May 1,

Hard to believe that it is May already! Well, happy May Day, everyone!

We were up and about early again this morning (Jeff since 0345🫣)! We went out on the scooter around 0630. It was a nice cool/brisk morning again, especially on the scooter. We have the same amount of “bundling” on. This is three shirts, two pairs of pants, and our jackets. We also each have a scarf of sorts – Jeff is wearing the scarf I still have and I am wearing my sarong as a scarf. I also am wearing my gloves, that I have stubbornly kept. So yeah, we are bundled!

Today we are going to Gampola area, around 60 km (37 miles), to Ambuluwawa Tower. It is a pretty and scenic drive, downhill (mostly) going to Gampola town, so our Wuk-Wuk is doing just fine. We pass by several more tea plantations –  to name a few: Damro Tea; Labookellie Tea; Bluefield Tea; Glenloch Tea; and Rothschild Tea. We also pass by some waterfall areas – one of which is still flowing some, Ramboda Falls. We are so early most of the road side stands are closed, but there are buses going and coming already. This is a bigger road for Sri Lanka – called the A5. The views out over the valley in front us – they are superb! There are forested or tea shrubbed, terraced mountains that are lightly shrouded with clouds. Then the mountains then flow down to a serpentine river that has small villages nestled here and there. It is stunning, maybe more so because of the morning light. 

Anyway, we arrive into Gampola, and we can see our destination – Ambuluwawa Tower. Our poor Wuk-Wuk will have to work now! The tower in on top of Ambuluwawa mountain on the other side of town. The mountain peak is at 3,567 feet above sea level and the town is supposedly 1,000 feet below the peak. We found our way to the mountain, and start the ascent. It was pretty touch and go, but I did not have to get off!! Wuk-Wuk made it to the entrance of the  Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex! It was 0830. Jeff paid for both of us and parking – total 4,100 Rupees ($13.74). We parked and shed our layers of clothing. Now, we have a kilometer (six tenths of a mile) hike up to the tower. I will not be climbing the tower, but to go on up, I had to pay. We huffed and puffed and finally arrived (Wuk-Wuk would not have it).

The complex is a place of worship – having a Christian church, a Hindu temple, a Mosque, and Buddha statuary. Then there is this Tower! It is strange and is a newly built (1997-2006) Buddhist stupa or pagoda, replacing a former stupa (a stupa has been here since the 13th century). This tower is a total of 54.55 meters (179 feet) tall. It is a tourist attraction, because you can climb it! But the kicker: approximately the upper half is a spiral staircase around the outside to the very top, which many climb. AND the stairway gets narrower as you go up, and others are coming down🤯🤯! Crazy!! So I stayed down, waved, and took pictures of Jeff as did this climb. Well, he did most of it. He managed 3/4 of the climb… he said,” About then, I wasn't feeling it; too many people to try to get by,” on that narrow stairway. Umm!!  I thought he made it to the top, because someone was up there with the same type of hat on, and when I waved he waved back🤣!  (Anyway, I figured out it was not him, when he showed up coming down the last bit of stairs a couple of minutes later.)

Well, we toured the four places of worship and the area, still taking pictures of this crazy tower! We finished and started the 1km hike down, but deviated for breakfast. We went to the more local looking place, Hotel Senora Ambulua Mountain Buddha. Inside, we were seated, without menu (because there were not menus). We ordered with the man who seated us. What we got was not what we thought we had ordered, but it was good. It was a roti type bread wrapped around a hard fried egg and some veg. We also each had a juice – one mango, one passionfruit. I actually saw a lady right outside of the cafe peeling and slicing a whole basket of mangoes. So the mango juice was as fresh as it gets!! Yum! Now we did the hike down and explored some of the statuary/sites that we skipped going up.

We loaded up on Wuk-Wuk and decided to take the road less traveled back. We were rewarded with more locals waving. We also noticed more blooming trees – purple, pink, yellow, and brilliant orange. The road wound around a lake, but it was really hard to see, as it was way low (Remember 5 months no rain. So I don't think the gardener counted the little afternoon showers we have experienced as rain.)  Anyway, we arrived back to our place and “The Mom's Cleaning Crew” was there. The family upstairs has departed. Yeah – it will be empty tonight and that means quiet!

We ate a cheese sandwich, showered and I started the blog, while Jeff rested/read. Then we went out at around 1720 or so. It is time to return poor Wuk-Wuk – I did not mention some of the plastic undercarriage (that was already tied on) had come loose… three times. Jeff “Macgyvered” it with a paperclip! When we arrived at the bike rental place, the guy saw it was parked. He asked if it was full. Jeff said yes. Then he went to the back of the shop, retrieved Jeff's passport, and that was it. He did not look over the bike or check the fuel level. Amazing!! So we left Wuk-Wuk for the next renter! 😢

Now, we spied out a place for supper. We found – Ceylon Kitchen. They had shawarma!! So we had an order of their Special Mixed (beef and chicken) Shawarma, and a order of BBQ Chicken. We have been wanting rotisserie chicken or shawarma for quite awhile. So very happy and pleased we finished our meals like we were starving! We returned to our place and relaxed. I finished this blog as Jeff read and then edited. Tomorrow we will be leaving Nuwara Eliya and taking the scenic train to Ella.