Sri Lanka - Ella and Ceylon Tea

My trip to Ella had to be the most beautiful and most horrible train trip i've taken. I had not pre-purchased 1st class tickets a month in advance, meaning my chance of getting a seat in the viewing carriage was nil. I purchased a 2nd class ticket which came with a warning that it was the middle of the Singalese new year and my chance of finding a seat was next til nil. Still, I was optimistic. I had caught trains in India, China and Egypt - surely Sri Lanka was not going tobe a problem! The pity I saw in the station master's eyes was starting to worry me...The train rolled up and i was a little surprised to see how much in disrepair the old steam train was in. It was a mad scramble to get on board quickly to grab a seat with my backpack on. Unfortunately, I had climbed into the 3rd class carriage, where the locals were standing in an open carriage. The carriage was so packed that I had no chance to get into 2nd class and was stranded in the dining car with other lost foreigners. However, making the most of a bad situation, I spent the next 7 hours standing up, making new friends of local families heading to the hills for holidays. A few hours into the journey, the train passes through gorgeous hill country, with tea plantations, waterfalls and magnificent scenery. I happily spent half my time hanging out from the side of the train, taking photos and enjoying the fresh mountain air.

Ella is extremely beautiful and staying at the Waterfalls Homestay run by

Aussie expat couple, Martin and Karen, was the perfect balm after the harrowing first couple of days in Sri Lanka. I spend the next few days hiking with a lovely Swiss family and their 3 boys to Ella Rock and Little Adam's Peak, chilling out at the beautiful guesthouse, playing with Martin's many dogs and cats and chatting with Karen. I loved that gorgeous place, which was just so clean and comfortable, i didn't want to leave. Karen and Martin areliving my dream. I still recall the conversation I had with some travellers in Sihanoukville in Cambodia over 10 years ago where we talked about opening a guesthouse. In my dream, the guesthouse looked exactly like Waterfalls Homestay - serendipity!