World Sri Lanka Ella

Paul Harris Asia 2006

Sri Lanka - Ella 17 Feb 2006

Ella (Apologies if i've changed style/tense somewhere over the previous few entries - hopefully I'll be consistent from now on.) I decide to change my plans slightly and instead of spending another day in Nuwara Eliya (which is okay but lacks something) I decide that I should had to the much recommended village of Ella to relax for a few days and maybe do a little hill-walking. My legs are unfortunately now suffering from the deadly "Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness" (should have done more stretching). Having a couple of hours until the next (and hopefully on-time) train I jump into a tuk-tuk and head to a local tea plantation. Unfortunately I seem to have come at the wrong time as the production cycle has just finished and I only get to see a lot of machines not doing very much and some bags of tea. It's very interesting nonetheless. I leave and get to the station and arrive in time to find out the train is delayed an unknown amount of time. With a heavy heart I head to the bus station and take another series of crowded buses to eventually arrive at Ella. Actually I cheated for the last section and jumped in a tuk-tuk. Rather pleasingly I avoid all efforts from the driver to take me to places I don't want to see and hotels I don't want to go to and manage to pay less for the journey than it says in the Lonely Planet. Ella is very small and peaceful with beautiful views. I'm staying at my cheapest guesthouse so far (500 rupees vs 2800 for the night before in Nuwara Eliya!) but the room is scrupulously clean and the owners very friendly and helpful. My fellow guests are a Dutch couple (Naomi and Michael) and Swedish couple (Jeanette and Johan) who give me loads of helpful advice and suggestions for places to stay and see in Goa and Kerala and also Vietnam (including a place where I can buy very cheap bespoke clothes). This, I decide, is more like the sort of place I should be staying. My wallet agrees.

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