Co-authored by students as part of EdTerra's Young Authors Program — an on-journey skill-building program.

2. To learn more about the innovative,
educational programs offered by
EdTerra Edventures, please visit:
www.edterra.com
Copyright © 2018
EdTerra Edventures Pvt. Ltd.
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or any means, electronic or mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

4. From The Principal of School
At St. Thomas’ Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi, we
believe that there is no substitute for ‘Education
through Action’ and that, exploring people, places,
cultures, economic opportunities, and technological
advancements through travel, complements and
completes the educational experience. This philosophy
matches our endeavor to create responsible and
dynamic global leaders and global citizens by bringing
the knowledge of the world to the classroom as well as
encouraging students to go out into the world. These
two methods are critical to create the three pillars of
international success in the modern inter-connected
world: empathy, understanding and international
collaboration.
In line with this mission, our students recently journeyed
to Sri Lanka under a program, titled Sri Lanka–A
Tropical Paradise. We chose this program for its focus
on bringing students in direct contact with a country
filled with vast natural resources and wild treasures.
Our students visited the beautiful cities of Colombo,
Dambulla, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. To augment the
broader program, we selected the Young Authors
Program, which ensured students’ engagement
and immersion. This Student Travel Chronicle is an
outcome of this collaborative and exploratory module.
Ms. Anuradha Amos

5. It captures the entire journey in students’ own words
and photographs. It even showcases their learning
from the intense, five-day interaction with one of the
world’s most enigmatic nations.
I would also like to recognize the efforts of EdTerra
Edventures; a Truly Educational School Trips company
that is well aware of co-curricular and extra-curricular
goals and developmental needs of students. We
acknowledge the contribution of their staff, especially
their on-journey educators. Their professionalism made
for an effortless, safe and enriching travel experience
for our students and teachers.
Lastly, we extend a heartfelt thanks to the students,
who participated and engaged with the program
enthusiastically. Our willing learners had an enriching
experience, the enduring benefits of which they will
reap all through their academic life and career. I would
like to also give my thanks to the parents who took this
leap of faith with us on this maiden adventure. Each
parent may feel proud of this highly demonstrable
publication that will keep reminding their daughters
of their achievement and capabilities, all indicators of
lifelong learning.
Sincerely,
Anuradha Amos
Principal
St. Thomas’ Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi

6. Message from EdTerra
A journey to foreign soil is always replete with learning
and excitement for any young and inquisitive mind.
When the destination is as rich as Sri Lanka, one can
only imagine the myriad ways in which Indian students
may absorb and construct learning out of the many
differences and similarities that mark the cultures and
people of this great Asian nation.
For EdTerra, an educational journey is about enabling
students to construct knowledge through a meaningful
encounter with a new culture, without diluting their fun
and excitement or restricting their wandering, curious
minds. EdTerra achieves this through its Program
Development Team (PDT), which is comprised of both
Indian and international experts. The PDT carefully
designs culturally neutral tools that enable students
to meaningfully observe, record and articulate their
impressions. These tools are deployed through a
process that encourages teamwork, meaningful
discussions, recording observations through digital
media and finally synthesizing all this into a media
product that showcases the ideas and learning of the
students.
Amita Bajaj

7. This publication, ‘Sri Lanka - A Tropical Paradise’, is one
such media product that captures the five day journey
of learning of the gifted students of St. Thomas’ Girls
Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi, to Sri Lanka. This beautiful
book serves as a window into Sri Lanka for those
students, peers and parents who could not be a part of
the journey. It showcases the intellectual and creative
capacities of the students, credit for which is rightfully
due to their parents and school.
EdTerra Edventures would like to thank St. Thomas’
Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi for their efforts and
support which made this journey of discovery possible,
with a special mention of the Principal, Anuradha Amos,
for guiding us throughout the process of finalizing
and undertaking the journey. EdTerra would also like
to thank the accompanying staff, for their sense of
adventure and dynamism that the French call ‘joie
de vivre’. Their energy made our jobs easy, and more
importantly, made for a more memorable journey for
the students.
We encourage you to read on and re-live the learning
and adventures of these students through the words
and photographs that follow.
Sincerely,
Amita Bajaj
Editor-Students Publication

9. .................................. 09
Dambulla
Kandy
Our Journey
17
..........................................
..........................................
25
............................................ 33
...................... 41
........................ 49
......................... 53
Colombo
Tourism in Sri Lanka
EdTerra Moments
About The Authors
CONTENTS

11. CHAPTER 1
OUR JOURNEY

12. aspects of the world. Kandy City Centre has the
most amazing brands and shops. No one can
resist shopping in Kandy.
After the heat of Kandy, the mountains of Nuwara
Eliya welcomed us with open arms. The weather
of the place was cold and amazing. Cultural
programme was the best experience about
Nuwara Eliya. Our Journey Mentor went out of his
way and took us for boating. Indeed it turned out to
beanamazingexperience.Afterhavingfuninsome
of the most beautiful cities of Sri Lanka, we went
back to Colombo. The capital looks somewhat
like a British set up with beautiful colonial style
buildings namely, Lotus Tower, Old parliament and
Nelum Pokuna. Sri Lanka is rightfully known as the
Tropical Paradise. One must visit and explore this
beautiful country.
“Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny
place you occupy in the world”, one of the most
popular phrases used by a lot of people. Our trip
to Sri Lanka or the Tropical Paradise was one of
the most amazing trips we have ever been to. We
covered four cities, each with a distinct flavour of
its own. The first city we went to was Dambulla.
Indeed a beautiful one! It is a place where we
experienced the rich culture and big heartedness
of Sri Lankans. We visited Pinnawala Elephant
Orphanage which reflects the love and respect of
Sri Lankans towards animals especially elephants.
Nature and animals play a major role in the life of
Sri Lankans. Different types of factories like tea,
spices and herbs prevail throughout the country.
No city in Sri Lanka could be said to be less than
the other. Kandy stands strong representing the
culture and tradition of Sri Lankans. Buddhism is
practised all over Sri Lanka. The Temple of Tooth
is a very good example of how people in Sri Lanka
respect their culture. They have protected and
fostered every evidence of Lord Buddha. Besides
having traditional and heritage places, it also
stands shoulder to shoulder with the modern
RIYA
YANYA &
TANVI
Our Journey

13. Our Journey
12
The serene beauty of Sri Lanka left us awe-struck!

14. All set to enjoy the boat ride at Nuwara Elliya Lake
Our Journey
13

15. All smiles with friends!
Our Journey
14

16. Our smiles say it all!
Just got to know from where our
morning cup of tea orginates
15
Our Journey

17. Embracing the natural beauty around us
Girl power!
16
Our Journey

19. CHAPTER 2
DAMBULLA

20. clicked lots of pictures. There were many priests
in the temple and they lived in the nearby hills and
mountains. There were certain rules that had to
be observed while visiting the temple as a mark of
respect towards their culture and religious beliefs.
We also saw a big statue of Lord Buddha and were
told that no one is supposed to turn their back
towards the Lord. The trip was fun and exotic.
Thanks to EdTerra team and our friendly Journey
Mentor for making our experience memorable.
We started this beautiful journey from Dambulla.
Dambulla is one of the most amazing places that
we visited. It is a large town situated in the Matale
district. In Dambulla, we first visited the Pinnawala
Elephant Orphanage and were amazed to see
the intelligence that elephants possess. It also
showed us that Sri Lankans are very protective
about elephants and have made strict laws to
protect them. Our next stop was the Spice Garden.
We could not enjoy over there as there was sudden
rain shower, but during our short visit, we got to
know a lot about the herbs and ayurveda and their
value in our daily lives. We were happy with the
sweet gesture of the staff as they served us their
special herbal tea. Next day, we went to Sigiriya,
which is a historical place full of natural beauty.
It was an adventurous experience. We felt a big
achievement when we climbed 1200 stairs to
visit the Lion Rock. We witnessed the beauty and
magnificence of the structure on reaching the top
and felt fresh despite a long walk.
Our next visit was to Dambulla Cave. It was very
beautiful. We also visited the Golden Temple over
there and it was an amazing experience. We also
PARUSHI,
SHRIYA &
TAVNEET
Dambulla

21. Dambulla
20
The Lion Rock, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, forms a perfect backdrop for this picture

22. Posing with our new friends at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
21
Dambulla

23. 22
Feeling the peace and divinity at Buddha Temple
Dambulla

24. 23
Feeling spiritual at the Cave temple in Dambulla
The joy of taking a moment to soak it all in
Dambulla

25. 24
Having fun in the sun
A sip of Sri Lankan tea refreshed us all
Dambulla

27. CHAPTER 3
KANDY
CHAPTER 3
KANDY

28. ARUSHI &
SANYA
various kinds of antics with fire. They were even
walking on fire. We couldn’t watch that for long as
it started to rain. We also went for shopping at the
Kandy City Centre. The entire city got lit up with
lights as the day inched towards night. We went
back to our hotel and had dinner. It was delicious
and the desserts were mouth watering. By the end
of the day we were very tired and went straight to
the bed. At the end, we would like to say that Kandy
was one of the best places we visited during this
trip.
Kandy is a beautiful place in Sri Lanka. The
name Kandy conjures visions of splendour and
magnificence. Many of the legends, traditions and
folklore are still lovingly kept alive. We regaled the
beauty while driving around the Kandy Lake built by
the last Sinhala king in 1806. We visited the Kandy
town and enjoyed exploring the local markets. It
was so much fun. We had a long journey from
Kandy to Dambulla. The present capital of Sri
Lanka is Colombo but earlier it was Kandy. Like
the rest of the country, elephants are given a lot of
importance in Kandy also. We visited the famous
Tooth Relic Temple. We got to know that showing
one’s back to the statue of Buddha is prohibited.
The temple had very strict rules. We saw many
tourists over there. It had a peaceful aura.
The locals of Kandy were very friendly and they
interacted with us nicely. Next, we went to watch
the cultural show in Kandy. It was very unique
and entertaining. It was a one hour show of the
traditional Sri Lankan dance and music. While
coming out of the auditorium, we saw people
performing tricks with fire. We went close to
the place of activity and saw people performing
KANDY

29. Kandy
28
Soul searching at a peaceful temple

30. Feeling blessed inside the Tooth Relic Temple
29
Kandy

31. 30
The journey was as enjoyable as the destination
Kandy

32. Girls wanna have some fun!
31
Ever-ready for a pose
Kandy

33. High Happiness alert!
32
The different traditional attires showcased the cultural
diversity of India
Kandy

35. CHAPTER 4
COLOMBO

36. Independence Square. It is a national monument
that was built when Sri Lanka got independence
from the British rule. It signifies the efforts made
by the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, when
the country gained independence. Religious and
national festivals are celebrated here promoting
the unity and diversity of the country.
Colombo being the capital city is also the main
shopping centre. We couldn’t resist spending all
we had. We were delighted by the art and culture
of the place. All along this, the best part was that
our Journey Mentor was a very jovial person, he
made the journey even more enjoyable. This gave
us some of the best memories we could ever have.
The journey ended with a heavy heart and while
going back to the airport, all of us got emotional
and broke down. It was time to say goodbye to a
journey that we will miss for a long time. Sri Lanka -
The Ocean City gave us some of the best memories
we could ever have.
The final destination of our enchanting Sri Lanka
trip was the capital of the country, Colombo. The
entry to Colombo was all jam packed with traffic.
We faced major traffic jams all around. Finally,
we reached our hotel and had a delicious dinner.
Since all of us were tired after the journey we went
early to bed. The next morning, we went around
the city visiting important landmarks and places
of interest.
The very first place we visited in Colombo was
the Golf Phase. It was beautiful and offered a
breathtaking view of the Indian Ocean. From there,
we went to Victoria Park where people were seen
enjoying nature among the lush green trees. We
also had fun in the huge open space. There is a
War Memorial located inside the park. ‘There we
gathered some information about the history and
bravery of the war heroes and it fascinated us a
lot. The next place we went to was the National
Museum of Colombo which is near to Victoria Park.
It is an interesting historical site reflecting great
architectural skills. We also got to know about
the significance of National Emblem as well as
about the history of Sri Lanka. Next, we visited the
DIKSHA &
PANINI
Colombo

37. Colombo
36
Posing in front of The Town Hall, Colombo

38. 37
Time for Vitamin “SEA”
Colombo

39. 38
The entire group enjoying a magical view of Colombo
Colombo

40. Independence Square is a perfect place
to hang out with friends
39
Beach time is fun time!
Colombo

41. All trend setters in one place, rocking!
40
Pretty girls striking a pretty pose!
Colombo

43. CHAPTER 5
TOURISM IN SRI LANKA

44. We visited various temples and all of them were
very beautiful. We wished we could just sit there in
peace and meditate.
Being students, we have to follow a very strict
schedule and have a busy life back at home. Sri
Lanka reminded us that it is necessary to take a
break and live the life you love. It is a peaceful,
calm and green place with lot of natural beauty
around. As tourists, we were really satisfied with
the services provided to us. We wish to visit this
Paradise Island again and experience the serenity
of the place. We were spellbound with the beauty
of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is a beautiful place for a tourist to
visit. People of this tear drop island are friendly,
cooperative and helpful. The place is lovely and
enchanting. It has wonderful weather which is
perfect for travelling. We visited four different
cities namely, Kandy, Colombo, Nuwara Eliya and
Dambulla. Nuwara Eliya was a perfect place to
visit as the weather there was cool and we enjoyed
a lot. It was very peaceful and calm. We were
mesmerised by the natural beauty over there.
Colombo being the capital of the country is
a modern city and very clean and green. The
greenery over there attracted us the most. It was a
hot day, yet we did lots of shopping. We also visited
historical monuments and parks in Colombo.
Dambulla was perfect for trekking and climbing.
We visited a place called ‘Lion Rock’ in Dambulla.
We could not believe that we climbed 1200 steps
to reach the top of the amazing Lion Rock and
witnessed the breathtaking sight. Our next stop
was Kandy. Kandy, as the name suggests, was
just like colourful candies, very attractive and eye-
pleasing. We enjoyed every bit of our stay over
there. We visited a Buddhist monastery, which
reminded us that peace of mind is very important.
KASHNI,
MANNAT &
VANSHIKA
Tourism in Sri Lanka

45. Tourism in Sri Lanka
44
The natural beauty and the picturesque locations are a treat to the eyes

46. Who doesn’t like to have fun and click lots of pictures?
45
Tourism in Sri Lanka

47. 46
Camera ready! Banana Ready! Time to feed the Elephants at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Tourism in Sri Lanka

48. Adventure junkies possing on the cliff of the
Lion Rock
47
Creating memories forever!
Tourism in Sri Lanka

49. Magical glimpse of Sri Lankan beauty
48
Shopping is a must!
Tourism in Sri Lanka

51. EDTERRA MOMENTS

55. ABOUT THE AUTHORS

56. Arushi
Pathak
55
Hey! My name is Arushi Pathak. I am 13 years old and
I study in St. Thomas’ Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi.
This was my first trip with EdTerra and the experience
was too good. I love travelling. I am a very lazy person
and I thank our Journey Mentor a lot to always knock
on my room’s door to wake me up every morning. Sri
Lanka is a beautiful country. The best place we visited
was Nuwara Eliya. As a part of exchange programme,
we visited Republican International School in Nuwara
Eliya and found the kids over there very cute. We also
visited an elephant orphanage in Dambulla, where we
fed them fruits and clicked pictures. It was a delightful
experience. Colombo is the prettiest of all. We went to
a lot of places, did shopping and had fun. I loved this
trip a lot!
I am Diksha Sawhney, a Grade 11 student who got
an opportunity to be part of a Sri Lanka tour from
our school in association with EdTerra. Being a part
of this tour was an amazing experience as we had
access to the most scenic and breathtaking natural
beauty. We experienced the culture and the pleasing
personality of the Lankan people. Our itinerary was
planned in a way which made us keen to know more
about the people, their culture and also their history.
We had long bus tours, however, our guide’s horror
stories and his jokes entertained us a lot. Feeding the
enormous elephants and climbing around thousand
steps just to fill our hearts again with beauty will
always be remembered. I consider myself lucky for
being the part of this wonderful tour.
Diksha
Sawhney
About The Authors

57. 56
About The Authors
Hey! I’m Kaashmi Pahwa, a fourteen year old girl with
big dreams! I belong to New Delhi, India. Sri Lanka
was my first ever international trip, I am so glad that I
got this opportunity from EdTerra and I finally fulfilled
my childhood dream of visiting a foreign country.
I learned so much from this trip that it made me
stronger than before. I explored Sri Lanka and visited
four different cities namely, Kandy, Dambulla and
Colombo. For most of the people this was just a trip
but for me it was something more than that as I love
travelling. I will never be able to forget even a single
experience of this trip. Sri Lanka is truly a heaven!
Hi! I am Mannat Sethi. Today, I will share my
experience about my journey to Sri Lanka. I enjoyed
every place especially the Pedro Tea Factory, Buddhist
Temple and Sigiriya. I enjoyed a lot in all four cities
namely, Kandy, Dambulla, Colombo and Nuwara
Eliya. Chocolates and ice-creams were the best part
of our trip. I loved being in the pool and seeing the
sea from the room and roof top. We had fun during
the flight and shopping with my friends. My friends
made my trip special as we had a nice time in the
pool, dancing in rooms and eating noodles. We also
learned to respect other communities, tourists and
the locals around us. I am happy that I went on this
trip and learnt so much.
Kaashmi
Pahwa
Mannat
Sethi

58. Panini
Sharma
57
I am Panini Sharma, a student of Grade 11. I was
part of the Sri Lanka tour which was organised in
association with EdTerra. I was filled with excitement
and joy since the very beginning and when I actually
became a part of the journey I learnt a lot of things. I
learnt about the various procedures that are followed
at the airport before or after boarding a flight. When
I experienced their culture and had a conversation
with the friendly Lankan people, I was indeed filled
with joy. Feeding the enormous elephants was also
a breathtaking experience. The scenic beauty of
Sri Lanka’s towns namely, Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya,
Colombo and Kandy left me awestruck. I am a nature
lover and this trip was a memorable experience. I will
miss Sri Lanka, as it was one of the best school trips.
Hey! I am Parushi Saini and I study in Class 11. I love
dancing. I am a professional Bharatnatyam dancer.
Recently, I have developed a new hobby to read
novels. The experience with EdTerra on the trip to
Sri Lanka was a memorable one. Our journey was
an amazing experience. I would never forget this life
time experience of Sigiriya, where we had to climb
1200 steps to visit the Lion Rock. Nuwara Eliya is a
beautiful hill station, full of greenery and picturesque
locations. I made lots of friends on the trip. We also
visited Kandy and Colombo in Sri Lanka. EdTerra did
not just make us see places but also made us learn
about Sri Lanka. This was a joyful journey and was
full of surprises and happiness.
Parushi
Saini
About The Authors

59. 58
Hey! I am Riya Vishnoi and I study in St. Thomas’
Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi. I love being outdoors
and trying out new things. This is what encouraged
me to travel with EdTerra Edventures. Out trip to Sri
Lanka was an amazing experience only because of
our Journey Mentor and EdTerra who gave their best
to make us feel at home. I loved all the cities that
we visited especially Nuwara Eliya. It was cold and
pleasant there with trees and mountains all around.
The trip was full of fun and education. Be it tea
factories or spice and herb gardens, a walk in Kandy
City Centre or along the beach, every part of the trip is
memorable. Au revoir!
Hey! I am Sanya Sachdev, a 14 year old student of St.
Thomas’ Girls Sr. Sec. School. Dance is what gives
me life. I am a very lazy person and I thank my journey
mentor for knocking on my hotel room innumerable
times to wake me up every morning. While departing
from Delhi airport, we were excited and were waiting
to explore Sri Lanka to the fullest. My two favourite
places from the trip are Nuwara Eliya and Colombo. I
was mesmerised by the peaceful sky and the angelic
beauty of Nuwara Eliya. Watching the Indian Ocean
in Colombo was a treat to the eyes. The buildings of
Colombo were amazing. These 5 days that we spent
in Sri Lanka will be cherished forever. Much love to
EdTerra!
Riya
Vishnoi
Sanya
Sachdev
About The Authors

60. Shriya
Sharma
59
Hi! I am Shriya Sharma of Class 11. I loved this
trip to Sri Lanka, a wonderful country with its own
beauty. This trip was full of education and fantastic
memories. We had an experience which will be
remembered forever. EdTerra gave us a chance to
create memories for a lifetime. Moreover, this trip
would also be remembered because of the amiable
nature of the Sri Lankans, their amazing culture, their
love for nature and wildlife and especially for their
strong faith in Lord Buddha. We visited four different
cities in Sri Lanka. This trip made me love travelling
even more. My dream is to be a writer and being a
part of Young Authors Program was very exciting as
it added a lot to my knowledge. Thus, EdTerra has
been a wonderful organizer.
Hi! I am Tanvi Neb and I study in Class 6 and I live in
New Delhi. I love to dance and read. My favourite food
is curry rice and I like playing badminton. Our trip to
Sri Lanka was amazing! It is a beautiful place. Nuwara
Eliya is a hill station and a lovely place. Our visit to
this amazing hill station proved to be the best part
of the trip. We also visited Colombo and Dambulla
and enjoyed a lot. I loved this trip and will never forget
it and I hope to have more such trips with EdTerra
in future. EdTerra is a really good student travel
company and Sri Lanka was amazing.
Tanvi
Neb
About The Authors

61. 60
Hey! Am Tavneet Kaur and I study in Class 11. I love
dancing and playing badminton. EdTerra Edventures,
a well-known student travel company, planned a trip
to Sri Lanka. We travelled by Sri Lankan Airlines. First
we went to Dambulla Cave Temple and Sigiriya Rock
Fortress, climbing 1200 steps to visit the Fortress
was a tiring experience but it was truly worth the
efforts. Then we went to Nuwara Eliya. It was the
highlight of the entire journey. The weather there was
just amazing. It actually made my trip. My dream
of travelling by air and going abroad came true just
because of EdTerra. I really appreciate this team and
thank them for such an educational and amazing trip.
Also, for sending such an amazing Journey Mentor
with us.
Hey! I am Vanshika Goel, a 15 year old student living
in New Delhi and studying in St. Thomas’ Girls Sr.
Sec. School. I love to explore the world and because
of this I decided to go for this trip. I didn’t know that I
will get along with other people so quickly, but I loved
the experience. I enjoyed every bit of the trip, just that
the food options for vegetarians were less than what
was available for non-vegetarians. I got two sister
like friends over there which was a new and a happy
experience. I loved all the places we went to. The
moments which I enjoyed the most were the ones
which I spend with my friends as we cracked a lot of
jokes and played many games. I wish to be a part of
more such trips organised by EdTerra!
Tavneet
Kaur
Vanshika
Goel
About The Authors

62. Yanya
Neb
61
Hey! I am Yanya Neb. I live in New Delhi and I study in
St. Thomas’ Girls Sr. Sec. School. I love nature and love
to explore new places. I was too excited for our trip to
Sri Lanka and it turned out to be my best trip ever.
We covered four cities in Sri Lanka namely, Dambulla,
Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Colombo. This trip was
awesome. I visited different places and enjoyed all
of them. I loved the natural beauty and visited many
historical places too. We got to experience the culture
and religion of the Sri Lankan people. Our Journey
Mentor went out of his way and took us for boating
also. I really enjoyed a lot on this trip and I loved every
bit of it.
About The Authors

63. 62
I am Betty George, teaching chemistry in St. Thomas’
Girls Sr. Sec. School, New Delhi. Mark Twain said
“Explore. Dream. Discover.” Sri Lanka trip fulfilled all
these and more. Nuwara Eliya ‘The City of Light’, the
World Heritage Site of Sigriya, and the Tooth Relic
Temple - each of these places had its own story to tell
us. Breath of fresh air and cleanliness of the country
enabled me to carry rich memories of the place.
The cultural exchange programme with Republic
International School helped us not only to tinker with
them our learning but also to admire the talent of the
Sri Lankan children. Truly an enriching experience
indeed.
Betty
J. George
About The Authors

64. 56
About The Authors
TM