Buddama was a place I have never heard before until I was posted there for few months, this rural area of Monaragala district boarders the southern boundaries of Gal Oya National park. Most of the population has the same surname called Dissanayake Mudiyanselage indicating that most of them had been related to the ancestors Wellassa rebellion that fled to the valleys of Gal Oya and they are farmers by occupation.

“Dreams do come true” Finally after six months of planning and just before the monsoons the target was achieved. Maragalakanda may be an unheard unknown mountain for most of the travellers, so let me give a brief description on it. This 1111m tall mountain with four main peaks is located in the dry zone (Monaragala) of Sri Lanka and is one of those tall mountains isolated from the main central belt. It together with Monara gala, Athgala range & Uppukota forms a circle of peaks.

I live in Hambantota as I am working at the General Hospital Hambantota. On the 3rd of September 2012 I got the message that a flock of Greater Flamingos can be seen in the salt pan , Hambantota. I rushed there with my husband and my son. I was very happy to see the Flamingos just few meters away from my home.

As I live close to Bundala Embilikala kalapuwa (just 15km away my home) I frequently visit there for bird watching. This is a very good place to watch migrant birds as well as locals. This time I could spotted 9 Comb ducks

Since my friends and I had some free time amid closed universities, we decided to seek some adventure: a hike that was in our minds for a long time, an off season journey to Adam’s peak and we chose Kuruwita-Erathna trail.

I have traveled many times to Mannar in search for flamingos, but only this year I head that they are back in Sri Lanka. Not at Mannar, it was at Bundala their good old habitat. I had no plans of going anywhere till end of November but this news made me anxious to go there. Though some of my friends in to birding have heard the news, no one had been managed to capture a photograph till that moment (as per my knowledge at that moment)

During a one of my field visits to Vavniya and Mannar, we had likelihood to visit few archeological and Hindu sacred places in Mannar and Silavaturei. Weather was good but too dry and wind impregnated with dust. Most of the Mannaer main roads are really good and newly rehabilitated. Railway constructions are going on up to thaleimannar. First we visited Biobab tree which is situated in the heart of the Mannar island city

For no particular reason, with no particular exploration in mind we booked accommodation in Weeravila for the long week-end. With three days looming, the question ‘what can we do around Weeravila’ was thrown open. Priyanjan’s suggestion of ‘go to Kaltota’ I thought was a joke, despite his ‘it’s a small country’ tag. Yohan’s ‘try Yala Block III’ seemed a possibility.

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).

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.