Riverina Hotel Beruwela

... didn't show up the next day because, according to his replacement he was 'sleeping', though later he told us it was because he had to go to hospital, although now had made a miraculous recovery. They tell you anything to get you to sign up with them! The safari was great. We got to Yala National Park at around 6am and drove through the ...

... brought here and cared for until they are about three and then they are released into the national park. We arrived at a perfect time to see the elephants be fed, they all had to stand behind a fence and were allowed in in pairs to be fed milk. Once finished they had to leave the penned area and go and stand in another corner of the field- it was like a school outing where the teachers organize the young children ...

... tuk-tuk driver who was on his way to school to pick up his daughter but also owned a hotel on the beach. He was prepared to leave his daughter waiting while he took us there. We breathed a sigh of relief as we told him he mustn't do that; we could walk. From his description we reckoned it was the son of the hotel we were heading for. Five minutes later we were stopped by him again, with his daughter in the back of the tuk-tuk. Again we said no, we'd find the hotel ourselves. A few minutes ...

... go back to my comfortable beach side room with all my things, where I can get food and drink, a shower and toilet, and extra pillows to rest my foot on and they will find me a stick to help me move around with? When I could easily stay in ward 13 with no pillow at all, no water, painkillers but no water to swallow them with unless I take the diahorrea water but then no way of getting to the toilet except by lengthy negotiations to borrow the crutches ...

... Lanka in October. We're traveling up to Colombo tomorrow night in preparation of a day trip to Kandy on Wednesday. It's Poya (Buddhist festival) so the school's shut and we'll be back bright and early on Thursday morning for school, with a new housemate, Andy the builder! We're also visiting an elephant orphanage on Wednesday - rumor has it you can ride an elephant. If this is the case then my time in Sri Lanka will be complete as I said I wasn't leaving until I got to do it!

... night--to brave the bees. "It's very dangerous," said Pali, craning his neck as he followed the posts up the tree to the hives. Five. A tree called cinnamon grows in these forests. You might be familiar with it as well as... Six. Wild Coffee. Seven. Wild Pepper. Eight. Mango Tree! (with ripe mangoes) Nine...About a dozen or more plants the locals use to cure their ailments. And on and on. If you live near Sinharaja, you don't need Merck. Actually ...

... these people is I was the only tourist in town on arrival. No really. The only one. There were 3 or so more by the time i left. The Tsunami and recent bombs have scared off the all important tourist cash. Got bitten no less than 41 times in one night, looked like i had been wressling a porcupine. Anyway, I may have been the only tourist in Tengol but I was the best looked after and fed! Next day Chamika and I left for Ella. The journey took us five hours through ...

... s visit, to take place a few days later at that very hotel. I guess he was going to attempt to assassinate the minister. On Thursday a group of wonderful foreigners invited me to a BBQ. This one was in Kamburugamua (say that five times fast) somewhere between Matara and Mirissa. They were staying at Sairam Bay Hotel - really secluded, but well worth the effort if you can find it! Do I even need to say it?? - another absolutely beautiful ...

... recently threw a Canada-day party. They invited their Sri Lankan friends to a feast of lasagna, barbequed stuff, salads, etc... Afterwards, apparently everyone went home and had dinner. As no rice was served, this 'feast' was considered a snack! I'm looking forward to cooking for you when I get back home. Though, I won't be doing it on a regular basis. Meals always take a long time to cook. Everything is made from scratch and every ...

The following weekend, I went to visit Denise in Tangalle. We had intentions of going to use a pool at a nearby hotel, but they wanted too much money (usually hotels will let you use the pool if you buy a $4 lunch - this hotel wanted $12!?!?!) so we went to the beach. And this is how we ...