Started the day with breakfast. Too much of it. They really do feed you here.
Turns out we weren’t even in Ella. It took us about an hour in the car to get here this morning. It’s a backpackers dream. On the way saw a momma stray dog feeding a huge litter
Nala dropped me off at the top of a big hill and told me to follow the track to the nine arches bridge. Except after 2 mins the road forked into three. A local man told me to go down a tiny track. I wasn’t convinced but had a look. Had to cross a stream to get to the track so I thought he was lying. I’ve seen Wrong Turn! I turned back. Activated 4g and tried to map it. I saw some tourists come down the track so I though ok this is right so I attempted to cross the stream. ATTEMPTED. Yes I fell into the stream. Just one leg but knee deep and nothing to hold on to so I sort of scrambled on the clay. I panicked a lot. I was sweating so much!
The rest of the track was treacherous but I did find a little friend.
Tourists are vile! 
And the view was worth the soggy trousers.
Tried several times. Eyes closed on every one. 
Sat in the cafe and watched a dog chase a tiny lizard. Also there were some cute kids climbing in the trees. Decided I didn’t want to cross the stream coming back so got a bloody expensive and, quite frankly, terrifying tuk tuk back up to the road.
Nala met me and I was telling the story of the stream when I looked down and saw quite a lot of blood around my ankle. He told me it was a leech. I squealed ‘a leech? Get it off me!’ We couldn’t find any leach just a lot of blood. He said it will have fallen off and he got me some salt to put on the wound.
Soaked in clay and blood I soldiered on to the waterfall. Most folk were admiring the fall and taking selfies. I was the fool chasing dragon flies around trying to get a picture of one in flight. Do you know how fast dragonflies are and how bloody hard it is to photograph!
Also saw this guy!
And this guy!
Went to the supermarket and bought some antibiotic cream. It cost less than my imported chocolate.
Hours later and my leg is still bleeding. Starting to think it probably was a leech after all. They use anticoagulants and it’s such a tiny little puncture hole. Gross!
Off to Yala tomorrow which is where I may (hopefully) see a leopard!
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