While in Kandy we considered our next options. Ella was popular until we were told how busy and youthful it was. We then toyed with Ohiya until someone mentioned the quietness and beauty of Haputale and our mind was made up. Having found our last train journey so cheap (less than £2 each) and efficient we decided to embark on a further one to our next destination. Unfortunately, when we had made enquiries about this journey back in Colombo, we had been informed that the reserved seats were all booked for at least the next two months. Therefore, if we wanted to experience, ‘One of the most picturesque train journeys in the world,’ we would have to turn up on the morning and take a chance that there would be a spare seat in the unreserved second class carriage.
Our Kandy host had explained that, if we arrived early at the station before the very busy Kandy one, we would already be in situ when lots of people disembarked at Kandy and therefore in the best position to get seats. 
The theory was sound in normal circumstances but with lots of young police recruits travelling to their college near Haputale the carriage seemed full to capacity and only further filled up at Kandy. We found a space on the luggage rack for our large backpacks and just enough personal space to stand fairly comfortably and settled in for the estimated seven hour journey. Despite the minor discomfort of so many standing in such a small space, 
with the added complication of a constant stream of hawkers selling their wares, the attitude of many of the passengers was very much, ‘We’re all in this together. ‘
Rob and I were stood close to a lovely couple, a Californian gentleman named Don and his Thai wife Jum. They were great conversationalists and made the first part of the journey fly by. At 71 Don was pretty amazing and who were Rob and I to complain about our lack of seating when he stood strong and true?
Within our carriage there were many young people in their late teens or early twenties sitting comfortably while Don, Jum and others with a greater need were still standing. One young man was standing in his seat to talk to someone behind him, by asking him if he was using the seat I was able to secure one which Jum gratefully occupied. At the next stop a few more seats were vacated allowing others, including Don, to sit and Rob and I to take it in turns in the seat beside him. As we created space in the aisle it was filled with new passengers who were keen to chat and share their travel stories. In this way we met a lovely young Cornish roofer and his girlfriend who helped pass the next couple of hours and so the journey continued with a growing feeling of familiarity and camaraderie. 
The police cadets who I mentioned earlier took up a lot of space sharing three to a seat and rotating with any of their friends who were standing. I was a little disappointed with their lack of chivalry and their occasional littering of the countryside but they were very young and generous with each other so I tried not to judge them too harshly. 
That changed after about six hours in to the journey when Don and Jum reached their station and Rob and I finally found ourselves with the luxury of a seat each next to each other. Our relative comfort was extremely short lived.
More new passengers arrived and I watched as a softly spoken, young man leant into the seat in front of us and asked one of the police cadets if he could give up a seat for his pregnant wife. I continued to watch in amazement and horror as the reasonable request was declined. That’s when I judged!
Being on the outside I jumped up and offered my seat, stepping aside to let the weary young lady sit. As she squished up to allow her friend to share her seat Rob also offered to stand. They assured him they were fine plus, trapped as he was, I’m not sure quite how he would have managed to extricate himself had their answer been different. I found myself, yet again, in an upright position and at the centre of new conversation. Both women were in fact pregnant and although their bumps seemed barely discernible were due in March and April. The two couples were all university friends from Singapore, their excellent English and interesting stories made the rest of the journey fly by and before we knew it, just over eight hours after the start of our journey, we arrived at Haputale and a short tuk tuk ride later, Lilly’s guest house.
I can’t believe I have described the whole journey with no mention of the scenery which was indeed spectacular. 
Due to my position in the centre of the carriage for the majority of the journey I was unable to capture much on camera. By craning over and around willing others I was able to see snippets of the mountains, valleys, waterfalls and endless tea plantations as we slowly and gently climbed and descended.
Lilly’s guest house was part of a family home. Our host family were lovely, very helpful and happy to advise and organise anything we showed an interest in. They also, on request, produced lovely home cooked evening meals at very reasonable prices. The two children gave us further insight into the emphasis that is placed on education in Sri Lanka. They would get up at 5am to get ready for their 6am school bus, they would then finish school at 2.30, come home for lunch before going to various personal tutors until about 6pm. Even in the evenings the tv would be tuned to a maths or revision channel and the weekend also included some individual tutorials. I know I couldn’t have kept up this punishing schedule but they were a lovely 13 and 10 year old and seemed very happy. The parents were very proud of them and strongly supported their aims to become a doctor and a lawyer.
We only spent two nights in Haputale most of which was spent walking and sheltering from rain. 
The hilly countryside was perfect for trekking and we also, in a very short time, got totally blase about the local practice of using the railway track as the most convenient path.
i
Our favourite walk was up to Lipton’s seat, the most elevated point of Dambatenne Tea Factory, the oldest tea plantation in Sri Lanka. Rob wasn’t happy with the 5am start, he’s not very good in the mornings and was grumpy for a lot of the 7km dark climb. Ignoring his mood I forged ahead (unheard of) and arrived at the pay point ahead of him. I was absolutely astounded when he was so cross at me for going ahead and not waiting for him. In this blog alone I must have mentioned at least three occasions where Rob has abandoned me to climb alone. I’ve got so used to it that I expect it and am generally very happy in my own company therefore his ire was totally unexpected and left me speechless.
We continued separately for the last kilometre but found it hard to stay silent once we reached the top.
The sunrise was totally uplifting and made it impossible to hold on to any anger.
The little teashop at the top where they provided their very own tea, fresh, warm roti and samosas further revived our spirits and we started the descent, after Rob’s heartfelt apology, as besties again.
On the way down we got to see all that we had missed on our dark ascent.
We also met hundreds of workers making their steep, daily commute to pick tea 
and further down many of them starting work
and children starting school.
Once back to the tea factory we had a short, interesting tour of how different teas are made right from picking the leaves to boxing for sale, before riding a tuk tuk back to the village. Later that afternoon we took another stroll to Adisham Hall, a nearby Catholic monastery. The building was beautiful 
but unfortunately only open to the public on weekends. That evening we took our final stroll of the day up to a viewpoint five minutes from our guest house. Having seen the sunrise that morning over the hills at Lipton’s seat it was amazing to see it set over different hills that night.
After over twenty five kilometres of walking that day we slept soundly ready for our onward journey to Tissamaharama the next morning.
Rob & Emma's Trip 