Friday was a much more restful day after the previous two where we had had quite intense experiences. We spent the morning chilling out on the Hikkaduwa beach. The sea was lovely and warm, but also strong – swimming out 50 meters was incredibly tiring! Later on in the morning Dinuka and Lakmal picked us up, and we checked out of our hotel to return the 100km back to Colombo.
On the way we stopped at a turtle sanctuary, where the owner very proudly showed us his work in turtle conservation. He would buy turtle eggs from local fisherman that had got caught in their nets, bury them until they hatched, then keep them in a tank for three days before releasing them to the sea. There were two tanks full of baby turtles, two and three days old with the latter to be released later that evening. We were able to hold these amazing creatures which were about a third the size of my hand!
Michelle and her new friend
He then showed us round his other tanks, including a turtle with a miss-formed shell. We were also permitted to hold the other turtles he had, including a large leatherback which would start to slap with his flippers if he felt he had been held for too long!
The owner holds one of his turtles
Sam was handed a 40kg turtle to hold after being told it was quite naughty. After posing for a couple of photos the turtle decided he would like to be back in the water, thank you very much, and started flapping its flippers wildly. Sam, in alarm, lowered it back in to the tank only for it to launch a huge wave backwards and completely drench her!
The naughty turtle, see the look in his eyes! Before...
And after! Sam is completely soaked, the wave can still be seen in the tank!
We completed the journey back to Colombo and moved back into the training college. Later on in the evening we headed out into the city to a roof-top restaurant, travelling by tuk-tuk – this was quite an experience! These 3 wheeler cabs would dart around the streets, squeezing through the gaps in traffic apparently oblivious to the other traffic – at one point I looked right to see a motorbike come to an abrupt halt less than a meter from me! Back at the training college we played the now nightly fix of Uni, then headed to bed. It had been an enjoyable day, filled with the beauty of God's creation. One reading in particular comes to mind, Jesus' words from Matthew 6 v26:
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
Day 7: Saturday 6th August, Elephant Orphanage, Pinnawalla
On the Saturday we got up early and Nalin drove us inland to Pinnawala, a two hour headache-inducing journey on the Sri Lankan roads. Pinnawalla is the location of Sri Lanka's Elephant Orphanage, and when we arrived we walked down to the river where we were greeted by the sight of at least 50 elephants watering!
The elephants at the river in Pinnawalla
As we watched, the elephant keepers started herding the elephants back through the town to the orphanage, some of them being ridden bare back. It never really struck me before, but elephants are really bizarre creatures! Their trunk is amazing in the things it can do, and the elephants' skin is sort of rubbery (we were able to get close up later in the day at the orphanage).
Our next stop was a tour around an elephant 'poo factory', where they took the elephant dung, dried it out and used the fibres to make paper, and from this paper a great many items from calenders to boxes. We then proceeded to a craft shop, full of amazingly carved elephants, Buddhas and a whole assortment of other things.
Nothing else to be said!
We finally got to visit the orphanage, and see the elephants up close. They were munching their way through what appeared to be a forest of leaves laid out before them, making for some stunning photos with the mountains in the background.
The Kandy mountains loom large over the elephants
There was a huge black elephant being watered with a hose in an open hut, who turned out to be blind as a result of hunters shooting him trying to get his ivory. The keepers let us stand right next to this powerful creature for photos (terrifying! These animals could crush a man I'm sure if they put their minds to it!), although it turned out the keepers expected to be given donations afterwards for the privilege.
The blind elephant being hosed
I moved out of the way very quickly after taking this photo!
We had lunch overlooking the river, where there were still a few elephants feeding below – one of the most spectacular locations I have ever eaten! After our dinner, the awesome sight of the elephants marching back through the town to the water greeted us, some stopping and taking an interest in the watching tourists as they walked! The keepers were able to get them moving easily again though, as the elephants are terrified of the sharp sticks they carry.
The march of the elephants
We returned to Colombo mid-afternoon, a hold up on the way back sadly turned out to be a fatal road crash. Back at the training college in the lull after a tiring day, I suddenly felt far away from home after the adventures and experiences we had encountered. It seems strange to say, but I also felt I had not spent enough time in prayer with God despite what I had seen, so I spent the time before we went out to dinner praying in my room, in order to be closer to God both for the remainder of the trip and for my life in general!
We discussed a multitude of topics over dinner, and I consider it a privilege that I was a part of a team of such caring people, and we have all helped each other out in a number of ways over the past few days. There are a couple of similar readings I could finish with here, but I've chosen to go with John 14 v27, words which really spoke to my heart at this time:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
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