Hello Madam

The driving here is incredible. Formula one drivers can't even compare to their passing skills. (Have you ever seen 2 lanes turn into five?) Sometimes I wonder if they play "chicken". The sounds of horns ever tooting is just one of their "rules" of the road. The driving is done on the left side of the road (British). Keep your eyes open in the city near the governmental areas, there are military guys dressed in camoflage.

*Police check points are on the roads throughout the city. This is for the citizens' and tourists' protection from the Tamil Tigers.

Quick Tips:

#1 Hire a driver.... they know their way around, have the patience for the traffic and know the so called rules of the road.

#2 Carry Toilet paper on road trips... public faciilties at pit stops are just porcelain holes in the ground.

Best Way To Get Around:

1- Hire a driver.

2- Tuk Tuk.... Sri Lanka's form of a taxi. *Make sure you agree with the driver on a price before you get in. Also specify where you want to go, or they wil take you sight- seeing and charge you extra.

3 Public Transport- Very cheap (around 4 rupees) I didn't try it, as the buses do not really stop for a person to get on or off, and there is no such thing as a full bus.

This accommodation is Hiltons self contained units. (2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining area, family area, washing machine and maid quarters) Facilities: pool sauna, gym, tennis, squash, massage, steam baths, 2 restaurants, a cafe, internet facility, florist, dry cleaner, salon, jewelery store and Kodak shop.

The staff here are very helpful, and friendly.

Candle lit tables sitting 15 yards away from the ocean beach. The crashing sounds of the waves created a romantic melody as we dined upon fresh grilled lobster and drank a Lion Beer. (625 ml for about $2) The waits were dressed in short tuxedos, and treated us as if we were royalty.

Step through the doors of this German Restaurant, and soon you forget that you are on a tropical island. You almost feel as if you have been warped through time and space to Oberamagau Germany. The decor was just like one of the Bavarian Beer Gardens. Food portions were generous and beautifully prepared. Average cost of a meal 375 rupees ($4) Weissen Bier 250 rupees ($2.50) *Dont miss the opportunity to eat here!

Built over 25 years ago this zoo is complimented by its Botanical Gardens. The animals are kept in areas with natural surroundings: not cages (except for the big cats, where they were in cement cells) The zoo has been taken over by the government, and rumor has it that as the civil war here ends, funds will be generated back into the zoo... possibly moving it out towards the elephant orphanage to give the animals more room to roam.

Hours of operation 8:30am -6:00pm daily

I decided to venture out and see the city one day, so I hired a 'tuk tuk'. These are 3 wheeled vehicles with canvas roofs and are the city's form of a taxi. I rented out the tuk tuk for the day for 1000 rupees. My driver did the best to show me what the city had to offer. In 5 hours, I saw a majority of the city (or so I think).

Quick Tip: try to get a driver who speaks english well so they can explain what you are looking at, and answer your questions. Highlights: Sri Lanka's White House, Buddhist temples, hindu temples, market place, and finding a snake charmer.