Our time in Nilaveli drew to a close, and with it the expedition. However, whilst we were still in Sri Lanka it would have been a shame not to have explored some the nation’s marvels. So, we took a 6-day self-funded gander round the mystical cloud forests, giant buddhas, and grandiose Hindu temples nestled in the south of Sri Lanka.
We arrived in Colombo at first light, the streets already awake with the hum of tuk tuks zipping past. Before dropping off our bags and exploring the heart of the country we said a wistful goodbye to our fantastic team member and friend, Emelie.
Travelling light we began our epic 7-hour train journey to Nuwara Eliya, enjoying some breath-taking scenery as we passed through sprawling tea plantations and lush rainforests. Gradually we ascended into the clouds, a mystical backdrop for our adventure into this territory. Upon arrival we made ourselves at home in a modest youth hostel and set about exploring the local town in search of food.
The following morning, we ventured out onto the Horton Plains National Park! A short hike took us to World’s End. Well, not quite the end of the world but a jolly good view point nonetheless. Obligatory millennial selfies out of the way, we continued onwards to a roaring waterfall and spotted some endemic Jungle Fowl en route! An intriguing find were the Nelu shrubs, the seeds of which contain an intoxicant, meaning song birds that go for the tasty snack pretty much get drunk, and like us become a little noisy unfortunately making them easy pickings for birds of prey.
That night we arrived in Ella and went to lodge in some cosy tents in the aptly named Backpacker’s Paradise!
We awoke the next day, first on the to-do list: visit big Buddha. The 10th C statue at Buduruwagala temple stands at an impressive 16m tall, towering over the adjacent Hindu statues. Sun at its peak we travelled to Diyaluma falls the second highest waterfall in Sri Lanka with a drop of 720ft! We even got to take a cheeky dip at the top. Back in Ella, we went on the hunt for souvenirs. Some on the team sensibly bought some small jewellery and tokens of their travels, Andrew Middleton bought a ship – model mind you, no idea how he managed to get it back.
After another night in Ella, we took on the challenge of Adam’s Peak. Not a challenge for most, just quite a task when one of your flip flops breaks halfway up. The summit boasted magnificent views of the steep valleys of jungle below. With aching legs, an afternoon sat inside a mini-van to Kateragama seemed rather pleasant.
Upon arrival our accommodation was a large 10-person tent just outside Kateragama. In the evening we enjoyed the warmth of a blazing campfire, talking till midnight before realising we had a 5:30 am start ahead of us.
Sure enough, waking up was a struggle, however as sleep deprived as we were the excitement of a 12-hour safari through Yala national park would keep us going.
We were greeted by a diverse and abundant landscape of wildlife. Only a couple of hours in nature started to reveal herself. Adjutant storks, black-headed ibis, pelicans, Indian buffalo were just some the animals lounging round the murky waters. Looking a little closer we caught our first glimpses of crocodiles lurking beneath, which to our surprise did not phase the watering hole’s visitors. Stopping for breakfast we met some curious macaques and as cute as the monkeys may be, it doesn’t excuse them from stealing my sandwich. Throughout the day we saw more and more species from Asian elephants to a tiny mouse-deer. The highlight of the day was turning the corner to see a leopard laying idly in the middle of the road.
Our last night in Sri Lanka was spent at Galle, sleeping in tiny wooden huts to the sound of giant waves crashing against the coastal rip rap.
The return journey to Colombo by train was a tight squeeze but fortunately we arrived at the capital in one piece to catch our evening flight back to the UK. This day marked the end of our time in Sri Lanka and we will definitely miss it, we have had the most amazing and insightful experience into the social and environmental aspects of a country so remarkably different from our own.