April 19

Well, today we leave Colombo and go to Kandy. We got around eating breakfast and packing our stuff up. Our host shot us a WhatsApp to see if he could meet us to see us off. Then he sent another to come by earlier, okay?? He brought us a half kilo (1.1 pound) bag of loose leaf tea! That was unexpected and very nice (way too much for us, and we don't have anyway of making loose leaf tea), but we graciously accepted it. We left our Maldives Whale Shark magnet on his frig as we have no need for it. He found it and sent another WhatsApp with a picture of it! We texted back and said it was his!🤭 

Anyway, Jeff arranged for a taxi to the Fort Colombo train station. We arrived by 1210. Our train arrived, we boarded and the train left on time, at 1240!! It can and does happen! (Though all we have heard Sri Lankan trains are notoriously late like Indian trains!) The ride was nice. We are in a first class seating car. We ate a PB & J, and a PB & Nutella sandwich for lunch, with some popcorn we bought at the station. The car has AC and is locked to incoming passengers when we pull into train stations (we can get out). The terrain changes as we are going to the center of the island that is Sri Lanka. It becomes hilly and mountainous. The train went through at least ten tunnels – all are mostly short ones. We crossed over some rivers, or may have been the same one that meandered along us quite a way. It made for some nice views, and the time did pass fairly quickly!

We arrived in Kandy around 1600, disembarked and caught a tuk-tuk to our Airbnb. He, of course, sold us on taking us out tomorrow for an all day tour, HEE-HEE! It should be a long day! We arrived at our new place and were greeted by the housekeeper or sitter, as the owner is in England right now. Anyway, she showed us around and gave us the ins and outs; and then left us with the keys. We thanked her and gave her the tea we had just been given – a pay it forward, unpacked and took stock of the place. It is a two bedroom, living room, and large kitchen/dining room. The only thing, no AC, which we knew but it is hot🤔 –we'll have to see. But I like it – in a way reminds me of my paternal grandparents home.

Anyway, we found a couple of grocery stores nearby. We opted for the closest… well, it is closest but all uphill to reach. So probably not going to be our go to store. We looked around, not great selection of produce. We bought some stuff and went across the street to a bakery, only it was not a bakery like in Colombo. It did not have any fresh bread, but rather a selection of dinner items. We got two chicken shawarmas and a chicken cream puff. Now we headed back downhill – which was nice, with our groceries – to our place. We unloaded and ate our supper. We went back out to explore, around the lake. We saw bats taking to flight for the night, as it is sunset time. We did go to the other grocery stores and checked out some future places to eat.

We arrived back at our place, around “eightish.” I got caught up on the blogs – as I could not manage it on the train, too rough!!) Bed by ten pm. Tomorrow may be busy!!!