Up by 4:45 and ready to leave by 6. Couldn’t rely
on public transport at this hour, so got a cab booked with the help of our host
to reach railway station [450 lkr]. After the initial slight confusion as to
which queue to stand in, we managed to buy the tickets for all planned train
journeys. So now we have 2nd class reserved tickets from Colombo to Kandy, 3rd class
reserved from Kandy to Ella and back. We were very apprehensive as to how 3rd
class reserved will be, but there wasn’t any other choice. And for Anuradhapura
to Colombo, we got first class tickets, again no other choice. I wanted 2nd class
reserved in all cases. But now we can experience all different classes.
So the 2nd class coach was decent [chair car] and
the journey was very scenic, very green. Slowly we left the plains and reached
mountains. We didn't have much to eat - I had thought there’ll be vendors
coming in the train, just like in India, but none came in this one. Actually I
had even read somewhere that vendors do come in, but where are they? So just had
some biscuits and fruits. [Need tea or coffee] We alighted in Peradeniya station
by around 10, next train at 11. It’s a small station, not very crowded, with only one small
shop – We got some black tea, buns, water and some munchies.
 |
| Peradeniya Station - Empty for quite sometime |
When our next train came, we were in for a pleasant
surprise. The 3rd class reserved was SO SO good. Comfortable seats,
neat, clean and bright, no extra people standing. So much for third class!
Before we knew a whole bunch of chinese
tourists boarded the same coach as ours and started clicking photos right and
left. Next we know, we are being clicked, wonder why? As soon as any station
came with any local folks, these people would all collectively start clicking
them, paparazzi!
 |
| Paparazzi!!! |
Anyway, this train journey was one of the MOST
scenic. We were on the mountains already, from the forests, tunnels, tea
estates, tall trees, flowers, mist, rain, sunshine and hundreds of clicks, it
was a feast of greenery and nature.
 |
| One of the most scenic train journeys - We are sitting in this blue train |
 |
| Tea Estates |
 |
| Pic taken while sitting in this very blue train |
Ishu slept through half of the journey, other
half she played on phone etc. We just ate some buns, fruits and biscuits. Very
few vendors came in, ground nuts (200) and samosa (100). Reached Ella by 6:30
in evening. We then took help of locals and station personnel to find our
homestay. Very kind people, I asked one of them for directions [I had the map,
but better to confirm] and he actually walked us till the homestay. Ella is a
very small village and our homestay was very near to the station. We walked and
soon reached tunnel gap homestay.
 |
| We reach Ella |
Tired and hungry, we had tea first. Ishu
immediately made friends with their nine year old daughter and 3 kittens [Shibey
Shiney and Blacky]. We had dinner also there itself, cuz we didn't feel like
going to the town center just yet, even though it's just 10 mins walk. Dinner
was chicken kuttu and egg roti. [ I asked for non spicey version again and it
ended up being completely bland, oops]
Ishu had fever by dinner time, guess cuz of the
exhaustion and lack of proper sleep :-( Sleeping Early.
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