Our bus

for the 7 hour journey from Jaffna to Trincomalee. You can see the driver's little enclave here. The conductor would sit crossed legged in the middle space too when he had time to relax - he his usually leaning out the open door trying to get new clients. He chewed beetle nut and was a great spitter. He could sit in his spot in the middle of the bus and aim expertly out the door with no problem.
The bus got very crowded - and dusty. The tuk tuk driver that met the bus in Tincomalee had a brush with him to get the worst of it off our luggage.
The area we went through was a no-go area during the war. There were still lots of military camps and we saw some of the poorest people we have seen on this trip.The road was also in the process of being redone..but work seemed to have come to a standstill-leaving half the road still dirt.