YALA

Today we had a free morning as we weren't being picked up until 12.30pm to go to a Safari. Unfortunately we couldn't go to the Yala National Park for Safari as it was closed. Unfortunate but we were told it is the mating season! The park is the biggest national park in the country. It is located in the south eastern corner of the island and it has the added bonus of a scenic ocean front. Also it is near our hotel. We were taken to another park about 50kms away but didn't nearly have the animals we were told we would see at the Yala Park. It is reopening next week just our luck as I believe it is way way better. As our driver said the animals there are used to the cars going through and don't run off when they hear a car, where as with this one when we past the animals they ran into the trees as the Safari cars go through. We still enjoyed our afternoon having the experience driving in a safari Jeep especially made for this purpose.

Yesterday we arrived at the Jetwing Hotel Yala. A beautiful hotel just built three years ago. The travel agent who I was working with upgraded us to this hotel not sure why.

The bathroom is massive nearly half the size of the room. Has a semi outside shower area with an open roof. We were on the top floor so no problems there.

Looking back from the shower.

Huge balcony overlooking the pool, sand dunes and sea. We got this deluxe room as our agent appparently made a mistake so the parent company had to honour it. Lucky us especially as we are having three nights here.



Looking over the deck to the pool and sea. You can see we only get a little sea view due to the high sandunes along the beach. So if we had gone down one level we wouldn't have seen  the sea at all.

 

The swimming pool, it's huge. We had a swim this morning before pick up, after we had had a walk along the beach. The pool water was too warm due to the heat of the sun. I like it to be a little more refreshing. PT thought the temperature was perfect.

The beach in front of the hotel. It was so hot down there after our walk we were both wet through. So hot. Rough sea, big dumpers and probably a back wash when the waves go back out. This area was very damaged by their tsunami in 2004. When we head to the east coast tomorrow that area was badly hit also. Sri Lanka lost about 50,000 people in that tsunami. I wasn't going into the sea it looked too dangerous, although prefer the sea to pools. This photo doesn't show the big waves but they come in as real dumpers. The beach obviously goes down suddenly.

Walked further along the beach where there were a few boulders.



High up on the beach was a Turtle nest not that you could see anything as the eggs were buried in the sand. Staff advised that they are buried at 150mm and take 100 days to hatch.

 

PT watching the waves crashing in. There was a little fishing boat in the background but a bit small to see.

The main restaurant right behind the sand dunes looking out to sea.



Looking over the sand dunes from the restaurant.

Bar upstairs, downstairs another restaurant with indoor and outdoor dining.

Water buffalo. There were always plenty of these animals around



On the way out to the Safari we saw this little elephant coming out of the bushes on the side of the road.

This is what they call their Jeep Safari's but they are really a Toyota Hilux. Very practical and comfortable. The seats step up from front to back As we were the only people we had the choice. We were picked up and drove in this for about 50kms. It was a lot of fun tearing through the country and small towns. In our open air machine sitting up so high. The driver and our guide conversed with us through the hatch behind their seat.



We have now arrived at the Safari .

Above and below some local birds if you look close.

Crocodile area . Didn't see any here but saw some later. Photos further down.

Originally ants nests but we learned that cobra and rattle snakes have moved into most of the nests.

A stork.

A crocodile. Both were alive as we saw them moving. The one below slid into the water and swam off.

A deer running for his life.



Quite rough driving through the water and pot holes, but lots of fun.

Hornet bees nest. The bees were massive.



Driving through the Safari. A peacock ahead.

We were passing another Jeep

A peacock in full plume. It was quite a distance away and would have been 2 metres across.

The dam



Driving up to the top of the dam.

Lake at the top of the dam. The dam is man made and they spill the lake in the rainy monsoon season.

A white kingfisher. In fact it is both white and black. Quite a bit bigger than the NZ kingfisher  birds.

A group of deer.

We have forgotten the name of this eagle. Beautiful colours of cream and brown. He had caught a Water Monitor Lizard. We watched him for several minutes slowly chewing away.



Ditto

A Water Monitor Lizard.

Continuing through the Safari.

Can't see these deers very well, unfortunately it was over cast all afternoon. With the tree it needed the sun shining through to light up the animals.

On the way back on the main road we were fortunate to see some more wild elephants on the road. Very exciting. As soon as this baby saw us she ran to the bushes.

Then she turned around and had a peep at us. So cute.

This big male he wasn't scared at all just decided he wasn't going to move, don't think that I would have liked to have been in the Tuk Tuk.

Oh no he is turning.



Now coming towards us a bit close with our open sides as still in the Jeep.

This is getting too close, but had to get this shot. As he went past his trunk came up towards me. I then decided it was time to stop filming and lent away. 

Although we didn't get to see the real good Safari😟 the highlights were the experience in the Safari Jeep and seeing the wild Elephants. Great fun.

PT biggest regret we missed out on the leopards and several other animals the other park offered but I was so happy to be as close to the elephants as we were.  Leisure day today which is now Wednesday 24th so just lazing around the hotel. No blog for the 24th as mentioned, leisure day today. Off for a swim soon then we wait for the afternoon thunderstorms to come in. They are quite good as it relieves us of the heat a little although it is still very humid. We leave this hotel tomorrow 25th for the East coast where we have our last four days at a beach resort to have some R & R after our really full on trip. We are looking forward to that. As our day tomorrow 25th consists of a five and half hours driving with some tourist stops to view not sure if I will be up to doing the blog. If not I will post it on the 26th.