Janet's Journal

Struggling to recover from flu, I escaped again from a cold, wet England and arrived in Sri Lanka for my third visit. This time I stayed in Colombo overnight so that I could catch the Blue Train the following morning

Clutching my 2nd Class Reserved Ticket and my breakfast I found my seat on the train and was ready for the 8.30 departure. With the big windows pulled down to allow a pleasant breeze to waft through the carriage we ambled across flat paddy fields before the long climb up into the Hill Country. Severn long hours later I arrived at my destination, Diyatalawa. I was to stay in another SLA Officers’ Guest bungalow for a week.

From there I caught my first a/c bus, travelling from Bandarawella to Colombo to meet up with some English friends in Sri Lanka for a cricket tour.

The first leg of their tour was Jaffna going by the 5.30 am train from Colombo Fort, in the air conditioned 1st Class Reserved carriage

Three matches were played in and around Jaffna. A bit of sightseeing had been planned to include a visit to the Green Memorial Hospital in Manipur. Built in 1847 it was the first medical school in Sri Lanka. The hospital survived the Civil War and continues to treat people in need.

I was given a ride back to Kandy on the tour bus, with stops for an up market rice and curry picnic lunch in a paddy field, followed by a tour of a spice garden near Matale

I had booked into a tiny hotel high in the hills above Kandy, quite a challenge to find, but with fantastic views. After a few days of relaxed sightseeing, including a return visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya I was ready to move on.

So began my partnership with a new driver/guide, Tharindu.