Mutterings*

Train travels,  who can resist them? It is the most magical way to travel,  provided you have a lot of time to do it. I won't lie,  I'm pretty crazy about them. I recently took a little trip from Colombo, to Ella - down to Bandarawela (bus) and then to Nuwaraeliya. Having heard about Expo Rail. I was curious about it. As most last minute planning ends up being, well,last minute, observation tickets were out. Expo Rail in a nutshell is a privately owned rail carriage (attached to the normal train - NOT a train by itself) and can easily be booked online. I spent Sri Lankan Rupees 4500/- for two people from Colombo Fort to Ella (One way). It also included breakfast (pastries), Lunch (Sri Lankan rice and the choice of vegetarian - soya rice with carrot and yellow rice, or chicken and the same yellow rice and carrot). Tea/ coffee was provided, along with water bottles and tea time also included a little snack with a sri lankan version of a tiny muffin and egg pastry s...

After going through this particular post by seanhenricus I was reminded of how beautiful the Nilaveli Beach is. (Great photography there by the way). Although most of this is out of nostalgia and just homesickness (I'm about to buy plane tickets), I remember this magical place and the heart aches for a different time and place. Imagine a full moon poya. A silverish huge moon in the sky. The cool breeze and the silent waves hitting the shore every few seconds. The shadow of Pigeon Island just a few seconds away to the left. I stand there. Taking in every smell, every sound. The sand is soft to my bare feet. I look at the foam that forms. I can't help notice the gleam in the water...of the moon light glimmering, dancing away. The foam is white. Silvery. Everything is a shimmery silver. And I stand there. Years later, I can't forget the Nilaveli beach. I long to go back. To stand there again, on a full moon poya day. To feel that magic again.