Arrived in Jaffna surviving the 400 km/8 hour car journey from Colombo which was almost as long as the flight from London. Of course we had to stop for our coconut drink and breathe in the sweet smelling fruit trees all around.

We journeyed through the afternoon from Colombo to Jaffna via Kuranagula and then straight up the A9 from Dambulla stopping briefly at Mihintale, the inaugural site of Buddhism in Sri Lanka (around 250 BC). Pilgrims flock here to climb its large rock, marvel at the 68 monk caves, rock inscriptions and stupas decorated with animals and floral motives. Images of Elephants, lions, horses and bulls depict the Four Nobel Truths of Buddhism.

A little further up we stopped to observe the farming activity known as Mudding, that is preparing the ground for planting rice with the many egrets getting in on the show.

Then on up through Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, across Elephant Pass and eventually onto Jaffna. Vavuniya is known as a border town with everything north of it Tamil dominated whereas all towns south from here Sinhalese.

More on the Elephant Pass causeway another day as there’s lots of history here.

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Next up: Exploring Jaffna  

Last blog: http://www.marciatrekssrilanka.com/2024/03/15/and-were-off-blog-march-2024/