Arrived in Jaffna last night after a 12 hour journey up the East coast road from Trincomalee. The road has been shut for 30 years because of the political situation and the war. I'll give a fuller report later for anyone who may like to explore the region. I pretty sure I'm the only western tourist to have made the trip a part of which was done accidentally. Mile after mile of abandoned paddy fields and burned out building bear witness to the fighting. Most strik...

Arrived in Jaffna last night after a 12 hour journey up the East coast road from Trincomalee. The road has been shut for 30 years because of the political situation and the war. I'll give a fuller report later for anyone who may like to explore the region. I pretty sure I'm the only western tourist to have made the trip a part of which was done accidentally. Mile after mile of abandoned paddy fields and burned out building bear witness to the fighting. Most strik...

Old fort, temples, British cemetery, harbour, fish market that's Trincomalee done in less than 2 hours. Devilled fish for lunch, superb, even better than the curried crab last night. This is the best hotel food I've ever eaten! Couple next to me were eating fish fingers. Call me a snob but really.

Train to Trincomalee About an hour before the train arrived, the staff at Colombo Fort Station decided to put a couple of 40 Watt lamps on. In the dim glow I could now make out my fellow passengers. The dark and somewhat threatening shadows of the previous hours now turned to be mostly poor and emaciated old folk. As the time for departure approached the platform began to fill with a decidedly more prosperous looking bunch. Presumably they had the wherewithal...

It's around 12 hours from Colombo to trincomalee. £2 for the best seat on the train.