Our First Expedition in Ella

by Christian
for Sunday August 4th


This morning we ate banana and brown sugar (at least it was kind of like brown sugar) crepes for breakfast at our hotel at about 6:30. We could see the mountains and they were really pretty. The weather was cooler and I even wore a sweatshirt to breakfast. We couldn't go to church because there isn't a church within hours of where we are. We did a little church on our own.

eating breakfast at our hotel

After breakfast, we left to walk to Little Adams Peak. It took us about an hour to get there. The view was great. We could see a bunch of green mountains. We played a game called coffeepot while we hiked (it’s where you try to guess an action that one person chooses by asking yes or no questions). On the way down, we took a turn to 98 Acres Café. It was really fun. I got a milkshake, Taylor got a mocktail, Sarah Ann got fresh juice and my mom got a lassi. The view there was amazing. 

the view from Little Adams Peak

having a milkshake at 98 Acres Resort

After that, we hiked down the mountain to these train tracks (Nine Arches Bridges). Part of the trail was really skinny and steep, and it felt like we were in a jungle. We hiked across the bridge on the train tracks. We sat there for a long time until the train came on the tracks. 

Nine Arches Bridge

hiking through the jungle to get to the tracks

Next, we kept following the tracks and walked on them through a tunnel and then even further until we got to the Ella train station. It was a long walk. After the station, we walked to Ella main street to a restaurant to eat lunch. 

walking along the train tracks to the Ella train station

In the afternoon, we came back to our hotel and changed into our swim suits. A tuk tuk drove us to a waterfall called Secret Waterfall. All four of us were squished in the back and I had to sit on my mom’s lap the whole time. Visiting the waterfall was fun. There were some local people there swimming and making music and dancing. The water was cold and there was a half butterfly and half dragonfly that I chased for a while. I didn’t want to get in the water though because there were nibbly fish again (like in Thailand – fish that nibble on the dead skin on your feet). On the hike back down from the waterfall, I slipped off a “cliff” (a short bank) and scratched my knee.

at Secret Falls

Hanging out with the locals at Secret Falls

We came back and showered and rested at the hotel. Sri Lanka was even more beautiful than I expected.