Journey with Bill & Mary Ann on the Amsterdam's 2016 Grand World Voyage - 114 days +

[Theredofshaw]

We will be waiting :D

[boards]

Will be waiting to read of your adventures. Safe journey and have wonderful time.

[snookymom]

Hope you see a bunch of leopards!

[chefestelle]

What a fabulous land break you have built for yourselves. I can't wait to hear all about it!

 

 

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[WCB]

Report # 80 Hambantota, Sri Lanka March 20, 2016 Sunday Chance of rain & 90 degrees 55 Pictures

 

Well, the adventure begins today, but not until we have a proper breakfast, our last one in this dining room for a week. After a hearty meal of bacon and eggs with muffins, we informed our waiters that we would be gone for a while. Especially, Yitno, who has our favorite pastries waiting for us every day. We will miss them all.

 

The Amsterdam arrived at the barren-looking port at almost 8am, and it appeared it was going to be a very hot steamy day. Have no idea where the forecast of rain fit in the picture, but we never saw any signs of it. There were only two large cranes in the harbor along with a couple of tugboats. We did, however, have a group of Sri Lankan dancers and band on the pier to greet us.

 

Once the ship was cleared, the passengers began going off in herds on their way to the waiting buses for tours. We had to pick up our passports because we were leaving the ship, but they were not ready for us at 9am. Seems the officials wanted to see us in person, because Christel called us and requested we meet with them in the Hudson Room. Something you don’t want to do is question why. Sri Lankan immigration officials, like in most countries, are to be taken seriously, especially these days with the state of the world being security touchy. We welcome the scrutiny, knowing it is in place to keep us safe. Once the face-to-face check was complete, the passports were stamped, and we were free to go.

 

By 9:45am, our driver had not arrived, and we still had no idea if he would be let through the port gates. Our pick up time was 11am, so we left the ship by 10:45am, only to find out he had been there at 10am. We had alerted Barbara H that we were going on a safari, and she had agreed to call us if she spotted our driver. But she had retreated back into the coolness of the ship much earlier, as had all the other staff members. Can’t say we blame them.

 

Anyway, our driver, Lucky, had driven from Colombo at 5am to get here. He was holding a sign with our name on it, and seemed happy to meet us. He told us he will be our driver and guide for the duration of the trip, after we leave the safari camp. That will be great, since he speaks good English, and we can understand him well. He offered us water or soda, but not knowing how long the ride would be, we declined. Eventually, we did ask for one bottle of water, and it would turn out to be a good move, but for a different reason. Tell you later.

 

It was over a mile to get out the main gate, and most folks used the free shuttle to get there. The parking lot was full of taxis and tons of tuk-tuks. We understand the going price to town was around $15. Tours were being offered for way less than what the ship was charging as well. As to the quality of the tours? Well, who knows….sometimes they turn out to be great.

 

He drove us to a fairly new road that went around the city of Hambantota. That way we would not get caught in city traffic. This entire area had been devastated by the 2004 tsunami, so most everything in town had to be re-built. He said it is far from being completely finished. We’ll have to wait until we get back to find out about the town from Barb, who we are certain she will go with Aart and Ellen to the best hotel for lunch and beers.

 

The drive took us through villages and small towns, similar to the drive we took in India last year going to the safari camp out of Jabalpur. Cows and dogs clogged the road, with people and bikes darting in and out of traffic. Big brightly-painted trucks were hauling bags of rice and flour. It was thrilling watching them coming straight at us, then pulling over the avoid the potholes. There was no speed limit and no stop signs or lights anywhere we went. It was “blow and go”, as in blow the horn and pass quickly.

 

Eventually we reached a river and a large lake, used for irrigation. Locals were swimming and fishing, while water buffalo were cooling off nearby. Fields of rice were being burned, since the crop was recently harvested. Smoke filled the air for miles. The birds did not seem to mind, since we saw plenty of egrets and cormorants in the trees, waiting to pick off bugs or whatever.

 

Lucky said he was not allowed to enter the park, so we were dropped off at the safari vehicle where our new driver and guide, Manjue, greeted us. They pulled out a ladder, and we climbed into the back of the 4x4 truck. At this point, we had left the paved road, and had a dirt road with potholes. As long as the driver went slow, it was OK. There was a lot of traffic going through these local villages, so we asked if this was normal. They told us that a special Hindu holiday was occurring over the next few days, and many of the Hindus were on a pilgrimage here. We can share the details when we find out more.

 

We arrived at the safari camp somewhere around 1pm, where check in was simply filling out a paper with our address and email address. There was no lodge, such as we usually see at the other camps we have been to in Africa and India. Our guide led us to our accommodations…….a large tent with a teak deck and wood flooring. Inside was the main room with a king-size bed, a twin bed, and end tables with several outlets with plugs and mini-lamps. Manjue informed us that there is free internet, and we were happy to hear that, since obviously, we decided to bring the computer after all. We will try to keep up with reports, but being able to download photos will be wonderful.

 

It took a while to unload the things we brought, setting the clothes on two tables and the small bed. There were hangars on the window frames, but we made sure not to block the screens. There is no air-conditioning, so it was really hot inside the tent. There is a ceiling fan and also a pedestal fan that oscillates, which will be lifesavers. Manjue assured us that it cools down significantly at night. We will believe it when we see it.

 

At the far end of the tent is a bathroom with a commode, shower, and sink. Another shelf was near the sink, and a large towel rack was on the opposite side. This room is separated by a door, so this place really resembles a cabin. The measurements are about 15 feet wide by 45 feet long. You walk up a flight of three steps to the veranda, and have a front door that is screened. Detached flaps on the outside give you all the privacy you need. Will let you know how we weathered the night.

 

At 2:00pm, a table and chairs had been set up outside our tent for lunch. Our guide came calling and invited us to sit and have our meal. Another young fellow came with a bowl of salad, which was sliced cucumbers, red onions, and tomatoes. We also had French-style green beans, okra (new to us), and another large bowl of noodles with slivered carrots and bits of egg. Crispy strips of a sesame seed chip was also served. Now we are certain there are names to these dishes, but there was no one around to ask. The main course was seasoned ahi tuna chunks, and since we had alerted them to a food allergy (shellfish), they also brought spicy chicken. All of it was good. We had our choice of beverages, so we chose diet soda, although beer or wine would have been given to us. Ice cream was for dessert…vanilla and chocolate.

 

Now we were ready for the evening safari drive which began at 3:00pm at the central dining arena, which we failed to notice when we arrived. We were joined by a really nice couple from Ireland, although they were British. It would just be the four of us, our guide, and the driver. Perfect. Speaking for one of us (me), there was a time when getting into a vehicle like this was a piece of cake. At least we had a decent ladder to climb….you simply had to figure out how to get into the seats under the roof, and do it gracefully as possible. Once us ladies were inside, the fellows climbed in quite easily, and we were off to the races.

 

Back-tracking through town was the direction to the entrance to Yala National Park. Now we could take in the activity involving the holiday here. From what we gathered, there is an extremely important Hindu temple here. A myriad of stalls carrying fresh produce and many things cropped up around the surrounding area in the town, the name of which is so long, we have not been able to write it down yet. This holiday has brought hundreds of Hindu pilgrims and their families, who are filling up the guest houses and lodges. As a result, all of the game lodges are full, as well as all of their safari vehicles. They are doing the same thing we are………seeing the wild animals. Yes, it does make Yala crowded at some points, but it does get the animals moving. Hope it is a win-win situation.

 

We entered the park gate after picking up a park tracker, who joined us for the duration this evening. Our destination was block # 5 around 4pm. Up to the point of the gate, we had already seen a golden crested eagle hunting a water monitor lizard, green parakeets, an Indian darter, as well as a large family of macaques, those cute little mischievous monkeys.

 

Once into the park, we saw spotted deer, the leopard’s main meal, peacocks, termite mounds, and rose-ringed parakeet. Then we arrived to a huge lake, where we saw night heron, freshwater crocs, and a white bellied sea eagle. He was similar to the one that we witness take down that fruit bat back in Cairns, Australia. The banks were full of smaller birds like the chestnut and blue-tailed bee eaters, Indian rollers, egrets, and painted storks.

 

Water buffalo were grazing on the opposite banks, with one large bull actually charging a croc who got too close to him. That’s when our guide got the message that a leopard had been spotted. We took off in a flash, joining the dozen vehicles parked on top of each other to see this large cat. Like most big cats will do, they like to hide in the tall grass. We waited and watched, with our driver re-positioning several times, but this cat was not moving. Our guide suggested we come back, and we all agreed.

 

At one point, we stopped alongside the road near a river, and we were able to stretch our legs and have a snack break. This brings us back to the story on the water bottle we promised to share. We knew that all of the water, sodas, beer and some wine was included daily in our package. The one detail not provided was that the water did not come in small plastic bottles, like we have had everywhere else in the world. Even though this camp was not specifically described as an “eco camp”, that is what it is. The water we get is all bottled, but supplied to us in glass quart bottles in our room using real glasses and cups. No plastic is allowed. So when we went on this first game driver, the guide handed us well-used aluminum refillable bottles to share, drinking out of the top. We shared one bottle between the two of us, although we each could have taken one. And that should teach is a lesson. Don’t assume anything. When our first driver offered us bottles of water in the taxi ride, we both should have taken one. At least we have one plastic bottle between the two of us to fill from our room bottles. We will not dispose of the bottle until we leave here, just to make everyone happy. But that did lead us to question where our water is coming from, if not in plastic bottles somewhere on the property?

 

Another problem presented itself when we went to go back into the vehicle. Getting out was not easy for one of us, since the guide did not bring the ladder. Not wanting to invite injury, the front seat was made available by the tracker, which was nice. He took my spot up top. The ride continued on bumpy roads, giving us numerous sightings of plovers, Malabar hornbills, wild boar, many deer, and gigantic wild water buffalo. These guys are very territorial and do not like the jeeps stopping for long.

 

We had back-tracked towards the earlier leopard sighting, expecting to see nothing. What a surprise we had, when just a few vehicles were there still watching for movement. That’s when our tracker spotted the leopard’s tail in the grass. He was on the move, and so were we. Our drive estimated about where he may be crossing the road, so we sped ahead of everyone else, and parked. Then the leopard appeared, barely paying attention to all of the cameras snapping away. Obviously a male, he was big and healthy, and more than likely looking for a female. Manjue said this is the end of the mating season, and he has been spotted with the ladies many times now. That is good news for all of us, because it makes them less cautious. We got some fabulous photos out of the hundreds taken before he disappeared into the brush once again. How lucky was that? Our guide was right about leaving and coming back. As we left, we ran into a large elephant grazing on the forest’s edge. We continued up to the reservoir, the largest one in the area, and the dam gates and pumps on the levy.

 

The sun had gone down by now, after 6pm, and we had to be out of the park at the ranger station by 6:30pm sharp. We made it without a second to spare. The ride back to camp was fun as we talked all the way about seeing so much wildlife on our first game drive. Although the moon was about full, it had gotten dark, and the camp was lit up with stove oil lamps, spewing black smoke. Perhaps this helps keep the bugs away.

 

Cocktails and snacks were waiting for us, but before we dug in, we were escorted to our tent to get cleaned up a bit. Canvas-slung chairs lined some wooden tables in a circle where we had been dropped off. Apparently, there is no “lodge” here like we have been accustomed to. It is all outdoors. We had our choice of beverages, and we chose the coldest beers they had. Looked to be Lion Beer. Joining us were a younger German couple who have been here for a week. Then came one more couple, the fellow a US citizen, but lived in Berlin all of his life. They visited with the other couple, and spoke German most of the time. Another group of four people arrived, and we have learned they may be leaving tomorrow. Then the nice couple we are teamed with came and joined us.

 

Dinner was served at tables for two mostly. We had BBQ pork, chicken, and sausages with salads and potatoes. Dessert was a nutty brownie with coffee or tea. We had been handed flashlights to find our way back to the tent, which we did by 9:30pm. It had been a long, hot day, and from the looks of it, it was not cooling down anytime too soon.

 

Since thousands of photos have been taken, it will take some time to sort through them. Be patient, and it will be worth the wait, we promise.

 

To be continued……..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[KirkNC]

What a great and interesting start! Did you figure out where the water comes from?

[regnig]

Wow what a wonderful start, thanks again for letting us join you on this adventure.

[teamflames]

Congrats on seeing a leopard, it is so exciting when you see the big cats! I have seen one in a tree in Africa they are notoriously hard to spot so that is wonderful for you guys. We recently went on safari in India and it was shambolic and crazy but once we saw a tiger all was forgiven [emoji2]

 

 

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[newfarmers]

Report # 77 Phuket, Thailand March 17, 2016 Thursday Partly cloudy & 90 degrees 46 Pictures Part #1 of 2

 

An elephant safari for 6 hours gave the folks a chance to learn about the beasts and have a 30 minute ride on one. Lunch was included, like on the other longer tours, for the price of $160.

 

We simply go and enjoy , walking as much as we can……doing it while we still can.

 

Sad that HAL is still offering tours that include elephant rides. Most responsible tour operators ceased this in the last couple of years.

 

Love the last comment Mary Ann. This afternoon I am going under the knife to have the big toes on both 'de-barnacled' and then fused so that I can keep walking. Three months on Friday we fly to South America where WILL be walking the Inca Trail :)

 

Love the blog. So envious of you both. One day, hopefully.

[WCB]

Report # 81 Sri Lanka Safari Camp and Yala National Park March 21, 206 Monday Very hot and humid

 

Our first full day at the safari camp began much more comfortable than it had ended last night. Our guide had mentioned that it normally cools down at night, which it did. But that wasn’t until 2am. The tent stayed warm and sticky until then. Even with the ceiling fan and the portable fan on a stand, it stayed hot. Our bed is a king size, but there were two single-size sheet-like blankets on the top….one for each of us. They were so lightweight, the breeze from the fan filtered through them. That’s probably the idea. But when we woke up around 2am, we were freezing. Wish we had taken the time before it got dark to notice there were two blankets under the desk. Anyway, with the help of a little extra clothing, the rest of the night was OK.

 

Actually the night did not last much longer, since we had set the alarm for 4am. We had a wake-up call by one of the staff members, but not by telephone. There is none. There is no TV, nor a radio, and frankly, we don’t miss it. We have the sounds of the night insects and animals instead. One of those sounds was from peacocks. Wonder why that sounded so much like home??? The staff would have provided coffee or tea, but we chose not to drink anything. Could be a long stretch between rest stops. Oh wait a minute….there are none, except for a lone tree or something else suitable.

 

We met up with our 4x4 buddies, Alex and Michelle, at 5:30am sharp. Our destination was Block # 1 this morning, which opened up at 6am. We were among the first of the vehicles to enter through the gate. In a few minutes, we had arrived to a flooded plain, which was loaded with water birds. The first sightings of the day included painted storks, a fish eagle, whistling ducks, and many herons. Joining them near the water’s edge were common kingfishers, green pigeons, and bee-eaters. A peacock was perched in a tree, while the night herons scoured the lake waters for fish underneath him. More storks, jacanas, and lapwings were picking through the muddy flats. Across the water on the opposite bank, a large croc laid in wait for anything dumb enough to pass by it.

 

On the other side of the road was a small pond where a painted stork was bill-fishing. He simply opens his beak, then roots around the shallow waters. A few feet away from him, was a croc, who was patiently waiting for him to stroll by. Our guide said many birds are taken by the crocs, when they are busy feeding. The bird must have sensed movement, because he flew away….saved by our interruption.

 

Just as we got to some water buffalo and jungle fowl (the national bird), a mongoose ran across the road. He was so curious looking at us, he stopped and posed. It was around then, that our guide got a message that a leopard was up a tree, and we needed to rush there if we wanted to see him. Sure enough, it was only 7:30am, and we were seeing our leopard sighting already. Super. We lingered as long as we could, taking many photos in hope some will come out great. By the way, they did. This sighting had to be the best one yet, showcasing the impressive animal to the max. Wonder what he was thinking with all of the fuss being made over the fact he could climb a tree?

 

The list of further sightings included spotted deer, water buffalo, and wild boar. While watching some fantail flycatchers, our guide picked some tamarind seed pods for us to sample. Not sure we have ever tasted this before, but it wasn’t the best flavor ever. In fact, it was extremely tart, but now we know what many animals and birds like to eat. Manjue, our guide, said there is a plant with leaves that are poisonous by day, but OK to eat at night. We certainly hope tamarind is not one of them. The only smart one not to try it was Bill.

 

At this point, we were heading back out of the park, but with a rest stop first. This was at a place where other safari vehicles gathered. Many macaques of all sizes and a few very large langurs live in the trees here. There is a reason why. Most folks are having beverages and snacks, and the monkeys beg for food. There are warnings posted everywhere…..do not feed the wildlife, but they do it anyway. What that does is create monkeys that can be very aggressive, and dependent on junk food.

 

Our driver had opened up the plastic container of crackers , cheese (Laughing Cow), and cookies for us, while we watched the little monkeys jump up into the other vehicles. Since the passengers were out “marking” their trees, the monkeys were robbing them of anything left inside the 4x4’s. And the monkeys were leaving their calling cards behind in little puddles.

 

And that’s when it happened. A teen monkey snuck down a tree limb overhanging our jeep. He slipped onto the roof, and slid down to the lower railing where the cookie box was opened on the tailgate. With five of us standing there, he grabbed a package of Oreos and ran up the tree before anyone could react. Cheeky little guy, Michelle said, as we all laughed. He was on his own now, as the other monkeys chased him down to steal his prize away. He had most of them eaten, when a bigger monkey stole the package. It’s a tough world out there.

 

Continuing on, we had a rare sighting of an albino boar with a couple of regular ones. He was skiddish as he bolted for cover. Further up the road, we came upon the body of water again, picking up sightings of black neck ibis, grey heron, trees full of roosting storks, along with colorful bee-eaters and kingfishers. We spotted an elephant grazing with more water buffalo, then followed a golden jackal as he ran in front of us up the road. Funny thing, though, he kept turning around to watch us, stopping and staring. Great photo op for all of us. The last thing we saw was a monitor lizard as we headed back to camp on the pothole-filled dirt road. By this time we were eating dust and looked pretty bad for sure. Time to get back, take showers, and have some grub. It had been a longer game drive than normal, but it was sure worth it to see the leopard once again. Lucky, again. Little did we know that luck would be with us later on.

 

Back at camp, we were treated to a brunch, instead of just breakfast. The main course was a slice of cheese, onion, and tomato omelette, along with Sri Lankan pancakes with honey. Other toppings were mango and passionfruit jams and butter, that had melted in the heat of the day. There was a plate of tempting fresh fruit with pineapple, mango, papaya, and watermelon….lots of watermelon. Love it. There was a bowl of potato soup, but not sure how to eat it since there was no bowl for it. We drank two beers each, as well as water and soda. Must have been dehydrated. All of this ample meal was followed by ice cream…one chocolate and one vanilla. Coffee and tea are also included. By the way, we dined at a private table for two right down a path from our tent.

 

At this point we could have easily given in to a nap, but we didn’t. Good time for a shower instead, and also catch up on some reading of the books left in our room. There were six volumes of travel and animal books all about Sri Lanka and the National Parks. Great information to have so we know a little bit about the country and their customs. It is certainly a place far different from where we grew up in California. We know one thing for sure, we will never see Brahma cows roaming down the streets freely. Or dogs running loose in packs.

 

By 3pm, we met with our guide, driver, and Alex and Michelle for a game ride to Block # 5. It is a more pleasant ride through town, avoiding the worst of the dirt roads. We drove into the park, and took a road that led to an ancient Buddhist temple, where monks used to come for a pilgrimage. It was straight up on top of black outcroppings of solid rock. Manjue mentioned that National Geographic came here to do a documentary on the area and the temples a few years ago. He was thrilled to have been part of the team at the time.

 

About then, he got a call that a leopard had been spotted, so we headed in that direction. He stopped and listened to the noise of the forest, as many birds and squirrels will let out alarm calls. He did hear them as we did too. We flew around a turn in the right direction of the calls, when a leopard came running across the road right in front of us. Possibly a female, she never slowed down, but we did get some good shots of her in action. We would come back later to see if she comes out again.

 

We continued our drive, seeing many of the same species. We added few new ones with seeing terrapins in a drying up pond, and a pair of cinnamon-colored paradise flycatchers. An emerald dove joined them at this muddy hole. As we prepared to leave, a barking deer, the size of a medium dog, ran by swiftly. Two pied Malabar hornbills were spooked from the tall trees. Could there be a leopard nearby?

 

It was time for a break, so the driver took us up a sulfur-base creek for snacks and drinks. We were handed Lion beers with cheese and crackers. Pretty good, it sure hit the spot. Most everyone made their “tree” stop, and we continued in search of the big cat. It wasn’t long before we found a lot of vehicles parked under a huge tree. Looking straight up, we spotted a big leopard dangling from the sturdy tree branch. He was nervous though, as he kept going further up the tree to escape the hoopla. In a few minutes, he was so high up, we could barely make him out. And it was getting dark rapidly as we found him at 6pm. All of us had to be out of the park by 6:30pm sharp or else the rangers get fined.

 

Driving quickly on the bumpy dirt roads, we all ate dust. But we were on time, leaving exactly at 6:30pm. Not a second more. The ride back took us through town once again, where we dodged tuk-tuks and huge trucks that all like to drive in the middle of the narrow road. It’s like playing chicken when our driver moves to pass the slower vehicles. The going policy here is beep and go, beep when passing, or beep when you see someone you know. It’s seldom done in anger. Why we don’t see more dogs or cows killed along the road is beyond us. Our driver made a stop at a tiny bakery in town, since Michelle had mentioned she was missing fresh bread. Don’t know if Manjue had any luck, because he came out empty-handed. At least he tried.

 

Back at the camp, we cleaned up, and were served dinner at our own patio table. Great with us, because we were tired to the bone. And much to our surprise, dinner was spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, topped with parmesan cheese. A side salad of coleslaw was added. Dessert followed and it was their version of cheesecake. The crust was a cookie bottom, covered with sweetened buffalo curd (yogurt), then topped with a passionfruit syrup. Served ice cold, it was delicious.

 

Shower and shampoo was in order next, but by 11pm, the water stopped running. Good thing one of us was about done and not caught midway with the shampoo. The water eventually came back on, so we assumed the pump stopped or the tank was empty. We never would have guessed that a roaming cow had stepped on the connection, and broke the pipe, as we heard the following day. Guess we are “not in Kansas anymore”.

 

Lights out by midnight, and that’s all she wrote. Until tomorrow…….

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruz chic]

Funny about the Oreos. Thx for the update.

[chefestelle]

This is such an excellent adventure! I always wanted to do a safari!

 

 

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[ger_77]

My goodness, your descriptions make me feel like I'm right there in the jeep with you! Thank you for taking the time and energy to keep us apprised of your wonderful experiences.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[KirkNC]

What an excellent adventure!

[dchip]

Enjoying your adventures!!!!!! So happy you got to see leopards.

 

Cheers, Denise

[josumello]

Fabulous report. Fabulous adventure.

Thanks for letting us tag along......

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[DeeniEncinitas]

Bringing back memories of our safari!! So enjoying your adventures!

Keep them coming!

Denise :)

[durangoscots]

I am really enjoying your cruise and especially the safari and look forward to pictures in the blog. This is my "I should have done it when I could trip".... age and bad hips have really slowed me down. But I love reading about the trips from those who still can. You were very lucky to see the leopards .... a friend of mine (much younger than me) went a few years ago and did not see any.

 

Susan

[WCB]

Report # 82 Safari Camp and Yala National Park March 22, 2016 Tuesday Still very hot and humid Part # 1

 

Last night after dinner, Manjue discussed the route for this morning’s game drive with us and also Alex and Michelle, but separately. This is usually not done, as the description of our daily routine is the same. We go to different areas of the park in the mornings, have a short afternoon break with breakfast and lunch squeezed in there, then continue on the evening drives. We have never been offered options. Sometimes that complicates things, especially if the two couples do not agree to the changes. Lucky for all of us, we were on the same page with our jeep partners. Since they had only one full day left, and we had two, the decision was made to try a different path. That included leaving Yala, and venturing into Bundala National Park, south of Yala.

 

We had asked if the drive would be of a longer duration, and the answer was maybe a little longer. Normal time for a morning drive is from 5:30am to perhaps 10am. We would end up going much longer than that. We left the camp promptly at 5:30am, in the dark, and headed for Block # 1. It is accessed by turning right from the camp’s driveway, which is quite long. Have we mentioned that the roads here leave a lot to be desired? Every one of them outside the city limits is potholes and washboard bumpy from the monsoon rains they get here. Our drivers have to be skilled to avoid hitting the worst of the holes. Even so, the ride is not suited to those with extreme back problems. On the plus side, it does slow the traffic to a crawl. The worst side effect is what we call “1800 EAT-DIRT”, or a constant dirt cloud in your faces and everywhere else you can think of. No wonder so many tourists, especially the Asians, wear surgical face masks in the safari 4x4’s. A handkerchief or a scarf will work the same.

 

Our destination, as we previously stated, was driving through Block # 1 in hopes of seeing some of the wildlife on the way to the park boundary. As we drove into the block, there was a rock formation considered sacred in Buddhist history. Manjue was proud to point out that a crew from the National Geographic Society had come here to film many sacred Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka, this one included. Heaven only knows how old these sites are. We will have to research this documentary when we get home. In the old days, this site was a site where monks came on a pilgrimage to pray. This is no longer allowed in the park. Over the years, the jungle has begun taking over the rocks, and since the big cats like high spots, they come up here for a good view.

 

Continuing on, we were stopped in our tracks briefly, while a huge herd of Brahma cows blocked the road. There was no one with them, so they escorted themselves to wherever they wanted to go. Some of the cows had calves, recently born. All the drivers in the village beep their horns to move them out of the way. Pretty unique thing to see.

 

Although we did not see any large animals other than the two types of monkeys, and water buffalo, we did spot some nice birds to add to our list. Among them were spoonbills, purple heron, and some brilliant tiny sunbirds. We passed through many remote villages, the day beginning for the locals by going food shopping, or the kids riding their bikes to school. And every village has their share of roadside shrines honoring Buddha. It is common to see people leaving piles of perfectly good fruit in front of these colorful statues. That does, however, attract animals to dine on the fruit, like dogs, monkeys, birds, and even wild boar and elephants. There can be a price to pay for these animals, because sometimes they get hit and killed by cars and trucks. People are killed as well, so the government is trying to stop the practice of feeding them.

 

It took two hours to reach Bundala Park, about 35 kilometers south of Yala. Maybe more, since we took the long way to get there. Situated on the coastline of the Indian Ocean, this preserve is famous for their bird life – a “twitchers” paradise. (That’s bird lover’s talk.) It is also the spot where the lesser flamingos come in droves during their annual migration. Just happens, that this is NOT the time of year for that spectacle. According to one of the naturalists at the camp, the impressive number of flamingos had dropped in recent years. It is due to the fact that the brackish water in their ponds has been diluted by the locals by adding too much fresh water. As a result, the algae that supports the birds has died off. Therefore, no food, no flamingos. We are certain that a study is being done to rectify the situation. Could be a make or break deal with the success of Bundala as a major tourist attraction.

 

The park has an observatory platform and a mini museum. Displayed is a skeleton of a full grown freshwater crocodile, preserved indigenous snakes in jars, turtle remains, and even the skeleton of a dolphin. Various animal bones and turtle shells were also laying around the showcase. The best feature here were the decent restrooms, and available for all of us. Lots of room, since no one else was there yet.

 

Se were greeted by a guide, and a free-roaming dog, who begged some cookies from us. Although it is discouraged to feed wild animals, this dog seemed to love the food.

 

On the next stop, we went to the main gate and the ranger station. Another guide joined us as the official escort. On the way to the lagoons, we stopped to watch a tree full of monkeys resting on the branches. Most of the adult females were feeding new born babies, while the teenagers of the troupe played on the lower limbs. The young ones are so like kids, as they competed with their amusing antics, getting our attention. The macaques also were watching from a distance, as they tolerate each other, but do not mix. The smaller macaques can be quite aggressive and will fight with the larger langurs.

 

At the flooded plains, we saw dozens of varieties of waterfowl. Among them were Indian darters, black stilts, redshanks, pelicans, ibis, and bluetail bee-eaters. Freshwater crocs are abundant here as well.

 

We continued to a larger lagoon where we saw an Indian thick-knee, purple coots, whistling ducks, and rosewing parakeets. Langurs and a ruddy mongoose watched the birds like we were. A brahminy kite, cinnamon color, was flying overhead, while herds of cows roamed freely. Beef is not on the Sri Lankan menu, we are told, so the cattle are used for their milk and other related by-products.

 

Far in the distance, we could see a white temple perched high on a peak. Another holy place to be certain. We stayed and looked for more water birds and finally saw some jacanas, bitterns, common sandpipers, and pied cuckoos. Some more less often seen were the purple sunbird, small, but iridescent in color, brown shrikes, woodstorks, godwits, and the white-throated kingfisher.

 

From there, we drove to some cliffs over-looking the Indian Ocean. It was a great place to stretch our legs, and have “munches” with juice and water. Actually Munchees is the name of the small packages of ginger and butter wafers, as well as a salty cracker called super cream crackers. They go best with the small wedges of Laughing Cow cheese. Our guide said to make a cheese sandwich with the crackers. He was right, they are good.

 

Alex, Michelle, and Manjue enjoyed their cigarette break also. While in the park itself, there are few places set aside where the tourists can smoke. It is evident with the cigarette butts laying around. Although, Michelle and Alex were diligent in keeping them to dispose of later. People that live here discard the butts everywhere and anywhere.

 

Our driver took us to their salt flats, where seawater catchments had been flooded by the ocean water. When the water evaporates, the salt is left, and then collected. We do not know the exact process of how the salt is treated, but you get the basic idea. The dicey part of the drive was when our driver proceeded to go on the narrow levy road, with water on both side. The safari vehicle barely fit. We had to stop when we saw a pumper truck operating on the levy road. We could go no further, so our driver had to back up all of the way. Really, we could have seen the salt flats from the water’s edge, but he did OK and got us back to the gate by 10:45am. We dropped the park ranger off there.

 

On the way back, we passed by more lagoons, where fishermen were netting prawns and crabs right off of the roadside. Manjue claimed they were the best-tasting shellfish ever. This time the drive back would be through town, and much more direct that going through a block.

 

On the way back, Manjue made a stop at a wood-carving factory. He came back out moments later bearing gifts……a small carved elephant for each couple. We will always remember this experience when we see our new treasure.

 

We also swung by Tissamaharama where a large lake is. He took us there to see the “flying foxes”, or large fruit bats like we see in Cairns , Australia. The huge trees around the lake were loaded with the bats. They are very noisy and messy as they fan their wings to try to keep cool during the intense heat pf the day. Ended up back at camp by noon. It consisted of a cheese omelette, rolled pancakes filled with coconut, a hot bowl of curry made with chickpeas, and tortillas that we could use for dipping. Coffee, soda, and water were also served.

 

Spent the rest of the afternoon working on the computer. The speed was great for us, and even better, it was free. We had mentioned that lunch could be light, but it was far from it when the food arrived at 2pm. Seven bowls of food were served with chicken or tuna, or in our case, both. This this was called thali-style. With ample vegetables and a bowl of fried rice, we were happy to find that dessert was one scoop of chocolate ice cream.

 

The afternoon drive would be different. We headed towards Block three at 3:15pm, the final PM drive for our friends Alex and Michelle. Block three has the most sloth bears, so we were hoping to see one. We never did, but we did go to a monument of sorts. Located high on a rocky outcropping, we stopped at a manmade reservoir. From there, our guide led us up the side of the steep hill, but failed to tell us where we were going. Normally, we do not mind a deviation, but in this oppressive heat, we feel the guide should have asked any of us if we wanted to go. He simply said follow me. Seeing that the climb was getting difficult, we stopped at the top and informed Manjue that with the heat and other health issues, one of us could not do this. So one of us stayed back at the top, and waited for them to get back after viewing some ancient cave art. Yes, it is different to see these things, but it is far wiser to inquire first, before putting any of us at risk. Don’t think too much was missed by not seeing the rock graffiti. The park ranger had stayed behind to protect me from sudden bear attacks. As it was, we never saw any of the sloth bears. They are night animals anyway.

 

We drove through Block 5, and saw the usual birds, pigs, and cattle. Someone had spotted a leopard, so we took off in the right direction to see it. And see it, we did. Briefly, but at least we can claim it as a sighting. Taking in a few more bird sightings, we were back to the gate a tad bit late at ^:35pm. We were back to the gate by 6:35pm. And all was well with the world.

 

Dinner was served right away, and we ordered ice cold beers to go with it. Necessary in this heat. We had “hoppers”, a rice flour noodle served like a bird’s nest. Chicken, potatoes, and a curry containing hard boiled eggs with green vegetables filled our plates. Dessert was good, but for some reason, one of us cannot remember what it was. We were exhausted by now, so it is time to wrap things up. Until tomorrow, good evening.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[melodyesch]

I am really enjoying your trip report. It sounds like an amazing time.

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

Wonderful trip report! Anxious to read about your visit to UAE and other upcoming countries.

[WCB]

Report # 83 Yala Safari Camp March 23, 2016 Wednesday Hot and Humid as always

 

Wednesday began like the previous days….getting up at 4am, and starting the game drive by 5:30am. Gosh, it would have been great to have that early morning coffee, but we know better not to drink too much in the morning. Besides drinking the juice or water given to us during the drive, we also bring our own water to slowly sip all morning. The designated pit stops are a long time coming if you indulge with the coffee too early.

 

Our destination was Block # 1, close to our camp. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the roads are terrible, and you bounce like a yo-yo at times. And that is just getting to the gate. Once we were through the gate by 6am, the going gets slower, and the ride smooths out a bit.

 

Alex and Michelle were with us for their final drive. At the end of this morning adventure, we sadly had to bid farewell to our companions. It was such a pleasure meeting them both, and more so, since we seemed to share the same interests in life. That is, enjoy all we can, while we can still do it. Speaking for one of us, it is getting a bit difficult getting in and out of these vehicles, although the ladders are a significant help. Not much different than climbing stairs. Even though there is an ocean or two separating us (they are British citizens from Ireland), we think in the same vein. We are escaping the inclement weather at home to enjoy warmer climates in the world. Guess we got more than we bargained for here in Sri Lanka. Hot and hotter. They will need to be back to camp by 11ish, have breakfast, then pick up their ride to Galle for a three day stay. Perhaps we will see them there if we are lucky.

 

Our first encounter was with elephants. It was so foggy, they were fuzzy-looking in the camera lens. The elephants have spotted color on their ears, actually indicating their age. They can live to 60 years old. The mist was rising off of the pond waters as the whistling ducks, open-bill and wooley-neck storks waited for fish to jump. The common kingfisher was also waiting for his share. He is so tiny, that he is a magician at hiding. He is the prettiest of the kingfishers here with a deep turquoise color. A golden jackal was hiding in the brush, difficult to see him too. The four peacocks roosting in the tall trees saw him, as they sounded the alarm.

 

We got closer to a granite mountain with trees growing up the side of the steep cliffs. A little junglefowl was rooting in elephant dung by the roadside, never stopping his task of finding bugs. We spotted a little palm squirrel climbing a tree, while water buffalo and three large crocs floated by. Several bird sightings later, we came upon Elephant Rock, a monolith that really resembles the body and head of an elephant. Of course, that makes it a sacred place. There were redhead bulbuls here, and some smaller bee-eating birds devouring the insects underneath a rock cliff.

 

On the way to a pond to wait for a leopard, we saw a pair of mongoose. On the move, they were having no part of the picture-taking, and ran off into the brush. Suddenly, the road led to the Indian Ocean and a beach, where many other safari vehicles had come for a break. Good time to take a stroll to the water’s edge and collect a few small seashells and beach sand for the “sands of the world” collection we have at home. Right off of the sandy beach, is a set of three metal sculptures of waves. They represent the height of the waves caused by the 2004 tsunami. The height had to be 8 feet. Can you imagine a wall of water coming at you at breakneck speed, and there is nowhere to run? In a small cove near the end of the beach, were huts for fishermen. Their boats were pulled up in front of the huts. We are fairly certain that this village would have been here, but was wiped out. Memories must be short, because they are back here again.

 

Right over the ridge from the beach, was a big natural pond full of heron, spoonbills, and water buffalo. Further up the road, we saw a wild boar being cleaned by a common mynah bird. He enjoyed the cleaning until we came and spoiled his party. He and the bird left the scene.

 

We came across an even larger flooded plain choked with water lilies and pink and white lotus flowers blooming. More storks, coots, and jacanas flew over this body of water searching for food. By 10:45am , we were exiting the block with a rough ride back to the camp. Too bad we did not see any more leopards, as our safari mates would have liked that.

 

We arrived back at 11:45am, enough time for Michelle and Alex to finish packing and eat their breakfast. We said our goodbyes, and shared emails so we can send them photos from this visit here. They will be missed.

 

We had a brunch served at our tent table. It consisted of a cheese omelette, rolled pancakes filled with a coconut mixture, a hot bowl of chickpea curry, and tortillas to dip in it. A platter of assorted fresh fruit was added for dessert. We drank copious amounts of water, soda, and coffee with milk and sugar. The French-pressed coffee was great, but nice and strong.

 

For the next few hours, we took showers and worked on the computer and compiling the notes taken while in the jeep. Most of it is legible, some is not. Way too rough at times to make out the key words clearly. With the help of the photos, it comes together, more or less.

 

Guess what? Lunch was served around 2pm, not that we really needed it. We had requested it to be light, but not sure that message was completely understood. “Light” to the cooks was a thali-style 7 or 8 bowl meal. The small bowls contained chicken or tuna, simmered with onions and spices, more curries, several varieties of cooked veggies, and finally a heaping bowl of fried rice. Well, you know how that goes, when the food is presented, you have to be polite and try it. And besides, dinner would not be served until 8:30pm or so. Heaven forbid, we might get hungry.

 

Filled to the brim, we were ready for the afternoon game drive at 3pm. We found we had new jeep mates…..two young fellows from London. They were here for one night, so they would only have tonight and tomorrow morning to do the drives. If we were as lucky as our first drives, they will also see some leopards. It is the luck of the draw, we say. Besides our driver and guide, Manjue, we had two more guides along for the ride. First time we were a jeep-full of eight passengers.

 

We headed for Block # 5, the best place to see some big cats, we think. This time, once we entered the park gate, we turned right and were enveloped in the deep jungle growth. Looking back, we think they took us here to see some different landscape, as well as use up time until they knew the leopards would be on the move.

 

On this part of the drive, we found another pond, or tank as the guide called it. Little side note: after getting our hands on an excellent Yala Animals book in the drawing room of the hotel, we learned that these ponds were created by a corp of engineers. They are a series of flooded plains that are fed by gravity from a huge reservoir. Without them, the animals would only be here seasonally. They were creative in their thinking back then, and are responsible for much of the wildlife becoming permanent in this massive park.

 

Anyway, we saw the expected raptors up high in the trees, watching for prey. They included the grey-headed fish eagle, the crested serpent eagle, and anther crested hawk eagle. These birds are basically the “vultures” of the park, as we did not see any of those. They will clean up the carrion, as well as hunt fresh prey.

 

More monkeys were hanging around, watching the langurs, junglefowl, and the grey hornbills. An orange-headed green pigeon appeared with a small Ceylon barbet. Earlier, Michelle and Alex had told us the name “langur” had a much different meaning in Ireland or England. It referred to people who drank too much and left the bars in a drunken stupor. No wonder they chuckled every time our guide pointed out the langur moneys.

 

Further up this road, we saw a herd of spotted deer. This is good, because the leopards will be close to these herds. Every now and then, Manjue requested his driver to stop, turn off the engine, and listen for the sounds of animal calls. That is how we tracked some of the leopard sightings.

 

With no sounds heard, we drove to the sulfurous river for our “munchee” stop. Mango juice and cold water hit the spot, along with a few cheese and cracker sandwiches. Hey, remember, dinner would be late……..

 

At this point, it was time to back track and search for the leopards. With the full moon last night, it could be possible they made a kill or two, and would not be active today or this evening. That turned out not to be the case, since by 6:15pm, we saw one leopard that came out when it was almost dark. Did get some silhouette photos of it, but it was really getting dark rapidly. Without the light, the camera could not focus properly on the big cat. We stayed, watching for him to come back out, but we were pushing our luck, since the ranger had to be back by 6:30pm sharp. It was already 6:32pm and we sped all the way to the gate in a cloud of dust.

 

We were on the highway heading back, when the very same young elephant appeared on the side of the road, probably looking for handouts from the passing cars. Signs everywhere warn people not to feed wildlife, but it goes ignored by the do-gooders who have plenty of produce to share with them. We slowed in order not to hit the animal, then continued our journey. Not more than a few miles away, a leopard suddenly appeared from the brush, with the intent of crossing the road. The headlights of the jeep made the animal freeze in his tracks, which was good for a moment to get a picture. Changing his mind, he turned, and dove back into the cover of the jungle. How good is that? We saw two leopards in one game drive? Manjue said that was really unusual. Got back to the camp by 8pm.

 

Cocktails were waiting for us all, except we needed to do a quick wash-up and drop our gear off in the steaming tent. Wonder if this heatwave will ever let up?

 

Our group had increased with four more guests, a family with two kids from Wales. Like the two fellows from England, they would only be staying until after tomorrow’s morning game drive. All of us would be leaving then, making room for more new guests. The beers tasted wonderful. We ate our dinner down by our tent. It consisted of a platter of delicious chicken, surrounded by sliced tomatoes. Another platter of steamed veggies, potatoes, green beans, carrots, and beets, accompanied the entrée. You could smell the aroma of garlic from the slices of garlic bread. Good thing we were both eating it, so there would be no problem with “garlic” breath. A cool custard with a caramel sauce finished the meal nicely.

 

It wasn’t long before we crashed, and called it a night. But not before a cold shower and shampoo first. Seems like you cannot wash the dirt and dust away, no matter how much soap you use.

 

One more game drive tomorrow….hope we see more leopards, but that’s wishful thinking.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[donamae]

OMG, the photos on your blog are so breathtaking!!! So happy you had a leopard spotting, I actually had a lump in my throat...very emotional and I wasn't even there!

 

Once again you two, a thousand thanks for doing this, loving it !!!

 

dm.

[Lizzie68]

Wonderful photos on the blog. Thanks so much for taking the time to write here and upload all those photos.

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

Would someone post a link to the blog. Only excuse I can offer for not finding it is that I am kind of old.:o