On rails back and forth through the highlands

Unfortunately, we couldn't book a train ticket the day before. But luckily, we were able to get two seats in second class on our second attempt. The information on the internet and from the railway staff is extremely contradictory and confusing. That's why today we will travel to Nanu Oya, then back to Hotton, and then the next day we will pass Nanu Oya again to go to Ella. But our plans for the next two days cannot be changed. We also know that the section from Hotton to Nanu Oya is considered one of the most beautiful railway routes in the world. We are now fortunate to experience the double pleasure. The route deserves its place on the top 10 list. The lush green tea plantations, the mountains in the background, the colorful houses, and the blue train on the rails burn unique images into our minds. Moreover, train travel in Sri Lanka is a true spectacle. The wagon doors are wide open, so many tourists sit on the steps and let their legs dangle out of the train. The routes not only differ in terms of altitude, but also in their characteristics. On some sections, you will be shaken back and forth, so the adrenaline junkies should hold on tight to the steps.

We have about 4 hours to visit a tea plantation in Nanu Oya. Due to the limited time available, we take a tuk-tuk and get an interesting and personal tour. Fortunately, we have one of the rare rain-free days. Nevertheless, you can clearly feel the low temperatures of the highlands here. The tea plantation is a huge facility and we learn a lot during the guided tour. For example, the production of black tea only takes two days. Green tea requires attention for two weeks, and white tea even requires four weeks. At the end, we get a cup of black tea to taste (ICKY ^^). Sri Lanka is famous for its high-quality tea, which enables them to engage in a flourishing trade. After all, 20 percent of the total tea production is reserved for local use in their own country. After some more stops at tea pickers and waterfalls, we managed to make it back to the train station on time to catch the 17.45 train. However, it turns into the 18.30 train and instead of one hour of travel time, we will only arrive in Hotton at 20.15. But we have not yet reached our destination on this evening. A tuk-tuk and another hour on the road are needed to finally reach our accommodation. However, we will not get much sleep tonight!