I'm going to Sri Lanka...

[stupot]

Here you go, another annoying 'what can I do where' post:)

I was wondering if anyone had been and what the highlights of their trip was. Any info would be great!

I'm also thinking about a new lens... But... lenses are expensive:( its just I currently have 200mm max, I love taking wildlife pictures as you can see from my previous posts and try my hardest but really just dont have the reach sometimes.

But... I cant bear to sell my 70-200:) I don't even know why I'm asking this as I know what all of my options are! But I'll just post anyways for reassurance!

I'm thinking of selling my battery grip, and nifty fifty. so that will be about £150. Added to some savings I reckon I could scrape a sigma 50-500ex. I've seen some fantastic shots with it but I'm worried about the big zoom range, gotta be a trade-off somewhere? and im not a fan of tripods so will mostly be shooting handheld. In which would I be better off with IS? Now I'm thinking of the 300 f4IS with a cheap 1.4x.. kenko or something. I've wanted this lens for a while, but it's not cheap...! so I'd have to scrape some more. mmm. Then there's the 400 f5.6, which is super sharp but not as versatile as the 300 (actually dont talk to me about sharpness - I know I will be happy with the 300 and tc, IS is a bonus, hence me wanting the 300 route). OR theres the 100-400... which would also be pretty cool...

...OR! theres the sigma 100-300 f4 which I know is a great lens but it does all the stuff my 70-200 does with a little more reach and I am NOT selling my 70-200!

So, anyway, I'm just having a moan about lenses because I'd like to reshuffle my kit a little, just want to make sure I don't go out there wishing I'd taken something else.

More importantly... It should be a great trip! I'm really looking forward to it and I'll be bringing you back some photos. Am leaving early September for two weeks so hopefully thats enough time to really get to know the place.

Thanks,

Stu

[Steve Parr]

I was in Sri Lanka in 1984.

I ate monkey brains.

If possible, I would suggest that you avoid that particular entree...

[kram]

Seems to a very 'happening' place these days with bombings all across and a war in one part.

Be careful whatever you do.

[stupot]

I was in Sri Lanka in 1984.

I ate monkey brains.

If possible, I would suggest that you avoid that particular entree...

mmm yummy:) im normally game for any food... may give that a miss though! but who knows;)


thanks kram, we're aware of the problems and will take care.

[condyk]

I travelled through lots of it during late 1999, but we got wet feet when we heard canon fire in the distance so didn't go far north. It is a great place BUT, at least back then, you needed transport because many of the areas you want to see are far apart and public transport is difficult or very scarce. We hired a driver and small minibus at Columbo airport and it was crazy cheap. He was a great guy. We had a tour of all the main sites and accommodation and then got left at a South coast beach place called Unawatuna, just West of Galle. That was a welcome chill out for a couple of weeks.

It was very cheap to travel and eat, etc and I really enjoyed the people and being within a Buddhist sensibility. I can't remember everywhere we visited now but there are some shots from back then here (http://nomadswithlaptops.com/country.html) (remember no broadband then and we used a 2mp P&S!!)

Jenny's travel diary also outlines where we went and her perceptions of it. If interested, and I suspect it will be useful for impressions of places to see, then check out the first three sections at the bottom of the link page above.

I really enjoyed it but we came right over from India, where I'd been twice before for long periods and so had got quickly pi**ed off because of hassle, so maybe my memories are slightly 'romantic' now! I think you will love it, but do think hard about transport realities and research options. For us, the driver/van/accomm deal was cheaper than we expected to pay for just accomm to be honest. If you can get a similar deal, and you must haggle but be fair, then that would be ideal.

[Steve Parr]

mmm yummy:) im normally game for any food... may give that a miss though! but who knows;).

If you like cold, wet gummy-worms that smell like feet, it could be the dish for you!

[stupot]

Thanks condyk, we wont be going north at all, the foreign office isn't advising it either. I skimmed through the diary and will give it a good read soon!

Steve - I'm drooling on my keyboard already:)

[ssim]

I was in Sri Lanka in 1984.

I ate monkey brains.



I would personally like to thank you Steve for sharing that with us.:eyes:eyes:eyes:shock::shock:

Yuck and double yuck.