real treat - dinner at The Cricket Club! This was a total surprise & especially welcomed by Garry – our own cricket umpire. Next on to Kitulgala & a stay at the location of the film “Bridge on The River Kwai”. Onwards next day to  Sigiriya Village Hotel – lonely place with beautiful gardens & wonderful food. From here we visited Polonnaruwa and spent most of the day looking at this archeological site. To see the Gal Vihare sculptures all carved from one massive rock – especially the reclining Buddha was a true highlight of the trip. Our next move was to Kandy visiting Dambulla Cave Temple on the way. In the afternoon we had a very informative walk through the Botanical Gardens. Jith is excellent on plants as well as birds and it was interesting to see so many endemic trees. Hotel Topaz – typically business hotel but totally adequate with good views over the city. Jith also took us to the Was Graves Cemetery in Kanduy & explained the history of the place. As always it was a very moving experience. On leaving Kandy we missed out Udawatta Kelle forest as Jith had already found in the kinds we were likely to see there. Just outside Nuwara Eliya we did a tour of a Tea Factory. It was interesting to see how our favourite drink is produced & graded. Grand Hotel lives up to its name – very colonial with huge rooms. The food & service were excellent especially in the Magnolia Coffee Shop.

A visit next day to  Hakgala Botanical Garden was again interesting. The real highlight was a troupe of Purple faced Leaf Monkeys that came within a few feet of us! (not forgetting the endangered endemic Wood Pigeon of course).  Another day  another journey – to Tissamaharama (Chandrika Hotel) & Yala. We did one jeep drive in Yala and saw 2 Leopards well. We preferred Bundala Wetlands though and did 2 trips there. Much more peaceful and we saw elephants on both occasions as well as many wetland birds. Sinharaja  - via the Baby Elephant Transit Home was next. What a journey!!! Windy pot-holed roads with sheer drops through the tea plantations. Very scenic hut a little scary – Mr. Silva we salute you for getting us leave safely! That was child’s play compared to the jeep ride up to Martins Lodge!!  Narrow road uphill over boundless all the way an again those drops. The drives must have nerves of steel. Martin’s is very basic hut spotlessly clean & with the tastiest food of the trip. Tomorrow we finish our tour at the beach. It has been very good & Jith has made it so very well organized & his love of his country etc. is very evident – Thank You.

A very special Than You to the wonderful Mr. Silva. He is 73 and amazes us every day with his excellent driving in such varied conditions – all with a smile & good humour. A true gentlemen in every sense of the word!!

I’ll leave it to John to write the bird highlights.

Monica & John Kurby – Chesterfield UKPat & Garry Hughes Swansea – Wales

Pat & Garry and Monica and John Kirby at the Cricket Club - a special restaurant for Cricket Fans