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are released at night to the ocean to ensure their best chance of survival. On every tour I have been on, there is always one big day, about two hundred and fifty kilometres doesn’ t sound much, but it was eight hours on the bike, so that was a long day on the little XR.
After the storms the night before, the clouds did their best to keep the sun at bay, as we climbed back up into the mountains, only one problem, the clouds were dark grey. Inevitably we would get rained on at some point during the day as we were heading to the geographical wettest part of the country.
Fortunately for us, we managed to escape with only light showers until lunchtime. Unfortunately for us, Nemo got a puncture in his rear tyre in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately, the country is heavily populated, and a kind family assisted with a hand pump to reinflate the tyre to allow us to continue on for another twenty or so kilometres nursing the tyre.
When it rained here, it bucketed down. Already wet, and behind schedule we kept on riding to avoid riding in the dark, so with the weather against us and a puncture on the biggest day of the ride, it was fair to say we were glad to reach the hotel.
It felt wrong arriving at the hotel dripping wet. When I saw my room for the night, I couldn’ t believe it. Holy moly its was absolutely gorgeous, rated only two stars, I think someone messed up the rating, it was like the presidential honeymoon suite complete with a large veranda overlooking the Kelani Ganga River.
With all that good fortune on the previous day we had thought our luck had finally run out. Thunderstorms overnight continued during the morning and by the time we packed the bikes it had eased. So lucky,
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