556 - arrived at 2 am, through immigration and customs, tourist information, slept
in chair, bus to fort area, YMCA had one room left, slept, walked to clock tower,
lots of security around, had some bad tasting biryiani, walked down beach, went east
into park, thought a friendly gardener was showing me around but actually just
wanted money, lots of elephants, saw huge elephant penis, cinnamon trees, left
northwards, saw some mosque, went through the train station but they tried to get
money out of me (buy platform ticket), went back to the Y, relaxed, went out for
food, met Mohan, chatted over tea about religion, the state of the world, his
difficulties finding someone to marry, had dinner too, went to sleep

557 - Morning used internet, then Indian visa office, had re-entry difficulties
because they only permit it in case of emergencies, not for tourists, pissed off at
india, went to the train station, bought ticket to Unawatuna, met Chula, convinced
me to go to his guesthouse in Akurala, got the train down the coast, spent most of
the time standing by the open train door, went to Lahiru guesthouse, briefly went
swimming, back, had huge fish dinner (not great), played games with their servant
(flicking game, some card game, and war), sleep

558 - in the morning made coffee, then got the bus to Galle, the fort there was
really peaceful and the buildings in old colonial/Dutch style, walked around, flower
coral, lizard, lighthouse with monks around it, found postcard outside, got bus to
Unawatuna, touristy beach, stole wifi, walked to temple, then up long road trying to
get back to the main road, found a weird old monk who was overly affectionate and
touchy, showed me his room/temple, made me uncomfortable so I left, went back to the
main road, got the bus to Galle, had 100 r lunch, express bus to Akurala for too
much, shower, relaxed, bought crackers, another fish dinner, chat with Chula's
sister, then sleep

559 - Went to Moonstone mines, taught boy how to whistle through grass, went on mine
tour, went down into the mine but it was "closed", didn't buy any jewelry, walked
back, got a tractor lift for a bit, used cheap internet, got kirala juice, guy
wanted money after short uncomfortable bike ride, got small samosa thing lunch, then
back to hotel, went out to swim a bit, found 2 old rupees on train tracks, back, had
string hoppers, updated and backed up journal, (note: sent backup at this point,
later today I may just read and sleep)

560 - In the morning bus to Anarangoda, didn't know where the train was, got off the bus too early, guy told me to go the wrong way, more people told me to head towards a smaller station, had to run 2 km to get to the main station, gave up but kept going at quick pace, just made it to the train in seconds before it left, train to colombo, put luggage in locker, reserved train ticket, used internet, walked around, children's park to read a bit, small buddha temple, mcdonalds (bleb), no Barefoot coffee, bought Hamlet, popsicle at beachside, got re-entry permit from Indian visa office, train station, sunset, then rained, waited for rain at bus stop, read at station, train to Anaradhpura

561 - got to ANaradhpura, didn't know the right direction, found way to temples, big dome temple (Jatharana?), ruined sacredcity, Sri Mahabodhi, tree small and not as impressive, tourist police didn't have info, went to Jatharana but no tourist info there either, met Raja, said his brother could give me a room for 1000, rickshaw tour, temples, "moonstone", guardstone, monk bath, bus to Kandy, checked in, Tooth Temple, too expensive 1000 rs, huge mass of crows in central square area, groceries, big dinner, back, read, sleep

562 - morning train to Nuna Oya, really beautiful ride, bus to Nuwara Eliya, (overcharged), guy at station took me around to guesthouses, finally decided on 1000 room with great view, tea, relaxed, internet, found wifi, stole, went to Allen's guesthouse for big dinner, back for a small party with british guys and their asian wives

563 - breakfast roti, out exploring, map at post office from xeroxed lonelyplanet, walked to single tree hill, wandered up, then down, Victoria Park, email while in gazebo, slept on bench, up, some groceries, stole wifi while having lunch, internet, back, met swedish trio, chat over crackers, dinner, back, sleep

564 - enjoyed morning view, Robert - worker at GH - took me to his house, very christian family, his wife especially, back, went out with swedish, breakfast, super k market, fruit market, picnic in park, backgammon, dots, chilled, then to race course, watched football, walked back, internet, shopping for shoes/sweater for them, back, relaxed, dinner at guesthouse, pumpkin curry,sleep

565 - coffee and crackers breakfast, said goodbyes, bus to Hatton (10:00), bus to Maskeliya, bus to Dolhousie, Adam's Peak, started climb at 14:10, very steep, like Kyaiktiyo/Huangshan, got to top after only 2 stops at 15:40, cloudy, gave 10 Rs donation, started down at 16:00, got to the base at 17:30, bus at 18:30, hatton around 20:00, no bus, only night train in 6 hours, beer and dinner @ 20:30, train at 2:45, freezing station, made a friend who paid for ticket and encouraged me to take a breathing course

566 - Nanu Oya at 5:00, morning bus, cold, walked to guesthouse, freezing, "broke" in, slept, fresh laundry, internet and photos, lunch, groceries, back, podcast, relax, updated journal, went out to get dinner, back and brief chat with new people in guesthouse

567 - broke out of guesthouse early in the morning, weird dust that didn't rub off easily on me, missed the bus because no one told me which one to take, got the next one to P., no way to the park except rickshaw or to walk, walked 6 km, 3000 Rs entrence fee, ride from Japanese tourists working on a dam in SL, Horton's Plains, beautiful park, hiked path, mini World's End, original World's End, collected flowers from the world's end, Baker's Falls, motorcycle ride down, bus to Welamada, bus back, Internet and photos, dinner, guesthouse

568 - morning breakfast, bus to Numa Oya, train to Colombo, stood by the train door almost all the way, stole wifi, laminated flowers, back to station and read, met with Mohan, chatted over dinner, back to the station, got luggage, bus to shuttle, shuttle to airport, couldn't manage to spend 3000 Rs