Ella Day 2

There was the most amazing thunderstorm yesterday beginning at about 2pm just after we came back to the house for our afternoon nap. We had planned to go out again at four to drive up to the mountain top temple. However the rain and thunder just rolled on. We sat on our balcony and after watching a monkey delightedly devour an apple core Bob had thrown across to the shed roof we settled with our reading. Phone contact with Sagi decided that he would collect us at 6pm to go down to town 2 kms away for dinner. We had walked into town the day before as there is a track down from here to the railway line that runs along the gully. It is then only a 10 minute stroll into town. There was quite a crew of us using this quick, cheap access. Earlier we had gone into town and I had had a massage. I tried to convince Bob to have one too and he was wavering until we saw the price! Ella is known as the preferred city for young travellers and the prices are a bit inflated as a result. W

e then had a walk around town investigating a few shops but the offerings were also mostly geared to that age group or the sort of things that clutter your desk top once you get home. This morning we are off to Tissamahar which is the main hub for the National Parks. Hopefully to see leopards and of course elephants.The photos which have decided to cut into the story are the view from the open air dining area and a huge Tulip tree. There are many of these but usually a long way off in the middle of the tea plantings. presumably to pro ide some shade for the pickers during their breaks.