8/2/2014 - Ella

Our extra night at the Sun Top Guest House did not eventuate and so we moved further out of town to the two month old Tea View Guest House. It's a very nice place built on the side of a hill overlooking - you guessed it - a tea plantation (Finlays or Findlay's).

On the basis that it is at least 2 klm from Main Street it seems we are the only guests. No Wi-Fi here as yet so I am typing this up separately and will cut & paste it into the Blog later.

We are too lazy (& it is too hot in the Sun) to walk back into Ella so although we have gone for a walk further into nowhere, we have mainly sat around reading or listening to music - we are on holidays so I reckon doing nothing is a part of the deal.

Nothing further to report so Tata (see what I did there …. Tata trucks - get it? for now.

9/2/2014

Yesterday we saw our second Bushbaby, just down the hill from our balcony in an open part of the forest. It wandered across the fairly open ground for a while then climbed about 6 feet into a tree and leapt across into the foliage of a different tree and disappeared.

No TV or Internet here so after a nice dinner we read for a while and hit the snort-fort.

This morning involved a Sri Lankan omelette on the 3rd floor (top) balcony - very nice with the usual lashings of toast / jam and tea.

Whilst sitting there staring into the tea bushes Desley spotted movement - after a short while a small Deer emerged and looked around, eventually making eye contact with us. He or she looked at us for a while and then slowly disappeared into the tea, having correctly decided no good would come from anything with only two legs.

We saw it again several times as it wandered in and out of the bushes. We always have a camera with us, even at the breakfast table, except this time.

Back in our very nice room now and, given that we cannot go further South or South West by train, deciding what to do next:-

1. Catch the 8.00 am local bus tomorrow morning to Galle - 330 rupees each, or

2. Catch the train back to (probably) Kandy and then head to Galle via Colombo, or

3. Hire a taxi (Toyota Van or similar) to take us to Galle or somewhere nearer to the South coast - 14,500 rupees.

We'll see.

Ciao.

9/2/2014 - later on…

Sitting in the Dream Café, Ella at present using their free Wi-Fi, having a Lion Beer. Really liking our Tea Field View Guest House now so staying again tonight. Will likely pay the cost for a Taxi tomorrow as the other options are very unattractive.