Chapter 15 - 2006 Golfing Visit with Ruth and Mick & Jenny

After our plane flight from Australia, we spent the night at a hotel in Negombo for some rest and recreation to get over any jet lag we may have been suffering from.








JENNY AND MICK TAKE A WALK ON THE BEACH






A HEARTY SRI LANKAN BREAKFAST



















After a day of rest it was time to start our golfing tour of Sri Lanka and see the sights and experience the Kandy Perahara and other events.




A WELCOME BREAK FOR A CUP OF CEYLON TEA ALONG THE WAY
The first stop was the Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage.



































After the baby elephants were given a good feed it was down to the river for a bath and frolic.

























A lunch at the Pinnalanda Hotel and we were on our way to Kandalama.








A lotus flower greeting at the kandalama Hotel.







MEET THE WILD LIFE 








RELAX WITH A COOLING SWIM BEFORE DINNER




AT DINNER THAT NIGHT
















VIEW FROM OUR BEDROOM OF THE WILD LIFE 






















After a good night's sleep, next day we visit Polonaruwa in the Cultural Triangle to view the ruined city and it's environments.
































After that it was off to climb the Sigirya Rock Fortress.






Next day it was recommended that we all have a ride on an elephant, which we all did with gusto.





KANDALAMA HOTEL FROM ACROSS THE LAKE




















RUTH RELAXES WHILE WE RIDE AN ELEPHANT















A REGULAR VISITOR ON OUR BALCONY











JENNY LOOKING OVER THE BALCONY











RELAXING BY THE POOL












A SQUIRREL VISITOR 







After a relaxing two days at Kandalama it was time to leave for Kandy. On the way we stopped at the Dimbulla Rock Temple.



















DIMBULLA ROCK TEMPLE









Then a visit to a spice garden.

We got to our hotel and after a refreshing drink and shower, were ready to be taken to our seats to view the kandy Perahara. We had to get to the location before night fall as the roads would have been closed for the procession.






FLAG BEARERS





PARADE ELEPHANTS







KANDYAN DRUMMERS





KANDYAN DANCERS
































Next morning after a good nights sleep, we took a tour of the surrounds of kandy.






We then went to the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens.







MICK TAKING A VIEW OF THE GARDENS




RUTH AND JENNY TAKE A VIEW OF THE LAKE






A FRUIT BAT OFFERED TO US, WITH A POLITE "NO THANK YOU" REPLY



AVENUE OF TREES








ED AND RUTH IN THE GREEN HOUSE











RUTH IN THE ORCHID HOUSE











We next went for lunch at a restaurant over looking the Mahaveli River.







Then it was back to the hotel for dinner and a nights rest before heading to the Victoria Golf Club at Digana.


As we walked into the hotel I noticed that on the night there was to be a Rotary Club meeting and I arranged to attend. The format of the meeting was interesting in that the business of the day was held first and when the meeting finished, all Rotarians adjourned to the bar for nibbles and drinks. I was glad to meet some of the local Rotarians and talk to them about what they were doing in Kandy. A unexpected pleasant surprise.

The driver picked us up in the morning and drove us to the Victoria Golf club at Digana.






THE FIRST HOLE AT VICTORIA GOLF CLUB





ED PUTTING





MICK TEES OFF








A CHALLENGING GOLF COURSE





VIEW TO LAKE VICTORIA FROM A GREEN








RAIN CLOUDS GATHER








ONE OF OUR CADDY'S






JENNY LIMBERS UP AFTER THE GAME





THE VICTORIA GOLF CLUB HOUSE
                                                           
                                                  Waiting for the driver to pick us up






On the way to the hotel we visited the Kandy Cricket Grounds where the Test Matches are played.






That night after dinner we went to see a Cultural Show in Kandy.





KANDYAN DRUMMERS WITH SINGERS






FEMALE KANDYAN DANCERS





MALE KANDYAN DANCERS








KANDYAN DEVIL DANCERS






KANDYAN DISC TWIRLING







THE CAST OF THE SHOW TAKE A BOW






After the Cultural Show we were given a demonstration of "Fire Walking".






On the way back to the hotel, driver suggested we visit the Mahaligawa temple.





In the morning, a very nice breakfast and we were ready for the journey to Nuwara Eliya.







ON THE KANDY - NUWARA ELIYA ROAD








A stop at the Ramboda Hotel for a cup of tea and biscuits.







A customary stop at the Labookellie Tea factory to see how tea is made and have a hot cup of tea.










And then on the road again to Nuwara Eliya in the clouds to arrive at the Grand Hotel.





AWAITING OUR ROOM ALLOCATION





NUWARA ELIYA POST OFFICE





MICK NEXT TO OLD "ENGLISH POST BOX" 







GRAND HOTEL NUWARA ELIYA


  Once again I was fortunate enough to be at the right place at the right time to find that the Annual General Meeting of the Rotary Club of Nuwara Eliya was to be held that same night. I ask to attend and was welcomed at the meeting. There was a raffle for a entry ticket prize and much to my surprise I won one of the draws for a holiday some where in Sri Lanka. I politely refused to accept the prize and suggested it be redrawn, to be won by a local Rotarian. A good night was had by all.






ROTARY CLUB A.G.M. 

 The next day we took a short walk from the hotel to the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club and hired caddies for a game of golf.






JENNY PLAYS AN APPROACH SHOT TO THE FIRST HOLE GREEN






MICK APPROACHING GREEN





JENNY TEES OFF





VIEW ACROSS GOLF COURSE







ED LOOKS FOR HIS "LOST" BALL










JENNY PUTTING






VIEW FROM GREEN TO GOLF CLUB






ED CHIPS ON TO GREEN 





THE FINAL HOLE
It was then back to the hotel for a warm bath and get ready for dinner.






AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE





A WIDE SELECTION OF FOODS FOR BREAKFAST 




A walk in the hotel gardens to stretch our legs and then get ready for the long journey to Colombo.








The driver picked us up after breakfast and we took the Nuwara Eliya - Ratnapura Road to Colombo, so as not travel the same road that we took to get to Nuwara Eliya.













We stopped for lunch at a restaurant situated next to a river where white water rafting was a popular sport.



It was then off to Colombo for our next game of golf at the Royal Colombo Golf Club and some rest and relaxation before our flight back to Australia.






We booked into the Kingsbury Hotel in the Fort and had a relaxing afternoon.





THE HOTEL CAFETERIA 





Next day we asked our driver to take us to the Pettah Shopping District and wandered around the streets looking at the shops.





AT THE DUTCH MUSEUM THAT WAS BEING RE-FURBISHED 






THE FORT RAILWAY STATION






THE KINGSBURY HOTEL FOYER


As our hotel was near the Galle Face Green we took a walk to the Galle Face hotel for refreshing drink.





AT THE GALLE FACE HOTEL

The next day we were taken to the Royal Colombo Golf Club to enjoy our last game of golf on this tour.






THE ROYAL COLOMBO GOLF CLUB 




ONE OF THE SEVERAL LAKES ON THE GOLF COURSE





LOOKING BACK TO THE CLUB HOUSE






ED CHIPPING OVER A WATER HAZARD 




ONE OF SEVERAL WATER HAZARDS ON THE GOLF COURSE






THE TRAIN LINE THAT  RUNS THROUGH THE GOLF COURSE IS A HAZARD THAT YOU HAVE TO CHIP OVER





A WATER MONITOR FROM ONE OF THE LAKES AROUND THE GOLF COURSE
 

On our last day in Colombo we took the opportunity to do some sopping at on of the shopping precincts.








RUTH RELAXING AT THE SHOPPING CENTRE






VIEW FROM OUR HOTEL ROOM
To kill time until we were picked up by the driver to take us to the air port we decided to visit the Cinnamon Grand Hotel that was near the Galle Face Hotel for a quick cup of tea and a farewell drink.







THE RECEPTION DRUMMERS





AT THE CINNAMON GRAND HOTEL 
THEN IT WAS GOODBYE TO SRI LANKA AND WELCOME TO AUSTRALIA.

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