Sri Lanka
After an early arrival into Colombo airport, we began our journey to Ulagalla, Anuradhapura. The resort is set in over 58 acres of lush greenery and the accommodation is made up of individual bungalows dotted around the property, each one provided with two bicycles for ease of transport to the various facilities. Golf buggies are also on sight, should you not wish to exert yourself.
Nature walks, with a resident naturalist take place every morning and there are also horses, for the more adventurous.
The Cultural Triangle is within an hour's drive and we visited the Dambulla caves, to experience the five magical grottoes devoted to Sinhalese Buddhist art at its finest.
Next was Polonnaruwa, the ruined capital dating back to the 12th century, which offers a great insight into medieval Sri Lanka. It was constantly invaded by marauding Indians and eventually left deserted.
The highlight on this day was Sigiriya, "Lion Rock". This rises sheer above a huge outcrop of rock, 200m above the surrounding countryside. It was the shortest lived of all Sri Lanka's capitals. Every effort should be made to reach the peak, as it is stunning and leaves you with a sense of wonderment. I do not have a great head for heights but was coaxed by a local, who was keen for me to experience the view from the peak. I was so happy that I did.
Another stunning day out from the resort was to Kaudulla National Park. This makes up part of the elephant corridor and we were privileged to see over 300 elephants in herds, consisting of tussling bulls, maternal mothers and aunties and wonderful babies chasing birds. Although there were a lot of jeeps in the area, this did not deter from the wonderment.
Our next stop was Kandy and the Temple of the Tooth is worth a visit. Then on to Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka's highest town, known as "Little England". It has a boating lake, municipal park, golf course and the Grand Hotel, which is well worth a visit and some refreshment. The Post Office is a colonial relic, with service to match.
Our itinerary progressed to Yala National Park. This covers an area of 1,260 acres and occupants include leopards, elephants, crocodiles, sambar, spotted deer, wild buffaloes and boar, sloth bears, macaque and langur monkeys. This is also a bird watcher’s paradise. Glorious.
Galle was the final piece of our itinerary and full of atmosphere, with its colonial Dutch architecture. There are many restaurants and pleasant walks around the ramparts and atmospheric streets. Anyone interested in whale watching can get to Mirissa from Galle and experience a boat trip. Best between December and April.
The journey back to Colombo is by motorway and seamlessly smooth.
I would recommend Sri Lanka for its friendly people, diverse scenery, great sights and wonderful cuisine.