It was May 1st so we 3 decided to do our own parade (:-)) in a unique way and our destination was the summit of Namunukula. The area has had few showers during the past couple of days but nevertheless we decided to go ahead. Been a popular hiking destination there were many routes that on can select if you are planning to do this hike. Most people told us to start from 5th mile post or 7th or 10th but thanks to Dinesh’s advice we stuck to the route starting from 3rd mile post on Badulla-Passara rd.

It had been almost six years since I last visited Wilpattu. My last visit was in 2006, few weeks before the tragic incident of the landmine explosion which killed six visitors who where on safari. The park was pretty much out of bound since then until the end of the war in 2009. Even after it was re-opened I wasn’t able to plan a trip due to various constraints. This is when a firend at work invited me to join him in a three day trip to wilpattu. I couldn’t have been happier!

We were able to get a booking at Aligama Village. It was not a place recommended by anyone and it so happened that it came up on my Google search and we just liked the details on their web site. The main attraction was that it could accommodate only a small number of people – 2 cottages and 3 rooms – and we wanted “a quiet place that was green – away from all mankind”, so to speak! They responded very quickly to my email and booking was done in no time.

Westminister Abbey is an awkward name seen on each and every map of Sri Lanka. So I did a Google search when I was schooling few years (15 years) back to find out that this was an ancient place in SL called Govinda Hela. So I had done my reading and planned to go there someday but never thought I would do this on that particular day.

Kokmote campsite is located 2 miles away from the Kokmote bungalow at very close proximity to the Modaragam Aru River(branch of Malwathu Oya) , the tents were put up. Due to lack of rains, there was not much water in the river. However, we did not have any problem with washing, bathing and collecting water for toilet purposes. There was a toilet at the campsite.

It was an extraordinary cool morning to Wellawaya. We waked up before the Sun and left the Little Rose Inn, the night stay of us at Wellawaya. We moved heading Diyaluma, as the first travel location of the day. The fall was rather young because it might rain at Bandarawela area, those days. Because Poonagalla Oya the stream Foamed Diyaluma, was originated from Bandarawela area.

We both decided to Visit Kebitigollawa, Padaviya and Horoupatana on 6th April 2012 which was a long week end to see all historical places in those areas, and visit places where the war was fought and defeated the LTTE and how the people were settling in the outer borders of the Anuradhapura district.

As most of our members are aware through my “Help Planning Request”, I intended to go with a large group to Jaffna and branch off to go to Delft. Factually it was our annual office trip which decorates by 7 families, (trigger, stock and barrel) and we are very concerned about accommodation as very fragile wives and kids are involved.

Everything was set for the journey and we took off from Moratuwa around 6 p.m., after a full day work at office. The idea was to travel somewhere close to Kalupahana and start journey in the next day early morning as we needed a full day to cover both off-road driving and hiking. We reserved ‘The Jungle Rest’ (just 500m away from the Belihuloya Rest House) which was situated away from the road as the name implies. The place was quite ok and affordable.

It was 5.10 in the morning when I left my home in Colombo. I exited Colombo using the bridge connecting to Handala and went along the Uswetakeiyawa road towards Negambo. For the most part the road was in very good shape and was able to reach Negambo by 8am.

We started the journey to visit to Kilinochchi on the 16th of March 2012 evening at 1.30 PM noon time and decided to spend the night at Anuradhapura and to leave to Kilinochchi in the morning next day to save time. Both of us arrived at Anuradhapura Sarvodaya center at 6.30 pm and rested. Early morning we left at 6.30 AM from Anuradhapura to Kilinochchi

For a number of years my father has been mentioning the name ‘Nuwaragala’ and had told me that we should climb it one day. On a Thursday night, as I was about to go to bed he ordered me to make ready my backpack before I sleep and said that we would be going to Ampara the following day. I knew that it was going to be a tiring weeken