Thursday 14 February 2013

Breakfast time with Monkeys Kandy January 29th 2013

Breakfast with Monkeys

Well, I don't actually have breakfast here but I do take the tea, comes with real milk too. This morning we have visitors to the garden - monkeys! One strays from the group and gets rather close as it balances on the wire across to the guesthouse. Moving away quickly startles the group and a commotion erupts. The handyman persuades the animals to move on by tossing a rock at them and it works too.

An afternoon excursion to go and see the seaplane, and really just to see a different neighbourhood. The seaplane flies from the Colombo Docks, close to the fort station, to various lakes around the country, including Kandy, just 25 minutes flying time and a one way ticket of £40. If the pane is full, a strict bag weight of 10kg per passenger is applied. So, with the prospect of getting bumped since my bag weights were greater than 10kg,  I decided to give this flight a miss, maybe next time.

 It's a 3KM bus ride to the seaplane lake, about 10p but traffic is pretty stacked up this Friday afternoon making the journey slower than would normally be on a grubby red bus. Directions to the place are rather sketchy to say the least, even the locals seemed puzzled. Eventually reaching a consensus I need to get off at the tobacco factory, and the lake is just opposite. The seaplane dock is just along a narrow local road, well and truly locked up.   With time to kill, let's wander beside the lake and see what nature can produce for me this time. Bird life mostly as I managed to photo a couple of different varieties not seen before.

The sea plane arrives with a splash and stops a very short distance with the propellers  in reverse pitch. Parks at the dock, resplendent in a colourful livery depicting Sri Lankas attractions. It's pretty full I would say as tourists disembark. Actually, about 4 Western tourists, the remainder bring natives climbing into tuk tuks and waiting taxis. These planes are designed for short landings and takeoffs, with this takeoff just a short run from the far end of the lake - there is a dam at the other end! A unique set of photos I don't suppose too many tourists venture to get, unless of course taking the flight!

The monkeys are back tonight and this time the guest house owner brings out an air rifle and when that had limited success, out comes a sling shot. Yep, that does the trick alright. The monkeys soon scatter a a rock is headed their way at speed.

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