I know what I have to say next will be met with baffled amusement by some, but it’s camping time. OK, I guess it’s not quite roughing it if you get to sleep in a double bed, and have drinks brought to you by the staff, but the fact remains; I’m sleeping in a tent. Of course we still had to get there and our driver took us on an incredibly long 5 ½ hour journey driving in the opposite direction for a good hour or two from where we should have been going. When I finally plucked up enough courage to question him and show him my Google map and ask why we hadn’t gone straight there, he laughed, waggled his head and said it was the long way. We have to bow to his superior knowledge of his land, but it’s just that we went via Ratnapura where we stopped at a gem ‘museum’ which just happened to be a front for a jewellery shop. Suspicious much? We think so, but as much as I like a good gem, we left that museum quicker than a Zimbabwean batsman leaves the crease once we realised what was going on.

Samantha the leopard

Anyway, eventually we got to Leopard Trails for our tented safari in Yala National Park. On our first drive I spotted our first leopard. She was a beautiful cub about a year old, but pretty large for all that. She wandered behind the vehicle and sat on the side of the road as if for a photo opportunity before she moved on her way. Of course it doesn’t take long on the bush grapevine for word to spread around and soon many jeeps arrived, but we got her all to ourselves for a little while. The guide said she didn’t have a name and asked for suggestions. I promptly said “Samantha” (Sam not being a fitting name for a leopard I think) and for the rest of the trip everyone called both the leopard and myself, Samantha. Very weird being called Samantha – usually only happens when I’m in trouble 😉

Down at the water hole

Now god knows I’m not a big fan of getting up early in the mornings and 5 am safari drives are no exception, but being able to see three leopards drinking and playing at the waterhole was very special. In fact we saw lots of leopards, a sloth bear, elephants, mongooses, python, buffalo, deer and crocodiles plus more so our wild animal quota for this trip is well and truly satisfied. We even had the thrill of being charged by an angry elephant, but he was just pretending. Apparently when they make a noise and flap their ears at you they’re not serious about charging. Seemed pretty serious to me, but he didn’t commit so I’m writing about it now. All the same, three nights on safari was more than enough and we’re looking forward to sleeping in again.