Sri Lanka is full of surprises. Our driver Mr Gama Ounago has taken us to many amazing places already. The very high security in Colombo, the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Mihintale, the scary climb up a volcanic plug to see ancient ruins at Sigiriya, a cave temple at Dambulla, the elephant orphans at Pinnawala and the glorious botanical gardens at Kandy - especially the orchid house!

Tomorrow we leave Kandy and it's Sacred Tooth Temple, [we dare you to look it up on the web sometime] and travel to the Hill country. Tea plantations and cooler temperatures and a hotel where we aren't the only guests, hopefully! It's rather sorrowful to be the only two in a place built for dozens. The clatter of just your own cutlery and crockery in the dining room! At least we've had some bats for company while we eat. Don't worry. It's a cleverly designed building with a square pond on the second floor with two glass walls, a brick wall and the other side open to the outside. The bats seem to eat when we do, swooping in to snatch a tasty morsel. We have to make do with a selection of fish, beef or chicken curry or other Sri Lankan treats. Last night we saw a firefly - more interesting to watch than eat!