For illustrated talks on natural history and history see www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

For illustrated talks on natural history and history click here for www.peterlovetttalks.co.uk

Tuesday 2 March 2010

Self lead walk through a Sri Lankan rubber plantation, 24 February 2010

After almost 5 hours choking travel and a short rain forest walk, we were keen for an evening stroll. In fading light, we left the questionable Rathnaloka Tour Inn (after which stay Norovirus like symptoms broke out) and walked through a hamlet and into a delightful rubber plantation.
Click on any picture to expand it.
There is no need for house plants when these grow in the boggy areas.
This looks like a Paddybird Ardeola grayii, which is common.
This was a lovely track to walk and seemed traffic free.
I'm not sure who was the most surprised; me to see a bus; or the bus driver to see us walking.
In any case he stopped to ask where we were going to.
We said -- "just walking", an alien concept to the bus driver perhaps.
We exchanged cheerful waves when he came back again a little later.
Women were washing in the little streams along the route.
It would have been intrusive to photograph them.
These are not the "rubber plants" that are grown as house plants.
They are Hevea braziliensis which has quite different leaves.We exchanged greetings with a young girl with an impeccable English accent and were the cause of much attention from other children and adults on our return leg.
For me it was quite a thrill to see what was pictured in school geography books 50 years ago
and to collect a sample of coagulated latex rubber.

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