Year and Month 1-2 Apr 2015 Number of Days 2 Crew Only Me Accommodation Daya’s Place, Keeriyagaswewa. Transport By Train, Bus, Tuk-Tuk and on Foot Activities Archaeology, Photography, Hiking, etc… Weather Excellent. Route Day 01Nugegoda->Colombo Fort->Aukana->Res Vehera->Kekirawa>Keeriyagaswewa.  Day 02  Keeriyagaswewa->Kekirawa->Colombo. Tips, Notes and Special remark The Udaya Devi leaves Colombo Fort at 6.05am. Niroshan is […]

Ah I was just back after a long awaited visit to Trinco and was scanning through Google earth in and around Trinco area when I suddenly noticed an island close to Vakare and immediately I fell in love with it. The desire was so much that I decided to visit it during the coming weekend and Amila & Nalinda agreed on that idea

We started out at 4 AM on day 1 and move towards Ratnapura on Horana Road. On the way we schemed to move towards Ampara and may be towards Trinco later on. We took a quick breakfast from a small wayside shop on the Horana road at about 6. We had passed Maha Saman Devalaya at Ratnapura so many times but never stopped since we always have been running with a another destination in mind. It was 6.45AM when we reached the Ratnapura Maha Saman Devalaya and there was almost no people there.

We got to know about this Ayurveda doctor from a person who lives in the same village and decided to visit. I think of providing these details so that it may benefit at least one of you some day. We left Colombo around 4AM and reached Matale by 8AM. Had breakfast there and came to Andawala by 10AM.

I had visit Jaffna only one time after war period, but it was limit to tired journey. So I had a big eager to fulfill that as my wish. Though I plan it with discussing my jaffna friends, I couldn’t do that because of many reasons. However this vacation made a time to me to gain that experience. After that I could visit many places which studying their tradition and enjoying with a whole week and I could add many novel and rare experiences to my memory book.

We all get these impulsive thoughts of doing things out of blue moon every now and then. Something like that happened when we visited Eli Hatha deep inside the Sri Pada Forest Reserve off Uda Maliboda in the first week of February. That journey, one of the dreams of Hari, turned out to be a great success, probably the best ever. During this journey I kept thinking of visiting the Most Sacred Mountain, Sri Pada via Uda Maliboda trail, one of the six known paths to the summit.

I was longing for it by the time we returned from Eli Hatha and didn’t wanna do anything else but that. So when I presented the thought to Dodam, my mate for the Beloved Lakegala, he seconded it with no second thoughts. So we fixed it for the 15 & 16 Feb. Thanks to Hari, I got the contact number of Yasawardhane mama, a real nature-loving gentleman who is very friendly, humble and helpful. When I called him to check the status of weather conditions and the trail, he gladly offered to help us. I, being the cautious type, asked if he could find a guide for us at least till we reach the Kuruwita trail but he said that there was no way we could go wrong yet promised to get someone at least for a part of the journey.

Although I reached to SriPada in many times by various ways, I was eagerly waiting to reach there by using “Dehenakanda way” for a long time. When I said my idea to my friend of Lakmal who lives in Rathnapura, he also wasn’t walk to Sri Pada on this way. However we selected a date after the exam for this journey & get aware the crew.

Ana booked Fishing Hut, an isolated log-cabin-type place at the border of the Peak Wilderness with Baththulu Oya flowing right next. It’s like a paradise on earth surrounded by the lush greenery rain forest, set at the edge of a tea patch belonging to Moray Estate bordered by one side by the virgin flow of Baththulu Oya with an amazing view of the Sacred Mountain in the distance. Having been used by the English during the colonial era for trout fishing gave it the name Fishing Hut. The trout and fishing all have now become a part of the history but the isolated and peaceful environment is a stress buster for the workaholic. I’d wanted to visit the place so much after all the good things I’d come across about it. So finally being able to go and stay there for a couple of days was yet another dream come true for me. Additionally,climbing the Sri Pada through a trail not attempted before was a gem of an opportunity. I wasn’t gonna miss it for the world.

he region Kala Wewa is renowned for the tank bearing its name, the Avukana Buddha and the ancient temples of Ras Vehera and Vijithapura. Its grandeur, historical significance and spiritual importance continues to attract thousands of pilgrims and visitors each year. And the temple of Avukana is said to be the place to witness one of the most spectacular sunrises in the island.

So this was my second visit (previous visit) to Jaffna this year and I would re visit this lovely land at any given time because there is so much to see. This time my main objectives were to visit two populated islands in Jaffna and also to show around my wife the beauty I experienced during my previous visits. On the way to Jaffna we did stop at Iranamadu to have some tea. We reached Jaffna at around 9am and refreshed ourselves before exploring the peninsula.

Year and Month February, 2014 Number of Days Three Day Trip Crew 5 (between 25-30 years of age) Accommodation Short stay at Samanalee shop near Gangulathenna. Short stay at Chooti mama’s shop near Ehala kanuwa (Rathnapura path) Camping near the waterfall in Hapugasthenna trail Transport Bus, Dimo batta and of course on foot Activities Pilgrimage, Sceneries, […]

I have heard that Jaffna is like paradise especially after the monsoons so I wanted to witness it myself. Since I have visited all of those main attractions around Jaffna I was more focused on some mysterious caves plus bird life. (By the way I did visit Jaffna on the next weekend too will update you guys on that expedition in my next travel log) We had many plans during this weekend but the bad weather made us differ the plans. We were left stranded and no other option other than heading towards Jaffna where Amila’s hotel is been currently completed.