Ulla kirjutab maast ja ilmast: Imekaunis M2gimaa // Beautiful Hill Country

P2rast yht kiiret 88d Colombos, s6itsime me j2rjekordse rongiga saare kesk-l6unaossa, regiooni mida kutsutakse M2gimaaks (Hill Country). Nagu nimi ytleb, on tegemist ysna k6rge, m2gise alaga, kus valitseb ylej22nud saarega v6rreldes jahedam ja niiskem kliima.

Kuna meie 3nda klassi rongireis Polonnaruwast Colombosse oli olnud mugav ja lahe, ostsime me oma 6-tunnise Hattoni reisi jaoks k6hklemata samuti 3nda klassi piletid, vaatamata piletimyyja hoiatustele, et rong saab puupysti t2is olema. Me eeldasime, et ta tahtis et me lihtsalt ilma asjata rohkem maksaksime. Kuidas me kyll eksisime! Kui rong Colombo rongijaama saabus, l2ks hullumajaks - k6ik jooksid ja yritasid kyynarnukkide abil yksteisest m88da pressida. Me ei j6udnud eriti millelegi m6eldagi kui juba rong jaamast lahkus ja me leidsime ennast rongi tillukesest vahek2igust koos 20ne v6i enama srilankalasega (osad pooleldi rongiuksest v2ljas). Vaevu oli piisavalt ruumi, et seista, r22kimata liigutamisest. Kui inimesed j2rgnevatest peatustest maha l2ksid, 6nnestus meil ennast tasapisi rongi kupeesse sisse trygida, oma suuri seljakotte vaevaga enda j2rel vedades. Et me olime nyyd oma kaasreisijatega intiimses l2heduses, tuli jutu puhumine ilma vaevata. Kui sa oled reisi ajal teise reisijaga praktiliselt p6sk p6se vastas, ei j22 ju muud yle kui teda tundma 6ppida. Seega tutvusime me reisi jooksul kolme toreda srilankalasega. Esimene oli keskealine mees, kes oli meiega koos vahek2igus kui rong s6itu alustas. Ta andis meile head n6u, 8eldes et me ei tohiks kupeedevahelises yhenduskohas seista, sest see on ohtlik (seda n2gime me isegi, kuna see n2gi p2ris hirmu2ratavalt ebastabiilne v2lja), ning et me peaksime oma seljakottidest k6vasti kinni hoidma kui inimesed rongist v2ljuvad, muidu l2hevad kotid vooluga kaasa ja kaotsi. Seej2rel tutvusime me vanema ning haritud h2rrasmehega, kes teadis, et Eesti oli N6ukogude v6imu all ning kysis innukalt muid kysimusi. Yhtlasi kirus ta Sri Lanka Briti okupatsiooni, 8eldes et see oli halvim asi mis eales ta riigiga juhtunud oli. Paolo sai s6braks ka yhe noorema tyybiga, kes, kuuldes et ta on itaallane, tahtis taga Valentino Rossist r22kida.

Reisi edenedes muutus meie olukord aina meeldivamaks. Esmalt lahkus rongist eelpool mainitud vanem h2rrasmees, loovutades mulle oma istekoha. M6ne peatuse p2rast sai ka Paolo istuma. Mida kaugemale sisemaale rong s6itis, seda tyhjemaks ta j2i, ning kui s6it meid M2gimaale viis, oli lausa lust aknast v2lja vaadata ja kuulata rongis olevate laste naeru ja huikamist kui me tunnelitest l2bi s6itsime.

M2gimaa maastik on senisest Sri Lankal n2htust t2iesti erinev - kaunid m2ed, uduga kaetud orud, siin-seal m2nnimetsad (mis panid maastikku mulle Shotimaad meenutama, kui m6ned eksootilisemad taimed v2lja arvata), ning muidugi teeistandused. Sri Lanka maailmakuulus Ceyloni tee on p2rit just M2gimaalt, ning on selgemast selgem, et siinkandis k2ib kogu elu tee ymber.

J6udes Hattonisse, ootas meid rongijaamas (meie t2ielikuks yllatuseks) meie j2rgmise 88bimispaiga omanik Rawi, oma tuktukiga. Me 88bisime tema kylalistemajas, mida ta peab koos oma naisega, ning meie toast avanes kaunis vaade otse j6ele ja bambusemetsale. Kui Rawi meile saabumise puhul teed pakkus, ajasime me kohaliku elu teemadel juttu. Muuseas hoiatas ta meid teeistanduste vahel jalutamise eest, kuna seal leidub palju kaane. Tema jutust absoluutselt mitte v2lja tehes l2ksime me otsemaid teeistandusse jalutama, kust me paari minuti p2rast pidime v2lja jooksma, jalad kaanidest kubisemas! Siinsed kaanid on pisikesed ja kiired ka, mitte suured, mustad ja aeglased nagu ma neid tavaliselt ette kujutanud olen.

J2rgmisel p2eval v6tsime me vastu Rawi pakkumise meile ymbruskonnas oma tuktukiga v2ike tuur teha. Ta viis meid vaatama kahte imekaunist koske ning seej2rel yht teevabrikut. Ma pole kunagi teest eriliselt huvitatud olnud, aga p2ris p6nev oli sellest rohkem teada saada. Tee ei kasva Sri Lankal looduslikult ning toodi saarele brittide poolt alles 19nda sajandi keskpaigas (Sri Lanka langes Briti impeeriumi k2tte 1815. aastal). Britid olid esmalt proovinud siin kaneeli ja kohviga, kumbki ei l2inud siin h2sti kasvama. Siis n2gi yks James Taylori nimeline noor shotlane siinse M2gimaa kliimas ja maastikus tee kasvatamiseks potentsiaalselt ideaalseid tingimusi, ning ta alustas siin esimese teeistandusega. See l2ks loomulikult v2ga h2sti ning m6ni aeg hiljem asus ta yhe teise shotlase, 2rimehe Thomas Liptoniga koost88sse, et siinset teed Euroopasse eksportida. Ning selliselt oligi Sri Lanka M2gimaa alatiseks muudetud.

Shoti m6jutused on siin ilmselged, kuna teeistanduste, asulate, j2rvede ja muude nimed on siin tihti shotip2rased. P2rast Sri Lanka iseseisvumist 20nda sajandi keskpaigas, muutus ka teet88stus. 70ndate aastate alguses riigistati k6ik teeistandused ning Sri Lanka valitsus alustas systeemiga mille j2rgi annavad nad istandusi 50 v6i 100 aasta kaupa yyrile. Kuigi teoorias on istandused riigi omand, on t2nap2eval enamus yyritud rahvusvaheliste firmade poolt.

Teevabrikut kylastades 6ppisime me yhtteist ka teevalmistamisest. Teetaim ise on igihaljas v2ike p88sas, ilusate siniste 6itega. Teed valmistatakse p88sa lehtedest ning korjatakse ainult k6ige v2rskemaid, helerohelisi lehti. Kuna p88sas on igihaljas, korjatakse lehti iga kuue p2eva tagant. Kogu korjamine tehakse k2sitsi, peamiselt naiste poolt (kellele kahtlemata makstakse raske t88 eest imev2he). Nagu me oma silmagagi n2ha saime, on see kurnav t88. Suured lehti t2is kotid viiakse istandustest otse vabrikusse, kus neid kuuma 6hu k2es 12 tundi kuivatatakse, misj2rel lehed purustatakse ning s6elutakse, s6elutakse ja s6elutakse veelkord, kuni saavutatakse soovitud puhtus ja suurus.

P2rast Hattonis veedetud ylimalt harivat p2eva, viskas Rawi meid Dalhousie'sse, kus me veetsime rahuliku 6htu j2rgmise hommiku ootuses, kuna meil oli plaanis Sri Pada (v6i Adam's Peak) m2e otsa ronida. Tegemist on 2243-meetri k6rguse pyha m2ega, mille tippu viivad umbes 5500 trepiastet. M2e pyhadus tuleneb selle tipus leiduvast v2iksest 66nsusest, mida budistid usuvad olevat Buddha jalaj2lg, samas kui hindudele on see Shiva, ning kristlastele ja muslimitele Aadama jalaj2lg (esimene punkt kuhu ta olevat oma jalaga astunud p2rast seda kui ta Paradiisist v2lja aeti). Seega selline m6nus, k6igile sobiv reliikvia!

Enamik inimesi alustavad ronimist 88sel, et p2ikeset6usuks tippu j6uda ning et n2ha m2e kuulsat varju - teatud ajal p2ikeset6usu ajal on n2ha m2e t2iuslikult kolmnurkne vari (kuigi m2gi ei ole kolmnurkne). M2e ronimine on populaarne nii turistide kui kohalike seas - viimastele on ronimine palver2nnaku eest. Palver2nnaku hooaeg algab detsembri l6pus, seega meil vedas, kuna tihedamatel perioodidel olevat m2kke ronimas nii palju inimesi, et vahel tuleb j2rjekorras seista! Hooajav2lise ronimise halb osa on kyll see, et tegemist on ka vihmahooajaga. Ning kuna 6htul kui me kohale j6udsime, sadas paduvihma, ning meil ei olnud ka korralikke taskulampe, ei hakanud me 8ise ronimise peale m6tlemagi, ning plaanisime alustada hommikul.

Ronimine oli ylimalt meeldiv, ja vaated olid vapustavad. Kuna me ronisime ebatavalisel aasta- ja kellaajal, ei n2inud me peaaegu mitte kedagi - v2lja arvatud kohalikke m2el t88tavaid mehi, kes hooajaks valmistusid. Enamus neist ronisid alla ja yles, kandes peas tohutu suuri kiviklibukotte. See n2is tohutult kurnava t88na!

Tippu j6udmine oli paraku ysna pettumust avaldav - suur budistlik tempel, mis tipus leidub, on ymbritsetud koledatest kahekorrustelistest betoonmajadest (munkade elamispind ma eeldan), ja ligip22s jalaj2lje juurde oli yldse kinni, kuna palver2nnaku hooaeg polnud veel alanud. See aga meid palju ei h2irinud, kuna me ronisime m2e otsa ronimise m6nu p2rast, ja selles me pettuma ei pidanud. Allateel tuli meiega kaasa yks eriti armas saatja - v2ike emane krants (Sri Lanka kubiseb hulkuvatest koertest, ent seni ei ole ykski neist ohtlikuna tundunud), kes meiega kogu tee kaasas k2is. Me andsime talle t2nut2heks veidi kypsiseid :)

Alla j6udes olime me omadega ysna l2bi ja l2ksime tagasi Hattonisse, et puhata ja veel yks 88 Rawi juures veeta. J2rgmisel p2eval lahkusime me l6plikult sisemaalt ja asusime teele saare l6unaranniku suunas.

Esimene n2dal Sri Lankal on uskumatult kiiresti m88dunud, ent samas tundub et on m88das terve igavik sellest, kui me Euroopast lahkusime - lyhikese aja jooksul on nii palju juhtunud. See on yhtlasi t2hendanud seda, et oleme pidanud vahetpidamata ringi liikuma, nii et ootame pikisilmi, et saame nyyd rahulikult n2dal aega mere 22res veeta.

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After our quick one night in Colombo, we got on another train to go to the center-south of the island, into an area known as Hill Country. As it's name states, it is quite a high, mountainous region, with a cooler, wetter climate than elsewhere on the island.

Having had a very comfortable train-ride in 3rd class the day before from Polonnaruwa, with very few other passengers on our train, we confidently bought a 3rd class ticket again for our 6-hour journey to Hatton, despite the ticket clerk who told us that 3rd class will be very busy. We assumed he just wanted to get us to pay more. Oh how wrong we were! Once the train pulled in to Colombo train station, chaos ensued - everyone was running and pushing and shoving, and we were just fish out of water in the midst of it all. As the train left the station, we found ourselves in one of the tiny hallways between carriages, with 20+ Sri Lankans all around us (some hanging on to the handrails outside the doors!), with barely enough room to stand, let alone move. As people descended in the following stations, it did not get any less crowded, but we were able to edge our way into one of the carriages with our huge backpacks. The upside to this forced intimacy with your neighbouring passengers is that it is easy to make small-talk. I mean, if there is someone's face pressed against your own, you might as well get to know them, right? So it was that we met three very nice Sri Lankans. The first was a middle-aged man who found himself next to us in the hallway as the train left. He gave us sound advice, such as not to stand on the moving metal flaps that connect the two carriages, as it is dangerous (this we had figured out ourselves, it looked pretty unstable), and to hold on to our bags for dear life when people were getting off, otherwise they would be swept away with the flow. Then we met an educated older man, who knew that Estonia had been under the Soviets, and was interested to know more, and who lamented that the British rule over Sri Lanka was the worst thing ever to happen to the country. Paolo also made friends with a younger guy, who was excited to know that he was from Italy, and wanted to talk to him about Valentino Rossi, the champion motorcyclist.

As the journey went on, it did gradually get much more pleasant. Firstly, the older man got off and gave me his seat, which I gratefully took, and within another few stops, Paolo was sitting too. The train got lighter and lighter as the hours passed, and once we got into the Hill Country, it was wonderful to look out the windows at the amazing landscapes, and to hear the children in the train laugh and hoot when we went into tunnels.

The landscape of the Hill Country was unlike anything we have seen so far in Sri Lanka - beautiful rolling hills, mist flowing in valleys, pine forests here and there (which made the landscape remind me so much of Scotland, bar some of the more telltale exotic plants here and there), and of course the tea plantations. Sri Lankan world-famous Ceylon tea comes from the Hill Country, and it is clear that everything here revolves around it.

Once in Hatton, we were picked up, to our complete surprise, by our next host, Rawi. We stayed at a nice room in his homestay, which he runs with his wife, overlooking a beautiful river and surrounded by massive bamboos. As Rawi offered us a welcome drink (tea, of course), we had a chat with him and among other things, he warned us that while we can go and walk around among the tea plantations, we have to be careful of the leeches there. Promptly ignoring his advice, we then took off for a quick stroll in the surrounding area, entered a tea plantation, which we then had to escape a few minutes later, feet covered in leeches! They're tiny little bastards, and fast too, not the big, slow, black monsters that I usually think of when imagining leeches.

The next day, we took Rawi up on his offer to show us the surrounding area with his tuktuk. He took us to see two gorgeous waterfalls, and, of course, a tea factory. I have never been that interested in tea, but it was fascinating to learn more about it. Tea is not native to Sri Lanka, and was only introduced by the British in the mid-19th century (Sri Lanka only came under the British rule in 1815 by the way). The Brits had first tried with cinnam
on and coffee, but both those crops failed to take off. Then a young Scotsman called James Taylor saw the potential in the Hill Country landscape and climate, and started the first plantation. It went very well, obviously, and later on he struck a deal with another Scot, businessman Thomas Lipton, to export the stuff to Europe. And so the Sri Lankan Hill Country was changed forever.

The Scottish influence is obvious here, with plantations, reservoirs and towns having names like Craigie Lee, Dunbar, Casterleigh etc. After Sri Lanka gained independence in the mid-20th century, the tea industry was changed again. In the early 70s, the Sri Lankan government nationalised British-owned tea plantations, and set up a system by which they leased the plantations 50 or 100 years at a time. While technically owned by the government, today most tea plantations are still leased by international corporations.

When we visited the tea factory itself, we also learned about the process of making tea, which was also quite fascinating. The tea plant is a perennial small bush, with blue flowers. Tea is made from its leaves, and only the fresh, bright green leaves on the top of the bush are picked. As the bush is perennial, leaves are picked from a bush every six weeks throughout the year. It is all done by hand by mostly women (who no doubt are paid next to nothing for their hard work), and as we witnessed, it is back-breaking work. The big bags full of leaves are then transported to the factory, where they are dried with hot air for 12 hours, and then ground, sifted, sifted, and sifted again, until the desired purity and size is reached.

After a very educational day around Hatton, Rawi dropped us off at Dalhousie where we spent a quiet night in preparation for the next morning, since we were going to climb the mountain of Sri Pada, or Adam's Peak. It is a holy mountain, 2,243m high, with some 5,500 steps leading up the whole way. The holiness is due to a small depression on the top of the mountain, which Buddhists believe is a footprint of Buddha, Hindus believe is that of Shiva, and for Muslims and Christians, it is the footprint of Adam (the first he took after being chased out of Eden). So an all-round nice, one-size-fits-all relic!

Most people make the climb during the night, to reach the top for sunrise, and to see the famous, perfectly triangular shadow that the mountain casts for a short while during the rising sun. The climb is popular among tourists and also among locals, who make the climb as a pilgrimage. The pilgrimage season starts sometime in late December, so we were lucky to do the climb during the off-season, since during busy times the climb up can become significantly longer due to queues (queues!). The bad thing about off-season climbing, though, is that it is also the rainy season. And since it was raining heavily in the evening when we got there, and we did not have proper torches, we never even considered doing the night-time climb, and settled into the mindset of doing a nice day-time hike.

The hike was very pleasant. and the views were spectacular. Since we did the climb during unusual hours, we barely saw anyone at all - except for the local workers on the mountain, preparing for the pilgrimage season, constructing tea shops and making reparations to the path. Most going up and down the steps carrying huge bags of gravel on their heads. It looked absolutely grueling!

Reaching the top was quite underwhelming though - the big Buddhist temple on the top was surrounded by ugly, two-story concrete buildings (monks' lodgings I suppose), and access to view the footprint itself was closed too, since it is not the pilgrimage season. However, that didn't really bother us, we were in it for the climb itself, and that was well worth it. On our way down, we picked up the most lovely little companion - a wee lady-mutt (Sri Lanka is FULL of stray dogs, but none so far have seemed threatening in any way), who accompanied us all the way down. We gave her some crackers as payment for her company :)

We were quite tired once back down the mountain, and headed straight back to Hatton to rest and stay one more night with Rawi, before leaving the inland for good and heading for the Southern coast.

One week in Sri Lanka has passed really fast, but at the same time it seems like forever since we left Europe - so much has happened in such a short time. This also means that we have been moving around nonstop, so we are really looking forward to spending the next week on the seaside, with a more relaxed pace.