Merry Christmas

First of all Merry Christmas to everyone – we’ve been enjoying our Christmas soaking up the sun in a place that is so small it isn’t even on the map!

The trip from Bandarawela to the coast was magnificent.  We meandered down from the high hills through a valley known as the Ella Gap.  We stop to admire the view watching the road we will take as it snakes away into the distance between little Adam’s Peak and the towering mountains and deep gorges.

Gunner Lofty Sugden found alive and well

The waterfalls that run down the sides of the mountains are impressive as is the drop to the valley floor as we peer over the edge of the narrow road and begin our descent.  Ramesh’s expert driving keeps us away from the red buses as they career up the mountains and we hear the story of the day when a red bus careered over the edge and 40 people died - we are not surprised.

We finally reach Unawatuna and enjoy a few days by the coast before heading on to Kalamatiya for a relaxing Christmas enjoying the sunshine.  Unfortunately, we aren’t able to bring you photos of the Dickwela blow hole although John was kept amused with smutty innuendo for a few hours.

Unawatuna Beach

For the last week we have been staying at a tiny hotel nestled on the side of a small cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean which rolls and crashes onto a gloriously sandy and deserted bay.  The hotel is a real find and is well of the beaten track.  It is nowhere near where I thought we were staying but we are both over the moon at the peace and quiet the hotel affords us.  The sound of the ocean is a relaxing acoustic backdrop to a fantastic location.

Kalamatiya Bay - One man and his camera

The hotel can be forgiven for its one mistake.  As there are only seven rooms there is never going to be a crowd and a compulsory Christmas buffet with live band is a damp squib.  By 10pm all the guests had retired although undeterred the band plays on…and on…and on.  The band then put on a jazz track which plays on a loop.  At 11pm and after 5 times of listening to this I crack and on behalf of the silent majority ask the band to turn the music off.  The following morning a number of the guests thank me for my intervention.

Merry Christmas

By Christmas Day normal service had been resumed and the peace and tranquillity returns.  The sun shines and the cold beer flows.  We take a little time out on Boxing Day to visit an amazing bird sanctuary.  Leaving at about 7.30am we walk in to the village and board a small pontoon.  Our guide punts us through the backwaters of a large lagoon and we see a wide array of birds including pelicans, kingfishers and a sea eagle.  

Sea Eagle

Further on we find lots of small islands with trees bursting with roosting birds including peacocks, storks and what I think are ibis. 

Bird Island

The temperature rises, the water laps against the boat and all we can hear are the bird calls and the sound of frogs heading across the duckweed to get out of our path. It is so peaceful here although we are reminded that this is still a fragile environment when we drift past a large concrete water tank which was deposited here in 2004 by the tsunami.  On Boxing Day in 2004 we’re told that 21 families and 8 Buddhist monks lost their lives here – it’s quite a sobering thought.

We leave for Colombo tomorrow and the next phase of our amazing journey that takes us to Southern India. 

Merry Christmas to all.