The moment I read Bambarakanda trail reports on Lakdasun, the adventurer inside me kept saying “wanna go, wanna go, wanna go” like a mantra. So I tried to get a friend or two to join me but in the end I was left alone with no one to join me. Since I’ve already been to N’Eliya and around all on my own before, I thought of doing this too all on my own

I saw this ad on Anything.lk about 60% reduction (7200/- only from the Actual fee of 18,000/-) on Hot Air Ballooning in Kandalama and as always the adventurous soul in me willingly agreed to explore

This time we went on camping at Maha Eliya and climb Thotupola Kanda. Originally we planned a hike to Kirigalpoththa but due to time constraints and weather conditions we climbed Thotupola

We stopped at Wahalkada in Warakapola for breakfast. This turned out to be an excellent one. They serve buffet (a bit expensive – but once in a while on a day like this, it’s worth going for something like that) breakfast with a wide range of meals such as Egg Hoppers, String Hoppers, Rice and Curry, Rotii, etc… However, they serve Kenda which was one of the very best I’ve ever had.

This was actually my second visit to Kotiyagala area and I also had some secondary objectives also on this visit. So on a Sunday morning I got in to a Kotiyagala bus and left towards kotiyagala. Just before kotiyagala there was a three way junction where the Siyambalanduwa, Kalu obba-Athimale road extension met with the kotiyagala road and I had to get down from here and start walking towards Athimale side since Wattarama monastery is located between Athimale and Kotiyagala.

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