odohertyelaine

It’s just under a three hour flight from KK to KL, as the locals call it and another hour drive to the city.. plenty of time for blogging. KL looks like a big city and I’ve only got one full day tomorrow and what’s left of tonight (I’m in the car as I type this and it’ll be at least 8pm before I get there) so I’ll have to make the most of it. There’s clearly a lot of apartment living here as I can see towering block after block all the way from the airport into the city.

I see the Petronas towers from the motorway and then a huge new building that looks like the tallest building I’ve ever seen. The driver tells me it’s 106 floors and I find out it’s the 106 Exchange soon to be the biggest in Malaysia – it’s monstrous and seems to dwarf everything else.

It’s late by the time I leave the hotel for a look around but the place is buzzing. There are shops everywhere and I even manage to get a quick mani/pedi that’s not finished til 10pm. There are a lot of Arabic restaurants that don’t sell alcohol so I find somewhere a little more ‘east meets west’ and have a cocktail and some food. I try the nasi ledang which has dried anchovies with satay, rice and pickled veggies… it’s ok, wouldn’t be my favorite! As I head back to the hotel the place is still buzzing with street performers and crowds of people.

Next morning:

I navigate the monorail and head toward the Menara KL tower. The station I’m heading for is called Bukit Nanas (which means big pineapple). There’s a free shuttle from the bottom of the hill which most people seem to opt for as it’s a steep hill and it’s a sunny 30 degrees but it’s nice to walk up and see the greenery on the way up.

There are some great views from the open observation deck. There are also a couple of sky decks where you can walk out in your bare feet and look down through the glass – it is quite a ways up.

There’s a great view of the Petronas towers:

While building the KL tower, the authorities ensured that they kept some of the local jungle. They have now created an eco park with a canopy walk which is a lovely way to get back down the hill.

It’s odd to be among so many sky scrapers while walking through tree tops. It’s like a mini green jungle among the concrete jungle:

As I walk through the streets I notice how everyone is in their work outfits going between offices and I’m thinking how happy I am to be in elephant pants wandering around, exploring a new city without a care in the world. Not sure I could be any happier with no stresses of work… I am literally smiling to myself and generally appreciating this new life of mine and what do I walk past…. the Juniper office… ahhh the memories… of course I wouldn’t know anyone in this office so on I go…

Next it’s time to visit the Petronas twin towers. They are massive:

A ticket to get into the tower for a tour is about €17. You get taken to the skybridge first which is 41 floors up. Then up to the observation deck, indoor this time, on the 86th floor. It is really high. This is the view of the other tower:

Looking down from skybridge between the two towers:

These are the tallest twin towers in the world. It’s a cool visit and I’m very impressed. It’s amazing being so high up and looking around from that height.

Next I go to Merdeka square. I’m very proud of navigating the city but everyone is very happy to help out and ask if you need help or directions. There’s a pretty river walkway beside the mosque which I take

Independence square has a high flag flying and all around here is definitely the older part of town.

From there I head back to the hotel with the intention of a swim in the outdoor pool but it starts raining just as I arrive back. Within an hour it’s bucketing down with a few thunder and lightning showers. So instead I opt for an hour FaceTiming my BFF at home, followed by room service and a glass of wine. Tomorrow it’s on to New Zealand.

Bye bye Malaysia!

The next day is my first rest day since I took off on Jan 19th. It’s Feb 5th and I’m looking forward to having nothing to do but lounge around the pool. I hit the gym, have a leisurely breakfast, catch up on a bit of FaceTime and eventually leave the room! By the time I hit the pool there’s a ferocious wind. I manage to enjoy a few hours reading my book by the pool, have a quick dip, relax at the small beach and then have a glass of wine and food watching a non existent sun set!

The rain is coming down and the wind is whipping up so I stay put and have an early night. I should check out downtown but I’m glad of the excuse not to have to go.

It rains all through the night and there’s even a bit of thunder and lightening. Still raining and misty the next morning, it’s probably the worst weather I could have for my tour today but we set off anyway. First stop is the view point of Mount Kinabalu…. eh, not today

We’re supposed to go to Mount Kinabalu next for a hike but with the weather being so bad we head for Poring Hot Springs. This is a UNESCO world heritage area with lush green trees, waterfalls and baths. We start with the canopy walk which is full on rope suspension bridge and is fairly hairy scary when you first step on and it starts to shake…

There were six in all, the second last being the longest and wobbliest but sure it’s no bother to this intrepid traveller!!!! 🤣

After descending the pathway from the canopies I head to the waterfall. I can only get as far as the smaller of two as the main one is closed off because of the bad weather.

Hot and sweaty from the climbing it’s time for a soak in the hot spring baths…. well kinda. Sounds like it should be lovely but this is no Calistoga! There are individual baths all empty with a hot and cold tap that you control. The water is piped from the spring, allegedly, but it takes so long to fill the bath and there’s so many dead bugs and mosquitoes flying around it’s not exactly relaxing. I’m in my swimsuit expecting a leisurely float around and the locals (mostly Muslim women) are covered from head to toe just dipping their feet!! I have a dunk in the cold rock pool then a quick soak of my feet in the hot bath and I’m done…. not really convinced it was worth the hassle of the clothes change and drying situation in very meager changing rooms (with wet floors). Can’t say I enjoyed that much.

The weather is definitely brighter here so we’re hopeful the mountain may be a little clearer….. eh no – at the entrance to the national park I give up on the notion of seeing the mountain:

So much for getting a hike in, I can’t even see the mountain. The best we can do is have a walk around the botanical gardens in our raincoats in the rain. The guide points out the tiniest orchid:

And a slipper orchid:

It’s nice but honestly every time the lovely lady who is my guide stops and asks if I know what this leaf is and that plant is and that tree is I want to shout “NO, I told you I don’t know my plants or trees or birds or fruits for that matter”… need I say more. Time to just call it a day and head back to the hotel and hope the mist will clear and the rain stop for tomorrow.

At one point on the drive we see a police escort, with full on sirens blazing, go past us escorting at least ten coaches. They’ve darkened windows so we cannot see inside but they look like brightly colored tour buses. The guide tells me that the buses are full of illegal immigrants getting deported. She said it happens once a month and there is often this many!

When I get back I have a lovely shower and walk along the waters edge to Chi Spa at the resort. It is amazing. The location is right at the edge of the property at the sea and the treatment rooms are incredible. You can hear the ocean while having your treatment. I have a “Borneo Massage” and it is fabulous. It’s supposed to be 1 hr 15 minutes but ends up being an hour and a half and it’s one of the best massages I’ve ever had. It also involves getting beaten with a pumice (a bit like that one I had in Bhutan) but I always feel great after a good masseuse battering and I love it.

I float back to my room and decide to order room service – nasi goreng with a glass of white wine and an episode of Bloodline (my new box set that I’m watching) – heaven!

The next morning it’s still drizzling rain so no morning by the pool for me. I hit the gym (so proud of myself!!) and do a yoga class which is held at the spa. The studio is open on all sides and we are facing the sea doing our stretches and poses – it’s a lovely relaxing hour with the teacher and just two other ladies. A full on Asian breakfast and another hour reading my book until it’s time to pack and head to Kuala Lumpur. [side note: The book I’m reading is called Cinnamon Gardens by Shyam Selvadurai and it’s set in Sri Lanka during the colonial period. I spotted it in a bookshop in Colombo and it’s a great read having just been there]

I say goodbye to Sabah hoping I’ll return one day. I could easily have spent more time at the Sepilok resort and next time I would go to the river to see the probiscus monkeys and would definitely try see the Pygmy elephant and there’s an island where you see turtles. I just didn’t have enough time and I’ll definitely need to return.

The island of Borneo is made up of three different countries – Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. The Malaysia part where I’m spending time has two states Sabah and Seriwak. I’m in Sabah. So after that little geography lesson (all new to me until today!) I’ll get on with telling you what I’m up to….

After a long day of airports I finally reach Kota Kinabalu and the Shangri La resort. It’s a huge 5 star resort which I’m looking forward to exploring in the morning. After enjoying breakfast at the biggest buffet I’ve ever seen, I take a walk around the resort and suss out the pools and beach.. it’s very fancy!

No time to dawdle around though it’s off to the airport again for a 55 minute flight to Sandakan which is where the orangutans are. The flight is easy and I’m picked up by a local nature enthusiast called Kenneth. We head straight to the Rainforest Discovery Centre. There’s lots of information about the island and its flora and fauna at the Centre and I’m the only person there so it’s very relaxing and mellow. Kenneth tells me lots about the state of Sabah and shows me photos of what I might see, then we take a walk around the gardens and see the various plants and trees. Climbing up to the trees we do a canopy walk and see what’s around up there. Kenneth is big into his birds and has brought a telescope with him so we check out what’s flying around.

After our Rainforest Discovery visit I get dropped off at the Sepilok Nature resort where I’m staying overnight. It looks amazing but I don’t have much time to explore if I’m going to make the night walk at the orangutan rehabilitation center next door. So I drop my bags, do a quick bug re-spray and head off to meet the ranger who’ll walk us around the reserve. Just as we are starting our walk I see my first orangutan climbing on the office building. Beddy, the ranger, tells us that this is an orangutan who was released back into the wild some time ago but still likes to stay close by. He’ll likely sleep up there tonight.

Just before it gets dark is the best time to see flying squirrels. They’re nocturnal animals so you won’t see them by day. I’m not sure I knew there was such a thing but sure enough after gazing upward long enough we see a squirrel run along the branch of a tree and then fly between trees. I wasn’t quick enough to catch it on film but the photo below shows the trees where we saw them. We saw three in total which apparently was very lucky as it can be a rare sight.

Carrying on with our night walk the ranger brings us into an area that is usually off limits to the public. It’s the nursery where the young orangutans who are being looked after are currently sleeping. They are indoors so we don’t get to see them but one was misbehaving earlier and wouldn’t go inside so she’s left outside to find her own bed! Her name is Chiquita:

(She’s the one I posted the video on Facebook with..here it is again for the few of you who aren’t on FB)

By day when you visit the park you’re not allowed to have a bag or bring water, only your camera in your hand. Because we are with the ranger I have my bag around me and Chiquita really wants to get her hands on it so she keeps inching her way closer to me:

After spending quite a while with Chiquita it’s getting dark so we move on and see what else we can find. We come across two wild orangutans getting ready to go asleep. I never realized that they make nests in a tree and that’s where they spend the night, in fact the orangutan is the largest arboreal (spends majority of its time in a tree) animal and it’s the second largest ape (the biggest of course being the gorilla and yes they are on my list to see).

Now that it’s dark we use our torches and spot all kinds of insects and spiders.. it reminds me of being in the Amazon over nine years ago but I’m so much less jumpy now and don’t even scream when I walk into a cobweb… screaming on the inside, screaming on the inside!!

Our walk has lasted nearly two hours and Beddy suggests coming back at 6am to see the orangutans wake up and come down from their nests. I’m in! Just enough time to eat a local meal at the resort and enjoy the amazing one night in my cabin. The Sepilok Nature Resort is on the edge of the rehab Centre separated only by a small lake. It’s gorgeous and the rooms are modern but authentic. I wish I had a couple more nights here.

5:50am I’m up, dressed, quick mouthful of tea and off on my two minute walk to the reserve. The orangutans we saw last night are just up and moving around the trees to get some breakfast. After watching them for a while overhead and avoiding them peeing on us I head back for my own breakfast (which is delish btw). Kenneth collects me at 8:45 and can’t believe how much I’ve seen since he dropped me off last night. We head back into the reserve, spotting a huge snake in a tree on the way in and get to watch a video about how the reserve came to be. An English woman called Barbara Harrison set it up In 1964 in conjunction with the Sabah authorities and has been running it ever since. There was a great piece of footage where one of the helpers rescued an orangutan and I spotted him in the park and had a chat with him and a photo of course!

Once inside, we go to the nursery to see the newer orangutans playing and learning how to climb and get food:

Next it’s off to the sun bear reserve which is literally next door. Sun bears are the smallest of all bears and are in danger of extinction. There is no estimate for how many are actually in the world today. They love honey and are also known as honey bears but apparently Winnie the Pooh is not one.

At first it’s hard to spot them but you have to be patient and after a little while I see movement among the trees and low and behold there’s a little black bear:

One of the key characteristics of the sun bear is the ring around their neck which is a bright yellow cover. Every bears is individual like a fingerprint. It takes a while for one of them to look up so I can get a good look at it but luckily enough one obliges:

After lunch we head back to the sun bear reserve to see what else is going on. Because the reserves are right beside each other a lot of times you’ll see orangutans over at the sun bear section. We had a bit of a run in with Wilma who wanted to get up close and personal with us. She was posing and making funny faces at us:

She actually jumped down and started walking toward us and the ranger told us we’d have to move on quickly… we all moved a little bit but continued to watch her:

The guy in the photo was the only person that side of her…. there was about eight of us on this side. Next thing she does a backwards tumble and starts moving toward the guy in the photo – he legged it looking terrified…. it was so funny. The ranger let a roar at her to get back in the trees and she eventually did.

It’s hard to walk away but we say goodbye to Wilma and head over to the sun bear enclosure where the ranger tells us they’re about to get food. It’s perfect timing as three young ones are here for some coconut. It’s very amusing seeing how they manage the coconuts.. they bash them for a while, pull off the outer skin and eventually get some milk:

Our final stop before we leave the reserve is back to the orangutans for the 3pm feed. We’re there early and see a few macacs climb up onto the feeding platform, see there’s nothing there yet and climb back down. They have good memories and know that food will soon be there. Just before 3pm an orangutan arrives anticipating the ranger arriving with a feed:

The macacs are back and want in on the action…. they are very cautious with the big orangutan there but are brave enough to grab some food:

Our day has come to an end and I feel very lucky with all that I’ve seen. The guide and driver, who I’ve had great fun with all day, drop me to the airport for the short flight back to Kota Kinabalu.

I saw so many cool animals and birds on the two week trip to Sri Lanka.. here’s a few highlights…… by the way I hope I identified everything correctly, feel free to correct me if not

Crocodile:

Wild Boar

A massive ant :

Peacock in a tree:

Peacocks and peahens are everywhere:

Spotted dear:

The infamous leopard (can’t resist posting again):

Storks and other birds:

Some sort of chipmunk:

Lots and lots of monkeys:

Cormorants:

Elephants trying to get out of the National park:

Elephants on the side of the road:

More elephants

Shells on the beach that are tiny crabs:

An eagle:

Turtles with ducks:

Storks:

Can’t remember what you call this!

There were more but you get the gist!!!

• Everyone says hello especially the kids. They shout hi but mostly bye bye. It’s so cute.
• When you cycle through some of the small towns the locals sometimes think you’re in a race… like Tour de France passing through (ha ha) and they shout encouragement and wave at you!
• After 30 years of civil war they are very happy to see tourists
• Lots of ladies walk around under umbrellas which is understandable once you’ve been out in the sun for even a few minutes- it’s roasting!!
• There are a LOT of mosquitoes
• There are no hairdryers in the hotels but I don’t care… I don’t need one – hooray!!
• The hotels are mostly basic – you get a bath towel but no hand towel
• The tea is wonderful although they do tend to serve it with hot milk – easily corrected
• Speaking of milk, the fresh stuff is hard to come by, it’s mostly powdered which is probably why it’s always served hot
• Arrack is the local liquor – it smells a bit like whiskey but doesn’t really taste like it
• Most cars and tuk tuks will beep when passing you on the road either coming toward you or behind you – one beep is a friendly hello, repeated louder beeps means get out of my way!
• Women are very much equals in Sri Lankan society they even do construction jobs. We saw lots of them working on new roads.
• In Sri Lanka the Buddhism practiced is Theravada. In Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet which I’ve come to learn more about it’s Mahayana so the Sri Lankan Buddhists don’t recognize the position of the Dalai Lama.
• Smoking in public places is illegal… my kinda place!
• I didn’t get to check out the tv much but when I did I saw English grammar classes and accounting lessons. There is also a channel for Buddhist teachings, another for the Muslim faith and another for Christians.
• There is no income tax in Sri Lanka even though healthcare and education is free. Apparently you could live in a hospital as they never throw anyone out if they’ve nowhere to go.
• Ice cream tuk tucks drive around and all seem to have the same tune playing – “it’s a small world after all, it’s small world after all”
• My favorite phrase that our guide used was telling us when we had “chill down” time 😀
• There’s always a chance of seeing an elephant no matter where you are.
• There’s very little hassling to buy stuff and in shops and at markets people are really friendly and genuinely want to chat to you and find out where you’re from and welcome you to Sri Lanka
• Lots of restaurants and cafes in Galle don’t sell alcohol- thank god we weren’t staying overnight there!

Day 11: Today is our last day cycling and our first with rain – they’re only showers and it’s still hot so it actually feels nice to be on the bike getting cooled down by the rain. As we cycle from the hotel, away from Tissa and through part of Bundala National Park we cycle in packs in case we encounter wild elephants – alas we don’t but maybe that’s a good thing!

We have a number of stops along the way for some snacks one of which is homemade curd with honey which is delicious.

After departing with our bikes, changing out of our wet clothes (well some of us!) and having some lunch of, you guessed it, rice and curry, we board the bus for our drive to Mirissa. We find out that tomorrow night is a full moon which means a holiday and no booze will be served in bars or restaurants…..ahhhhhhh …. we hit a bottle shop (separate part of the supermarket) and load up on wine, beer, arrack (local liquor) and gin as if it’s about to be Good Friday (for the last time)!

Laden down with booze we arrive to our hotel which is newly built and on the beach. The rooms have four poster beds and sea views and it’s a bit of luxury (except for a lack of hot water in the showers!!). There’s a rooftop pool that overlooks the sea and is a favorite spot for the group to “chill down” and have those few drinks we purchased!

This evening I try an Ayurvedic massage and I love it. Badora spa is an outdoor spa with rooms separated by bamboo. Most of the therapists are male and are clearly very experienced. My sore shoulders and screaming calves are rubbed with vigor and I feel like a new woman after. He spends a lot of time on my feet honing in on certain pressure points and even puts his fingers through all my toes – all at the one time – that felt weird!

Day 12: We have a free morning so hit Mirissa beach, some for a swim, me for a paddle and a jump over the waves!!

It’s a lovely beach and a popular tourist spot. The fishing boats are crazy small.

We try a coconut water from a roadside vendor which is a great thirst quencher and have a swim in the pool before getting ready for an afternoon in Galle.

On our way out of Mirissa we stop to watch the parade that’s been moving through the streets since early that morning in honor of the full moon holiday. It’s very colorful with lots of boys and men dressed as girls!!

Galle is home to a Dutch fort which is a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s a huge fort and we walk around the walls and see the historic gates, the old Dutch hospital and the lighthouse.

There are lots of shops and bars in the small paved streets so we have time for a bit of shopping and try to find somewhere to get a drink. Because of the full moon holiday nowhere is serving alcohol 😩 but when we get to the restaurant for dinner they serve us wine and beer – looks like they are allowed to make an exception for a group of tourists. The food is excellent and we have a local musician play some songs for us. You gotta love an Asian style sing song!

Day 3: We leave Mirissa and board the bus for a three hour journey to Colombo. It’s been hot on this trip but the heat in Colombo is stifling and after a cloudy couple of days the sun is blazing in the city. We walk around the Petta bazaar which is hectic and busy and see Independence square.

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bo is a busy city with lots going on but it's clean and friendly – nowhere near as dirty and grimy as India or Kathmandu. It's tiring walking around in the sun so I'm very happy when we check in to the really nice hotel (Fairway Colombo) and take advantage of a cool air conditioned room and a nice long shower. We have our final dinner tonight and it's one of the best meals so far. It's in the old Dutch hospital in an outside courtyard and it's quite fancy. I have a final arrack cocktail with my girls……

We have another birthday celebration for one of the ladys on the tour and then it's time to say my goodbyes and get to bed early so I can wake up at 4am! This trip has been amazing and everyone on the tour was lovely. I met two couples from Wales who I will definitely be visiting some time soon and am hoping to catch up with most of the Aussie gang in March. Everyone was great and got on really well and I was genuinely sad to say goodbye. A group photo which I'm sure no one will mind me posting on here:

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xt morning as I attempt to leave Colombo for Borneo I manage to somehow get to my gate, that's passed security and immigration, without checking my large suitcase – seems insane right…. but there I was being asked to lift up my huge bag onto this security check going into the actual gate waiting area and being told there's a scissors in it … I was still looking for baggage drop and I was through to the gate…. really not sure how that happened – obviously I was still half asleep (4am wake up call) but no-one thought to question the huge carry-on I was lugging around. I couldn't go back because I'd gone through immigration so I had to sit at the gate desk until they figured out how to tag my bag and get it onto the plane. It was like a comedy of errors. The two girls sorting things out were absolutely lovely but it took forever for them to understand that I was transiting through Kuala Lumpar to Kota Kinabalu. They brought me into another area to weigh the bag and couldn't plug in the scales so they decided to forget the weight and just tag it but only to KL so I'd have to pick up and recheck in. Eventually when they get the bag tagged they tell me all is fine and it will get put in the cargo. An hour later it's still there and they announce my name and tell me I have to take it on the bus with me and drop at the steps to the plane…. at least I knew it got on! After all that when I arrived in KL my onward flight was cancelled and I was put on another later that evening.. probably a blessing in disguise as it took, what would have been all my transit time, to get through immigration and get to the baggage carousel. As I type this I'm just about to land in Kota Kinabalu.. it's 9pm and I'm knackered – am looking forward to my bed!

Bye bye Sri Lanka – Hello Malaysia!

For any of you who’ve traveled to countries a little further afield than your regular Spain, France etc I’m sure you’ll be familiar with the “so where have you been?” conversation… or more to the point “well I’ve been here and I’m going to…” On my recent trip to Southeast Asia “travel competing” was the main topic of conversation!

While eating our dinner in a lovely restaurant in Kathmandu an Australian couple who’d been sitting at another table in the restaurant called by our table on their way out to tell us they’d just been to base camp. We had had no contact with this couple – not a smile or a hello but they wanted to stop and chat.. fine! Once they asked where we were from they then launched into telling us about their trip and where else they’d been and where they were going.. pretty much one way conversation.. it was quite bizarre!

The funniest incident occurred while standing in line at the security check in the tiny airport coming back from Chitwan. A couple of men (late 50’s / early 60’s at a guess) from San Francisco started taking to us, well more talking at us, and felt the need to share where they had just been (same place as us although our resort was more elephant friendly so clearly better!) and showing us photos! One of the two was particularly excited to tell us about this “Hillmans list 100 Places To See Before You Die”. We’d never heard of it so he proceeded to call it up on his phone and go through the list shouting “done it”, “done it”, “gonna do it” – it was hysterical. He had no interest where we’d been just kept going through the list and telling us about all the places he’d been and that he was on track to get through the list… the only thing that stopped him was getting to the top of the queue and having to put his phone away for the security check. We had a good giggle about it later and of course as soon as we had WiFi I googled the list.. those of you who know me know I love ticking stuff off a list and so we calculated our Hillman Number.

We had great fun with our Bhutan tour group as most of us had just been or where going to somewhere else that someone on this trip had just been to or where about to go to!! This meant we could share tips and get first hand recommendations which were insightful and invaluable. Being a very well travelled bunch we decided one night after dinner to see who had been to the most places on the Hillman list. Suzanne and I already knew our Hillman numbers (which were in the high 50’s) but we were among some very seasoned travelers! Our new friend Shanshan won the crown having visited I think 60 or over. It was a bit nerdy but with a few glasses of wine and beer in the mix it was great fun. Listing the countries visited put in a few hours traveling on the bus too. I’m happy to report that I was right up there with the best of them coming in at 51 at the time of the Bhutan trip and soon to be 52 by the time I’m home from this adventure!!

On the Sri Lanka trip we had a lot of very well traveled folks too, all very modest about their traveling expeditions I must say. We had some more fun with Hillmans list:

Day 9: Another 7am start as we have 55km to cover before the heat catches up on us. The first part of the ride is downhill which is not a favorite of mine. I’m squeezing the breaks as I really don’t like the speed and have to stop regularly to rest my hands and wrists – my fingers go completely dead from the tension. Beautiful surroundings though:

The terrain changes from downhill to uphill climb and it’s challenging for all of us (I think!).

The countryside we pass through is beautiful tea plantations so it takes our mind off some of the climbs:

We are all tired by the time we hit the town of Balangoda for lunch but from there we are on the bus for 100km to our next destination. The bus is unusually quiet and most of us are dosing. An hour and forty winks later we stop to visit the “Elephant Transit Home”

We see approx. sixty orphaned and/or injured elephants get fed milk – it’s the cutest thing! The elephants are allowed into the milk station four at a time for their feed..

Most of these will be released into Uda Walawe National Park once they are well and can fend for themselves.

Another hour and a half on the bus before we hit our next destination but we do have a stop off at mile 71 for a quick happy birthday to one of our riders. What a legend – this woman really can cycle – she’s celebrating her 71st birthday so we sing and eat cake – happy days!

We arrive to our hotel in Tissa and it’s the nicest one yet. It’s quite new, overlooks the lake and has a really nice pool. That’s where we head to watch the sunset.

We enjoy more of a western dinner at the hotel (pasta) which is really good and since one of the staff went to the local “bottle shop” in anticipation of our drinking requests we can all have a gin and tonic.

Day 10: After breakfast we cycle to the holy city of Kataragama which is considered a “holy land for all faiths”. It is colorful and vibrant with a mixture of Hindu and Buddhist icons in the complex and the main temple. We are lucky enough to be there when a particular ritual is going on, where a group led by a woman, dance their way around the grounds and toward the main temple bringing offerings.

In the afternoon it’s time for our Jeep safari to Yala National Park. I’m very excited and hoping we’ll see a leopard as Sri Lanka has the most in the world. I’m loaded up with devices. I’ve got my phone, camera, go-pro and power bank in case any of them run out of battery….. I’m taking no chances!

After a while we get word that there’s a leopard close by….. we tear over there and quietly focus on where the driver is pointing – he’s lounging in a tree but it’s hard enough to actually see him (well for me anyway). Check out his tail hanging below:

I struggle to see him as he seems camouflaged to me but Sam our guide manages to get some good photos with my camera:

The best view is when he decides to climb down the tree and move away. That I saw very clearly but once he was on the ground we lost him.

We see lots of birds my favorite being the bee eater:

A Tucan:

Quite a few elephants:

We also see water buffalo, crocodiles, deer, wild boar, loads of peacocks and peahens (creating a separate post with photos for you animal lovers).

Halfway through the five hour Jeep tour we get lashed on with a heavy downpour and we have to close in the sides before we get soaked – a bit too late for my shorts which are drenched. We get in a quick game of Heads-Up though…. great fun!

It’s been a long day and on the way home I’m starting to think about that nice cold white wine I told the guy at the hotel to put in the fridge. When he told me yesterday he had white wine but “not very cold” I suggested (fairly strongly) that he put it in the fridge so I can have it today.. turns out it’s cold and doesn’t taste too bad so I’m happy out. Another meal at the hotel on the outdoor veranda finishes our time at Tissa.

Day 8: We take a train from Kandy to Hatton which should take approximately two hours but ends up taking more like four! Trains are renowned for being late and today is no exception! Apparently there’s a broken down train on the track ahead so our train has to go out there and tow it back to where the line splits. The train journey is as you’d imagine – bumpy, noisy and hot!! It’s a slow train stopping at every little station along the way. The fans are ridiculously noisy so we turn them off and have the windows open instead. Each time we stop at a station some vendor sticks his head in the window to offer samosas or fruit or nuts – it’s very entertaining and the platforms are like a scene from slum dog millionaire!

Once out of the city we see some really nice scenery though

On arrival in Hatton we disembark and meet our team with our bikes and of course The Force. We get straight back into cycle mode and cycle a short 9km to lunch. Because of the delay with the train, those intending to climb Adams Peak cannot complete the rest of the cycle. It would be a shame if we missed sunset so the “climbers” – five of us out of the group, set off toward the sacred mountain leaving the rest of the group to cycle to the hotel.

The mountain is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists who believe that Buddha’s footprint is up there. Others believe its where Adam first came from Heaven to earth. Either way it’s a really busy spot for both locals and tourists.

Adams peak sits at 2,243 meters above sea level and its quite a climb from the small town to get up there. Seven kilometers and hundreds of steps lay in front of us and so we set off. It’s a tough slog but thank god the sun is behind some clouds this afternoon. even though our view isn’t great as we start, the clouds blow away and we can see the top.

The views all around as we climb above the clouds are amazing.

Our youngest tour member Caroline (legend!) stays with me the whole way up and we’re delighted when we reach the top:

The sunset sky looks magnificent from so high up:

It’s a challenging descent, hard on the knees but we get down as quickly as we can as we have about an hour drive back to the hotel. The roads are bumpy and windy and on more than one occasion a wild boar jumps out in front of the bus but we make it home by 11ish and head for bed as we’ve another early start tomorrow!

Day 6: We have our earliest departure so far. At 6:15 just as it’s getting light we quickly munch a banana and set off on our bikes for the fourteen kilometer cycle to Sigiri Rock aka The Lions Rock. The cycle is lovely as there’s a cool breeze and no hot sun out yet.

When we reach the rock it looks like we’ve beat the crowds so we start climbing.

King Kashaba built his palace on top of the rock in the first century and later it became a monastery. It is a world heritage site since 1982. Halfway up the rock there’s an open-air spiral stairway that leads you to a sheltered gallery of frescoes painted onto the rock face. Most are in great condition considering how old they are and where they are but we’re not allowed to take pictures.

There are a lot of steps but it’s not a bad climb and the lions paw which was the original entrance to the kings palace is a good photo opp:

View of lions paw as we climb

Everyone is delighted to reach the top and we spend a bit of time walking around the various areas and enjoying the views before the decent

There’s a great view of the rock as we cycle on toward Kandy.

Another 30km or so on the bikes before boarding the couch toward Kandy. An hour or so before Kandy we visit a spice garden called Luckgrove. This is a state owned enterprise with a cafe, shop and guides to show you around and explain what’s what. After another curry and rice lunch (which had the most delicious fried aubergine) we were given a tour of the garden by a very polite local who talked a mile a minute and addressed us as “sirmadam”. He showed us cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric and various other plants and trees. He suggested that people from our countries must ask how the Sri Lankan’s are so slim and honestly I thought he was joking… everyone I’ve seen so far has a belly!!! We were in stitches!

We learned what the Sri Lankan’s use for various different ailments and Ayurvedic remedies and were treated to a short massage using red oil and tiger balm. It was heaven… I was a bit surprised when the guy (allegedly a student) suggested taking off my t-shirt as we were among our full group but the shoulders needed it and everyone ended up stripping off! It was so worth it – my poor shoulders were aching and they got a really good going over. Back on the bus for a snooze before hitting Kandy.

The most important thing to see in Kandy is the Tooth Relic temple. The best time to go is when there’s a prayer service as you can queue up to give an offering and see the silver container that allegedly holds a tooth of the Buddha. It was interesting to see and to be part of the ritual.

For tonight’s dinner we have dosas in a very basic fast food looking restaurant but they are really delicious… have been thinking about them ever since!

Day 7 is a cycle free day which is welcomed by everyone on the tour. After breakfast we head to a tea factory to see how tea is produced. It’s very interesting. The main leaf they pick makes both green and black tea which I never realised.

From the tea factory I hit the town with a couple of the girls for some general rambling around and exploring. We haven’t been away from the group for a week so it feels a bit like hostages escaping!!!! After a look around town we walk around the lake and climb the hill back to our hotel.

The afternoon is spent poolside in the shade and lunch is a monstrous club sandwich. This evening we hit the cultural show and see local dancers with some traditional music and some fire eaters… not my favorite thing watching someone run flames over their body but the dancing was entertaining.

After an ‘elephants ride’ cocktail at the fancy Queens hotel we have another great meal…. yes more rice and curry but also roti, fried rice and hoppers – delicious!