By the middle of February, we were ready to leave the hot beaches and steamy jungles for the cool climes of Sri Lanka's impressive hill country. We started with some memorable hikes and a tea plantation tour in Ella, took the train to Nuwara Eliya for more hillside adventure walks and a fun horse ride, joined the throngs of chanting pilgrims at staggering Adam's Peak, and traveled to the bustling city of Kandy for a dose of Sinhalese history. By the time we got to the capital city of Colombo, we were ready for a rest!
This area has a fascinating history. Kandy was the last stronghold of Sinhalese culture, set way inland so the march of colonialism - first Portuguese, then Dutch, and finally British - was kept at bay. The surrounding mountains and valleys eventually became ground zero for the British tea trade, and the hillsides are still covered with working tea plantations today. The damp and cool climate is perfect for growing Sri Lanka's key crop.
The girls are seasoned travellers now. They hardly batted an eye when we stuffed ourselves onto a packed third class train car leaving Ella. Our adventure at Adam's Peak produced some tears from all four of us, but it made us feel like we could face any adventure as a family. We're already starting to talk about how much we'll miss Sri Lanka when we leave on April 2nd. It feels like a second home by now.
We hope you're all doing well! Love & hugs from the Shaws
1. Little Adam's Peak View
"We hiked up here in the morning and had this beautiful view of Ella Rock all to ourselves." - Hazel
2. Nine Arches Bridge
"I'd seen images of this for months on many tourist sites and instagram accounts, but I was still in awe of its grandeur and surrounding beauty. The hardest thing to convey through pictures is the true lushness of Sri Lanka. It is the abundance of trees and flowers that make everything here remarkable." - Genny
3. Everywhere Puppies!
"When we climbed Ella Rock, we met this very cute puppy. I wanted to take her with me!" - Rosalie
4. Walking the Tracks
"In Ella, there's always a shortcut if you're willing to walk the train tracks. Here we're about to get soaked on our way into town for supper." - Ryan
5. Mountain Buddha
"This meditating master stands guard over stunning Ella Gap. Every time you turn a corner in Sri Lanka, you come across a statue like this. The mellow, peaceful vibes start soaking into your bones. I think it's a beautiful way to worship something bigger than ourselves." - Ryan
6. Tea Factory Tour
"This nice man took us on a tea factory tour and showed us the five steps that are done to make tea. My favourite step was when the twigs were separated from the tea leaves with a magnet. At the end we had a nice cup of tea." - Hazel
7. Packed Train
"A 3rd class train ticket means you're going to have seat (and aisle) neighbours! The language barrier may have been a bit tricky, but kindness is its own language." - Genny
8. Riding the Rails
"We thought we were clever by pre-booking our train ticket, but we had the date wrong by a day. Luckily we could buy a ticket but the ensuing 3-hour sardine can ride was a challenge. Of course, everyone was nice on the train. Sri Lankans are among the most generous and kind people on the planet." - Ryan
9. Nuwara Eliya
"They call this town 'Little England' because of how it's planned out. Victorian gardens, a horse track, a golf course - the works. We climbed up this ridge to get a great view from the Buddhist temple in the background." - Ryan
10. Saddle Up!
"At the race course in Nuwara Eliya, Hazel and I got to ride these beautiful horses. It was my first time riding and I loved it." - Rosalie
11. Downhill Tea Racing
"After a quick peek at a lookout turned into a must-do 'Dad' hike, we got caught in the rain. I complained that I wished we had just walked through the tea fields instead, so they all made my dreams come true by nearly mud sliding our way down and through this picturesque field. It ended up being fun despite our wet feet." - Genny
12. Adam's Peak
"This is the day before we tried to climb Adam's Peak. We left at 1:20 AM and got pretty close to the top. We watched a beautiful sunrise and got back for breakfast by 8:00 AM. It was a night I'll always remember." - Hazel
13. Turning Back
"Genny took this once we decided to turn back. The hike is all stairs with railings the whole way. When we hit a human bottleneck and stopped moving, we realized that we wouldn't make the peak by sunrise - or even at all. It was a tough call, but we have no regrets. The girls were absolute warriors on this one." - Ryan
14. River Bathing
"I was the only one who wanted to join this party in the river running down from Adam's Peak. Unfortunately I got out-voted. Still a super interesting place to hang out." - Ryan
15. Kandy Look Off
"A man made lake by a long ago Kandyan King. A city among the hills." - Genny
16. Temple of the Tooth
"The gold glow you see is the prized encasement of where Buddha's Tooth resides. Snuck out of India in the hair of a princess, the sacred remains of Buddha has a storied travel history like most things in Sri Lanka. The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy is a beautiful temple that was built just over 400 years ago." - Genny
17. Java Fig Tree
"At the botanical gardens in Kandy, we found a tree with a crazy branch sticking out, and this is what we saw when we got close. It was so amazing to see and fun to climb on." - Hazel
18. Kandyan Dancing
"We got to watch an amazing show of Kandyan dancers. My favourite part was when they breathed fire. At the end they walked on hot coals!" - Rosalie
19. It's a Buddhist World
"Look down this list of countries - Buddhism is everywhere in Asia. It all started in India, but Sri Lanka is considered a Buddhist Mecca of sorts because it held on from the earliest days. We enjoyed learning about all the different ways Buddhism is practiced." - Ryan
20. Fruit Bats!
"Look close at this picture. All those things that look like leaves are actually sleeping fruit bats. This was in the Kandy botanical gardens, an amazing place to explore." - Rosalie
21. Sigiriya Rock
"Who would think to build a palace and village atop a rock like this? A younger brother who had stolen the crown from his older brother and was worried about the day he would come back to claim his rightful place, is who! The history of Sri Lanka is as interesting as a dramatic mystery novel!" - Genny
22. Always Be Climbing
"This stairway is bolted to the side of Sigiriya Rock. If you're scared of heights, I wouldn't recommend it. Down below you can see the ruins from when this was made a fortress in the 5th century AD." - Ryan
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