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Sri Lanka 2015
April 2015, ten days off: what to do?
Asia almost become our religion, so I start looking around... We find some very cheap flights to Sri Lanka and at the last moment even a friend decide to join us, so Sri Lanka... 04/10/2015 We land in Colombo and we go to Negombo where we will take the bikes for hire, Honda XR 250 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b...2/DSC_0003.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A...2/DSC_0002.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...2/DSCN0003.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--...2/DSCN0006.JPG Dambulla, golden temple https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z...2/DSCF5232.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k...2/IMG_3766.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R...2/IMG_3770.JPG and then to Sigiriya, where we have a special guest in our room https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q...2014.42.10.jpg |
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https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G...2/DSC_0076.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K...2/DSC_0086.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I...2/DSCN0023.JPG After visiting the Sigiriya rock, we move east until we reach the coast at Trincomalee https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f...2/DSCN0051.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l...2/IMG_4133.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q...2/IMG_4135.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N...2/IMG_4138.JPG 12/4/2015 https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N...2/DSC_0104.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n...2/DSC_0124.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7...2/IMG_4146.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--...2/DSCN0088.JPG Then we continue south, where we are supposed to take a dirt road that will take us back to the center of the island ... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c...2/IMG_3826.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6...2/DSCN0113.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b...2/IMG_3834.JPG We miss the intersection and we continue along the coast, and then on the main road https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L...2/IMG_4172.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D...2/DSCN0116.JPG and we see our first elephants... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5...2/IMG_3838.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z...2/IMG_3842.JPG We still have a few hours of light, so we decide to follow a ring itinerary that allows us to cross the park and rejoin the road that we had missed: no choice was ever more right, quick and easy dirt road in spectacular landscape https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t...2/DSCN0128.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S...2/IMG_4180.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V...2/DSCN0140.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l...2/IMG_3844.JPG |
13/4/2015
Polonnaruwa, visit to the archeological site https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K...2/IMG_4203.JPG It starts raining a lot and we don't know how to continue: we would destroy cameras and phones for sure. While we are under the tent of a kiosk that sells fruit, comes a policeman on a Tuk Tuk: "how much do you want to rent us your Tuk Tuk for a half-day?" "but I can't, I have to work here, who will drive?" "easy, we are Italians and we invented apecar, we will drive" with 15 USD we solved the problem and continue the visit on the glorious Bajaj ... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M...2/DSCF5325.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O...2/DSC_0158.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3...2/DSC_0163.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s...2/DSCF5329.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v...2/IMG_3877.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A...2/DSC_0172.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X...2/DSC_0179.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u...2/DSC_0192.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...2/DSC_0214.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X...2/DSC_0232.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u...2/DSC_0251.JPG so we return the Tuk Tuk and we decide to stop here another night https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R...2/DSC_0284.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o...2/IMG_3918.JPG in the meanwhile the rain stopped, so we allow ourselves another visit to town https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n...2/IMG_3920.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_...2/DSCN0178.JPG 14/4/2015 We move toward the center of the island, along a beautiful dirt road https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t...2/DSCN0199.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2...2/DSCN0202.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6...2/DSCN0203.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_...2/DSCN0206.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w...2/IMG_4244.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-y...2/DSCN0222.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Y...2/DSCN0229.JPG lunch break .. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H...2/DSCN0230.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...2/DSCN0234.JPG and we arrive to Kandy, where we visit the temple in the evening https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I...2/DSC_0294.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u...2/DSC_0295.JPG |
15/4/2015
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N...2/IMG_4268.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z...2/DSCN0265.JPG We leave Kandy and we carry towards the hills area, plenty of tea plantation https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z...2/DSCN0267.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3...2/DSCN0268.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5...2/DSCN0277.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F...2/IMG_3930.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j...2/IMG_3934.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...2/IMG_4273.JPG But we found rain once again.. https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A...2/DSCN0300.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f...2/DSCN0301.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P...2/DSCN0303.JPG when it becomes too much, we stop under a canopy where some locals are organizing a barbecue ... obviously we become the special guests ... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8...2/DSCN0312.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7...2/IMG_4280.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_...2/IMG_4283.JPG before dark we greet our new friends and head to Haputale, but we still find a lot of rain and we arrive a few hours after dark https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2...2/IMG_4290.JPG |
16/4/2015
In the morning we dry all our wet stuff in the sun https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J...2/DSC_0322.JPG in the meanwhile we take a walk https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z...2/DSC_0338.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_...2/DSC_0348.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A...2/DSC_0352.JPG then we leave...the clearness of the early morning soon leaves room to the fog https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x...2/DSCN0343.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F...2/DSCN0344.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_...2/IMG_4302.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7...2/IMG_4304.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l...2/DSCN0354.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E...2/IMG_4306.JPG just before Ella we make a detour to a tea factory https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l...2/DSCN0360.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8...2/DSCN0361.JPG We find it closed, but we make some new friends... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m...2/IMG_3940.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E...2/IMG_3946.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q...2/IMG_3949.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l...2/IMG_4308.JPG then we stop in Ella for lunch, before descending from the hills https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B...2/DSCN0387.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I...2/DSCN0399.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q...2/IMG_4321.JPG rain again... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j...2/DSCN0405.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...2/DSCN0407.JPG We ride along the road through the national park, but we have no luck and we don't meet any elephant https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-g...2/DSCN0414.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r...2/DSCN0425.JPG we reach Tissamaharama, where we book a half-day visit to the Yala national park for the next morning https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...2/DSCN0440.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-i...2/DSCN0441.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j...2/DSCN0442.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d...2/DSCN0447.JPG |
17/4/2015
Visit to Yala national park, by jeep https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t...2/IMG_3951.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J...2/DSCN0456.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V...2/DSC_0356.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T...2/IMG_3952.JPG the presence of two leopards brings too much traffic https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x...2/DSC_0361.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t...2/IMG_3956.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--...2/IMG_3961.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-n...2/IMG_3963.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k...2/IMG_3967.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f...2/DSC_0372.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4...2/IMG_3979.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t...2/IMG_3983.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-W...2/IMG_3986.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u...2/IMG_3989.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I...2/IMG_3994.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P...2/DSCN0474.JPG too much traffic: if you want to visit a national park in Sri Lanka, I suggest you to opt for one of the least popular, not Yala https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P...2/DSC_0394.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q...2/DSC_0397.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7...2/DSC_0409.JPG after the visit, we continue on the south coast https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T...2/DSCN0480.JPG a bit of rain, as usual.... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8...2/DSCN0482.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z...2/DSCN0485.JPG we reach Mirissa: very touristic, but those restaurants on the beach have their own reason to exist:-) https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...2/DSC_0420.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6...2/DSC_0411.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G...2/DSC_0424.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...2/DSC_0426.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...2/DSC_0428.JPG |
Just to say i have silently followed your rides ,but now is the ten days up already?
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Thanks for posting the pictures - Sri Lanka has always been on my list and now it has risen close to the top.
Matt |
Great photos, it looks really good there, thanks for sharing
Wayne |
Bugger - another destination just got added to my list! Great photos - thank you
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18/4/2015
A day ride to Galle https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U...2/IMG_4348.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F...2/DSCN0488.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j...2/IMG_4351.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a...2/DSC_0442.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p...2/DSC_0456.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2...2/DSC_0462.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D...2/DSC_0468.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...2/DSC_0473.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0...2/DSC_0482.JPG and back to Mirissa for a half day of relax... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V...2/IMG_4358.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V...2/DSCN0518.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V...2/DSCN0519.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X...2/IMG_4360.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p...2/IMG_4361.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--...2/DSC_0490.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o...2/IMG_4367.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P...2/DSC_0494.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-A...2/DSC_0507.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--...2/DSC_0520.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l...2/DSC_0562.JPG for dinner, same as last night :-) https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q...2/IMG_4371.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d...2/IMG_4373.JPG 19/4/2015 Last day: next night we have our flight back to Italy On the coast heading north https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u...2/DSCN0532.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C...2/DSCN0537.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z...2/DSCN0546.JPG After crossing Colombo, we are finally back to Negombo, where we give back the bikes and enjoy the last hours of relax before flying https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8...2/DSCN0565.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u...2/DSC_0586.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J...2/IMG_4390.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7...2/IMG_4392.JPG https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B...2/IMG_4395.JPG Bye bye Sri Lanka... and thank you to all here on the forum... |
Great photos!
I had no idea that they had wild elephants in Sri Lanka. Just checked on wikipedia and they say Sri Lanka actually has the highest concentration of the endangered asian elephant. Very cool. |
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