Elephant Crossing
This is a male elephant crossing the road in UdaWalawe National Park.
A baby elephant nursing!
This was a very playful individual who came within inches of our vehicle and displayed its flexible trunk. Notice the collar around its neck, which reveals it was rehabilitated and re-released into the wild. Although such playful behavior can be amusing, it is not healthy for the elephants to interact with humans in this manner.
A gorgeous leopard snoozing in the crook of a tree. Yala National Park
Crocodile and water buffalo enjoying a watering hole at Yala National Park
How I Avoid the Leeches

How I Avoid the Leeches: From left: Kumara, the guide, Tharanga, Lizzie, Ashani, Ilja
Friday, July 1, 2011
Having Second Thoughts....
But only on food! In my last post I passionately declared my love of 'food.' Let me change that statement to 'most food.' Ten minutes ago I put the most vile substance into my mouth and I am still suffering from the aftershocks of the aftertaste. Since my arrival over a week ago, I have been hearing about the elusive durian fruit, infamous for it's potent smell. Well, we managed to pick up a specimen at a roadside market during our trip to Colombo yesterday. Tonight we decided to split it open, and I was very curious, but a bit apprehensive as Sameera cut open the fruit (which looks like a green coconut with impressive spikes - actually I think the Sri Lankans are confused, this is definitely supposed to be a weapon, not a food). The smell was not so bad. In fact I rather enjoyed it. Lizzie, Sameera, Ashoka, and I took some photos before eating the fruit and after...I will post those soon for your amusement. Please promise to still be friends with me after you see them! (Kristen and Liz, I think these photos offer some stiff competition for the horrendous picture that was taken of me in Texas, if that's possible). Lizzie offers a clean description of the taste: vanilla custard with hints of garlic. If you asked me, I would say it tastes like the smell of vomit, and yes I do mean this literally - just look at the expression on my face in the pictures! Strangely, I was the only one to act in such an extreme manner. Everyone else enjoys it. However, I am told it is an acquired taste...I am not sure I am willing to put the energy into building a relationship with this shady durian fruit. On the bright side though, I now feel balanced. I have found my favorite fruit, onoda, and the single most disgusting fruit on the face of the planet, durian. I have mapped the gustatory spectrum of fruit!
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