The third day came and we were ready for new adventures. Although this day has been the least active, because we were traveling to the Rainforest Ecolodge and so spent almost the whole day in a bus, the ride there was a lot of fun.

After a long drive in the bus, we finally reached the feet of the mountain where the RE was placed. To reach the place we couldn’t continue by bus because the roads were so steep and narrow. Instead, we had jeeps take us there. It was surprising to me how even with jeeps, which are made for rough terrains, it took us almost an hour to reach the RE.

However, once we arrived to our destination I understood that the what seemed risky drive was worth it.

The view was breathtaking, we could see just mountains and fog in the air. The temperature drastically changed, (I was not prepared for such low temperatures) the air was fresh and cold and the trees and vegetation were in dark green tones.

We took our bags to our rooms (the rooms were also stunning) and then went to have lunch.

What I especially liked about this place is that there were windows everywhere! That way whenever we were indoors, it still felt as if we outside.

Later we got ready for a short hike (it was stopped by a sudden rain) where we explored the forest a bit and also visited a small body of water where we found tetras (feet massage fish). Soon after, everyone had dipped their feet into the water, curious to experience a foot massage by fish. Many were screaming and laughing at the same time, trying to identify whether it was pleasant or not.

In the evening, we were getting ready for another frog watching session. It was different than last time because in the mountains the climate is more humid and cold. So everyone had their raincoats ready, (some even covered their bags to avoid getting their things wet) except for me, which is why I remember that night so well. We were lucky that night and spotted various species of frogs, along with other creatures (mainly insects).

Next morning, we woke up freezing. Even though we were wrapped in blankets nothing could’ve stopped the cold from getting to our bones. Never have I thought that I would experience that feeling in Sri Lanka!

After breakfast we were getting ready for another hike, this time it was supposed to take us 3 hours, however it ended up taking us a lot more than that.

After some time we finally reached the waterfall, where we found tetras for the second time. Honestly speaking, I expected the waterfall to be much bigger, however it was still a beautiful thing to see and definitely worth the hike. The water was freezing and regardless of that, some people still found the courage to go in.

We stayed there for a while, taking a short break before returning to our accommodation.

This time we went straight to bed after dinner, as everyone was exhausted after such an active day.

Next morning was the last day and also the day we were coming back home, so we didn’t have much time to do any last activities. After breakfast we had some free time to hang out and work on our reflections for our journals.

The overall experience is unforgettable and unique. This trip allowed me to see different regions of Sri Lanka and discover how diverse it is and how unique every part of the island is. Different rainforests, on different heights with different biodiversities!

Learning Outcomes:

Developing new skills in the process: A new skill that I feel grew stronger after the trip is my patience. During WWW we spent a lot of time observing and waiting to see an animal or taking time to take pictures. This taught me that the more patience we have, the better the results we will receive.

Demonstrate the skills and recognise the benefits of working collaboratively: The entire trip we worked as a group, helping each other. For instance, some had more understanding in birdwatching and differentiating species than others. Some had more skills in taking photos, so together, we helped each other by sharing our skills with one another.