Our Trip

Our Trip - 1

We have had a long term wish for going on an educational tour. On 27.04.03, that dream came true. A bus was organised to tour the center places in the Colombo City and to see the Silapam Munneswaram Temple.
We woke up that day early in the morning and did our usual duties. With a surrounding joy of the tour the managers of the home, Bus volunteers, tour organisers and us stepped into the bus. It took off at about 6:20 am.

In the Paddiruppu checking point, the SriLankan Army checked us and let us continue our journey. When we reached a place called Kiran via Batticaloa it was time for breakfast. The bus was stopped. We all ate and then continued our journey again. Forgetting our differences the managers and children- we all sang the happy songs and danced for it while journeying admiring the natural sceneries.

While the sun tried to pass higher, we were trying to pass the province of Kurunagal. The bus was stopped for lunch beside a road where there were so many tall trees. We all sat together and ate the food parcels we took in a nearest mess (small food store). We gave the remained food to the monkeys which were jumped around in starvation and went inside the bus with satisfaction.

The bus directed towards Colombo via Kurunagal. In the speed of the bus and the soft wind, all of us were in half sleep until when he heard sounds similar to people selling snacks inside the bus. All of us wake up to see that it was the sound of Colombo.

We had reached the city of Colombo and the bus halted at Dehiwala Zoo. We walked into the zoo with excitement. We were stunned of what we saw. A zebra welcomed us by shaking its tail. We saw the animals which we never had seen before. We saw birds too. By seeing the different kinds of parrots We had realised that there are this many varieties in it. The monkeys, when they saw us, were poking fun of us within each other. There was a hole in the ground looked like that it was build upon the leaves of Mango tree. Inside of it is a group of deers. They were eating the needed food from the tree braches given to them. Another –kind of a dog- was walking around in its given hole. A black bear was hiding from us. The necks of giraffes were poking fun of the tall trees. A doctor was giving treatment for a diseased elephant. There were lots of things we had seen, this piece is not enough to say everything. We came out of the zoo not wanting to leave it.

We went back to the bus, and everybody ate steamed corns. Then went to Galle Face Beach. We saw tons of people that we never saw before. We saw the ships crawling with lights in the lap of mother Sea. The salty breeze of beach touched us and went. It was joy to discuss about it while eating ice cream.

Afterwards, to take rest for that day, we went to Kappiyawatta Yathriyar Madam. We relaxed for a while and then ate stringhoppers and sampar curry for supper. Then, we went to sleep.

The next day, when we woke up and after doing our morning duties, the milk tea was ready for us. After drinking the tea, we filled the empty bus. We went and visited the popular temple in Sri Lanka The Ponnambalavaneshwar Temple. We had a chance to pray the god and see the marvelous artworks sculptured in hard stone.

Later, we ate bread as our breakfast and went to visit the tallest building in Sri Lanka: the World Trade Center building. In that building, which has 38 floors, we went to 33th building in the elevator/lift. This is the first time we went in a(n) lift/elevator.

From that tall building we were able to see the portion of Colombo City fully. We were able to see the Colombo Harbour, the old parliament building and the President’s house as well as the sceneries of speeding vehicles, roads, and the wide beachside. In this place, we met the two announcers from the Sooriyan FM radio, Kandeepan anna (brother) and Kumudini akka (sister).They asked about our Home. Our management gave a full detail on that. Our management asked them whether we could able to see their Sooriyan FM radio station. They said that we can’t tour it now, but they promised to us that they will air the good programs that (if) we may make.

After that we went to see a building that has exact structure as this building, The Ceylon Central Bank buiding. With the help of the lift/elevator we went to the 28th floor. We asked to know about some information about the bank from an employee there. Then, we visited a museum where they had earliest time to contemporary Sri Lankan currencies. we observed them and learned a lot.

It was time for lunch, when we walked through, watching big buidings and streetside scenes, before reaching the Parliament buiding. After that, we went inside the parliament building and saw the structure of the building and the seats where the member of parliaments and the speaker of the legislature sit on. We went to the Colombo National museum afterwards. There we learned about how the ancient life was and viewed a lot of old archives and antiques. When we return from the museum the rain drops wanted to play with with us. We accepted that offer with pleasure.

Then, stayed in the bus for awhile and came out of it and toured the nearest children’s park. Since most of us were little kids it was very fun. Not only that, it was also a great joy to go in the aeroplane-like roller coaster. Even though it was rained, we played joyfully. To spend the night we went to the same place we went on the first day.

The next day was the last day. After finishing the morning routines, we thanked the kind people who gave us water supply and place to sleep for two nights. Then we directed to Silapam.

Some people who were overwhelmed with joy, played musical instruments, some others sung songs and clapped hands while some others danced happily.

When we reached the Munneswaram area, we halted there to worship god in the temple and ate our breakfast somewhere near. We also toured a nearest Kali Temple there.

Then, we ate snacks on the way to Thambulla. In Thambulla, we had a look at the Buddha statues there and the artworks in the cave. We rested under the trees in the mountainside. Then, we were ready to go.

From there our journey directed back to Batticaloa, on the way, we stopped at Polonaruva Paragramapaku Ocean and the nearest museum there and toured. We ate the lunch at a mess (small food store) in the intersection of Kaparana. We came back home with joyful songs.

We could never forget the people who organised this tour and the people who supported it and helped it.

- Perinbam, Arudkumar, Praba, Mathy, Thinakaran, Sivapriyan, Nandeswaran, Sabeshkumar, Kulendrarasa, Navendran, Selvapragasam, Prasath