The Train to Ella

Our original plan was to get the train from Kandy to Ella but we left it too late to book and found no tickets were available. At the last moment, an agent managed to secure a couple of tickets for us from Nanu Oya, on a special train from Colombo. It is well known as one of the great train journeys of the world and no surprise it's so popular, especially when it feels like the whole world is visiting Sri Lanka. We met a couple in the evening who had secured tickets in advance and still couldn't get on the train. It seems a bit chaotic.

In the end, it all worked out rather well, getting driven to the station through the mountains, able to witness the scale of the tea plantations and even having time to visit a factory to see how the leaves are processed. For someone who has drunk tea his whole life, I was ashamed at my ignorance. I do worry about the tea-pickers, though. It's back-breaking work and they are likely only paid by the kilogram at a very poor rate. 

I was able to channel my inner schoolboy during the 3 hour plus journey, which covered only 64 kms but took us to 1898m above sea level. Built by the British (of course) to serve the tea plantations, it remains a miracle of engineering. It is wonderful to be able to open the windows wide and hang your head out, or stand by the doors and hang your hold body out, as many of the younger women felt compelled to do - in the cause of a much coveted Insta-selfie, no doubt! I simply wanted to enjoy the amazing scenery.

Arrived at our AirBnb to be greeted by an extraordinary view from the balcony. On any normal day, that would have made a pretty good blip. I could have chosen one of many shots of the tea plantations but it had to be one of the train, didn't it? This from the long descent to Ella.