Regretfully checked out of our hotel this morning. It was an idyllic spot, the room was awesome as was the scenery and the staff were ever pleasant and helpful.

However, needs must and we had to be on the road again heading south for our next safari. We stopped on the way at an ancient historic ‘temple’. Well, it was once when it was built in the 10th century! It has a huge 50ft high Buddha carved into a rock face as well as other smaller figures. It is now in the middle of nowhere but was obviously a busier place when the king at the time ordered it. There is also a small stupa which could have been the work of Adrian the Builder!

Pressing on we arrived at an elephant orphanage where they feed the mainly baby elephants milk and grass six times a day. It is open to the public and we watched the midday feed with about 40 elephants of various ages being fed. They are kept like this until they are 10 and are then released into the adjacent safari park to fend for themselves.

Just down the road was our hotel. Not what we have been used to on this trip, it is a large hotel (60 rooms) and not the most attractive of constructions! However,it is very convenient to the park and will be good for our early morning drive. 05.30 wake up call!

It also has a decent size pool which we have made use of!

ADO/LMA. xx