In jungle paradise - Gal Oya on boat safari

13-5-1 - Sunday 5th March

Bidding our new friends Ann & Kinnaird goodbye as they too set off on the next stage of their Sri Lankan adventure, with the trusty Sumith at the wheel we left the beautiful Stafford Bungalow and drove due east from Rafaela to Bobile in the direction of Rantambe reservoir. Our three hour trip took us via Walapane arriving at Gala Oya Lodge just outside Gala Oya National Park in the Eastern Province, starting at Stafford Bungalow it was 12º when we arrive at Gala Oya it is 33º.


On the way down the hill from Stafford Bungalow we spot water and land monitors, on the roadside, and Sumith explains that water monitors have yellow rings in bands going down their bodies. We chuckle remembering the Rudyard Kipling poem Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, of our childhood, when we actually get a good view of a mongoose for the first time.

After driving for three hours Sumith started to warn us very seriously about the dangers of being bitten by snakes, the need to wear boots when walking along the lodge paths, especially at night and if it is raining. We were not really prepared for our arrival at Gala Oya, which we now know lies at the end of an unmarked narrow lane. All of a sudden Sumith pulled the car to a halt on a wide, sparsely populated road. It looked an unlikely location for a forest lodge. Then he pointed to a large jeep vehicle parked in a narrow lane entrance. Two smiling green shirted young men emerged and transferred our luggage to their jeep. They greeted us enthusiastically and as the jeep drove the unpromising narrow lane, edged with tall impenetrable grass into the jungle, the main road and the safety of Sumith seemed to close behind us.

However quickly enough the jeep parked up and after a short walk along a soil track lined with cream hurricane lamp stations we emerged unexpectedly into a dramatic clearing - revealing a dramatically positioned infinity pool. Facing it a large thatched straw roofed hut. It was teaming with activity. Smiling staff handed us cool damp face cloths and a welcome chilled and refreshing lime juice hi ball. We were restored!



The manager, Phil a Canadian botanist, greeted us enthusiastically. He explained that not only was Gal Oya an award winning eco hotel, set in the jungle, that they carry out academic research, have four resident full time naturalists, and that he has a specialist interest in fishing cats. Shortly afterwards having unpacked and enjoyed a lunch of chilled curried beetroot soup we were en-route for a water safari led by one of the Gala Oya resident naturists, in the reserve, about a forty minute drive away.



As we sat in the jeep on the way to the reserve I felt so hot I thought I must resemble melted butter - I felt I was simply going to melt and disappear, running down and out of the jeep! The melting process proved a worthwhile sacrifice however - clambering on board a boat we set off across an enormous reservoir, binoculars at the ready.



With our naturalist Amon we stopped at various islands to view the wild life. The spotting went on constantly - the highlights being fresh water crocodiles, herds of elephants and eagles. I am going to posts some of Simon’s close-ups in the next post, but in the meantime am just going to content myself with a list of “what we spotted!!”

After a couple of hours spotting we pulled the boat up onto the shore, just downwind of a herd of elephants. We stopped for chilled beers and lime juice. One elephant came quite close to the water's edge near us, we were still, aware that though they suffer from very poor eyesight they sense movement through their feet. This is why when the terrible 2004 tsunami struck mostly the elephants survived as they had sensed the vibrations of the wave, and had already moved back from the shore edge before the water hit.

Returning to Gala Oya Lodge, we were restored from our melted butter stage by more welcome cool drinks, and later we enjoyed a wonderful dinner from the erie of the elevated dining room which perches above the bar reception looking towards the pool.


Escorted back along paths through the jungle to our bungalow by torch carrying staff, we slept fitfully under mosquito nets aware that our land safari started the next day at 5.30am.


Here's a list of what we spotted on March 5th:

Brahmin Kites, Ceylon Green- Pigeon, Curlew, Crimson backed Flameback, Egrets, Eagles - fish, sea, crested serpent; Green Bee Easters, Green footed pigeon,

Herons - white, small, grey, night; Ibis, Indian Pea fowl, Jungle fowl, Lapwings, Little Cormorant, Lesser Adjutant, Malabar Hornbill, Oriole, Painted Storks, Painted Frangolin, Parakeets Layard, Red Woodpeckers,

Elephants family groups, Fresh water Crocodiles, Feral cattle, Water buffaloes