After that great day at the Yala National Park we decided to head to the central part of Sri Lanka. We planned to take several busses to get from Tissamaharama to Nuwara Eliya, stay there for a while and keep on traveling to Kandy.
At the beginning it was very easy or at least it sounded easy. We got told that there is a direct bus going to Nuwara, so not as thought talking two buses to get there. But at the bus station we got the information that it is not true, so we kept to the plan we had and took the bus to Wellawaya. So far so good. At Wellawaya we asked some locals for the bus to Nuwara, because there was no sign telling us from where the bus leaves. Someone there showed us the schedule. That was the first time that we saw a time plan for the busses, we usually searched for the correct bus and got on the bus. But the schedule was telling us that the bus is only going twice a day and the next one would leave in the evening. Seemed not so easy, well the guys there offered me to help out and told me I should take a taxi or Tuk-Tuk, both are a bad idea, the cheaper Tuk-Tuk would already be 6000 Rupees, the bus to get there would be about 100, so a big difference and we did not think of paying so much.
Bernd began to think that we not going to make it to Kandy that day, but I did not give up. I had the idea to take the bus to the town in the north of us and try from there, it took a while for the guys around us to belief us that we are not going to take the expensive way and then one of them gave us the hint that we could go to Bandarawela and get there the bus. So never give up your plans and ideas.
Our trip lead us into the mountains, offering us a great view. In my childhood and youth I've been millions of times in the Alps, seeing mountains, valleys and the beautiful woods. But this was totally different. There was no snow, also not on the highest mountain, the trees were all around and were also on top of the mountains. Many tea plantations, rice fields and at the small villages always a temple.
From our stop in Bandarawela we wanted to take the bus to Welimada, we knew that from Welimada there would be a bus going to Nuwara Eliya, so no big problem. At the bus we got on to we got the information that it is passing through Nuwara, so one lesser stop on our way. On the bus to Nuwara we had a good conversation with a math teacher who was on his way back home. He told us that we could also take the train to Kandy, which might be also interesting and a different experience.
The train already left so we kept to the plan taking the bus.
In Nuwara we got to enjoy the view above the mountains and down a valley, well its different seeing the landscape from a shaking bus or while staying around and look at one space as long as you want.
It was already dark outside when we arrived in Kandy and for us the first time we came into the heavy rain. We took the first Tuk-Tuk we could find to get a ride and knew that we got to pay more because of the rain, did not stop us from bargaining for the price. At the Hostel we got a warm welcome and a good dinner before going to bed. The old lady taking care of the guest was like a grandmother.
In the morning we enjoyed our breakfast outside and had a good view on the hills around
There we met a German/Italian couple. We joined them for the day to make a trip through Kandy and left together the hostel heading to the temple of tooth relic. Before getting there we arrived at an open Hindu temple, so we decided to get in and take a look around. Bernd did not want to join us, so he stayed outside. When we have almost seen everything of the temple someone told us that we got to pay money for the entrance. But when entering we didn't see anything, so we left and did not pay anything.
After the temple we arrived at the lake Bogombara next to the temple we wanted to see. The atmosphere at the lake was amazing and invited us to stick around for some minutes before heading to the temple.
At the temple we split up, the Italian guy had to short trousers and his girlfriend was not willing to pay money to get into a temple.
So only Bernd and me got to the temple and took a look around. Already from the outside this building was very nice.
Inside the temple there was a shrine ins the yard of the temple building, covered with a beautiful decoration. We walked around in the temple for several, it's such a nice place and not as boring as Christian churches.
Next we went to the museum inside the temple building, where we got to see a lot of old manuscripts, old royal clothes, coins, tools and a lot of luxury stuff.
Outside the temple we got to see an elephant and Bernd got a bit closer and wanted to touch his thick skin, but he only tried to, he stopped before he could touch him and wanted to leave the place.
We went to the place were we planned to meet with the others again, but we could not find them, so we kept on exploring alone, maybe we could find them by fortune on our way, otherwise we would meet again at the hostel. It was a long way up the road and around the hill to get to the temple Bahirawakanada, with a big sitting Buddha statue on top of the hill.
From there we got a very good view above Kandy, especially from up the stairs next to his shoulders. Also in this area we saw a Goode Buddha statue. If it would have been on a more public space at the first moment you could think it might be one of those street artists.
Climbing up the street was for Bernd very exhausting, so he wanted to go back to the hostel, maybe after taking a break there getting to the botanic garden. We did not get there, the others came back so we spent the afternoon talking and I helped the girl to fix some problems on her computer.
Later when it was about dinner we decided to get something to eat we got a free ride with the hostels own Tuk-Tuk. Usually they charge you for taking a ride, but it is cheaper then the other ones.
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