Kataragama – Monaragala - 65 km
What was known as the jungle road ran from Kataragama to
Monaragala. I received a few strange looks from villagers who asked
if I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t sure what to fear: the people or the
animals. The ride, however, turned out uneventful, and although I
kept an eye out, I didn’t see elephants, let alone any dangerous ones.
As the weather was boiling, I was thankful for the countless stores
where I could buy water. The coast was almost 135 kilometres away,
and spotting a cheap-looking guesthouse, I offloaded my gear and
enjoyed the relative coolness of a room.