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SRI LANKA has long been identified as the most complete island in Asia. With a history dating back to 2500 B.C., Sri Lanka is an island blessed with an abundance ofnatural resources. The options are plenty and moving around handy, with the travel time between Colombo (known to be hot and humid; average temperature -  30 degrees Celsius) and Nuwara Eliya (fondly called 'Little England'; average temperature - 15 degrees Celsius) being just 3 hours by road. It is for this reason that most writers continue to call it the 'Paradise Isle', and it is for this reason that tourists still continue to visit the country despite the troubles of the recent past.  

HEWAHETA (is) a small hamlet with its own rich historic background nestled within the highest mountain range in the country surrounded by lush tea plantations. Incidentally, not too far from this place, on a nearby estate, is the first tea tree planted by James Taylor. It is still to be seen alongside the remnants of his log cabin. Sri Lankan tea has been enjoyed by nations across the globe for well over a century, and is one of the most revered treasures left behind by the British Empire who ruled over (then) Ceylon from 1815 - 1948. The caretakers of these estates were treated like statesmen, as the sole responsibility of ensuring the quality of the tea produced fell on these individuals.

EASTLAND BUNGALOW located within 'Rookwood Estate' in Hewaheta was one such bungalow once occupied by the early breed of 'Planters' who strived to make the high quality tea that Sri Lanka is renowned for. The Bungalow was constructed in the early 1900s and is situated approximately 4700 feet above sea level on top of a mountain overlooking the Randenigala Reservoir. The Bungalow has been closed down since 2002, following the privatization of state owned estates and was put on sale by the owner in 2005. It is currently undergoing extensive renovation under the watchful guidance of Kamal Saliya Samarasinghe - an architect who specializes in ecotourism projects and draws inspiration from the work of the famous Sri Lankan architect Sir Geoffrey Bawa. Upon completion, the premises will consist of 4 log cabins, a tree-house and a viewing deck in addition to the existing bungalow which will include 4 bedrooms and a large living room offering breath-taking views of the Sri Lankan hill country.

The project is due for completion in December 2008(see updates below) and I look forward to welcoming you to Eastland Bungalow at some point in the future and hope you share in my quest to find the right balance between work, life and nature...

Clement Isack

March 2008

UPDATE: 12 DECEMBER, 2008

Given the usual constraints associated with building and construction in the country and the shortage of quality labour and related issues; there will be a delay in the completion of the project. The rains havent helped either, but I am hopeful of a launch sometime during the first quarter of 2009.

Renovation of the Original Structure is now complete, whilst the electricians are currently working on wiring the entire facility. Painters are due to move in once the wiring is completed after which work on furnishing and the interior will begin.

and finally, for those who may be wondering, the Credit Crunch had nothing to do with the delay... :)

Watch this space for further updates and fresh pictures.

Yours in nature,

Clement.

UPDATE: 11 APRIL, 2009

Work is back on track after a rather frustrating period, that was taken up by an indisciplined interior decorator who failed to deliver on promises made earlier. A fresh mind has taken on the challenge and all contracts related to carpeting, curtaining and furniture have now been finalised with completion due by mid June 2009.

Given this scenario, the launch date has also been pushed back to the second half of 2009, but we hope to have a firm date once the furnishing is done.

Write to me using the feedback form or watch this space for further updates.

Yours in nature,

Clement.

UPDATE: 25 JUNE, 2009

The carpenters are going at full throttle, and plans are now in place to complete the interior work by end July 2009. I believe I can breathe easy now, although there still exists a few concerns related to the power supply to the bungalow given the absence of a connection to the main grid. The thick layers of constant fog seems to be a barrier on solar power, hence I am currently looking at alternatives and are in negotiations with the local authorities on securing power through the main grid.

A personal thank you to all those who are keen to make the trip up and a BIG SORRY to have disappointed you at this point. The delay is due to factors beyond my control, but I assure you that the finished product will be well worth the wait. I have decided to take time off work during August to ensure completion of the project, and hopefully will be able to provide a positive update come August.

Please feel free to write to me should you require any further information.

Yours in nature,

Clement.

UPDATE: 19 AUGUST, 2009

A sigh of relief, yet a few more petty issues! 90% of the project is completed with lighting, carpets and furniture having made the trek up the mountain. I have no idea how they all got there but I am sure it wasnt an easy task and I dont think I'll ever be able to thank them all enough for having taken on the task. Kamal the contractor is currently busy brushing things up and finishing off the little edges and gaps, together with some plastering work on the view point and I intend making a trip up to the site (my 4th within the last 2 weeks) on Friday to oversee progress. The lights (handpicked by my wife and the interior guru) have definitely given the bungalow a new look and I am hoping that I could get it all done by the middle of September. A team of photographers cum nature lovers from lakdasun.com made it up there last weekend and have offered some valuable tips and the next task will be the implementation of a master landscaping plan that will include herbs, vegetables and fruits. All in all, things are looking good at this point of time, and I am hoping that the next update will be the final and the bungalow will be ready to welcome you in.

As always, any queries I am just an email/call away.

Yours in nature,

Clement.

UPDATE: 1 JANUARY, 2010

EASTLAND BUNGALOW IS NOW OPEN!

Please get in touch with us using the feedback link for rates, reservations and a list of terms and conditions related to rental of the Bungalow.

Yours in nature,

Clement.

FOR RESERVATIONS PLEASE CONTACT US USING THE LINK ON THE FEEDBACK PAGE OR CALL +94 777 388 810.