SL - Day 5 - Morning Safari Evening - UNESCO area of Galle

5 o'clock wake up call with coffee and in the jeep by 5:15am, arrived at the national park by opening, 6 am!  Saw more elephants, mommies, babies and lone daddies; more birds but no leopards. Had morning tea by a banyan tree and was back at the campsite by 9:30. Breakfast was prepared for us outside under a tree. We started with fresh watermelon juice served in a half of a watermelon, some fruit, Sri Lankan bran porridge (which was quite tasty), with coconut rotti and jams then an omelet. Then it was time to go meet our driver. 

We then went to an elephant transit conservationist area to see about 35 baby elephants who have had their homes misplaced due to new construction or land clearing. It was so cute they all walked in a straight line to the gate and then the elephants were allowed in about 3 at a time to be feed their milk through a plastic hose attached to a funnel and then were expected to move out of the way to eat some leaves on the ground...though some tried to go back for seconds. They elephants practically ran to get their milk. 

Kate W, Jenny O'D, Jill, Sandy W

We also stopped at a natural blow hole but the finally continued to Galle, at this point it was pouring rain. We had not booked a place and had basically agreed to stay I the same hotel so we had to find one that suited all our needs, so Katie and I checked out 4 places. The second and third were like omg no way...one was doable but 4th was definitely the best boutique hotel called The Fort Printers - absolutely beautiful hotel in the middle of the The Fort, a UNESCO site, and this is where we stayed for 2 nights. I even negotiated a lower price!