After another mega train ride – very long but very beautiful, and in fact one of ‘the most beautiful train rides in the world’ – we arrived in the afternoon chaos of the city of Kandy, our penultimate stop in Sri Lanka.

Buses, tuk tuks, people, school children, cars, market sellers, mopeds going every which way. Buddha statues, railway lines, food stalls, and tourists. Kandy had it all!

To be honest, it wasn’t for me. Nor Ike for that matter. The traffic fumes were too much for my sleep deprived brain (we had started the day six hours south in Nuwara Eliya and had climbed a local hill before the sun came up to watch sunrise over the town) and everything was getting to me. Maaaaybe something to do with the fact that my stomach was a little on the empty side too…hangry much?!

One of the main tourist attractions of Kandy is the Temple of the Tooth, where it is said there is a tooth of the Buddha. We decided to give it a miss as we didn’t arrive until later in the afternoon and didn’t fancy the tourist crowds.

But, trying not to be too grumpy about the chaos, and the fact we were staying in a less than delightful hostel we ventured out for food and an explore. We found a rather hipster cafe that did avocado on toast and then found a forest reserve just on the edge of town, which was a world away from the madness of the city centre. We saw some deer and a monkey!

We’re now at a rather lifeless, but convenient, hotel near the airport ready for our early flight to India tomorrow!