Sri Lanka: Kandy & Hill Country

I was shown the headline of a newspaper in Sri Lanka:
Record rains flood Sri Lanka, leaving 36,000 families homeless

This just happened to be where I was getting on a plane to in the next 24 hours. Better get my chest-waders!

I arrived at the airport at 4:30 a.m. I went through customs and headed out. I was told that there would be an area of touts that would bombard me trying to get my business. I braced myself waiting to be descended upon by the vultures like I would have been in Egypt. What? Like 5 people only? This is child's play.

I finally settled on someone to negotiate with. I sat down with them and told them exactly what I wanted to do. After a bit of negotiating, I walked a away with a driver for 7 days and a hotel for 8 nights for the bargain price of 500.00. Not too shabby! By 7:3
0 we were on the road to Hill country and by this time I had already been awake for 24 hours. This was going to be a looong day.

We drove off and I tried to sleep as we dodged dogs running by the street, cars and busses coming at us straight on, and people.

Our first stop was a place where you can get elephant rides. My elephant was featured in the latest Tarzan movie I guess. Asian elephants are very different from African elephants. The most obvious differences are that Asian elephants are a bit smaller, their heads are shaped differently, and their ears are smaller. I climbed on its back holding on to nothing more than a small rope and off we went. I just kept praying that it wouldn't suddenly go mad and go on some kind of wild stampede.

After the ride, I saw an elephant in the river getting a bath and another elephant laying on its side in the water not moving at all. I was sure it was dead, and thought, "How horrible to let this dead elephant just rot in the river out in the open." I looked at it very closely and noticed it's eyelashes move. Holy crap! It was alive! It wasn't dead at all! Just restin'. Seems elephants love to nap like that.

We left that place and headed towards Kandy. After about 20 minutes, I asked about the Pinnewalla Elephant Orphanage that was at the top of my list. "Elephant orphanage!" He exclaimed. "I thought you just wanted an elephant ride." Noooooo! We had to turn around and double back about 30 minutes. Oh well. Not my problem.

The ride back wasn't a total bust though. I did get a pic with some random porcupines on the side of the road!


The orphanage was established in 1975 by the Department of Wildlife Conservation on a 25-acre coconut plantation on the Maha Ova river. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned elephants found in the jungle. We got there while the elephants were bathing in the river. You were able to get up close and pet them, but the "guards" were always nearby to make sure no elephants became unruly. I was in awe and a bit sad for them at the same time. I wished that they were able roam free like other elephants.

After bathing time was over, an alarm sounded and the shopkeepers moved their wares aside while the parade of elephants came through the corridor and across the street to the orphanage.

I was so exhausted, but my day had just begun.

Next stop was the Royal Botanical Gardens whose origins can be traced as far back as 1371. I walked around like a zombie I was so exhausted. But, ooohh, this was the first time I saw wild monkeys running around with the exception of Belize. But those monkeys stayed up in the trees and kept their distance. These monkeys had no fear. I crouched down to get some pictures and some would walk by and hiss at me!

We finally mad it to Kandy in time to see the traditional dancing at the cultural center. I was so tired that I kept nodding off during the show. Great show though. One guy did so many back-flips that he almost went over the edge of the stage!

Trying to steal my camera!

Awwwww..so cute!

Elephants from Pinnewalla having their daily play in the river.

Elephants heading back to the orphanage after playing in the river.  The sirens sound and the shopkeepers move their wares to make way for the elephants.

Hey monkey! Get some sunscreen and a better haircut!

Ok.  Monkeys are scary.

Traditional dancing

Firewalkers!