I had an opportunity to spent 3 days at Ampara since AAT Sri Lanka opens their 7th branch at Ampara. Since I’m the route planner and mapper I suggest leaving from Ampara to Kandy after the branch opening since I wanted to have a different road to reach Kandy. However, we left Ampara around 12 noon and had a bath at Ampara tank, and spent around half an hour over there. 

It was December holidays again we decided to have a family trip and we opted to cover part of the East this time. On a Friday I made some calls to two friends at Ampara and Trinco and got 2 hotels booked. This was intended to be a road trip with time to rest in between.

My nephew, a forum member who paved way for me to Lakdasun, came back from abroad with a very expensive set of camera equipment to test in our poor country. So we decided to try Gal Oya National Park. When inquired, Park Officials suggested us a place to stay over night. The owner of the lodge has a jeep and Wildlife Office was able to facilitate a land trip as well as a boat trip.

Two years back I worked at Inginiyagala hospital and one day I came across a retired DWC officer who is well known because of the newspaper articles he wrote about Gal oya national park. Somehow we became friends and one day he mentioned about a special cave close to Mulgama where Vedda paintings could be found.