sasri2016 - Travelling from Tissamaharama to Ella by bus

This might be interesting drive too. As my last bus was driving even better roads that this will be. ;)

And sadly I need to change bus in Wirawila. This is something that I am not looking for... ;) Other option would be to hire personal driver with car to go this way. But being on a budget and only one week done for the trip, that's not best option (from that point of view).

I am currently on breakfast in The Peacock Reach hotel in Tissamaharama.
This is in another side of the Tissamaharama town, as my last hotel (The River Front) was. Did I already write about the usual "we don't have room for your another night" -problem in last hotel? (I think I didn't yet.) So they transferred me into this ("Uncle's hotel") for free (Vista Rooms Peacock Reach). This hotel is made with same style and has same quality level as the original one, so actually this wasn't that much of a bad thing, but it's annoying to need to transfer your stuff way too often. Because of hotel change, I had all my luggage with me on safari Jeep (did you already read my post about the safari in The Yala National Park?).

I am really excited about my next stay in Ella! Everybody I have talked to, who have been in Ella, have said it's very beautiful and nice place. Hotel's name is Jetwing Kaduruketha. The hotel has 61% season sale for the accomodation and it's still somewhat above my budget, but I am justifying it to myself, by saying that I need to taste a bit of Splurge on Sri Lankan trip too.
The hotel was tipped by Wendy, from English family that I met in Earlier hotel in Tissamaharama (so BIG thanks to Wendy for the tip, if you are reading this! And greetings to all of your nice family! It would be nice to hear how your trip did go, how is Ellouisa (sorry for my possible misspelling) and how you liked Mirissa...) :)

-- Update at the evening of same day --

So how did my trip go? It went fine. Actually much better than earlier bus drive from Mirissa to Tissamaharama. Buses were not that crowded and everything was running more smoothly than in earlier ride (maybe it was just me, or maybe there is less hassle in those local buses, than long haul buses).

Price was 50 rupies for trip from Tissamaharama to Tanamawila (so it was much better option to go to Tanamawila, than into Wirawila, because that would have been in wrong direction. Okey, I might have reached better buses from that town, than I did this way, but this was okay. Bus did stop really frequently and it felt like, whenever bus got to little speed to tires, it needed to stop again.
But I didn't have huge need to go to leak and actually I had small breaks to sitting in bus, when I needed to change bus at the stations (where I could have gone to toilet, possibly if one was to be found anywhere).
Price from Tanamawila to Wellawaya was 67 rupies and I bought a seat for my backpack also, and it still costed less than euro to me. Total trip costed then 184 rupies, which is something like 1,40 euros. For travelling over 110 kilometers (and over three hours).

I really can suggest for people to take the bus, if you are travelling by budget. People are very helpful here, bus cashier normally is helpful. And specially if your bus changes are at bus stations of towns (as they probably are), it's quite easy to make those bus changes. At least these buses did go so frequently, that almost when you get into the bus station, you just go inside next bus and wait for it to leave.
If a driver with car would cost 16 000 rupies for the same trip, that I can make with 500 rupies (tuk-tuk to bus station and tuk-tuk to hotel added to bus costs), there is quite a big difference (about 109 euros vs 3,4 euros). Of course comfort level is very different and going with a driver is normally quite risk free. I also appreciate, that some people do bring money to this country, which has a lot of poor people. Giving it to taxi driver might not be a worst thing to do.

By the way, buses have this "luggage area" besides the driver. You can leave your luggage there. I have heard, that some buses do not have that back compartment, that my bus from Matara to Tissamaharama did have.