We came to Nuwara Eliya on the train yesterday. We travelled from Kandy, up through the hills on the rough train track, being jolted all the way - a four hour journey. The scenery along the way was fantastic and we were served a meal of chicken curry and rice and coffee because we were travelling first class!
The tea plantations were all the way along the hills once we cleared Kandy and occasionally we saw tea pluckers at work. This morning we went to Mackwoods tea factory, the supplier of Liptons Tea, and learned about the process of making tea. The pluckers work six days a week from 8am until 5pm and must pick a minimum of 20kg per day to earn the equivalent of $9.50 per day. Once the tea is picked and delivered to the factory it is withered and rolled and then dried. We thought it was cut but the rolling process is what breaks it up. Once the tea is processed it is shipped to Colombo where it is sold to the international buyers.
Nuwara Eliya is a small town but the area is quite prosperous. It only has a few streets which are a short walk from our hotel - Jetwing St. Andrews.
This afternoon we enjoyed high tea on the lawns and will walk into town tonight to find somewhere to eat.
Tomorrow we have a long drive south to Yala National Park in an area called Tissamaharama.