kandy chaos: how a sleep-deprived photographer got lost in tea and rain

kandy, i think you're trying to give me a nervous breakdown.

i arrived after a twelve-hour bus that smelled like diesel and regret. the driver kept playing the same sri lankan pop song on loop, and i swear i dreamed in that chorus. stepping off at the station, the humidity smacked me in the face - it's like walking into a sauna that's also a soup. i just checked my pocket thermometer and it's...there right now, 22.91 degrees celsius but with 91% humidity it feels like you're breathing through a wet towel. pressure's hanging at 1012 hpa, which is normal but my ears are popped from the altitude anyway. the air is so thick you could literally scoop it with a spoon and sell it as "kandy essence", whatever that is.

i'd booked a room at a guesthouse that some random travel blog whispered about - "rustic charm", they said. the address was just coordinates: 7.2519,80.4453. i stood there with my backpack looking at my phone, realising i had no clue how to read those numbers. a tuk-tuk driver laughed at me, then offered to take me there for 500 rupees. i haggled him down to 300 and hopped on. the ride was a blur of winding roads, spice stalls, and a dog that chased us for a good two hundred meters. the map came in handy though, so here:

the guesthouse itself is perched on a hill overlooking the lake. the owner, an old bloke named raj, brews the strongest ginger tea i've ever tasted. he says the altitude gives it a kick. i bought a cup and sat on the porch, watching the mist rise off the water like ghosts doing ballet. it's the kind of view that makes you forget you haven't slept in 36 hours and your camera bag weighs more than your conscience.

as a freelance photographer, i came here chasing light. i heard that the early morning light over the temple of the tooth is unreal. i set my alarm for 5am but hit snooze until sunrise bled through the curtains. ruining my plan, but i told myself the golden hour would come later anyway. i lugged my gear - a nikon d850, a 35mm f/1.8, a 24-70 f/2.8, a junk lens i keep for "artistic blur", and a gazillion batteries - and headed into the streets. kandy's streets are narrow, packed with rickshaws, wanderers like me, and shops selling everything from brass statues to neon leggings. i kept my camera ready, shooting on the fly.

the market area near the clock tower is a riot of colors and smells. i snapped a shot of a woman selling marigolds, her hands stained orange, while a cow nonchalantly stole a banana from a nearby stall. i tried to frame the scene without getting hit by a passing motorcycle. that's when i noticed my thumb had gotten in the way of the lens twice in a row. maybe it's time to consider a lighter setup, or just accept that my thumb is a recurring character in my portfolio.

i heard from a local that the best koththu (that street food staple) is at a tiny spot behind the post office. "someone told me it's the best cheesy koththu in town, but i also heard they use msg - so maybe ask for no powder if you're sensitive." i took the advice and found the stall. the guy with the massive cleaver hacked away at roti, chicken, and veggies right in front of me. i ate it on a plastic stool while a stray dog judged me. it was glorious. later, i checked tripadvisor to see if the raving reviews were legit. TripAdvisor: Koththu King had a 4.5-star rating, with one reviewer calling it "a flavor bomb that'll make your taste buds dance". i could see why. the yelp entry for the place is equally enthusiastic, but i tend to trust tripadvisor more for food. Yelp: Koththu King. yeah, i'm linking both - sue me.

after lunch, i hired a scooter (because why not? i'm an adrenaline junkie with a death wish). i rode out to the tea plantations that carpet the hillsides. the road snaked up, and the air turned cooler with each bend. i stopped at a viewpoint where the tea bushes formed perfect lines on the slope, disappearing into the mist. i pulled out my 70-200mm to compress the scene, and i swear i caught a rainbow in the spray. i'd love to show you that shot, but you'll just have to take my word for it or check my instagram (oh wait, i haven't posted in weeks). anyway, here's an image that might approximate that vibe:

while i was up there, i met a couple of travelers from germany who were on a "spiritual journey" or something. they kept talking about "vibes" and "energy". i told them i was just here for the light and the caffeine. they looked at me like i'd insulted their aura. we parted ways when i realised my camera battery was blinking red. i love that feeling - when you're in the middle of nowhere and your gear decides to bail on you. i had to navigate back on instinct, which is a fancy way of saying i got lost and ended up in a small village where kids pointed and laughed at my scooter. i gave one a high-five and he ran away giggling. that was a win.

back in kandy, i needed a break from shooting. i found a cafe that had a proper espresso machine - a rare gem in these parts. the barista, a sri lankan girl who'd studied in colombo, pulled a decent double shot. i sipped and wrote postcards that i'll probably never send. the cafe had free wifi and a bookshelf full of outdated travel guides. i flipped through one and laughed at the descriptions: "kandy: a charming hill station" - yeah, charming like a siren that lulls you into complacency and then punches you with a monsoon. the wifi was slow, so i ended up people-watching. i noticed a group of monks in saffron robes walking past, their feet silent on the cobblestones. i raised my camera, but felt it'd be intrusive. i lowered it and just watched. sometimes you don't need a picture to remember.

i also read on a local board about a viewpoint called "dungeon hill" that's supposed to give a 360-degree panorama of the city. i hiked up there in the late afternoon. the climb was steep and i was sweating buckets, but the view at the top made it worth it. i could see the lake, the temple spires, and the rolling hills fading into the distance. i set up my tripod and tried a long exposure as the sun set. the traffic lights below turned into tiny fireflies. that's the kind of shot that makes all the schlepping worth it. here's another pic that kinda captures the architecture:

okay, i know i'm rambling. it's 2am, i'm jetlagged, my room smells like mothballs, and the fan is making a noise that could be a death metal song. but i felt the need to jot this down before i forget the details. if you're planning a trip here, a few things i learned the hard way:

first, bring a rain cover for your gear; the weather can switch from sun to downpour faster than you can say "i need a towel". second, those cheap umbrellas sold on the street last about five minutes in a breeze. third, don't trust google maps blindly; the alleys in kandy have a mind of their own. and finally, for crying out loud, try the coconut water straight from the shell - it's like nature's gatorade but tastier.

also, i heard that if you get bored of kandy, ella and nuwara eliya are just a short drive away. the train ride from kandy to ella is supposed to be one of the most scenic in the world - i'll save that for next time because i'm too tired to move now.

i should probably plug some resources that helped me out. the official sri lanka tourism site has good updates on openings and weather: Sri Lanka Tourism. i also used the cinnamon shack local board for budget stays: cinnamonshack.lk. for deeper history, the wikipedia page on kandy is a decent starting point: Kandy - Wikipedia. and if you're into photography like me, check out the lanka photographers group on facebook - they post meetups and tips: Lanka Photographers.

before i sign off, i'd be remiss if i didn't mention the food. i had a bowl of lamprais (rice and meat baked in banana leaf) at a place called "upcountry kitchen". it was messy, flavorful, and exactly what i needed after a day of walking. i saw it listed on tripadvisor with 4 stars: indeed, the reviews weren't lying. TripAdvisor: Upcountry Kitchen.

anyway, i'm gonna try to sleep now. i can hear the call to prayer from the mosque mixing with the temple bells - kandy's soundtrack is a mashup of faiths. it's beautiful and a little disorienting, much like my writing. thanks for reading, and if you have any tips for a sleep-deprived snapper, slide into my dms. i'll be back with more tales (and hopefully better thumb placement).

now i need a third image - maybe that street market scene:

that should about cover it. i think i'm at around 650 words by now. not sure, but i'm too tired to count. goodnight, world. i'll be dreaming in ISO.

kandy chaos: how a sleep-deprived photographer got lost in tea and rain

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About the author: Luna Sterling

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