In June 2026 I headed for Sri Lanka. Here is my story.
I choose a construction project and was assigned to work at a Temple. The Temple got damaged from a land slip brought on by flooding and partial collapse of the tree at its centre.
Over the weeks the concrete was cleaned and repainted and the concrete tiles relaid.
We were joined by some French students which really helped kick the project along. This is all of us together, one Italian, two French, two American, our coordinator and myself.
Of course it wasn’t all work and we socialised too.
Here are some photos from our trip and a safari we went on.
Another great experience.
The Safari was in Hurulu Eco Park. This was amazing. the elephants were in the wild and always have been here. They are not rescued from circus or working animals. The area they have to roam is vast and so it requires local intel and a very early start to catch them at the water hole.
The hotels in Kandy were very nice but really quiet. They would charge £2.50 to use all the guest services. This is one of them the Cinnamon Kandy
And at the end of my stay the Temple looked a lot better – although not finished! All the tiles were relayed and the front aspect painted.
You can see from the closeup some of the damage.
In addition to cleaning it all back, the decision was taken to lift and relay all the concrete slabs.
We didn’t have a lot of tools but we made up for it in enthusiasm.
This is the view from the infinity pool at the Thilanka Hotel. As I had my birthday whilst in Sri Lanka we all celebrated here. It was absolutely stunning and a great time was had by all.
I went to see a Temple carved at the top of a mountain. This was quite a climb but definately worth it. The view from the top was amazing.
This is my second one of these volunteering trips and I would definately recommend them.
I travel with an International Voluntary Organisation and whilst I am certain there are more economic ways of doing it, I like the comfort it gives me to be supported if needed. Thankfully, so far, I haven’t needed.