Nuwara Nights

Cool. For the first time ever in Ceylon, it was COOL. We reach Nuwara Eliya and the fresh breeze hits me like a snowball to the face. At an elevation of 6000 feet above sea level, the temperate climate, so rare in the tropics, made it the perfect vacationing spot. My grandparents visited often,packing up for up-country during the hot months for weeks of golfing, horse racing, croquet and partying. And party they did.

To Be Young in the 20's
With a plethora of activities, Nuwara Eliya was always swarmed with young tourists. Although beautiful in the day, it truly came alive when the sun set. A typical itinerary consisted of polo, golf, cricket, horse-racing and tennis during the day, followed by endless parties in one of the several English-style private homes in the night. Dancing and drinking, both to excess, was customary. 

During our stay we do the customary sight seeing and exploring a proper tourist would do. It is here, where I also buy my first sarong.

Day 1: The Infamous Ceylon Tea Estates
As breathtaking as they were rumoured to be. Endless rolling hills of green. A far off puff of steam from a train gracefully snaking through.

Day 2: One of Many Botanical Gardens
In spirit of my grandmother, Lalla, I steal a flower as a keepsake . It is nice to see the Cacti and succulents are still prevalent, a lasting touch of a certain Mervyn Ondaatje.

Day 3: A Round of Golf

Day 4: Rocklands Gin, Ajoutha and the Gratien Family Lineage

Stories of Lalla are shared, glasses are clinked and history is learnt.

An Epihany

 Experiencing the places my family once lived their lives, took their vacations, danced, sang, drank and played brought me to the realization that without physically being here in Ceylon, with everything so tangible, only a detached and vague understanding of my roots would be obtained. The vibe of Nuwara captured the quintessential nuances of care-free life in the twenties and thirties. For the first time, I understood how one could be swept away with no regard for tomorrow, forever a child here. At such an elevation, nothing was ever too deep, not even marriage. Vibrant, ever-changing, explosive; a flaming youth they truly were.