Our Girl Guide trip

As we made our way through the grasslands of the Horton Plains, we were astounded by the beauty of nature.

We were visiting the well-known place called, 'World's End,' a steep drop of a mountain from an altitude of about 10,000 feet. To reach our destination, we had to endure a tiring walk of about four kilometres, taking care not to step on loose rocks. When we actually reached 'World's End,' our tiring efforts were well paid off. We saw a huge drop, to which there was no end. It was actually as if the world ended from that point and nothing existed beyond. There was an eerie, forbidding sense about the place which made it all the more interesting, sending shivers down our spines.

From World's End, we went to see the Baker's Falls. On either side of our path, all we saw was miles and miles of uninhabited grassland with few patches of forest growing here and there. It was all so peaceful and quiet; and so breathtaking that we did not even notice the long miles pass by.

The Horton Plains were also home to some native plants as well. The Baker's Falls were just lovely but there was a lot of climbing and descending to do in order to reach it. Our exhausted souls, from the climb, were soothed by the cool breeze that blew when we found ourselves in open grassland once again.

From Horton Plains we went to see the Highland Spray Dried Milk Factory, where we observed how powdered milk and butter are made from cow's milk.

We also were fortunate enough to catch a quick glimpse of the beautiful St. Claire's Falls. The Devon Falls were tall and narrow, while the

St. Claire's Falls were much broader. However, both these huge bodies of water were equally magnificent, surrounded by lush greenery which added to the view.

As Girl Guides we were also involved in an environmental project, where we cleaned up a place filled with polythene and other garbage near the shores of Lake Gregory in Nuwara Eliya. We also visited Victoria Park, situated in the heart of Nuwara Eliya town. It was a nice place to stroll leisurely, and was full of lovely flowers and plants.

All in all, our Girl Guide trip to Nuwara Eliya was a fun-filled one, with a lot of laughter and singing, where we learnt new things and enjoyed ourselves immensely as well.