Day 11 - Nuwara Eliya —> Kandy

Let me start by saying breakfast is something else in Sri Lanka … they don’t mess around. We had a Sri Lankan breakfast one day but each day after that, we’ve opted for English breakfast which we have found to include coffee/tea, fruit, toast, egg, sausage and what I believe is ham but I’d say looked a bit more like SPAM.

Today’s breakfast at Westbury before we left was on the “juice” if you know what I mean. Take the standard English breakfast noted above, add apple portage (Sri Lankan signature health drink, which makes sense with M&A being all about “healthy” eating - 😉) and oatmeal + pastries and you have two full Lynn’s … (insert “oink, oink” 🐷).

But that breakfast is what we needed to fuel us for the trek ahead to the Ambuluwaawa Tower and then onto Kandy for the afternoon/overnight.

Mike and I both agreed that the travels down from high tea land, aka Nuwara Eliya, were by far the most consistent with beauty and prestine tea fields yet. We probably could have stopped at each turn for a photo op but we refrained for many reasons. But trust us when we say … this side of Nuwara Eliya was stunning! Air was so cool and fresh, whipping my cheeks as we floated down around curves … Mike and Winston, in their element, wild and free, enjoying God’s country and gravity.

The biggest “adventure “ for us today? This had to be our visit to Ambuluwaawa Tower. The tower itself is quite the feat to climb (see tower pic of the white tower with spiral stairs to heaven - almost) but we didn’t have any idea what it would take for us to actually get there. Wooo eeee!! Winston was a noble steed like always, and in first gear … we took it slow and easy … up, and up, and up … until we couldn’t go up any more. Upon our arrival, I found the Foreigners Wash Room (🤔 , guess I’ve been using the locals one this whole time?) and then we pondered how we planned to tackle these stairs we didn’t train for. 😂 Spoiler alert, we didn’t do the entire climb to the peak. Just to the big platform. Lots of people at the temple/tower today for a Buddhist holiday, Full Moon Poya Day. Not a whole lot of wiggle room on those stairs so we passed, and got a coffee instead. Lol. And … what a pleasant surprise to find some Xmas 🎄 spirit! Coffee and Christmas = 💚♥️

(Pssst … Hey kids! Send those Xmas lists …
Xmas is coming!!)

You are probably thinking … that doesn’t sound adventurous! It really wasn’t but the ride up was. Winston was a champ and maybe you can hear his effort in the video? About half way up … a local LEO flagged us down and asked Mike how long he’d be driving a Tuk Tuk (answer 12 days … maybe?) warned us of the even steeper climb ahead and strongly urged us to keep it in first gear and don’t stop. Mike said “challenge accepted”, took a pic together. thanked the kind LEO for his “service with concern” and off we went.

Not going to lie here … going to tell you the truth … Mike was eager for the challenge and I was more like maybe we should park and walk. Especially when the LEO said we could slip off the side or get in an accident then we would have to deal with legal stuff. 😳

Mike was right again!!! No way we could have made the walk up and his faith in Winston prevailed.

After that “high” … back to gear gravity down and down … for another hour drive to Kandy (with a K) where it’s back to city living. Streets were packed and bustling. Culture shock to go back to the jockeying for positions and all buses the rolling coal but it was also exciting to pull up to a beautiful hotel (Grand Serendip) for a hot shower before sapphire shopping! 💎

Sapphire shopping was interesting… first had theeee best Tuk Tuk driver to get us across Kandy. Had to be like some sort of professional Tuk Tuk driver because he navigated through all the streets and traffic with precision. Mike got to sit back and relax, and Winston had covered parking for the night. Win-win!

The first sapphire place we went had us watch an educational video on how sapphires are mined and it was 🤯. So unsafe!! But incredible how resourceful they are with what they have to mine these precious stones in the mountains of Sri Lanka. We didn’t make a purchase, however. Just didn’t find the perfect gem for the right price. We are on a fixed income these days, ya know! 😂 #retiredlife

Back to hotel for dinner at the rooftop bar and then off for spa/massages at the most interesting spa we have ever been too! Laama Spa downtown. Mike needed a recharge given the trip ahead tomorrow to our next stop, Sigiriya.

Not sure how to explain the spa young man, except big dark eyes, super sweet and very verse on US culture and sayings. Hahaha! Examples … “No skin off my back” … told Mike “Semper Fi” when he found out he was a LEO … a lover of all Marvel movies … wants to travel but “economy is struggling” … but he went above and beyond for us by actually driving us to our hotel when no Tuk Tuk was to be found after our treatments. He said Kandy (with a K) closes down at night and if you are out late, and run into someone they are probably “drunkards” and that’s “not good”. 😂

Long but good day … to bed for us … all relaxed and grateful for the travels and wonderful people of Sri Lanka.

Off to Sigirya tomorrow!

Hugs! M&ARead more