Hill Country
Our trip through the Sri Lankan hill country started at Kandy (500m). We climbed through soft rain and fog to the cold Nuwara Eliya (2000m), stopping en-route to visit a tea factory and enjoy a nice cup of tea – complicated business this tea processing.
From Nuwara Eliya to Ella (1100m) we travelled by train. As we descended, the weather cleared allowing views of the tea growing plantations. For 2 days we stayed at the new 98 Acres Resort, built on top of a hill in the middle of a tea plantation. It was very quiet with wonderful views from our balcony. We enjoyed this place.
We walked a few kilometers from Ella along the railway track in time to see the train crossing the 9 Arch Bridge, then walked another couple of kilometers to Demodara where the track makes a 360 degree turn. We caught the old rattler back.
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| Our travelling companions on the train to Ella |
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| One of the waterfalls as we climbed up from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya |
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| Nuwara Eliya, known as “Little England” was an English hill station; the old houses are now hotels |
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| Our guide, Anton, pointing out some of the fresh vegetables at the local market |
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| The 10k of road to the Nuwara Eliya train station was terrible so we took a Tuk Tuk |
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| It was a bit bumpy! |
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| As we descended in the train, the weather improved giving us some nice views |
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| … of the tea plantations amongst the gum trees |
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| All tea is hand picked |
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| Tea flowers are not used |
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| Ella means waterfall in Sinhalese |
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| Bullocks plough the fields … |
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| … to produce the crops for the Ella roadside market |
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| Pepper is a very popular addition to the curries |
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| Young monk drying pepper in the sun |
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| Flower of the cardamom bush |
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| Boy waiting for the train |
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| The new train crosses the 9 Arch Bridge near Ella |
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| The old train appears from the 360 degree turn climbing tunnel beneath Demodara |
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| Rice is grown in terraced fields on the mountain valleys |
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| 16th Century bridge wooden on the footpath from Kandy to Bogoda (thanks Anton) |
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| Dawn from our balcony at 98 Acres Lodge, followed by ... |
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| ... a Sri Lankan breakfast - string hoppers with 3 different curries |