Lovely start to the day when we were each presented with a rose from the hotel staff as a departing gift. I was relegated to the back seat again!!! As we drove along the roads were winding around the hillside but very bumpy as well. Next thing I know a large suitcase falls on me…hit my neck and shoulder then bounced off my arm onto the floor – talk about shock the hell out of me but no-one seemed to notice. By the time we stopped to look at Diyaluma Falls I was able to tell the guide about the incident and get the driver and helper to check the luggage piled up behind me – certainly don't want anything else to come down on top of me. Yesterday I put down to bad luck, today I put it down to carelessness.

Diyaluma Falls - At 220m, this is the second highest fall in Sri Lanka. The torrent of water cascades down to the Koslande Plateau and during rain it is a spectacular sight. Sadly, this enchanting fall visible from the Koslande highway may disappear due to frequent landslides. On one side of the fall the land is covered in deciduous plants. The fall is steeped in folklore. One story tells of how a king had fallen in love with a young woman belonging to a lower caste. This affair enraged the king's subjects so the lovers decided to flee. Arriving at the site of the fall, they began climbing upwards. The king made it to the top but the creeper the woman was hanging onto became entangled in rocks and she plunged to her death. It is said that the tears shed by the king in his grief were collected by a deity and turned into the fall as it stands today.

We then made a stop fuel which was an adventure in itself. While keeping the bus engine ON the driver and helper got out in the pouring rain to fill the bus!!! To top it off they then put some additive in the fuel and rocked the bus from side to side with us in it. We were starting to worry about our safety but they just laughed at us.

Next stop was the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Centre where they take injured baby elephants for treatment before releasing them. We were fortunate enough to arrive just as they were feeding them so it was a delightful sight to see them being fed and then playing around near us. Some were quite playful but others showed aggression which reminded us that although they are only small in elephant size they could still do a lot of damage to us.

After lunch we headed to Yala National Park where we were transferred to jeeps for a safari through the park trying to spot all the big mammals found in Sri Lanka. The park is a place of rocky outcrops, giant weathered trees, ancient lakes and the sound of the Indian Ocean in the background. The tour used to do this safari in the mornings but have now moved it to the afternoons to increase the chances of seeing the animals and despite it pouring down with torrential rain we managed to se them all including a leopard. Do realize that with only 35 leopards in the entire park the chances of actually seeing a single leopard are still relatively slim….so we counted ourselves as being extremely fortunate. Very few photos taken as visibility was poor and I was concentrating on trying to spot all the animals.

Yala National Park, also known as Ruhuna National Park, is the second largest in Sri Lanka. Located on the southeast side of the island and covering an area of 1,259sq km, the national park is famous for its herds of elephants, leopards, crocodiles and more than 130 species of birds. Actually it consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public; and also adjoining parks. The western part of Yala (block one) is named as the area with highest leopard concentration in the world. The elephant herd of Yala contains 300–350 individuals. Sri Lankan Sloth Bear, Sri Lankan Leopard, Sri Lankan Elephant, Wild water buffalo are threatened species. Toque Macaque, Golden Palm Civet, Red Slender Loris, and Fishing Cat are among the other mammals that can be seen in Yala.

After an action packed afternoon we headed for Kataragama where we are spending the night. Since the incident with the suitcase this morning my neck and back got increasingly worse as the day went on so ended up in excruciating pain. During the safari I was in tears with the pain so was happy to reach the hotel so I could seek some ayurvedic treatment. Glad I got to see all the animals but can’t say it was an enjoyable day. Am hoping that some treatment will set me right and I can enjoy the rest if my holiday.