15. Unawatuna to Tissamaharama

We have left Unawatuna, driving further along  the coast for Tissamaharama, about 160 km. 

Part of the journey is on the new 'Southern Expressway' a road built as part of the Government's efforts to rebuild the country after the civil war with the Tamil Tigers that ended in 2009. Roads like this, linking previously isolated areas, will help pull the country together. 

We tick off kilometres at a good rate,  passing signs to towns with unpronounceable names:  Telijawila, Kohuliyadda, Aluthwaththa ... This is a a fast motorway where Tuc Tucs, slow vehicles and bullock carts are banned!

Bullock carts are used by many small farmers and are generally overloaded. These gentle animals just keep plodding on whilst cars and lorries roar past.

We pass paddy fields  and intensive horticultural areas, neat terracing and crops that seem to be flourishing. We catch sight of water sprays providing irrigation to the hillsides.  


Rice: Sri Lanka's  prime crop. 

Everything looks organized.

Sacred site for Buddhist Pilgrims

Finally, we reach Tissamaharama where we find the huge Tissa Maha Dagoba, one of the most sacred Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. 

Statue of Bhudda sits close by

Tissamaharama
A bustling little town with banks, shops and cafes,  bounded by paddy fields and two vast lakes that hold rainwater from the hills, providing freshwater for homes and irrigation.  

We are staying at the new 26-room Thaulle Resort & Spa  which overlooks Yoda Lake.

   

View from our Balcony

The little cluster of roofs below almost hidden by trees, is an Ayurvedic clinic  Ayurveda is a 5000 year old system of natural healing with its roots in India.  

The clinic maintains a full-time doctor and team of masseurs. Several hotel guests are here specifically for the Clinic and are prescribed a regime of exercise, massage, relaxation and diet.

We book a session because we're told you can't visit Sri Lanka without taking the opportunity to improve body and soul.   When in Rome .....

 

The Ayurvedic clinic  - Appointment at 2pm - Today's the day !  
  

Stripped down to bare essentials we meet the Doc before being passed to a selected masseur.

Oooh!!  Arrrh!!  Oouch!!.....

45 bone-cracking minutes later we feel more supple and drink the large glasses of warm green cloudy herbal concoctions that we are assured will cleanse the system and soul.

Sorry - No photographs of today's events!!!

Safari at Yala National Park

This morning two parties of tourists left at 5.30 am for a six hour safari.   We preferred a more relaxed start and have booked a 3-hour 'short safari'  leaving at 2.30pm for the nearby Yala National Park.

Our jeep arrives on time and we clamber aboard with our bottles of water, binoculars and camera for our short trip.  It's a huge machine,  painted regulation dark green with enough seats for 10 persons,

Yala National Park

 

Our driver takes us at slow speed through the park, pointing out birds, deer, boar, monkeys...more birds....more deer....more boar......... he diverts onto side tracks and quiet areas in the hope of seeing a leopard. 

Sadly, no leopard, which isn't really surprising as Yala is too popular for its own good and there are dozens of jeeps packed with tourists every day - enough to deter any wild animal from coming out of hiding..

.......then suddenly a Heffalump!!
We stop with a jolt to avoid a collision. She stood, looking at us for ages before walking on.

 ......... and the tale of a tail
Like an Ostrich, this young crocodile thought that he was safely hidden in the bushes but seems to have forgotten his tail which projected onto the track!

Our driver eased forward inch by inch until the jeep got really close before he moved ......music added to get you through the tension of the next 1.5 mins!! Apologies for some shakey moments - the road was a bit lumpy.

 

A glamorous peacock

Heading back to the hotel the traffic was taking care to avoid this group of cattle out for a stroll in the evening sun.

 

7 days in Tissamaharama.