Wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2021.
With the interruptions from bush fires in 2019 and cancellation of many events due to the Covid 19 pandemic, I needed to see how the Lobethal Christmas decorations are done.
Lobethal is a city famous for
its Christmas lighting for over sixty years and is located 35 KiloMeters from Adelaide
city and will take about 45 mins to drive there. Lobethal is up in the Adelaide
hills so you should expect to drive in winding roads and to encounter wildlife
on road so take care when driving and better drive little bit slower than the
allowed maximum speed.
In the true spirit of Christmas this lighting festival has
become a tradition and now it has evolved into becoming the largest community
Christmas lighting display in the Southern Hemisphere.
Lights will be displayed from 20th December to 31st
each year, I encourage all of you to visit Lobethal and support this community
event.
Score out of 5
1
Parking Availability
When all events are happening it will bit hard to find parking.
3
2
Wheelchair Access
Easy
5
3
Accessibility
Most of the decorations can be enjoyed being inside the car.
This is Bogoda falls in Bogoda, Ketawala in
Uva province Sri Lanka. When you drive for about 3 kilometres in the Bogoda
bridge road from Ketawala town, you will see this waterfall on the road itself,
with its water flowing across the road. Since it is a road used by vehicles be
mindful when you are enjoying the waterfall. Even though this is not a famous
waterfall, you will see plenty of water in the wet season, also since this is
on the way to the famous Bogoda Wooden bridge, you will see both of these in
the same trip.
Score out of 5
1
Parking Availability
By the side of road
2
2
Wheelchair Access
Main Viewpoint – No
Secondary Viewpoint – No
Picnic Areas – No
0
3
Accessibility
Can see from the road
5
4
Facilities
Covered Sitting Areas – No
Toilets – No
Barbecue – No
Garbage Bins – No
This is the Sinhala short teledrama "Sister" in the "Supahan Sitha" teledrama series by Ajith Kumarathanthri.
Actors and Actresses - Hashinika Karaliyadda - Manjula Moragaha - Rebecca Godawatte - Rihanna Kandabadagae - Herman Jerald Perera
This video is about Denuwara Manike
train, which is the newest addition to Sri Lanka railways on late 2019 and was
put to service on 1st of November 2019. Currently it is the fastest way to go
to Badulla by train. This intercity express train known by train number 1001 will depart
Colombo Fort railway station every other day at 6:45 AM and reach Badulla
station at 3:30 PM after stopping at 11 stations on the main line. On the next
day it will be train number 1002 and will return at 7:20 AM from Badulla
station and reach Colombo Fort station at 4:30 PM, after stopping at 12
stations, making a journey of 294.3 kilometres in about 9 hours. Train will
stop at Polgahawela, Peradeneya Junction, Gampola, Nawalapitiya, Hatton, Thalawakaelae, Nanuoya, Haputalae, Diyathalawa, Bandarawela, Ella. On the way
back it will stop at Maradhana additionally.
Train consists of 2 Air Conditioned first class compartments
with adjustable seats, adjustable arm rests, individual tables, television
screens, audio jack ports, foot rests, cup holders, seat back pockets, 240
volts power outlets for some seats. 2 second class compartments with adjustable
seats, adjustable arm rests, individual tables, foot rests, cup holders, seat
back pockets, openable windows, 3 third class compartments, a restaurant car
with disabled toilet facilities and 2 identical engines in the front and back
with fully air conditioned driver and guard rooms. All compartments are having
train information display screens, music, fans, luggage holders and toilets
with sinks.
Denuwara Manike has a spacious disabled toilet in the
restaurant compartment. Normally the door of this is locked and the restaurant
staff got a key for this. It is having automatic door and hand rails for easy
access. Good size sink and a mirror is also available. There is a small cubicle with a mirror and a sink near the
disabled toilet for public use.
These types of
trains are called DMUs which stands for Diesel Multiple Units. This S14 type
powerset was manufactured by China Railway Rollingstock Corporation and was
purchased for 1845 million rupees. Each of the two 11-cylinder engines can
supply 1500 kilowatts to the train through AC – DC power transmission system
and they are connected using the train’s electricity system. They are numbered
as engine 971 and engine 972 by Sri Lanka railways department. In an engine
failure, the train can reach its destination with one operating engine.
For the first time in Sri Lanka this train has a camera
system and a Blackbox similar to aircraft Blackbox and records and stores all
the operational data with the front camera view. The train information display screen, on this train is made out of LED panel which will display train running information in all 3 languages
Sinhala, Tamil and English. It will display information such as train name,
number, start and end station names, speed, next stopping station. Engines also got fuel tanks capable
of storing 3500 litres of Diesel. Maximum possible speed of the train is 120
kilometres per hour. In the daily run between Colombo and Badulla it reaches 90
kilometres per hour in some sections of the route. To make the ride extra
smooth, these carriages are fitted with air suspension system rather than the
conventional suspension systems.
Train’s braking system is made by a German company named
Knorr-Bremse, who are renowned for manufacturing reliable braking systems especially
suited for hill country trains.
Since the train got 2 engines in the front and back, it
doesn’t have an observation compartment.
Full route fair for first class is 1700 Sri Lankan rupees, second class
is 1000 rupees and 700 rupees for third class. This train will only accept
passengers who have booked tickets prior, so you cannot just buy a ticket from
a railway station and get in. Tickets can be booked from most of the major
railway stations like Colombo Fort, Maradhana, Badulla, Ella, Kandy, Hatton,
Mathara, Galle, Anuradhapura, Jaffna. For more information visit Sri Lanka
Railways website www.railway.gov.lk.
In the video you can see,
Denuwara Manike train passing Uduwara reservoir.
Train parked at Badulla station.
Denuwara Manike going to Badulla yard to rest for the night.
Train passing the famous nine arches bridge.
Denuwara Manike passing the highest point in Sri Lanka railway line. This place is about 1898 metres or 6227 feet above mean sea level.
