Dambulla. We visited the 1st century temple cave complex. 360 steps up or whatever in the searing heat and stifling humidity, with a load of tourists puffing along with us and monkeys regarding us with distain as we climbed. Shoes and hats off for the temples. Most tourists hobbling on the hot ground and middle-aged western men in sarongs to hide their knees. But of course it was worth it. The statues and murals were literally divine.

Cooking class next but Chandana stopped on the way and unexpectedly left us with a tuktuk driver. I felt like we were being trafficked. Turns out we had been booked on a bird walk. Tim was very excited. I feel I’m being groomed. We saw birds. Quite a few. A sea eagle was one of the highlights. After quite a few birds we drove around the countryside looking at crops. Peppercorns grow on trees. I had no idea…

We ended up at a farmhouse where we had a cookery lesson. 2 hours of chopping onions and garlic isn’t my idea of an ideal holiday activity, but it was fun and as my kitchen doesn’t overlook paddy fields it was new. We made bean curry, banana flower curry and coconut sambal. Then we ate it all along with about 5 other curries and rice and poppadoms in the garden. It was delicious.

We came home to a novel towel arrangement on our bed, Tim went for another bird walk in the hotel grounds and a we had dinner in the hotel of more curry.