Colour, Cows & Chaos

I have reached paradise. This is the most beautiful place I have ever been. Clear sand and even clearer water.

First glimpse of paradise.

Princess bed, and home for a while. I can hear the waves from my beach hut. Tranquil.

Windows with views.

What are you, mystical creature?

Visited Ross Island this morning. Caught the boat from "Aberdeen Jetty" across to the small island colonised by the British for many years, then even more brutally by the Japanese when they invaded in 1942. Now an uninhabited island which you can visit during the day, it bore the brunt of the 2004 tsunami and saved Port Blair from catastrophic destruction.

Arrived in Port Blair, Andaman. Room with a view for the night before heading to Havelock.

One last visit to Chennai to say goodbye to Amma and Appa. Can't believe it's all nearing an end! Next stop: Andaman Islands.

Gotta love a good queue in the subcontinent.

Only one day left to explore Kandy, it’s not much time or money so I took a walk down the train track then round the beautiful central lake.

Second train journey in Sri Lanka, just as beautiful and relaxed as the first. Last stop in Kandy before Colombo, then home. Homefromhome, India home.

In moments if girlyness between tom-boy-ish-ness, I wanted a princess bed...well a mosquito net for some recovery after a night hike will do nicely.

Think this might be the maddest one yet, but following the 4am wake-up, we decided to get up at 2am, this time to climb "Adam's Peak". Over 5000 steps to the top. I'm glad it was dark cause I think it would have been more daunting in the daylight! Reached the top for probably the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen! Elated to say the least, but also completely drained!

This morning we got up at 4.30am to drive to Horton Planes and trek to "World's End". 9Km trek round the Planes was stunning, beautiful weather for us and the views were incredible. Loving country life!!

Arrived in Nuwara Eilya to find out the tea plantation here is called Edinburgh! Staying in a beautiful hostel location, went to a tea plantation, got stuck on a Dutch tour, drank some tea and laughed a lot. Cheers to tea! (No mention of caffeine of course).

Got my first Sri Lankan train today. Arrived at the train station, ready for whatever bureaucratic system they were ready to throw at me. Absolutely not. Bought a ticket: 100/-. Got on the train: 2 seats to myself. It went a decent speed, it wasn't delayed, and the scenery was stunning. Literally had my head in the clouds!

Jumped on a bus down to Ravana falls. Great bus music and waterfall bathing. Lovely way to end the day.