January 31st
An
early-ish departure today to set off for our stay at Tissamaharama, from where
we would be doing two safaris into Yala National Park. As we drove out of Ella
we stopped at Ravana Falls, which is another site of pilgrimage and evidently a
beauty spot also, for a bride and groom were walking perilously on the wet
rocks to pose for photos. We had seen the same phenomenon of fully-ornamented
brides being photographed in the Kandy Botanical gardens. Later in the journey,
which involved a lot of windy-woo roads as you, unfortunately, would have to
expect when descending from the hills to the lower plains, Marcus stopped to
show us a stall where amazing fruits and vegetables were on sale, including the
wood apple, the garden egg (a kind of aubergine) and an amazing fruit called a
rambutan, which had a red furry outer and looked and tasted quite a lot like
lychee. As we got much lower down the agriculture changed with the terrain and
there was paddy for miles and miles all around. As Marcus explained the Sri
Lankans have managed their geography well over the years and learned to cope
with the lack of rain at some seasons. There are 103 rivers which rise in the
highlands and a large number of reservoirs of water have been dammed along the
course of these rivers. As you drive through the country the strong sense you
have is of a very verdant and lush countryside.
Rambutan
All
along the wayside as we got down to the plains we could see stalls and Marcus
stopped at one for a comfort break and refreshment. A lovely smiley (typical in
this country) woman was offering us drinks and her homemade buffalo curd with
palm syrup. Absolutely delicious! She has also made a box full of sweet cakes,
for an order for a celebration, and she let us try this. Finally she gave us a
sweet, made this time with cow’s milk, which to me tasted very much like my
mother’s wonderful home-made fudge. The others weren’t keen- too sweet said
Brian, as he often does- so I asked the kitty-keeper for enough for four
pieces. Just before we got to our
destination Marcus stopped to show us a site of archaeological interest in the
Buddhist tradition, where there was a very large stupe and a museum of
artifacts. I have learned for the first time on this trip what a stupe is, ie
the large dome/bell shaped construction in front of Buddhist temples. Apparently
it is meant to represent a bubble, to remind us that Buddha said nothing is
permanent.
Garden eggs and buffalo curd
Arrived
finally at Hibiscus Garden, a lovely modern hotel in beautiful gardens. We had
rooms in a chalet building set around the pool. I showered and lay down for a
rest after the long drive but it was soon time for the first of our safaris. For
this we had a guide/ driver called Priantha, who took us in a large jeep,
emblazoned with Leopard Safaris. The ride to a park entrance, which is not the
most popular entrance, took an hour from the hotel and for the most part was on
very very bumpy roads. However, it was all worthwhile once we got into Yala,
for although on this occasion we didn’t see much in the way of mammals, we saw
the most extraordinary selection of birds- over forty different species. We did
see several mongooses and an elephant at a distance. Amongst the birds, we saw
three different types of bee-eaters, the green (which has a turquoise bib), the
chestnut-headed, and the blue-tailed and all close enough for a good photo even
on my iphone. We also saw three different kinds of stork- the open-billed, the
painted and the woolly-necked; a huge number of peacocks; many kingfishers, all
the white-breasted I think; two different eagles, the sea-eagle and the crested
hawk; two different hornbills; an amazing Paradise flycatcher; lots of weaver
birds and their nests; and an oriole (of
which we were to see several more the following day- they are just glorious!).
Hibiscus gardens hotel
Painted storks
Green bee-eater
Blue tailed bee-eater
Storks roosting for the night
The
trip was exhausting, because of the bumpity ride really, but so enjoyable and
made much more so by the expertise of our man Marcus and especially of Priantha
who is extremely knowledgeable. Back at the hotel we enjoyed a buffet meal
which allowed those of us who wanted curry and those of us who wanted a more western
meal all to be happy. Bed and sleep early that night as the next day meant
leaving the hotel at 5 a.m.
February 1st
Up
with the lark after a 4 p.m wake-up call, and although the journey again took
us the most part of an hour, the ride to today’s entrance was much smoother for
the most part. The hotel had provided us with a packed breakfast, which we ate
whilst we waited for Marcus and Priantha to get our tickets for entrance and
for the park to open at 6. There were huge numbers of similar vehicles
containing foreign tourists like ourselves! Many more than I have ever seen when doing
safaris in Africa, and of course this park is much smaller than most of the
parks we have visited in Zambia, Botswana or Namibia, being 230 square miles.
Priantha was somehow able to get us into very nearly pole position as the gates
opened, and off we roared to get away from the masses.
A rare mongoose who was prepared to pose for the camera! All the others ran off the minute they heard us.
Alas
we were not to get closer to any leopards this day than the paw mark tracks we
saw in the sand. Last week Marcus and Priantha saw a mother with two cubs and
there is no doubt that leopard-sightings can be very good in this park, but no
one seemed to have made any on this day. However, thanks to Marcus’ sharp eyes
we did see a Sloth Bear, which my guide book said is fairly hard to spot. We also
saw several groups of elephants, some passing very close in front of our vehicle,
many mongooses close up, water buffalo, crocodiles, wild boar and monkeys. We
also spotted Lotta and Mariella in another jeep, whilst we were taking photos
of elephants, so we know Lotta will have been happy. It was another super
safari, with yet more birds, beautiful terrain and some good photos, despite
our rubbishy phone-cameras. The flash bright yellow orioles seen really close
up was a highlight for me, this being the first time I’ve ever spotted one,
though Andy has seen one near Hounoux years ago. We stopped for a comfort break
(ie a wee in the bushes) right where the park runs down to the Indian ocean,
where there is the remains of an old bungalow which was washed away and a
memorial to the 33 Japanese tourists who just happened to be in that spot as
the tsunami of Boxing Day 2004 struck.
Sloth bear
A monitor lizard
Nests of weaver birds
Kingfisher
Back
at the hotel we were able to shower and rest briefly before we checked out. The
ride to our next destination, Tangale, on the coast, was not far and we arrived
by mid-afternoon. Pam by now had a serious headache, triggered by the jarring
of her neck in the safari vehicle, so we sat down and ordered ‘medicinal chips’
which helped her quite a bit, though the high temperature and humidity down
here on the coast is not good for the headache-prone. There are fans here but
no A/C and their fan just appears to swish round high in the ceiling, but with
little effect on the air. They have now obtained a fan on a stand, which has
helped greatly. The staff here at Serein Beach hotel are so very kind and
helpful. I think we are going to be able to rest up a bit after all our
travelling and at last I can catch up with this blog!
It's hot and a bit humid here by the coast at Tangale.
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