Category: Travel

Actually there are 1200 steps to the top, and that doesn’t include the steps we had to climb to get to the steps, nor the kilometre or so walk from the car park, nor the return journey.

Sigiriya Rock is a “fortress in the sky” a massive monolith rising 200 metres above the surrounding plain. It is topped by the ruins of a Buddhist monastery dating from the 3rd century BC and subsequently a palace in the 5th century.

You reach the ruins and cave paintings by climbing a combination of uneven sometimes slippery stone steps, spiral staircases and platforms hanging over sheer drops. Needless to say, as I suffer from a touch of acrophobia, I spent most of the time with my eyes locked on either the rock wall or on the steps.  It wasn’t until I reached the top that I could relax and fully appreciate the fabulous 360 degree views of the surrounding countryside.

I think it’s fair to say that Di, Jim, Carol, Kerrie and I were pretty impressed with ourselves for making it to the top.  Jim deserves a special mention as he completed the climb with a handicap … a squidgy stomach … and there are NO toilets ANYWHERE on the climb !!

Twice a day, weather permitting, the breeding herd from Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage lumbers it’s way slowly through the village streets on it’s way to the river to bathe or drink.  The river was swollen by the monsoon and the word was that it was too dangerous for the babies, but we were lucky enough to be seated river-side just finishing our lunch when the herd arrived.  An unforgettable sight.

No, it’s not a strange Sri Lankan religious festival, but a description of our painful day at Kataragama …

Kataragama is a place of worship and pilgrimage for Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Christians. It’s a huge complex of beautiful temples, mosques and stupas. As a sign of respect, all shoes are removed at the entrance – hence the cause of our burning feet. After several hours of walking on baking sand and hot stones, running from one patch of shade to another, we could take no more and retreated to our bus.

Unfortunately, two of us (one me) had to use the public toilets barefoot !!! I can’t even begin to describe the experience, nor could I bring myself to take a photo. I will leave it up to your imagination.

Finally, the south-western monsoon has caught up with us…

At Nuwara Eliya a former British hill station high in the mountains of central Sri Lanka, the rain sweeps through in sheets, hammering on the roof and gushing down the streets. The temperature has dropped to 15C and we are more than a little under-dressed. Perfect weather though for gathering around the fire at historic Jetwing St Andrews for high tea.

It’s a great pity that Sri Lanka’s coffee plantations were destroyed by coffee blight in the 19th century as I’ve been forced to drink the dreaded tea !! Now, I won’t say that I have actually grown to like tea, but there’s something different about drinking Broken Orange Pekoe when you know it has come from the hill just metres away.

Our group sponsored a dinner for the children at Paynter’s Orphanage and we all brought gifts of books, crayons, pens and exercise books. The children were an absolute delight. So bright and happy in spite of their mostly tragic backgrounds. They had prepared a singing and dancing performance for us and were so excited by the end of the evening that I suspect none of them slept a wink that night.

Next stop … Kandy, historic capital of The Highlands.