One minute i was digging through the sand on a beach in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. 3 days, 2 planes and an 18 hour layover in Dubai later, i was digging cars out of the snow in Burnopfield. I went to Sri Lanka on a Sea Turtle and Community Volunteer Project in early January in 2013. I couldnt have imagined how different and how in awe i would be of the culture or how truely welcoming and friendly the local people would be.
I got to work close quarteres with four different species of sea turtle, from the moment they were laid in the sand by a 50 year old, 1m long, green turtle at 3am to when they were 2 weeks old and ready to be released from the sanctuary. Sea turtle populations struggled after the 2004 Tsunami devestated the nesting grounds on the beaches of Sri Lanka and many other neighbouring countries in the Indian Ocean but the populations are now on the rise in this part of Sri Lanka, thanks to the efforts of the local people and volunteers at the sanctuary in Kosgoda.
You can read more about the project here http://www.kosgodaseaturtle.org/
It wasnt all work and no play, once these little buggers were taken care of, i got to explore Sri Lanka on my days off, visiting beach resorts further South after standing on a public bus for 2 hours (which only cost me 30p to be fair) and travelling in land to Kandy and Sigiriya to see an elephant orphange, experience some local culture and history (and a few bars).
I wish i could have stayed
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