Read this blog: The one where we experience a whiteout in a helicopter Saturday 19th to Monday 21st September 2026 In contrast to the outward journey which took place in clear skies and sunshine, the helicopter flight back to the mainland was beset by fog. The pilot completed several circles just off the coast by Penzance hoping the fog would clear. A gap in the clouds did eventually open up and, after a few nerve-wracking minutes when we thought we might have to divert to another airport or even return to Tresco, we were thankfully able to touch down in Penzance where we said farewell to Sue and Henry. Over the years we have regularly passed Hardy Exotics on the road into Penzance and Matilda has been yearning to visit. This year we had planned a leisurely journey home with two overnight stays and agreed we would drop in on our way. When we arrived, the owner stressed that this was not a traditional garden centre. Walking round was indeed more like taking a stroll through the Tresco Abbey Gardens or an RHS property. From here we decided to go to Trerice. This Elizabethan manor is a National Trust property […]
Read this blog: The one where we party 20 feet under the sea Tuesday 8th to Saturday 18th September 2026 The journey to Tresco is always part of the adventure: this year the skies were clear and the helicopter left on time. The views were, as always, impressive and particularly so with the sun reflecting off the sea. On our visit this year, for the first time ever, we were blessed with three consecutive days of low tides: Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all designated as being “walkable’. On the first of these we walked across to Bryher with Liz and Martin. A Low Tide Event was scheduled for the next day. Although some of our visits have coincided with these in the past, they have always previously been cancelled due to bad weather. This year the forecast was good and the sun was shining when we woke. We decided to go to the Abbey Gardens to watch the red squirrels being fed: Robert had spoken to the chief squirrel feeder and confirmed the time in advance. From here we walked to Flood Hatch to start the walk. A Low Tide Event is a rare occurrence which lasts for just […]
Read this blog: The one where we learn about the London Quarter Saturday 5th to Monday 7th September 2026 Although Robert enjoys researching and organising our longer holidays, he assigns Matilda responsibility for planning the places to visit and stopover on our annual trip down to Penzance to catch the helicopter to Tresco. This allows her to make the most of her life membership of the National Trust. Our first stop was Hinton Ampner – see feature photo. When Ralph Dutton, the eighth Lord Sherborne, inherited Hinton Ampner in 1935 he immediately embarked upon a schedule of renovation and redecoration. Because of the date of this, Matilda had been expecting an Art Deco extravaganza and had sold it to Robert on this basis. However, it transpired that Ralph Dutton‘s vision for his home was, according to the National Trust ‘a Neo-Georgian house combining classical inspired interiors with the elegant gardens and parkland’. It was not what we had expected but was nevertheless both grand and ornate. Sadly the building suffered a devastating fire in 1960 but has been largely painstakingly rebuilt since. Fire damage was to become a recurrent theme on this trip. It was undoubtedly beautiful in the autumn […]
Read this blog: The one where we divert via Mumbai Friday 27th to Sunday 29th March 2026 Matilda was so pleased with our new ‘room with a view’ that she felt she needed to be recorded for posterity before going to ensure Robert honoured his cocktail commitment to her. Earlier in the trip, Robert had promised that any left over Sri Lankan currency at the end of the holiday could be spent on cocktails at the Galle Face Hotel and we decided to go to the Firebeach Bar to indulge. The choice was more limited than Matilda would have liked but she first opted for a Cucumber Mule comprising vodka; cucumber; lime and ginger beer which she pronounced very refreshing. Robert, unsurprisingly, preferred beer. The attentive and charming staff offered us insect repellent as we sat at the bar. I think they felt our pale skin would be an insect magnet. This close to the Equator the time of sunset and sunrise does not vary very much and every day at around 17:40 a lone bagpiper in traditional Scottish dress plays as they process from the hotel, across the checkerboard [see below] . . . . . . to the […]
Read this blog: The one where Matilda complains to Management Thursday 26th and Friday 27th March 2026 The day started with a rail journey. As regular readers will know, this holiday was originally planned to include far more train travel. Tragically, floods in November 2025 killed many Sri Lankans and washed away sections of the railway tracks in the scenic mountain regions. Indeed during this trip, we have been struck by the deep orange wounds in the landscape caused by rock slides and the mounds of fallen rock and soil where these wounds have been tended and the debris cleared from the roads and train tracks. Obviously, with Robert in charge, we arrived at Galle Station in good time for our train and as this is a terminus station we were able to see the engine being shunted from one end to the other of the train [see Video of the day]. Much of the south western coastal section of the track was destroyed in the 2004 tsunami but during our visit the rails between Galle to Columbo were unaffected and this picturesque seafront section was therefore one of the few journeys we were able to complete. The views were […]
Read this blog: The one where we watch a cobra capture Tuesday 25th and Wednesday 26th March 2026 Once again there were very few other guests staying at our hotel but we enjoyed greeting the pond life on our way down to breakfast [see also Video of the day]. Galle lies on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka and is justifiably famous for Galle Fort, the 16th century fortified city founded by Portuguese colonists. We decided we would first walk the ramparts as this would take us past many of the historic sights. The old town of Galle and its fortifications are a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. It was first built in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch from 1649 onwards before being taken over by the British. The entrance up to the fortifications [see Selfie of the day] was close to the Old Cricket Ground which is officially known as the Galle International Stadium and is considered to be one of the most picturesque cricket pitches in the world with views back towards the fort. This is clearly a relic from the British era. As we strolled along the ramparts, we first came across the […]
Read this blog: The one where we have two breakfasts Sunday 22nd and Monday 23rd March 2026 Sunday was another early start as we had booked to go whale watching. Once again we arose before dawn and Dilanka took us to the reception office of Mirissa Water Sports where we were both given a cup of coffee and Matilda was offered a sea sickness tablet. Maybe Robert was looking sufficiently nautical that they assumed he would not need one? We had met some other travellers earlier in the holiday who had advised us to accept the sea sickness pills when we were offered them. Matilda however had planned ahead. She took the advice of Matt, a seasoned sailor who joined us in Tresco last year, who suggested taking a tablet the day before as well as one on the morning of travel. We had asked Dilanka if he would be coming with us but he suffers quite severely from sea sickness and informed us he was definitely staying on dry land. Matilda was glad she had taken the tablets. Staff then escorted us through the vibrant Mirissa Fisheries Harbour to board the boat. As well as fixed seating towards the rear of […]
Read this blog: The one where we spot a Sri Lankan Leopard Saturday 21st March 2026 There was torrential rain overnight so by the time the alarm went off at 04:30, neither of us had had much sleep but the best time to see the animals at Yala National Park is at dawn or dusk. Yala National Park is vast, covering a protected area of 979km2 [about 378 square miles or 103,889 hectares] and is divided into five blocks. It is the second largest national park in the country after Wilpattu National Park which is approximately 1,317 km2. Dilanka picked us up at 05:30 and drove us to meet our jeep safari driver/guide who in turn drove us to the ticket booth and paid for our entry. Although the sign read Ruhunu [Yala] National Park, it seems to be universally referred to as Yala National Park. Park Rangers checked the number of people in the jeep matched the number paid for on the ticket. Apparently around 600 drivers are licensed to take jeep safaris into the park although not all are permitted to work at the same time. A further 150 have submitted applications for permits. After a brief time […]
Read the blog: The one where we see a rare Star Tortoise Thursday 19 and Friday 20th March 2026 Although we could not travel on all the trains as originally envisaged, Robert wanted to visit the Nine Arch Bridge. Rail enthusiasts are advised to plan their visit to coincide with a train so obviously, we timed our visit accordingly. On the basis that a viaduct links two higher points across a valley or gorge, Matilda had not expected the walk down to the site to be so long. As we walked down Dilanka told us about a wasp attack at the bridge on a tourist the previous day: apparently a lot of wasp nests have been built under the arches although it was not clear what had provoked the attack. He also told us about another client he had brought here who seemed to start bleeding spontaneously. Having administered first aid, he discovered a very thin, small leech [so therefore still hungry rather than being swollen and engorged with blood] had attached itself between two of her toes. He advised us against walking off the path and in the grass. He also told us of a local treatment to stem […]
Read this blog: The one where Matilda is touched by greatness Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th March 2026 We awoke early in time to see the sunrise from our balcony. We had already decided we would go for some retail therapy in Ella and the hotel ordered us a tuk tuk to take us down the hill after breakfast. The main thoroughfare in Ella is called Badulla Road and is lined with bars, many with balconies overlooking the road, and small shops selling clothing and tourist mementoes. Anyone who has shopped with Robert will know that he does not really understand the concept of browsing. We had to walk up one side and then down the other to make sure we had seen all the merchandise on offer. Robert found a shirt on the reduced rail in one shop and pronounced the shopping trip over and an outstanding success. We did not feel we should spend the whole day in the town as this might lead to further purchases which we could not reasonably expect to fit in our luggage. We returned to the hotel so Matilda could try out the pool. Although the views were spectacular [see below], there […]
Read this blog: The one where we do actually travel the scenic route by train in Sri Lanka Monday 16th March 2026 The train route from Ella to Kandy was part of the more extensive Hill Country Line, and Sri Lanka Railways describes this stretch of the track as being the most “scenic section of the trip”. Unfortunately the trains are not currently departing from Kandy but Walkers Tours [who also provided our car and driver] had booked two seats in Observation Class for us to travel from Ambewela to Ella on the 09:30 train. We travelled by the rail replacement service from Nuwara Eliya to Ambewela Station to catch the train [see also Selfie of the day]. The route is popular and passengers are advised to buy tickets and book a reserved seat for this trip two to three months in advance. When we arrived at the station, about an hour before the scheduled departure time, there were queues of people waiting to buy tickets. A handwritten sign pinned to a door frame also warned people that the 13:30 departure was already fully booked. The original historic train carriages have long since been replaced by modern rolling stock painted […]
Read this blog: The one where Matilda would like to send postcards Sunday 15th March 2026 After the delicious welcome snack of chocolate dipped strawberries which the hotel provided on our arrival [see previous blog post], Matilda had been hopeful that strawberries would be readily available at breakfast. Sadly they never made a repeat appearance, despite us being in a prime strawberry growing area. Surprisingly there was a jar of pickled Scotch Bonnet peppers but it did not look as though this had never been opened. Matilda felt strawberries would have been far more popular. Nuwara Eliya means the ‘city on the plain’ and we used PickMe to order a tuk tuk to take us from our hotel in the hills down into the town. Nuwara Eliya Post Office is a fine building and also a major central landmark so we asked to be dropped there. One of the oldest post offices in Sri Lanka, the Nuwara Eliya Post Office was built by the British in 1894, rather unusually, in a red brick Tudor style with a clock tower. In June 2017 the United Postal Trade Union went on a three-day strike in a successful protest against the government’s plans […]
Read this blog: The one where we approve of dipped strawberries Friday 13th and Saturday 14th March 2026 After breakfast we went for a short stroll round Kandy, past the ubiquitous Clock Tower. The majority of places we have visited have one. They were built predominantly by the British as a central landmark to help people to find their way around the town. In some instances they are also memorials. We then went to look at the Municipal Central Market. Many tourists seemed to be buying spices and Matilda was quite tempted to take some vanilla pods home, having seen them recently growing in a spice garden, but was not sure if this was a permitted import to the UK. In the afternoon, the monkeys made a return appearance on the balcony where they seemed to be interested in coming inside. On Saturday we had originally planned that we would get the train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya which is also known as ‘Little England’. Unfortunately this section is not yet running after the cyclone damage at the end of last year. We therefore made the journey by car and the driver took us to a number of sights on […]
Read this blog: The one where we are confused by currency rates Thursday 12th March 2026 We decided to book a car to take us to some of the more out-lying sites and asked the hotel to arrange this while we were having brreakfast. The man on reception came back to us and quoted a price. We both put this into the currency converter in the calculator on our iPhones and came out with very different numbers. Robert initially thought it would cost the equivalent of about £15 whereas Matilda’s converted figure was closer to £40. Robert agreed to book the car and we noted the different conversion rates afterwards but we are now wary of believing the iPhone currency conversion rates. The actual price was closer to the figure Matilda had seen. When Robert went to reception to pay for the car in advance, he also collected our laundry and was told that they had never done so much laundry for a guest ever before. Robert explained our system of travelling light with about ten days’ worth of clothes and getting them washed when we have a few days in the same hotel. Our first stop in the car […]
Read this blog: The one where we have breakfast with elephants Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th March 2026 An adult elephant is obviously very strong and weighs between three and five tons. As we had breakfast we watched one of the new elephants break out of one of his chains. He was clearly unhappy or angry at being restrained. We both found it hard to watch as he flailed his feet and trunk in the water but we understood that the mahouts are experienced and know how best to manage the introduction of new animals to the herd. Hopefully he will be integrated soon. Once again it was reassuring that front of house staff made sure to talk to guests to explain the situation. As the waiter had assured us the night before, egg hoppers were indeed available for breakfast. These are a traditional dish which we had been wanting to sample. They are made by swirling slightly sweet batter [made from fermented rice flour and coconut milk] around a curved pan then, once this is sufficiently set, breaking an egg into the pancake shell, mixing it up slightly and covering it all with a lid while it cooks. The […]
Read this blog: The one where we are talked into a three course meal Monday 9th March 2026 Today we had a date with pachyderms so we knew we needed to leave our hotel promptly. Breakfast service started at 07:00 and we were downstairs in the restaurant right on time. We had been forewarned that it would be an a la carte service rather than a buffet. This was not explicitly stated but we assumed, with so few guests due to the events in the Middle East, that this was a sensible decision intended to save wastage. We also assumed, mistakenly as it turned out, that with only a few people to cater for, the service would be swift and efficient. Despite allowing 30 minutes for breakfast and checkout we were slightly delayed and left just shortly after time we had planned. Returning along a route we had already travelled we saw the same elephant in almost exactly the same place and once again stopped to admire him. Dilanka suggested a slight detour off our route to visit the Nalanda Gedige said to be the centre of Sri Lanka. As Robert is fond of telling people that Solihull, where he […]