30/3/22
Got the train from Ella to Nuwara Eliya, nicknamed Little England for its cooler weather and colonial architecture. The train ride itself was quite the experience! Already famous for its fine views over hills and tea plantations, when I got on my third class carriage, there were drums playing. There was a group of friends sitting around playing drums, and an older man started singing, encouraging others to join in. Slowly all the men were singing loudly, some women joined in quietly or clapped along. Then the main singer started dancing and encouraged others to do the same. After a few men started dancing, some young women joined in too. An older woman tried to wave me up from her seat, but I did not go. A western couple wandered through the carriage with a video camera. The girl joined in the dancing, the guy filmed. After another song, a couple of the Sri Lankan girls dancing pulled me up. I joined in the dancing too, although I was a little restricted as my foot was wedged under my heavy rucksack!! It was also quite precarious as the carriage was very wobbly on the rickety tracks!! The Western couple left back to their fancier carriage. Behind me, a baby was balanced on the top of the seats to watch the drumming and dancing – he was very cute, with the blessing mark on his forehead and his parents smiled at me. After a couple of hours of song, it became quieter.
Apparently, it was time to eat. Because of the dancing, everyone had changed seats since I had originally got on the train, and now I was surrounded by the group of Sri Lankan girls that had been dancing. They were all friends from work – they worked for the government in Matale and were heading out to hike Adam’s Peak on their weekend. They got two plates of food out, wrapped in plastics bags, used a plate to pour water into so everyone could wash their hands, and then began eating. They offered me food and I declined at first as I had my own food. However they offered again, and I decided it was rude to say ‘no’ so I accepted and they got another bowl for me to wash my hands and then I shared a plate with the girl opposite me. Some of the girls were feeding each other, and one girl also insisted on feeding me with her hands. I found this a little odd, but figured if they were doing it for each other, it must be okay! After I had my fill, I thanked the girls and encouraged them to eat from the plate I had been sharing – they were too polite!! They did finish everything afterwards, and then we all rewashed our hands.
The views were breathtaking outside the carriage. We chatted a little and they gifted me a gold bracelet with butterflies on it. The music picked up again, but the dancing did not. People clapped along and gazed out the windows**. In second and third class, there are actually no glass windows, just holes in the train where windows would be! When it was time for me to get off at Nanu-Oya, the girls waved me off. I walked through the station and waited for my tuktuk to arrive – I had treated myself to a bungalow overlooking the tea plantations near a well-known waterfall named Lover’s Leap, and the bonus was, my tuktuk was included!
When I arrived at my bungalow, the host made me a cup of tea before leaving me to chill out. After an hour or so, I headed up to Lover’s Leap cutting down the side of a tea plantation. A man, who wanted to be my guide, pretended he was going the same way. After speaking me small talk, I told him I didn’t need a guide and wouldn’t be paying him. He went away. I continued on, scrambling up a steep muddy banks, using branches to keep my balance. Annoyingly, random men kept springing up everywhere wanting to be my guide. Eventually, they all went away. The fall was pretty nice, but underwhelming for the story that goes with it. If I remember correctly, it was a tale of unrequited love and one lover jumped instead of living without the other’s love. It was very rocky, with little flow. It would not be a nice jump – lucky it was only an old wives tale!! It began to rain and I headed back, bumping into two girls on the way, who were doing an internship in Sri Lanka. We chatted a little before I headed through the tea plantation and they headed back to the road. I wanted to admire the views and properly enjoy the countryside. I wandered around awhile in the rain, looking down on the little villages and tea plantations across the valley. Then I headed back to my place.
I had another tea and watched sunset from my balcony, before heading out for food. It was dark when I headed out, and I walked down the lane with my torch! It was still raining and a car stopped and asked if I was okay. I said I was searching for food and he asked if he could give me a lift somewhere. I thought quickly and got in the car – he seemed like a genuine guy. He dropped me ten minutes down the road and I found a very local kottu shop. I ordered kottu and milk tea. A girl in scrubs and a hat came in. I asked if she was a nurse, to which she said yes. She was from Matale but had come to Nuwara Eliya to work. She was getting kottu as takeaway after her shift. She left and I ate my kottu. I walked back up the hill to my bungalow with my torch, going wrong only once, turning off too early, much to an aggressive dogs distress! I corrected myself before the dog appeared and proceeded to start watching the new season of Bridgerton in bed – what better place to watch than in Little England?!
1/4/22
After my nights of respite in the bungalow with a view, it was time to move on. I chilled with a coffee on the balcony awhile before turning my attention to packing. Then I walked down the hill and along the windy road to my hostel. It took me awhile to find since all the roads were so small, but I made it eventually, albeit quite sweaty! I ditched the bags, met the owner, who made me a tea, before I headed I to the town centre. I was going to mooch in Victoria Gardens, a pretty park and then go for afternoon tea at a fancy hotel, aptly named The Grand Hotel.
I hit the park, after walking through a bustling bus station, and the park felt very English indeed! There were many colourful flowers and lots of green plants arranged in near patterns. There were ponds, fountains and arches too! I wandered through, stopping to sit by the pond to read my book awhile. Then I headed round the corner to see what the local market had to offer. It was very local, selling fresh fruit and veg, huge vats of rice, knick-knacks and big hunks of meat and fish.
I headed over the road to the tourist shops next as I wanted an anklet. I did not find an anklet, but I did find a hairdressers!! My hair had been driving me a little nuts for quite some time so I was keen to get some of it hacked out! I knocked on the door and a man let me in. The last time I got my hair cut by a man was in Ludhiana, Punjab, and when I returned to my hairdresser in Brum, she asked what had happened to my hair – apparently it was not cut straight!! Despite my previous encounter, I got my haircut. It became apparent that despite having ‘twenty-five years experience’, he had never done the haircut I wanted before. I think most people have layers here and want there hair thicker.. I told him how to thin my hair, as he was just hacking at the ends only!! Then I told him about shaping. I got a head massage too, which was pretty nice! When he finished, my hair felt lighter which was good, but did not look straight!! I asked him to correct a bit, but he said it was okay for a middle parting, which I do not have!! I left bemused, but still happy, and headed to afternoon tea.
The Grand Hotel was pretty nice – it had a long drive with trim lawns and trellice arches and a pond. The dining room was also grand – the rich mahogany board kind!! I ordered my afternoon tea with a black tea with rose (my fave). When it arrived, I asked for milk, and the waiter was horrified! I was Oliver in Oliver Twist asking for more porridge! The waiter uttered the question ‘miiiilk?!’, before eventually going to get some!! After that, the tea was uneventful – they played great jazz music and I people watched and enjoyed doing nothing!!
Afterwards, I went by a food court for a mooch. They also had shops and I saw a beaut pale green cropped denim jacket. It was ridiculous to lug around a denim jacket I told myself.. Guess who bought it anyway?! I got a tuktuk back to the hostel and asked the guy to return in the morning to take me to the train station. I blogged a little and chatted to an Indian guy, who we realised between us also had travelled with Nico!! Small world, ayy?! Then the owners lit a bonfire and we all chilled outside with beers and the biggest, most scared dog I’ve ever seen!! There was a little dancing before I left for bed since I had to be up early for my train to Kandy.
2/4/22
My tuktuk was waiting for me when I checked out and we headed to the station very slowly!! We stopped by a bakery for snacks and then the driver seemed to think that since my train was in forty-five minutes or so, he could use all of that time to drive! We chatted as we went, but eventually I asked him to drive a little quicker! I bought my ticket and waited on the platform, watching people take their station selfies!
wanderingwelshie travels 