Days 3-5

Sri Lanka was awarded Lonely Planet’s destination of 2019. This is a double edged sword – lately my newsfeed has been full of friends all posting the classic selfie hanging out the open doorways of the famous Kandy to Ella train. This is apparently one of the most beautiful journeys in the world and was on our list from the start – but did not quite go to plan!

Mistake number 1 – this is high season and we should have reserved seats several weeks ago. Mistake number 2 – this is Pilgrimage Season and at the weekend the locals take the train to climb Adams Peak. Mistake number 3 – the journey is at least 7 hours long, a very long time to stand 🤔

We asked our Host Mum who simply said ‘tomorrow? There is a problem’ i.e. you’ve got no chance. Host Dad was kinder and suggested we go for the slightly later train. We got a tuk tuk to a different station in the hope of beating the crowds and naively thinking we could get on and nab a seat. Mistake number 4 – every other tourist had the same idea. We bought our unreserved 2nd class tickets (about £1.30, or half the amount we tipped the maybe toilet attendent) and took our places on the platform poised to jump on, wondering why a local man was wandering the platform asking where we were going – just being helpful?

The train pulled in and we watched in dismay as packed carriage after packed carriage went past. The only empty carriage was the reserved seats which only smug tourists who had the sense to reserve were allowed in. Think rush hour London overground when there is a tube strike, with the doors open and people hanging out because they can’t fit in. I couldn’t take a photo because we were running down the platform with our backpacks looking for a space but it was futile. As the train pulled away we realised every single other person had in fact got on other than a German couple 🤷🏻‍♀️ It now became clear why the helpful man was there – he’s a taxi driver happy to drive stupid tourists who hadn’t reserved, all the way to Ella 😂

Long story short, the four of us paid £8 each to share the taxi half way (after the German woman gave up her pointless haggling over £1 split four ways) to Nanu Oya where the Pilgrims should have already got off, determined to get on this damn train. 3 hours later after a conversation about Brexit we were back on the platform while the taxi driver no doubt waited for us to get back in. History repeated when the platform filled up, the same train we failed to get on earlier pulled in and we were somehow again waiting on the wrong part of the platform… We were literally the only people left, standing there pathetically when the station guard shuffled us down to local 3rd class and we got on!!! Woohoo!! Only 3 hours standing and it wasn’t too packed. How expectations change!

The coveted dangling legs out of doors and heads out of windows spots were already taken and we didn’t want to be like the tourists we saw asking locals to move and clambering over them to stick their head out, pose like they were having the greatest time for an identikit selfie then get back in again. This is the best we could do:

A sweet family with a granny and kids tapped us to say they were getting off and we could have their seats… until three men barged past to claim most of them then spread out to stop me sitting down?! Luckily a kindly old man noticed and motioned me over to sit next to him.

Eventually we reached Ella, which was not the small quaint town we had imagined – with elements of Kuta in Bali and so many tourists!! I probably had too many expectations for Ella and a picture in my mind that did not match the reality.

But things turned around the next day as we went for a hike recommended by our Host Uncle up Little Adams Peak, rewarded by some stunning views.

The best was yet to come – you are allowed to walk on the railways tracks in Sri Lanka!! I felt like I was in the Railway Children as we scrambled down the bank and stepped along the wooden sleepers.

Host Uncle had written down the times the trains would pass through the tunnel so we could make sure we weren’t in it – ‘very dangerous, if train comes you lie flat!’ – we timed it perfectly as we had a drink and watched the train pass.

After the tunnel the crowds thinned out and we had a lovely walk down the tracks, feeling naughty approaching the station this way. It was beautiful clear day and we got all the views we didn’t get on the train 😎

We spent the evening walking around trying to reserve a cooking class for tomorrow – apparently we should have booked in advance 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ As it turned out we found the lovely Ruwini just down the road who welcomed us into her kitchen for a private lesson in cooking dalh, coconut sambal, pumpkin curry and aubergine modju (turns out the order you add the spices in are important) and then we got to eat it all at a table set for two. It was the most delicious food I’ve tried so far – this is what vegans eat! We left full of promises to buy claypots and spices and recreate it at home – travel goals!

And that’s it for the Highlands part of Sri Lanka – next stop south for safari …