Blogs from Bandarawela, Uva Province, Sri Lanka, Asia

HE SAID... Today we were travelling south-east from Kandy to Bandarawela. Despite the previous evening’s drinks, we woke early (6:30am) and headed up to breakfast in the hotel’s open air dining area. I decided against a Sri Lankan breakfast – not because I didn’t feel well, but we had a five and a half hour train trip ahead, and I was hoping not to patronise the train’s toilet too frequently. I opted for cornflakes, guava juice, tea, toast and boiled eggs. We checked out of the charming Senani Hotel mid-morning, clambered into the minibus and headed down into Kandy’s railway station. We picked up some vegetarian pan rolls (filled and rolled-up crepes that are crumbed and fried) and vegetable roti triangles (filled roti folded into a triangle and sealed) to snack on, and I also grabbed ... read more

Joined a group and trekked over the hills and tea plantations around this area. Interesting but also slightly unsettling experience because of my inexperience in dealing with the visible poverty. Took another train from Bandarawela to Idalgashinna and started the trek from there. The coutryside is really very beautiful - Sri Lanka is so lush. As we got higher you could see a mist creeping in and by the time we were walking through the plantations proper it was low visibility. You didn't know what you were going to run into next. The tea bushes are planted in neat rows on such steep slopes, you wonder how on earth the women have the nerve to pick them so high up. And it is the women who do all the picking - apparently they focus more on ... read more

the drive to the tea estate manager's office I found manageable. my pineapple floated happily on its sea of stomach acids. so, with an internal sigh of relief, when we reached the office, i got out of the van, thinking we'd walk around all his acres and acres nestled into the hillside. rock squirrels would frolick at our feet. birds would chirp. the sun would magically break through the clouds. wrong. we greeted the manager, then hopped back into the van to continue our ascent. up. straight up. into more mist. more rain. for another 45 minutes. you know those hikes when you think you see the top of the mountain...but are still another 2 hours? or who knows how long...(Ruediger!) winding through villages, tea plucker houses (looking more refurbished then my berlin flat), pristine landscape ... read more

...and I ain't referring to some devout mediation regiment i've taken up here in the land of Buddha's footprint, Buddha's tooth and who knows what other bodily claims this island likes to make. ...and I ain't talking about dharma, his brother karma or his other brother karma. i'm talking 5 extra pounds in 5 short days. i'm talking . . . vegetarian paradise. and s-p-i-c-y!...a thousand andales andales from little Mr Gonzalez dancing in my eyelids... the colors. the peppers. the names. the peppers. the dishes to pass. the peppers. the very british desserts (one digestible aspect of colonialism, the brits have made the dessert table unavoidable) the peppers. even simple english results in waiters assuring me, yes madame no meat no fish yes madame i'm not a freak here. at least not culinarily speaking. and ... read more

Sunday 4th December 2005 Peter and I found ourselves a seat and deposited our bags at the front almost on top of an alcove housing a huge and ancient gear shaft. Apparently this is where the large luggage sits to save space for more seats. It wasn’t too packed to start with though and I had a double seat to myself. I am looking forward to the scenery I am going to see on this journey and also an opportunity to review my trip so far. We passed by little villages and groups of white and blue uniformed school children on their way to lessons. The bus began to rise steadily higher. Sinharaja is referred to as low country but we were now in mid country heading eventually to Bandarawela, which is in the lower part ... read more