19 – 21 June 2014 – Kandy

From Colombo we caught the train to Kandy, the second largest city in Sri Lanka. Second class tickets were more than adequate, as you can put the windows up and get a welcome breeze as you watch the life of Sri Lankans pass by. The Sinhalese (majority of the population) are proud that Kandy resisted several waves of European invasion and it is a bit of a religious icon. Although the city was still busy, bustling and a bit run down, it is set on a lovely lake and the green hilly surroundings quite charming. We made the mistake of not writing down the address or phone number of the hotel we booked via email, courtesy of Shehan’s free wi-fi. The tuk-tuk driver told us he knew where the hotel was, but didn’t and (of course) recommended another hotel. We bit the bullet and stayed there one night, but took off early the next day to the hotel we had originally booked. We do not begrudge the tuk-tuk drivers, they are generally very helpful and, although they all try to sell you (relatively) overpriced tours, you can’t blame them for trying, particularly in the off-season.