Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing a huge bull elephant ambling across the plains at Yala - this was particularly good after seein them in peraheras...
Thoughts on Group Leader
Sampath was excellent, he was considerate, thoughtful and careful to offer us information about his culture at appropriate moments which meant I understood much more than I would have done otherwise. He was able to keep the group together and on schedule in an unobtrusive way and tried to accommodate the requests of individuals without inconveniencing the group. He was really kind and had a great sens of humour. The tipping kitty and water fund worked well and I liked the way that he used some of this to help those selling fruits etc. and tried, in this way, to spread the benefits of tourism through his country.Prasanna (our driver) and Udithe (assistant) also looked after us very well, Udithe was always ready to shin up a tree to pick some fruit for us to try. They all worked well as a team and the cricket games were enjoyed by all.
Advice for Potential Travellers
The Royal Lotus was the only hotel that was a littl ropey and check the state of your bike thoroughly before seting off - they weren't maintained very well (broken chain and moving saddle) which made the bike ride uncomfortable - though the meal we had on this day was one of the best!Try to see a local perahera - not just the Kandy Esala spectacle.