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

Since I got my appointment at General Hospital Chilaw, I was planning to visit this place and finally the day arrived (almost after 1 year). I left towards Hettipola and beyond to meet one of my friends. We packed up our stuff and decided to go in his Maruti rather than the bike because it was drizzling. The mountain can be seen to the Chilaw-Kurunegala main road Between Hettipola & Medagama junction

This rock is not a place to mock around and it’s not an easy hike at all, it’s also believed to be a holy place protected by the local god (ගලේ බණ්ඩාර දෙවියන්ගේ ගබඩාව). There have been many incidents where the god have punished travellers & locals who was wondering about with a bad intent (stung by wasp, elephant attacks, lost in the jungle, etc)

Early morning on the 30th December we started heading south on the E01. It was my first time on E01 and I couldn’t have asked for anything better! Cutting across paddy fields, rubber plots and forest patches, E01 was virtually emerging from a sea of mist. Even though the scenary was heavenly, capturing it on camera at 100kmph was not easy. The dirty windshield did not help the cause either.