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.

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.

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.

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.

After the lunch we waited few more hours at the circuit bungalow hoping that the herd will get into the lake just opposite the circuit as told by the bungalow caretaker. But soon we realized we don’t have such luck. So we thought it is better to search the herd rather than waiting them to appear in front of us.