Another account of the rock climb...

OceanStars :: Tuesday 27th October 2009 :: This Story

Day 4 - Climb up Sigiriya rock.

We started the day today with a bit of a lie in (breakfast at 7am!) And then started the journey towards batti. We planned to stop for Sigiriya after one and half hours, but after what felt like half an hour we saw the majestic presence of the rock dominating the landscape. So we started the journey up the rock, beginning at the outer moat, past the inner moat, and through the water gardens, in which our tour guide took great pleasure in describing the kings luxurious lifestyle, and the ins and outs of the castle’s defense system. As the climb continued, groups of helpful men appeared, who were employed for the sole purpose of escorting tourists up the precarious steps. So the group of us continued some walking, some seemingly being dragged, up to the second level. Here there were a pair of lions paws either side of a stair case, which the guide told us would have meant climbing through a lions mouth in the period in which the castle was active.

Here a couple of members of the group decided that the idea of carrying on higher on the increasingly rickety steps simply didn’t appeal, but those of us who continued found the final stage to be the most rewarding, as we were greeted by stunning views in every direction. The whole trip was made far more enjoyable by the guide who we all felt had a brilliant knowledge of the area and its history, as well as fantastic story telling skills!

From Sigiriya we continued on the journey to batticoloa. The drivers’ estimates for the journey seemed to range from two to four hours, so we were pleasantly surprised when we arrived after just over an hour more driving, and were immediately made to feel so welcome by Joseph. Tomorrow we split into three teams and begin the process of visiting various projects in the region, managed by the EOST time, so as you can imagine, the rooms have been a hive of activity, preparing various craft activities and games for the children.

Matt and Yasmin