Around the Pearl - Day Six Nilaveli – Mullaitivu (170 km)

Thursday, 17 April 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cycling update – Day Six: After a much needed day of rest, we left Nilaveli at sunrise and travelled along the northern coast past the towns of

Pulmoddai and Alampil. We then passed the little coastal village of Kuchchaveli, which is located near the vast Indian Ocean amidst peaceful beaches, quiet lagoons, mangroves and jungles. We continued our journey past the Kokkilai Bird Sanctuary (which is a protected reserve that is home to a large variety of birds including pelicans, cormorants, herons, egrets, wild ducks, waders and even pink flamingos). We took a break in the fishing settlement of Mullaitivu, where we joined villagers for a quick game of carrom outside a local grocery store. We conducted an impromptu WrooM session in Mullaitivu as many villagers from the local community were interested in our presence in the area. The WrooM session highlighted basic road safety rules for cyclists and motorists and was received with a great deal of enthusiasm. In the scorching heat of the afternoon, we travelled onwards to Kilinochchi. In ancient times, the Kilinochchi district was part of the pre-colonial Jaffna kingdom which came under Portuguese, Dutch and British rule at various times. Although eeriness now surrounds the town (which was greatly affected by the war), it was encouraging to see people going about their everyday lives with a sense of restored normality. The ‘Around the Pearl’ initiative by ‘Wheels for Wheels’ is a 1427 km bicycle tour around Sri Lanka which is being conducted by 12 business professionals in an effort to raise awareness about Cerebral palsy and raise funds for 1000 wheelchairs for children with CP. The ‘Around the Pearl’ initiative is being conducted in partnership with the Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation (CPLF) and WrooM – a project focused on promoting cycling in Sri Lanka as an alternative transport mode and increasing awareness of public road safety rules. To follow the cyclists on their journey across Sri Lanka and make a donation to help raise funds for 1000 wheelchairs to aid children with Cerebral palsy, log in to www.aroundthepearl.lk or https://www.facebook.com/AroundThePearl