Day Eight - Udawalawe to Bentota

Last day of our tour!  8.30 start again for the long drive to our relaxation place in Bentota, on the south east coast. Traffic was at the craziest we've seen. Buses particularly barge their way through at breakneck speed intimidating drivers. Not Mahesh though! 

This guy drove right on our tail peeping for about 15 minutes driving at about 50mph!

Drove for about an hour and a half before having a brief stop to photograph these fishermen. They look as if they really are fishing but are really staged for the tourists. There was a lot of negotiation between Mahesh and one of the fishermen before we could take some snaps. 

We also had the option of wading out and putting on the gear but declined!

Had a lunch stop in a little town called Galle. Run by the Portuguese in the 15th century, the Dutch in the 16th and British in the 17th. It's a fortified old town surrounded by fancy villas and hotels. Had a brief wander on the ramparts and through the streets of the World Heritage Site - Galle Fort. 

Saw a purple face monkey monkeying about with two babies. 

We passed lots of memorials to the victims of the tsunami!  Also evidence of where it had hit, with buildings destroyed or being rebuilt. Very sad!  35000 people killed in a 20 minute wave! Unbelievable!

 

Another couple of hours of crazy driving and we reached out hotel in Bentota. Said goodbye to Mahesh and got his email address in case any of our friends are coming out here.  We would definitely recommend him. Hotel is very plush and nothing like the town it's in! Photos to follow. Lots of tuktuk drivers offering to take us into town to buy beer and wine from the supermarket because 'hotel prices very expensive'! We'll see!