As I alight from my jeep, I hear the inimitable, plaintive call of the peacock. I see him wandering through this garden calling for his mate. The garden is a veritable jungle of trees comprising Gammalu, Palu, Burutha, Teak, Athdemata, Kumbuk and Khaya.  This peacock is not alone. There are plenty more, wandering freely and…

Up in the hills, high above low clouds, surrounded by terraced tea fields, I am in the heart of Haputale which is almost 180 km from the capital city of Colombo. The weekend is a cool getaway from the scorching heat of Colombo and I am at Sherwood, a quaint planter’s bungalow that has an…

I have a long drive ahead of me: it’s approximately 220 kms from Colombo to Kirinda. The others have already gone ahead and I look forward to joining them at the Panthera Lodge in Kirinda. By late morning, I reach Kirinda and my weekend begins. The Panthera Lodge is a rustic dormitory-styled open-aired bungalow that…

High on the Bahirawakanda mountain range stands a tall, glass-encased building with an amazing view of the city of Kandy down below. We make our way up steep and winding roads, and as we climb higher and higher, the chill in the air gets nippier at this early morning hour. But it is a welcome…

Expo Air’s brand new 12-seater Cessna Grand Caravan takes off at 7 a.m. from the Ratmalana Airport.  On this clear day, at 8000 feet, the sight of this lush, verdant land below is amazing. I am visiting Jaffna after almost ten years and I can’t wait to see what this historical city looks like, post…

It is a clear and beautiful day. We set off from our overnight abode in Galle en route to Mirissa. As we speed along, the sight of the sunrise is breathtaking. The boats against this backdrop are picture perfect and we stop for a few minutes to take photographs. Forty five minutes later, we arrive…

The road that leads to the Madulkelle Tea and Eco Lodge is long and winding. But the landscape along most of this 150 km drive is worth it. Exhilarating is the word that comes to mind and I am glad to be on the road again. Warmly welcomed by Bhathiya Gunasekara and his staff, I…

It’s time to hit the road again. My destination for the ‘long’ weekend is Kirinda and I am accompanied by 11 other die-hard adventurers. I know the weekend is going to be embellished with lots of fun, food and fabulous company. As usual, we opted to leave the city at the crack of dawn and…

Kandy, once known as the resplendent abode of royalty, claims a history of over three centuries with Kandyan kings ruling from 1593 -1815. The city has been declared a world heritage city by UNESCO. With its beautiful Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens as two of the most significant sights,…