Prodigious Lanka- Truly the Wonder of Asia

Rudyard Kipling once rightly said,"The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it"; and truly it is the same for Sri Lanka. On touch down there was a great feeling of satisfaction to look around the Bandaranaike International Airport and had a great sense to get lost in the charming environment of Ceylon.
After completing immigration procedure we set our journey for Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.
Pinnawala had everything that set our trip in the magnificent way, and let me assure you that if you are lucky enough to visit the orphanage during the bathing time you will be nothing more than awestruck. Bathing time for the elephant are twice daily 0900-1030 and 1400-1530.

This morning we started at around 0700 for Sigiriya Rock fortress, often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World.
Sigiriya Rock fortress is much more than it appears to be from outside. The fortress have a total of 1202 stairs and last two steps are in the summit, which was once the bedroom of King Kasyapa. One enters the fortress from the Elephant gate passes through the magnificent mirror wall to Lion Gate and exit from Snake Gate.
Later we went to Dambulla Cave, a brilliant example of Buddhist architectural and archeological significance. The Dambulla Cave sites to various forms of the Buddha and the ceiling has fine example of fresco painting.
To call it a day our last stop was the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Kandy Temple is best viewed during the dusk and if one is lucky enough to visit the temple during the prayers and ceremony, you would be able to witness the traditional cultural dance and the replica casket of the Tooth of Lord Buddha. One should plan the day in a way that you reach Kandy by 1630-1700.

This morning we set our journey for Nuwara Eliya, enroute one get's to witness the famous spice gardens in the Matale district. Once you visit one of this garden, you will be amazed and the guided tour  and 10 mins of free massage makes it even more interesting.
Further into the days journey we crossed hectares of tea estate to reach the famous Damro Tea Factory, were you get to rejuvenate yourself with a hot cup of tea and then a guided tour of the factory.

Nuwara Eliya is in true sense "Little England", and one can very well witness that when they visit the Gregory Lake.
The picturesque landscape makes a great start to the day and sets the perfect mood for the magnificent train journey.
The Seetha Amana Temple is a must visit site and it reminds you the days from the Hindu epic, The Ramayana.
Later as we embark our journey for Ella, we board the train from Nanu Oya Railway station.
The 3hrs train ride from Nanu Oya  to Ella is a pure bliss. The train cross a varied landscape and one must be hooked on to left side window seat to enjoy it further more.
Before we called it a day, we visited the Little Adam's Peak. One can spend hours here witnessing the beauty around the place and the magnificent sunset.
Party Bugs' will have a wonderful time in the evening as the city is full of energy and enthusiasm.

High on enthusiasm, this day could not have been better. From Ella to Unawatuna, the 4hrs drive have only built in a feeling that I cannot explain here. For those who love beaches, trust me you will be in a paradise of happiness.
This part of the journey gave us an idea about how quickly the landscape in Ceylon changes. While on the way we crossed the Udawalawa National Park and we were lucky enough to spot wild elephants.
Before we reached Unawatuna, we went to Humanyana, the spot famous for the Blow Hole and it is highly recommend and a must visit.
We had a fantastic evening at Unawatuna Beach and bathing in the sea while sunset is even more special.

As they say, save the best for the last, so did we. We started at 5:00am for Mirissa Harbour. Mirissa is famous for the adventurous whale watching and it is a must do activity. Our boat set sail at 6:45 am and we returned at 9:30am, breakfast was served on board, with a cup of hot beverage. The 3 hours sail was filled with complete excitement for each moment and anticipation to spot the whale is "always high".
We took our services from Eagle Eye Whale Watching company. We were lucky enough to spot the pilot whale and a blue whale.
On returning to harbour we started our journey for Gallé.
Gallé fort and the town of Gallé are great examples of the colonial past and how well the city was planned. Gallé to this date is one of the most expensive area in Lanka.
Later we made our way to Wadduwa near Bentota beach to spend time on our own and get engage in water activities.

Good things do come to an end, and so was our journey. This morning we started late and head straight for Colombo city tour. Our city tour included visit to the Independent Square, Old Parliament, Gagaramaya Temple, Gallé Face, Colombo Harbour.
Before we reach the airport we went to the Ministry of Crab, a restaurant by Mahela Jayawardene and Kumara Sangakkara. For foodies, trust me Ministry of Crab is worth every penny.

Ayubowan !!