The Rambukana tea garden plantation is where we’ve arrived at today. Unbelievably the owner’s brother lives in Kingston-upon-Thames! That feels surreal! We are now encased in a stunningly manicured garden carved out of the rain …
Continue readingCategory: Trek planning
Blog 3 – trekking from Ahangama to Makuludola Estate, Dampella
There was a heavy and noisy storm last night and it was still raining this morning when we woke but even still the air remained thick and humid. We managed to trek another 14km today …
Continue readingBlog Number 2 – SETTING OFF!
After a day in and around Galle visiting Their Future Today (TFT) projects as detailed in yesterday’s blog, we began our trek towards Kandy from Galle Cricket ground at 7am this morning. We received a …
Continue readingBlog Number 1 – Galle to Kandy – in and around Galle
Heathrow to Colombo and then to Galle could not have been smoother even though we had prepared for the worst as we had been warned of shortages in many things. In fact it was probably …
Continue readingFINAL PRE-TREK UPDATE …… AND WE’RE OFF…
Send off supper Last weekend Their Future Today (TFT) organised a ’send off’ supper for Gill and me at Indian Zest in Sunbury and we had a fab evening. Lots of amazing friends and TFT …
Continue reading10 days to go! Sri Lanka trek update
Fundraising update 74% of my target now raised – that’s a whopping £7,400 – refer to blog of 1st March for the detail and how it’s being used. Gill’s and my travel documents are now …
Continue readingSri Lanka Trek update – 1 March 2022
Sri Lanka Trek update – 1 March 2022 March is here! It’s THIS month I begin Part 1 of my 10 week trek across Sri Lanka. I’m raising funds to support vulnerable women and children …
Continue readingSri Lanka trek update & urgent call for volunteers
Whilst it was disappointing I couldn’t go to Sri Lanka last November as planned, I’ve decided to go this Easter 2022 and begin my charity trek across the island. Instead of trekking across Sri Lanka …
Continue readingTrek challenge update, Ebay accumulator & next steps
Well Covid has wrecked the trek – for this November as planned. Whilst Sri Lanka is in a national lockdown, Covid cases and hospitalisations there deeply concerning, it makes no sense for me to attempt …
Continue readingMy overall trekking route and a request of you!
Below is my final draft of the route showing my planned trek across Sri Lanka later this year to raise funds to support: girls/women who are survivors of gender-based violence children’s education equipment for schools …
Continue readingLeg 10 (Final leg) – Mihintale to Colombo airport via Kurunegala (200km)
Nearing the end If all’s gone to plan it should be early Feb 2022 by now and I need to be back at work for the 7th. I’ll have travelled from Galle on the south …
Continue readingLeg 9 – Homeward bound via Mihintale: where Buddhism and State became entwined
From Jaffna train station I’ll travel the 200km to Mihintale Junction which will take 3 hours and cost just 400 Sri Lankan Rupees (£1.50). I don’t expect it to be the most scenic of Sri …
Continue readingLeg 8 – Around the Jaffna islands: wild ponies, Ambal kovil, and the silver dagoba marking the Buddha’s legendary visit to Sri Lanka
Directly west of Jaffna is a string of islands straggling out into the waters of the Palk Strait towards south-east India. I’m going to try to hop across the archipelago to the remotest island of …
Continue readingSpotlight on the Jaffna Peninsula and the city itself
Centuries ago and up until the 17th century when the Portuguese conquered and killed the last king, Jaffna was a kingdom of its own. It had a rich Sangam (Tamil) literature, historically known as ‘the …
Continue readingLeg 7 – Mullaitivu to the Jaffna Peninsula via Kilinochchi and Elephant Pass (approx 85 km)
This has probably been my hardest blog to research as there’s little written about this part of Sri Lanka and next to nothing from a tourist perspective. Tourism has not yet reached this leg! The …
Continue readingLeg 6 – Edging further up the NE coast – Trincomolee to Mullaitivu
Out of bounds I needed to dig a bit deeper to find out what to look out for and the best way to travel this leg. Mullaitivu is set north east of the island. It’s …
Continue readingLeg 5 – Polonnaruwa to Trincomalee via Habarana
Leaving the ancient cities Having had a few days exploring the ancient and ruined sites of Polonnarawa, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Anuradhapura, I’ll be heading east again. This time though it’ll be further north up the …
Continue readingSpotlight on Polonnaruwa: the city gobbled up by the jungle and other ancient sites
Save a Prayer If you’re getting on a bit, like me, you may remember Duran Duran’s video of their hit song ‘Save a Prayer’ (1982). It was filmed on location in Sri Lanka and notably …
Continue readingLeg 4 – Kandy to Polonnaruwa – 200km
Heading out of Kandy I’ll be heading east out of Kandy towards the ancient city of Polonnaruwa via Mahiyangana and Wasgamuwa National Park. Hoping a friend or two will be free to join me for …
Continue readingAll about Kandy – the last capital of the ancient kings
Kandy Town Overcrowded, humid, bustling, colourful and loud, with lots of tuk tuks beeping, is how I’d describe a first impression of Kandy town. It has a fabulously faded grandeur with its centre piece: a …
Continue reading