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Sri Lanka (1 Viewer)

Andy Adcock

Andy Adcock

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Cyprus
After another, horrific day in history that saw many innocent people lose their lives, will Sri Lanka become another victim of terrorsim and be deemed out of bounds to birders and other tourists?

I was there in 2008 as the Tamil war was coming to an end and Sri Lanka was set to celebrate sixty years of independence but it was still a pretty grim time. The nightly news was horrendous to watch, not sanitised like in the West and had I known just how bad it still was, I'm not sure I would have gone.

The guide I'd had for a week had asked me where I was going after I left him and he insisted that I go by train rather than bus as it was much safer. There had been numerous bus bombings which had claimed many lives including a group of nuns most recently so I heeded his advice.

Having not seen any hint of the distant war that was raging, I travelled down to the coast, leaving from Fort station in Colombo, blissfully unaware that just a couple of hours later, a female suicide bomber killed 10 people and injured 95 others on the platform I had departed from. They do say that when your time is up it's up, Sunday 3rd February2008, clearly wasn't my time and I still have the souvenir newspaper reporting on the incident.
 
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Certainly a horrific day in that beautiful country. I was there about 4 years ago + all the people I met were so warm + welcoming. Just needs a few obsessive zealots to ruin lives of so many!
 
aeshna5 said:
Certainly a horrific day in that beautiful country. I was there about 4 years ago + all the people I met were so warm + welcoming. Just needs a few obsessive zealots to ruin lives of so many!
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Ditto, I've met some wonderful, local people and you generally find that those who have the least, are the most generous.

The nature of our hobby means that many of us travel more than most and to some places that others may not conside for a visit, this sadly, isn't my first, close call with extremists. I was in the Bali nightclub, The Sari Club, every night for three weeks, just a few days before it was detroyed by a bomb. During numerous, subsequent visits, I've never found out if any of the bar or waiting staff that I grew familiar with, lost their lives but the chances are that some did.
 
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aeshna5 said:
Certainly a horrific day in that beautiful country. I was there about 4 years ago + all the people I met were so warm + welcoming. Just needs a few obsessive zealots to ruin lives of so many!
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Yes a truly beautiful country - I spent approx 9 months in the country between 1995-97 working in Colombo but travelling over all areas it was possible for me to access (and going a little beyond by accident on several occasions!)

Despite seeing and being aware of many more horrific events, almost every one I met was extremely friendly and welcoming irrespective of what side they were on. A very small number of people can destroy everything for everyone and it will be so sad if extremists again bring chaos to the country.
 
Horrific as the attacks last week were, you're still more likely to die in a car accident there than get blown up.

Wouldn't stop me going - though my next trip is (hopefully!) Colombia where I'm statistically even more likely to be in a road accident than be blown up....
 
mjh73 said:
Horrific as the attacks last week were, you're still more likely to die in a car accident there than get blown up.

Wouldn't stop me going - though my next trip is (hopefully!) Colombia where I'm statistically even more likely to be in a road accident than be blown up....
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My comments weren't meant to imply don't go - indeed the best way to defeat the zealots doing these sorts of things is to ignore them and support the country and the people just trying to make a living! As said I worked there during some of the worst times and travelled a lot.
 
Latest UK government advice

'UK advises against all but essential travel to Sri Lanka'

For anyone with a trip already booked, check your insurance because this will almost certainly invalidate it.
 
It is interesting to contrast current and historic attitudes to risk in light of media coverage.

My only visit to Sri Lanka was on a school cricket tour for 3 weeks over the Christmas and New Year 1985/86. Looking at Wikipedia now, it seems a brave thing to have done but at the time, the school, the parents and the players hardly gave it a second thought.

(Oh I wish I had had my current birding knowledge and camera.....)

All the best
 
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THE EMERALD ISLAND of Sri Lanka...!

My wife and I just returned on the 16th of Aprile after being in Sri Lanka for nearly 6 1/2 months. This is our 2nd home and been traveling back in forth every since 1975 when I was a marine at the american embassy in Colombo. It is just sickening and very sad to say the least. I am sure that they will recover from this a much stronger country. They will learn from their mistakes and march forward. Pointing fingers and bickering amongst each other would only make it worse and I just do not see that happening.

We also recently had built and purchased a brand new condo that is 10 miles south of Colombo in Mount Lavinia and finally was able to move in on the 1st of January of this year. The weather, people and food are a big part of our love for "THE EMERALD ISLAND" as I call it. I was 22 years old on my first trip to Sri Lanka and now just turning 65 in February and still in love with the island..We will be back in July for 3 weeks with several of the grand children then end of October we are there for 6 months till end of April of 2020..

Here is a memento I received from the Prime Ministers Personal Secretaty in 1976 and to this day I have it hanging in my office..

IMG_1989.JPG

This morning "MONDAY" in Colombo was quite calm with heavy car traffic and most everyone heading back to work with some sense of normal. They have banned all forms of face coverings for the time being and are conducting a island wide home verification of whom lives and stays where. They will solve this sooner then later and I have no doubt about it..
 
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Jeff hopkins said:
I'm actually booked on a tour for there in November. Still waiting to hear what the status will be.
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I have already booked my trip again for 1st week of July for 3 weeks with several of my grandsons then will be back again in October for 6 months winter snow birding as my kids call it. I honestly do not think you will have any issues at all..
 
Jeff hopkins said:
None of the clients have cancelled. Still on as far as they know.
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Really think you will be just fine myself. I spoke again early this am to a friend in Sri Lanka and he says things are slowly recovering with lots of traffic on the roads and food on the shelves in the grocery stores. They have lifter the curfew on Sunday and so far it is still lifted. Tragic tragic circumstances and down right sickening to us..
 
Jeff hopkins said:
None of the clients have cancelled. Still on as far as they know.
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Regardless of whether the trip is on or not, I would advise that you check the US government travel advisory for Sri Lanka and your insurance coverage as well to make sure you'll have some!

Insurance companies love to find loopholes so they can avoid payouts and I'm pretty sure that travel to a country where our government suggests we don't go, will invalidate your policy? Also worth noting though not sure about the US, UK insurance companies routinely omit 'acts of terrorism' from cover anyway should you be unlucky enough to be caught up in such.
 
The BulbMogul said:
Really think you will be just fine myself. I spoke again early this am to a friend in Sri Lanka and he says things are slowly recovering with lots of traffic on the roads and food on the shelves in the grocery stores. They have lifter the curfew on Sunday and so far it is still lifted. Tragic tragic circumstances and down right sickening to us..
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With respect, the Sri Lankan government is still pretty concerned about further possible acts which may be in preperation according to our news.
 
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