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changed from mist to sun, to mist back to full sun. World’ s End is the massive cliff towering over the valley below, there is a nine-kilometre hike that takes you to the edge, and when the cloud rolls in, I’ m told it’ s like you are standing on the edge of the world, we took option B and viewed the cliff from the bikes as we descended the mountain.
Arriving in Ella, the view from my balcony was like something out of Avatar. I was waiting for the Banshees to come flying around the corner of Ella rock to land near the waterfall, truly a magical place and I could see why tourists from all over the globe flock here.
Ella would have been incomplete if we didn’ t visit the nine-arch bridge. It is the only bridge of its kind, built to curve around the ravine one way and the tracks disappear into a tunnel the other way. Lucky enough to see the train run on the track, it was also jam packed with tourists.
We walked further to Little Adams Peak and climbed to the top and sat for ages to take it all in.... its stunning! The temple music started to play in the distance, and it echoed through the valley. I am really so amazed by Sri Lanka....
Leaving the mountains, the decrease in altitude meant a noticeable increase in humidity and heat. Having ridden to the south of Sri Lanka the landscape changed significantly. Lots of wetlands with abundant bird life and lotus flowers. It was incredibly pretty with the lush green rice paddies and mountains in the distance.
After nine days of riding all over the country I finally rode past wild elephants! As I have said already, every day trumped the day before and I honestly felt like I was going to explode with all the happiness and fulness riding here generated.
We averaged five to seven hours riding a day, which was enough on the little XR250, however we had a shorter day; as I went on a Safari, and I thought awesome more Elephants. Little did I know we were not only there to see the Elephants.
Yala National Park is 927 square kilometres in size and is home to around 350 elephants and forty or so leopards. With just twenty-five minutes to go before the park closed for the day we were able to spot two leopards lazing about on a rock. It was pretty amazing how close to the road they were, about thirty metres away, and with the elephants, I’ d say we were only six or seven metres away. My mind was blown.
Being in the south of the island, near the coast was hot and humid, it was really weird how there was no real coastal breeze. It was densely populated, increased traffic and so much busier than the mountains.
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