Stage 20

The last night in a guest house was very good for us and the dogs. We slept in and took our time to dry our laundry and pack our things because the next stage was only 12.4 km long. We were also highly motivated when the hike began.

 

Once again we went with the dogs into the hectic, noisy small town of Uda Pussellawa. The new hiking trail started right across the street. On the way we bought shorties and bananas for breakfast. We wanted to eat them as soon as a good spot was found. Where? The dogs would find the right spot for us if they were free. And that’s how it happened. As soon as we were in the tea plantation and there were no more people or dogs around, both were allowed off the leash. It wasn’t long before they were chasing each other through the tea bushes. At this location we had a great view of the landscape, Uda Pussellawa, our guest house, our hike from the day before and a mountain range at Brookside/Sooriyakanda.

 

We continued through green tea plantations. Suddenly in front of me a large flooded area. A stream ran straight through, thickets left and right and mud everywhere. Therein deep traces of deer and cattle crossings. In between, stones and strong green grassy islands that suggested a secure footing. So I jumped from stone to stone and grassy island to grassy island, was very close to the other side. Suddenly I was standing on a floating island of grass. The ground beneath me moved up and down. I wanted to quickly move on to the next island. My shoe sank, ran full of water, quickly returned, but too late. I sank up to my thighs in the ground. I was able to catch myself with my arms, free my legs and stand up again. Then it didn’t matter anyway and I ran through water and mud to the other side. I was soaked from head to toe, my shoes full of water and mud. Luckily my cell phone and my fanny pack with camera and GPS stayed dry. A bit damp on the outside, but otherwise ok.

 

Forewarned by this, Hiran Dias , Fazil Lee and Thilagar Tgr decided to follow the flooded path barefoot. Luckily I had sandals with me, which I wore from then on. The dirty shoes and socks were hanging on the back of my backpack.

 

Then we continued through a eucalyptus forest. Suddenly the boys called me to bend down on the floor. Why? The reason was easy to hear and see. A swarm of bees flew overhead. I looked at the dogs with concern. All right, we could go on. Continue through tea plantations to the Alnwick Estate, Berwick Division.

 

Now came the area that I had been looking forward to for a long time. 12 years ago I was in a cave near Istripura with Shirodh Malik Dias and Deepak. At that time I always wanted to know how it is there where I came from. An old circle was closed.

 

Further down we passed a quiet spring with little inflow, directly from the rock face. It actually looked good, only the dogs didn’t want to drink from it. That’s why we decided not to fill up our water bottles here. A few hundred yards further, near the Superintendent Bungalow, we found a better watering hole.

The caves were our next destination. I stayed outside with the dogs and luggage. The two came to cuddle and then looked for places to rest. Meanwhile, Hiran, Fazil and Thilagar were looking for the best entry. They stayed inside for half an hour. Came out sweaty and dirty. Not without injuries. Hiran had a scratch on his back. In some places the cave ceiling was very deep. Thilagar patched him up right away.

 

We continued around the cave mountain to the village of Sapogolla. At the first house I got water for the dogs. We had tea and biscuits from a friendly Sinhala family. We were also able to fill up our water bottles.

It was already 6 p.m. It was high time to look for a suitable campsite. Further down was a graveyard with a wooded area behind it. The local residents allowed us to camp there. But somehow the group was divided. So we went on. It was already dark when Fazil found a suitable area next to a residential building in the light of the flashlight. We went to the house and talked to the family. Her husband Anura was away, wife and 3 children at home alone. So we waited for his return home. Anura came a short time later, listened to everything and offered us tent sites in his unfinished new building. We were also able to use an outside toilet with a washing area and the covered veranda.

 

Our tents were set up quickly, Lucky and Browny couldn’t wait to come into my tent and spread out. And there were visitors. The family with the 3 children and friends. They all wanted to see our tents. They came with tea and biscuits. The children made friends very quickly with the dogs. We all quickly became familiar with each other. A super nice family. After setting up the tent, bathing and washing clothes, we went into the house for dinner. Anura’s wife had cooked dinner from our groceries. After that we were all happy to finally be able to sleep and sleep in. Because rain was announced for the next day.

 

And so it was, the next morning. First it started to drizzle, then to rain. After a short consultation with the team, I called my wife and asked her to pick us up. She was very happy that me and the dogs would come home earlier than expected. Among other things, because our son would be 13 years old two days later. So we could help her prepare everything.

 

Conclusion:

Another very nice hiking trail. We really liked the rise of Uda Pussellawa. Great landscapes, tea plantations, forests, mountains, villages, temples, distant views. In addition, the adventure mud bath, swarm of bees and caves. And to top it off, two lovable Sinhalese families who kindly welcomed and hosted us.