Sri Lanka is a small tropical Island off the southern coast of India. It has a population of approximately 20 million people, which is a little less than the population of Australia.

The main island is small; 435k long and 225k wide. It's similar in size to Tasmania, and the similiarities don't stop there. It is believed that some 20,000 years ago the Australian Aborigine and the Sri Lankan Veddah (native people) were of the same tribes!

The climate is hot and humid, with two monsoon seasons. The capital is Colombo where 2 million people live. Other people are spread through the country in smaller cities and villages, and in isolation in jungle and rural areas.

Sri Lankans are friendly and hospitable people. English is widely spoken in Colombo but further afield it is spoken less. Therefore Sinhalese and Tamil are the languages you need to communicate with the local people.

Roads are congested and there is traffic chaos most of the time in Colombo and other cities. Buses are a favourite and inexpensive way for locals to travel to and from work, and return to villages for family visits.