This was a very well planned trip as our friend Lasantha’s home town is Welimada. We decided to pay a visit to his place and visit many other places. This came as a blessing having toiled night and day at office for nearly 2 months. So Roshan, Buddhi and I got into “Podimenike” leaving for Badulla at 5.55 am from Fort on 07 July. Lasantha was to meet us at Welimada.

Our basic target was to see the nine arches bridge at Demodera and travel around that area. We used different way to reach wellawaya instead of normal ways (not via Beragala or via Thanamalwila).

If there is a will there is always a way, the above text was quoted from my previous attempt to climb mount Wadinagala(බුදුන් වඩින්න ආ ගල = වඩිනාගල) which is the second highest peak of Gal Oya sanctuary. My desire was my driving force. As I have learnt over the years there are no dreams that cannot be achieved and this is one of those which I accomplished successfully. Wadinagala Mountain may be unknown to many people simply because it’s located in a wild life park.

It was a Monday, the 4th day of our Jaffna visit. Earlier we were planned to go to Nainativu on the previous day and postponed it to the 4th day. The reason for that was we got to know the annual festival of the Nagadeepa Kovil was going on those days and Monday was the last day of it. So we wanted to be there for the final grand festival.

The journey started from different locations by my friends. Kandy Bus stand was the meeting point. I started from Ambalangoda at midnight and reached kandy at 6.00 in the morning. The others were there on time. We took padiyapalalla bus. The bus arrived in padiyapalalla at 8.00 am. There was a small town to buy our foods and other basic needs. We took Mandaram nuwara bus from there at 8.45 am.

We Started from Colombo fort 6th Friday 8.00Pm train(night mail).There were 10 persons with our team. We reach Ohiya railway station around 4.30Am 7th Saturday and had breakfast from the shop beside the railway station. Around 6.00 we came to the hotel. At about 7.00 in the morning we have started out Hike from the hotel.

Wila Oya Budupatuna was a totally unheard place to me until few weeks back when I came across a post by NG on Lakdasun which made me go in search of these mysterious statues similar to Buduruwagala. The only information I had was about Two Japanese (archeologist) teams visits in 1985 and 90’s and some photographs in a book called ELOQUENCE IN STONE.

From the beginning of this year I had planned to do a hike along the Bambaraknda – Ohiya track. August was my target month and I was thinking of doing this on my own even if my friends would not join me (I thought they might not be interested in a long hike). But surprisingly they all agreed to join me and were quite interesting in this hike.

This time our main focus was to explore the east. Our crew consisted of 4 including my-self. And others had explored batticalo, Oluvil area prior to meeting up with me on a Friday evening at Arugam bay Muhudu maha viharaya. After meeting up we enjoyed the beautiful landscape of Arugam bay coastal shores and hurried up towards the lagoon along the beach until we reached the newly built bridge and waited until the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.

Neelagiri Seya (නීලගිරි සෑය) is a name I came across when I was going through the web site of archeology.lk. Since then I wanted to visit this site. So on a Saturday I got in to a Panama bus and travelled towards Lahugala where I got down and inquired from few locals about the sthupa. And one person volunteered and gave me a lift towards Heda Oya (හැඩ ඔය) where the road continues across the stream.

This idea came up as our uncle wanting to go to Badulla to check a land for his son to buy and asked if we wanted to join. Since it was Independence-day time and a long vacation, my friend and I joined him for the journey. We left early for Fort station to catch the 5.55 am Podi Menike train to Badulla. However, when we came to the station, it was over-flowing with people and there were queues everywhere.

Thankfully the rain had stopped and only then I knew they had a bird park too. Being a great fan of birds, I wanted to buy tickets for both and they gave a special package for both. The person at the ticket counter advised us to first visit the water world and then go to the bird park. So taking his advice we went inside the water world.