Wednesday
I may have missed a day, but with all the different times we start the day, it is no wonder. Today we left the hotel at 4.45am in three Land Rovers, but the Indian version. It was not that they were uncomfortable, it was the conditions of the road, sorry, stone track we took. The journey was around one hour to the highest tea plantation and factory in the world. However, the last few miles we travelled were the roughest I have even seen.  Even some of my well travelled companions said they had seen better roads in Nairobi, which apparently are extreme.
Having arrived just before sunrise we just had time to set up the tri-pods and check camera settings and wait. . . . which was cerantily worthwhile. The sun rose over the tea valley plantations with large mountainous rocks on one side, and a vista of  undulating hills on the opposite side. Suddenly we were franticly taking photos and checking settings and ISO's.
It was one of the best mornings ever spent. The views are breathtaking.  We then continued on foot, walking down through the plantation tea rows (similar to a vineyard but  more closely packed together) taking photos all the time. Our destination was the tea factory, which was not in production today because of the Dawali holiday. However we were able to see interior, and the 75 year old machinery, made in England, and installed and run by the British.
We then faced the return journey to the hotel.. .and it was still only eleven a.m.

Soon we were travelling to our penultimate hotel in Mannar. After lunch we had another photo project in the town itself. Mannar is the nosiest, busiest and dirtiest town I have ever visited.  Having said that, the people were as colourful and as friendly as ever, and we all came away with some stunning photos.

 Tomorrow we head for our last, and in someways, most exciting venue, Cochin town.
The old fort area is a popular tourist destination and two of the American ladies in our party spent a week there before joining our tour, so they have plenty of suggestions and TucTuc contacts for me when I continue my stopover.

Time to eat again and another early night.