Sri Lanka > By train to Naru Oye

The night is difficult. When I try to turn over, I feel pain in my lower back. Still, I realize that with the fall I had yesterday, I could have injured myself much more seriously. Carefully, I take a shower and pack my luggage. Bending over is difficult. Ajbriy is waiting for me punctually. He has to be, since I need to catch my train. Today, I am taking the train from Kandy to Nanu Oya—a journey of about four hours through hilly landscapes and rice fields. When I arrive at the station, I’m glad Ajbriy is accompanying me. I’m a bit lost. He points out which platform the train will arrive on. I see several tourists on the platform, likely waiting for the same train. Just before nine, the train pulls in. Ajbriy points out the correct carriage, then quickly returns to his car to be back on time at the final station. Onboard, my seat is assigned. Kandy is a so-called “terminus station,” meaning the train enters forward but departs backward. This means all seats are facing backward. As soon as the train leaves the station, the carriage attendant comes to turn the seats around.

Sri Lanka - By train to Naru Oye

It turns out the seats can be flipped with a single lever. I’ve never seen anything like it. In the compartment are several tourists, but also many local passengers. At every station, vendors pass through selling drinks, sandwiches, peanuts, and local dishes. I enjoy seeing fellow passengers who’ve brought along their own snacks. I’m offered various bites to try. From the conversation, I gather that the Sri Lankans are traveling for work and are heading to the final stop, Badulla. I also connect with an English couple sitting next to me—they’re following a similar route. It’s nice to have company on the train. Meanwhile, the train climbs higher and higher into the mountains. In the valleys below, I see countless rice fields. The doors on the train balcony are wide open. Two girls sit in the doorway, chatting. I take advantage of the open doors to take photos. Around 12:30, the train arrives at Nanu Oya station. The Sri Lankans point me to the final stop. I say goodbye and step off the train. On the platform, I immediately notice the altitude—almost 2,000 meters. It’s cool. In the car, Ajbriy grabs his phone and calls a number. When he connects, he says: “This is my boss; he wants to speak with you.” Surprised, I take the phone. On the other end, a man introduces himself and says he’s calling on behalf of Walker Tours and Namasté. He asks if everything has been satisfactory so far. Although a bit taken aback, I reply that everything has been going well. He thanks me and ends the call. Ajbriy drives me to the hotel in Nuwara Eliya. I have a free afternoon to rest my back. When I arrive at Avian Breeze House, it begins to rain. According to statistics, it rains 15 out of 31 days in October. Unfortunately for me, this year all of these rainy days fall consecutively at the end of the month.

Sri Lanka - The landscape around Nuwara Eliya

The staff welcomes me. I am the only guest today. I am allowed to choose a room. Four rooms are shown, all of which look perfectly fine. I choose a colonial room in the main building. The other building is more modern. When I ask to order something for lunch, I first receive the dinner menu—a relatively expensive selection. When I ask for a snack, another menu appears. I order soup and a sandwich and settle on the couch in the lobby. It feels a bit awkward with all the staff watching, ready to help. After lunch—it’s dry again—I take a short walk around the area. Nuwara Eliya is a few kilometers away, too far to walk. I cross the street and enter a small path. Women waiting at the beginning smile shyly when I ask where the path leads. No one speaks English, and I can’t figure it out. I see whether it dead-ends or not. Further along, I am again shyly smiled at. The path winds between houses and tea fields. At the end, I discover a narrow path through the tea plants. I follow it, assuming it leads back to the road. A man emerges from the tea fields. He has been cutting grass. He points out that he lives in a house on the road and gestures for me to follow him via a shortcut. He tells me that all the tea plantations here belong to the government. I clamber behind him up to the main road, then walk back to the hotel. I just make it inside before the next rainstorm hits. Due to Nuwara Eliya’s high elevation, it rains here relatively often. I’ll also need to account for rainy weather tomorrow during my hike through Horton Plains. At the hotel, I meet Josef, the owner, who wasn’t around earlier. While I’m reading on the couch, he asks if I have blood on my leg. Surprised, I look and indeed see some blood. Where did it come from, and how did Josef know? A leech has been crawling near me. Before I know it, Josef is ready with a large first-aid kit to treat the wound. He also asks what I’d like for dinner. I say I don’t really feel like a full menu. I also discover that I can choose the Sri Lankan rice curry (something that wasn’t available earlier). He promises to make the dish not too spicy.