Facebook Photo's

I Have managed to upload some photo's onto facebook. I am only uploading my Sri Lanka photo's for now, and will upload the Indian photo's at the end of march. As that is when i will be leaving India ... Take a look, the album is "Sri Lanka", was really original i know ! hope you enjoy :)

Hikkaduwa

So since Friday, I've been in Hikkaduwa. There is not much to do here, apart from lay on the beach, and most days its just too hot. I have been working hard to try and fill my days with going to see local tourist attractions.

Yesterday i went on a river boat safari, where we stopped at a little cinnamon farm island. We got given a brief basic tour, and then got showed how they prepare the Cinnamon for cooking/selling or making into oil. It was interesting enough. Then a little further down the river we stopped at a temple, where we were shown around by a very serious monk. He showed us a 450 year old tree, and a few very colourful paintings. It was nice, slightly boring as i have been to at least 8 temples now. We continued down the river, taking in the gawjus scenery, we saw a few monitor lizards, herons, blue jelly fish and a couple of other birds i cant remember the name of.
After the boat safari, we went to a local Moon stone mine. It was interesting but there wasn't a whole lot to see, they made sure we spent the majority of our time in their shop. In all fairness, they had thousands of things to look at, all jewelry they had made there. I bought a simple blue moonstone pendant, only $20 (that is supposed to be a pound sign) .
Then i got back to Hikkaduwa, had a quick nap (10 minutes because people kept shouting outside my room) and went out for Rotti with a friend.

Today i went to see a mask studio, But again there wasn't much to see, just to buy. Then went with my friend to the lake and we rented a paddle boat, which was hot but peaceful. We stayed about an hour, so by 11am we were finished with that days plan :\ . But to be honest it was just nice getting away from the hotel and Hikkaduwa.
I have found over the last few days that if i don't keep busy, i think of home, and start to get a little low. After talking to mum and dad, i realize i am just missing the comforts of being with people i feel comfortable with. I mean its nice meeting people and all, but sometimes you don't want to have to make all the small talk, and get to know people. Also i haven't had a hug in like 2 months :(.
But i know, to take one day at a time and before i know it i will be seeing Jessica (god sister) and her friend in India on the 3rd march. Then i can have as many cuddles as i want :) .

So i think tomorrow, i will visit Galle. It is the main City here. There is a historical fort which everybody tells me is really beautiful to walk around it. Then i will have to think of activities for Friday and part of sat.
I leave for Colombo on Sunday and have a early flight to India Monday morning. I fly into Thiruvananthapuram and then stay 3 nights somewhere nice (thought i needed a treat, still in budget though) and then on the 3rd, i will get a flight to Mumbai and meet Jess at the airport :) .

Will update you guys soon x

SO...

So , i finished work on Friday. I wasn't sad to leave, but i will miss some of the turtles .
Wish i was able to sneak one into my pocket and bought him back with me :p . Working there was nice, and i really felt i had helped, but i was ready to leave and start my holidaying.
Since Friday night, i have been staying in Hikkaduwa. A local town, where lots of surfers and beach bums hang out. I've met lotsa cool people, but there isn't really much to do here so i cant see myself staying here for much longer. I am looking at flights to Kerela ( SW India) atm. Maybe will book one for Wednesday and stay in Colombo Tuesday night. Need to do abit more re-search.

Will update you when i have a plan :)

Turtles...for dad

Making a turtle nest in the warm sand















Placing the eggsin the nest
















Seriously once in a life time opportunity! who else can say they re-buried turtle eggs and waited for them to hatch and help them back to the sea .


So dad, you wanted a post just about turtles! Here you are, i'm going to bore you with all the facts i have learnt about Turtles ( which is what i tell the tourists when i am showing them around) .


At the Peraliya Turtle Farm, we have 5 different species of Sea Turtle ; Green Turtle, Logger head, Hawks bill , Olive Ridley and the very rare Leather Back.
The farm is owned and run my Nimal, but was started by his father in 2000. Sadly after the Tsunami hit, the farm was destroyed and Nimal lost all his family, including his wife and 3 young children.
Nimal was able to re-build most of the farm/Hatchery with the help of the Hikkaduwa Area Relief Fund in the UK, many volunteers (like myself ) helped build it with him. Although it still needs alot of work, Nimal has helped hundreds of thousands of turtles back to the sea.
He charges a R.300 entry fee to tourists and encourages donations, however i do not like to get involved in that... so i let him explain his story.


now the boring stuff....
Green turtles - The Green sea turtle is largest hard-shelled sea turtle. Adults of the species commonly reach 1.5 m in diameter and 150 kg . The average size of a female is 1.8 m. These turtles are also famous, as they were featured in the film "Finding Nemo". We have one at the farm, i named her Elle. In my opinion they are the most attractive turtles and are very gentle.


Hawks bill Turtles - the Smallest of our sea turtles. Can reach up to 1 m in diameter and average weight of 65kg. They are given their name because of their beak like mouth. Years ago, their shells used to be sold for making fine jewelry , handbags and window displays. They have a beautifle paint splatted shell .


Leather back Turtle - The leather back is the largest living turtle and is so distinctive that it is placed in its own separate family, Dermochelys. All other sea turtles have bony hard plates on their shells . The leather back’s shell is slightly flexible and has a rubbery texture. No sharp angle is formed between the shell and the under-belly so a leatherback is somewhat barrel-shaped.The front flippers of a leatherback are longer than in the other marine turtles, Even when you take the leather back’s size into account. They can reach 2.5m in diameter and weigh up to 600kg .


Logger Head Turtle - The shell of adult logger head is reddish-brown.
Average body mass about 113 kg. they can reach up to 1.9m in diameter. Hatchling's can vary colour from light to dark brown.
Flippers are dark brown with white margins. The belly and other under Parts have a faded yellow ochre appearance.


Olive Ridley Turtle - The Olive Ridley is usually less than 100 pounds and named for the olive color of its heart-shaped shell. This is an omnivorous turtle. It forages offshore in surface water or dives to depths of at least 150 meters (500 Feet) to feed on bottom dwelling shrimp, Crabs, Sea urchins and other animals crustacens, mollusks and tunicates. Olive Ridley are sometimes seen feeding on jellyfish in surface waters. But it is a problem as they can often mistake plastic bags for jelly fish.

So far, my work has involved; draining the tanks and re-filling them with fresh sea water. Cleaning the tanks, which involves getting into the smelly tank and scrubbing the algae off the walls ( can take up to 2 hours per tank :( .) Feeding time, where i carry each of the turtles to the feeding tank, and chuck in a bucket of fish. Giving tours (thats the fun part). Releasing babies (the highlight of my day :) .
I usually start work around 9am and finish at 1pm. I only have a few days left of it, so i'm taking loadsa pictures !

Some more pics...

Baby turtle scampers for the sea


Home sweet home Sri Lanka


My very own room!


Double bed, just for me and the mossies

Starting the project...

So i started the Turtle project on Tuesday. I'm really enjoying it, although it is hard work, especially in the heat. Every day i come in at 9am, i feed the turtles, then drain which ever 2 tanks need cleaning for that day. Later i scrub all the algae of the walls... yum... after that i hose the walls dwn and fill the tanks back up. By then its about 12.Its nice when visitors start showing up, because then there is someone to talk to !
I usually leave around 1pm, and go straight back to the house and have lunch. Which is always curry and rice. Although the cook is extremely good ! It is now natural for me to eat with my hands, and i think its gonna be hard to let that habit go :P...
after lunch i usually sit and read for an hour just to relax a little, and then i go out into Ambalangoda town. Where i sit in the cafe and have a fruit smoothie, or go to the internet shop... where i constantly attempt to upload photo's for you guys, but it never works :(.
I eat supper at 7, which believe it or not, is .... CURRY AND RICE! haha!
The i wash up, even though i have been told to leave it for the "helpers" to do... but i feel bad, they are constantly running around asking if i need or want anything.
And most nights i read until i fall asleep. It feels like i do so much, but reading this... i sound so boring!
my aim for tomorrow is to go out into Hikkaduwa, to meet some fellow tourists... so that i have some one to actually talk properly with and meet up with.

Will blog again soon x

El Problemo with the pictures...

I was trying to upload lots of pictures from Sri Lanka so far.... but as you know internet is pretty crap here and it wasn't uploading to my blog! But i am trying to get them onto Facebook... so check my pictures ! :) x

Sri Lanka

Just arrived in Sri Lanka on Tuesday , after many many hours of travelling .
It's been raining scince i got here :( . But its still warm and humid so its ok. The last few days i've been doing "introduction week" so learning about sri Lankan History , Buddhism , visiting temples and other attractions. So far i have visited a Batik factory and watched the women as they made some incredible peices of art, i went to The Temple of the Tooth (which is in Kandy) and i have visited Kandy city.
I will start my project next tuesday , i'm really looking forward to it. I will be staying with a family and starting work at the turtle factory at 7:30am . My job will involve sleaning the tanks, cleaning the turtle's shells, feeding, taking the turtles to the sea so they can have a little dip and then take them back, and looking after the baby's ! yey!
It is a fairly lonely job though, i will have to try and meet people on the beach, as i am the only volounteer and do not know anyone here :s .
Internet here is very SLOW and always crashing so forgive me if i cant update you guys as much as i was in india. Will try and wrirte some more after i have started work . Missing everyone , tata x