Surrounded by tea plantations, waterfalls, and mountainous
countryside, the quaint town of Ella is a quiet place to spend a couple of
days. We took the train from Hatton to Ella, climbing over and under mountains,
clacking our way between tea plantations. Mountains layered in various shades
of green-blue, it was picturesque as a postcard.
After overexerting myself at Adam’s Peak, I knew I had shot
a hole in the plan to walk around Ella. Walking in stiff, awkward limps, the
first day I did little more than get an Ayurvedic massage and read a book. The
massage helped less than I had hoped, but the steam bath and herbal sauna
helped warm the perpetual misty Hill Country chill from my bones.
Win was doing better than I was, so on the second day I
pushed myself and we climbed what has been dubbed as Little Adam’s Peak. We
passed through several small villages full of life and energy, cheering and
rallying as they watched their local teens play sports.
Where the trail split from the main road, a local artisan
was selling jewelry made by his wife. Instead of stones, beads, or gems, the
necklaces and bracelets were made from the seeds of the trees in the area. He
claimed that the seeds were also ground into powder to make medicines. Lovely
in blue-grays to slate white and ashy black, the seeds had been strung together
as simple string necklaces. He was even kind enough to tell us the best way to
get to the top, which involved taking a path instead of the stairs
(hallelujah!).
Four or five kilometers roundtrip, it didn’t kill me. The
view from the top was all the more impressive for the fact that there wasn’t
anyone else around. We stopped on our way back to purchase some seed jewelry
and watch the volleyball game in progress. We arrived back just as the evening
rain and fog was rolling in, just in time to rescue our dry laundry.
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