Just starting the decent with hundreds of others

The alarm goes off at 2am although we are both awake already and haven't had much sleep. We get dressed and head off by 2.15am to start the long climb. Its long and steady but there are lots of places to stop on the way and you can buy food and tea. We stop a few times but mainly just plod on. There are many other people doing the climb, locals and tourists and it gets crowded towards the top where the steps are particularly steep. There are people of all ages including some quite elderly people making their pilgrimage. We get to the top in just over 2 hours and sit and wait for sunrise. Mitch and Zoe arrive about 15 minutes later and seem to have hated every minute ... they are heading straight back down and are off to their next destination!

Its a packed sunrise but its beautiful and afterwards we begin our descent. Again, its packed in places but, another two hours or so later we reach our room. We are tired, with sore feet but its a great sense of achievement and not quite as hard as we thought although we're sure we'll ache tomorrow.

We pack up and walk the 20 minutes with our packs to the main town ... we're beginning to feel our legs with the heavy packs so stop for breakfast before getting on a bus to Hatton, where we plan to stay overnight. We don't get a seat so our poor feet have to stand for the one hour 30 minute bumpy, winding journey. There are many locals asleep on the bus who have also done the climb this morning. Everyone is exhausted but its a great atmosphere and there is free food being given out because its Poya.  The army even get on to the bus with bags of chick peas. 

We reach Hatton and ask around then wander trying to find a hotel. We find one but its not very nice and the town looks busy and hard work. We have our packs with us so decide to skip Hatton and wait for the 1.30pm train to Kandy, our next destination. We get on the train and sit on the floor or stand for the 3 hour journey as its packed, feeling tired but surprisingly ok. On arrival in Kandy it is, of course, Poya (full moon) festival there as well and its a particularly important one so the town is packed as its a public holiday. We take a tuk tuk and, after trying a few, find a guesthouse with a room. Its a nice family run place and we take a shower then decide to head out for some food, although we are beginning to fade.

Its packed but we need an ATM to get money so we battle our way through, then it starts to rain heavily so we decide to take a tuk tuk to a restaurant recommended by our guest house ... its closed as its Poya so we head back and thank goodness for Pizza Hut ... still doing deliveries even though its Poya!  

Pizza then bed at about 9.30pm ... what a long day but worth it.