Sri Lanka 2023-Back in Lucky's Country

[RB]

This individual managed to drink & pee & poo simultaneously

 

[Major]

It looks really dry. I can understand why they would bring in water.

 

[RB]

Udawalawa to Tangalle and the Elephant Transit Home
Our day started with a drive on the huge dam wall where a small hydro scheme has been set up-the far end of our safari the previous day. We were early for the morning feed time at the Elephant Transit Home so we wandered the small marketplace - again super friendly, non-pushy vendors and Lucky gave us some background on various products on sale (some antibiotic products, fruits, spices etc). The Transit Home has a great reputation and it all seemed aimed at caring for the orphaned elephants and keeping them in the wild. The feeding was certainly a crowd gathering spectacle and it is one of the few places locals can see wild elephants. It was amazing to see the behaviour of the various sized elephants and the concern they showed for some of their less healthy & smaller counterparts (vets apparently do regular checks).

 

[RB]

It looks really dry. I can understand why they would bring in water.

Yes the monsoon build-up was still happening there and water levels were well down on similar times

 

[Ade]

This individual managed to drink & pee & poo simultaneously

Isn't that the trifecta?

 

[RB]

Elephant Orphanage
Pre-feeding situation


The viewing area-sit on concrete or stand up the back


Some locals looking forward to the feeding


Depending on age, some are fed using funnels




Special

 

[RB]

Those waiting seemed very patient out the back. Once fed, the elephants waited together & had a bit of a graze on some limbs. Most were well behaved and very few tried to double dip-there was a handler who identified them
Photo shows some waiting at back, one on left striding in to have some milk and the front right is wandering to join the "already fed" group






Time to head back out


We thought the organising of the feeding and communication was excellent

 

[RB]

To Tangalle continued

We again passed town markets, various entries to the main expressway and quite a bit of rice growing. There was a big build up of numbers of farmers travelling in convoy to protest about water/irrigation allocations- apparently they end up in conflict with the hydro water users.(we heard later that the farmers had a bit of a win). Closer to Tangalle we passed the tuk tuk assembly plant. They are imported from India and put together there.
Some roadside murals






The sharpest looking bus we saw


One of the expressway on ramps


Farmers going to join the protest-some groups were singing, some were practicing chants as they travelled along






Police were controlling the protesters as we passed-all peaceful at that stage

 

[RB]

Patini Bungalows Tangalle
We stayed here on our previous trip and had a great time. We have kept in contact with the owners since then. The bungalows are right on Madakatiya Beach along a very exposed section of coast so surfing or swimming is not really an option (especially at his time of year) . Rooms are comfortable and right on the sand with an outside sitting area. The bed is comfortable, good shower, only 1 other couple most nights and the noise of the surf makes for good sleeping. There are no meals provided but the owners provide a small kitchen if wanted and there is a fridge available to store beers. A bakery van goes past each day and washing is hung between two palm trees. Our previous visit was in Feb so we didn’t notice the lack of air conditioning as much as we did this time ( a hotter time of year)!

Didn't need the mozzie net





Clean functional bathroom with open shower




View to & from beach






The sand is constantly raked






We got caught out by the life-like figure every time we walked past

 

[RB]

Around Tangalle
Lucky had dropped us off & we were on our own until we linked back up again in Negombo.
The local street is dotted with cafes/bars/restaurants with many available within a flat 15 minute walk. Our most visited was the Little Pumpkin Beach Seafood Restaurant, a 5 minute stumble away. As with all spots so far in Sri Lanka, the service is fine but the food delivery is pretty slow as they prepare everything from scratch - great calamari dishes here. We also tried Blue Horizon and the Harmony Bar for food & drinks. We called at the Mallika Guest House/Bar as we had visited there on our previous trip & had an old photo of us with a very young girl from there. The current owner is a cousin of that girls mother & a quick phone call and we were reunited with the girl, her mother and two other sisters - a nice little reunion.
One day saw exceptional weather with a very big swell ( no rain) and vast amounts of sand were deposited on the main road - left to the locals to get out wheelbarrows & shovels to clean up before too many tuk tuk & motorbike riders came unstuck in the sand.


View from Little Pumpkin




The day the debris & sand arrived


Normally an immaculately clean road


Typical local bar

 

[RB]

There was a lagoon that wrapped around behind where we were staying





Simple, tasty, fresh food







The 2012 photo was all we had to work with



Our reunion

 

[RB]

Most of our time in Tangalle was spent lazing about, but we hired a tuk tuk to visit Hiriketiya/Dikwella Beach - a great ride along the coast in spots. Dots Bay House had been highly rated but we found the food very so-so & I don’t think we fitted the target demographic. It seems that the publicity is working but locals are lamenting that the beautiful beach is now so crowded. On the return ride we called at Parawella/Tangalle Beach where the locals were having a great time.




Dikwella








Back at Tangalle Beach

 

[daft009]

Thanks for the ideas. We're planning to go back in 2025 and see more of the North. Trico is as far as I've been

 

[RB]

We thought the North was really worth the effort. A lot different landscape, language, religion, food etc and the people treated us very well. Certainly not overrun with tourists while we were there. Trico looked interesting as we passed through

 

[RB]

Tangalle to Negombo
We used a transfer offered by our hosts in a Kia Sorrento - a very comfortable ride on the expressway & very little traffic until we neared Colombo. There were plenty of alternative options offered by local drivers or we could have ventured on a train or bus but that didn't appeal.
A 100km/hr limit applies and no one seems to push the case - no tuk tuks, no push bikes, no overladen trucks makes for a pleasant drive. It seems the biggest hazard are Peacocks! There are a lot of rubber plantations and some big palm oil production along with rice growing amongst the beautiful natural environment - it makes for great viewing. We broke up the trip with a stop at the twin service centres (Canowin Arcade) at Wellpenna - heaps of parking, an electric charge station, servo, and plenty of food options available. We aren’t sure about the tables reserved for visiting clergy.
We pass the Negombo Lagoon - it’s a huge expanse of water but the natural ecosystem is struggling in spots with rogue weeds strangling the mangroves and clogging water flow.



















An open section of the lagoon. Didn't manage to get any photos of the weed infestations

 

[Ade]

We broke up the trip with a stop at the twin service centres (Canowin Arcade) at Wellpenna - heaps of parking, an electric charge station, servo, and plenty of food options available.

I was at the exact stop in 2019, before CoVID Brings back memories

We aren’t sure about the tables reserved for visiting clergy.

Very common across SL. Airports also have plush & roped off areas for the Clergy. Even the boarding gates have separate seats for them.

 

[RB]

I was at the exact stop in 2019, before CoVID Brings back memories


Very common across SL. Airports also have plush & roped off areas for the Clergy. Even the boarding gates have separate seats for them.

A different shot of the stop. Was very quiet when we stopped but our host said that the local drivers enjoyed using it because they are still not used to the long "no action" drive on the freeway

 

[Ade]

A different shot of the stop. Was very quiet when we stopped but our host said that the local drivers enjoyed using it because they are still not used to the long "no action" drive on the freeway

View attachment 343710

The exact location. It was very quiet when we went as well.

 

[RB]

Negombo
We stayed with Lucky’s daughter in her Homestay Negombo 146. A very comfortable new house with around half a dozen rooms. Great air conditioning, quiet location off the main road, access to a shared fridge and walking distance to shops, a huge number of restaurants and a couple of minutes walk to the beach that also hosts beach cricket games & kite flying.
Lewis Place/Poruthota Rd Negombo is a long stretch that hugs the western coastline & boasts hotels from 1-5 stars, numerous cafes, restaurants, travel agents, bottle shops, bars & gyms and is a parking spot for hundreds of tuk tuks that ply their trade. From here Lucky’s family run a small restaurant that sells excellent food for breakfast lunch & dinner. They are also super busy at lunch time selling box lunches/curry kits to a steady stream of locals 6 days a week. We aren’t after a lot of entertainment as we await our flight but Mrs RB did a bit of souvenir shopping and we enjoyed an excellent pizza at Prego’s.
Lucky provided our transfer to the airport. The first security that we encountered was a spot check by an under the car camera as we entered the car park. There was cursory look at our itinerary before we were allowed to enter the terminal.

Across the road from Lucky's place




Has hopes for a sunset

 

[RB]

Lucky's-excellent quality sharp pricing. We found Negombo cheap for food


A couple of lunches




Never seemed to walk away from breakfast still hungry while we were in Sri Lanka