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 […]
Trips
Read this blog: The one where we discover about toe alignment Sunday 8th March 2026 Today we planned to visit Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka’s second capital city and another extensive ruined site. The ancient capital at Anuradhapura was destroyed in 993 BCE by Chola invaders from southern India [now the state of Tamil Nadu] who ruled for about the next 75 years. In 1077 King Vijayabahu I, having commanded separate armies to attack Polonnaruwa on three fronts and besieged the city for seven months, eventually gained control and became king. Polonnaruwa then became Sri Lanka’s second capital and continued in this capacity from the 11th to the 13th centuries. King Vijayabahu I‘s grandson, King Parakramabahu I [1153 -1186], also known as Parakramabahu the Great, is celebrated in a 11 foot [3.4m] tall statue carved from a single block of granite and dating from the 12th century. Located near Pothgul Vihara, this was our first stop. Pothgul Vihara means ‘Library Shrine’ and the site comprises both library and monastic remains. There is some debate about what King Parakramabahu I is holding: a yoke for oxen or a leaf manuscript but he is certainly very simply dressed for a monarch. King Parakramabahu I united […]
Read this blog: The one where we walk in the footsteps of Duran Duran Saturday 7th March 2026 Our chauffeur/guide, Dilanka, had recommended that we get to the fortified citadel at Sigiriya for sunrise as this would allow us to climb the rock in the comparative cool of the early morning and avoid the crowds. We dutifully set an alarm for 04:45 so that we could leave the hotel at 05:30 and set off in darkness. The day gradually dawned and by the time we reached this historic site the sun was rising. We had not realised that the fortifications would include a moat. Once past the moat, the citadel is approached through the Royal Gardens which comprise a water, boulder and terrace gardens. Perhaps to lull visitors into a false sense of ease, the rock formations over the first steps conceal the extent of the challenge awaiting. The rock is 1,144 feet [349 metres] above sea level and about 600 feet [180 metres] above the surrounding plain. King Kashyapa [CE 477–495], though not the legitimate heir, seized the throne from his father and chose this for the site of his new capital. Many sources state there are 1,200 steps to the […]
Read this blog: The one where we find an unexpected use for toilet paper Friday 6th March 2026 After a relative lie-in, we checked out at 09:00 and Dilanka drove us to see the Aukana Temple which houses a statue of the Buddha, carved directly out of the granite. Created in the fifth century and set in a shallow alcove, the Buddha stands 42 feet [12m] tall on a lotus pedestal, facing east [see feature photo]. The carving of the material in the robe demonstrates particular expertise as it appears transparent with the undergarment [andanakada] visible. The statue would have originally been housed in a pilimage or image house but is now open to the elements with a metal canopy to protect it from the elements. Added later was the siraspatha – the flame-like ornament on the Buddha’s head – which signifies the flame of enlightenment and is similar to a halo in the Christian tradition. Signs at temples forbid selfies as it is disrespectful to turn your back on his image but Dilanka offered to take a photo for us and we were asked to turn sideways slightly [see not quite Selfie of the day]. Dilanka also showed us […]
Read this blog: The one where we visit the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka Thursday 5th March 2026 We opted for another early start to try and avoid being out in the midday sun. Our first stop was the Mihintale Rock Temple on Missaka Pabbata – a mountain peak which is about 1,000 feet [300 m] high. According to legend, Mahinda Thera met King Devanampiyatissa of Sri Lanka on this hilltop and discussed the teachings of Buddha with him, thereby bringing Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the third century BCE. Mihintale is a contraction of Mihin-Thalé which means ‘Mahinda’s hill’. Visitors must climb a granite staircase and although the guidebooks say there are 1840 steps to the top, our guide informed us that we had already circumvented 400 of them by being driven to the car park. The steps are shaded by frangipani trees. For both of these things, we were truly grateful. On a terrace stands the Sela Cetiya Stupa, also known as the Ambasthala Dagoba, which was built to enshrine a relic of the Buddha, specifically, the Urna Roma, or hair located between the eyebrows. Buddha is also said to have visited this location on the third occasion he […]
Read this blog: The one where Robert has a communication from aliens Wednesday, 4th March 2026 We woke up to find that it was rather overcast and were quite pleased as we felt that this would make the day cooler for our planned sightseeing. Anuradhapura was founded in 377BC by King Pandukabhaya and was the religious and political heart of the kingdom for over 1300 years until 993AD making it Sri Lanka’s first and longest serving capital. This UNESCO World Heritage site covers 40 km² and we saw only a fraction of this in our five hours of sightseeing. Thankfully Dilanka drove us between the major sites. There are the remains of three great monasteries within the historic site of the ancient city at Anuradhapura: Mahavihara, Abhayagiri, and Jetavanarama. These monasteries were the centres of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism, respectively. The Mahavihara monastery is the oldest and most prestigious of the three and we went there first. Within the complex stands the Ruwanweliseya Stupa, also known as the Great Stupa. It is said to contain the largest amount of the Buddha’s remains held in one place, variously described as one eighth of his relics or two quarts [four pints or half a […]
Read this blog: The one where we experience robot room service Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd March 2026 In Sri Lanka, every full moon day is a public holiday, known as a “poya” in Sinhala [Sri Lankan]. It is a day for Buddhists to visit temples for religious observances and there are 13 or 14 poyas per year. Each one has a different name and the one in March is the Madin Poya celebrating the Buddha’s first visit, after attaining enlightenment, to his place of birth at his father’s palace. The full moon in March is also known as the Worm Moon symbolising the transition from winter to spring when the ground thaws and worms reappear, although here in Sri Lanka it is hard to imagine the ground ever freezes. Actually at its brightest at 17:07 on March 3rd this year, the full moon is nevertheless being celebrated on March 2nd here. Consequently many businesses, offices and restaurants are closed and no alcohol is sold. With this in mind we planned to visit the Lotus Tower, Colombo’s tallest landmark, which we knew would be open [see Selfie of the day]. Entry is US$20 per person for foreigners which is very expensive […]
Read this blog: The one where Robert meets an old school friend in Sri Lanka Saturday 28th February and Sunday 1st March 2026 After the excitement of the T20 cricket, we woke early and returned from our overnight hotel, near the stadium, to have breakfast at our central hotel then set off to explore the sights of Colombo, taking a tuk tuk to St Lucia’s Cathedral as the start of our route. The current building was completed in 1902 and St Lucia’s is the oldest and largest parish cathedral in Sri Lanka. Ionic columns adorn the facade along with seven statues along the skyline. We took another tuk tuk to the Grand Mosque and from here we decided to walk to. . . . . . St Anthony’s Shrine which dates from the early Dutch Colonial period when Catholicism was banned and Catholic priests would conduct services in secret. Our research informed us that a reliquary in a glass case at the entrance is deemed sacred because it contains a tiny piece of St. Anthony’s tongue. We were surprised to see a man crawl under the cabinet and subsequently realised that he was demonstrating his reverence by crawling under the relic. […]
Read this blog: The one where we attend our first international cricket game overseas Friday 27th February 2026 In 1907 Negombo was connected to the extensive railway network which the British were building in Sri Lanka to streamline the transportation of produce including coconuts, tea and coffee from the cool hill plantations down to the ports. Winding through thick jungle, across mountains and along dramatic coastlines it became known as one of the most picturesque railway networks in the world. Robert designed and booked this trip around some of his bucket list train journeys up to the plantations but the second set back on this tour is that many train services in Sri Lanka are not currently running normally. We knew before we left the UK that, sadly, extreme weather in November 2025 had caused severe flooding which had resulted in several deaths and damaged the railways. Heavy rainfall caused landslides which washed away sections of track and weakened embankments and bridges. Large sections of the track were subsequently impassable, particularly in the more challenging mountainous areas where the terrain is steep. Before trains can run safely again, the land has to be properly stabilised and the infrastructure rebuilt. The […]
Read this blog: The one where we can’t hire a tuk tuk Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th February 2026 We were told that we had to get to the airport three hours before our scheduled flight time. This meant setting an alarm for 05:15 which was not ideal for two people still adjusting to a five hour time difference. Despite the fact that we had both been wide awake at about 01:00, we were sound asleep when the alarm went off. Although Über is available, PickMe is the most commonly used ride-hailing app in Sri Lanka and it was recommended to us by local people for booking tuk tuks and cars. We had a very minimalist and disappointing breakfast: confusingly despite it being Ramadan the full service did not start till after sunrise. Robert then booked a small car on PickMe to take us and our luggage to the airport. However, when we arrived at Velana International Airport we were shown a notice which gave the time that passengers for each flight were to be admitted into the departures hall. Our designated time was 06:30 and we were waved to one side to wait for eight minutes. As it turned out […]
Read this blog: The one where Matilda enjoys getting her face wet Monday 23rd to Wednesday 25th February 2026 On Monday morning after a rather fitful night’s sleep, Robert was awake early enough to see the sunrise from our beach. As previously mentioned, the tide was too far out for us to be able to swim within the designated area: Robert only managed to get in to his knees. Instead, we walked along the beach and out to the pontoon which gives access to rooms over the water. From the raised walkway, we saw plenty of wildlife swimming amongst the coral including yellow tailed clown fish and shoals of needle fish. However, the highlight was undoubtedly the young sharks swimming languidly in the shallows [see also Video of the day], sometimes with their fins visible above the water. As a woman who doesn’t like to get her face wet whether swimming in a pool or simply washing with soap and water, Matilda was a little anxious about undertaking going snorkelling. But as she has frequently read that it is beneficial to challenge yourself and leave your comfort zone – and we both like to get our money’s worth – Matilda […]
Read this blog: The one where low tide is un-swimmable Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd February 2026 The first stage of our Sri Lankan adventure is a short stopover in the Maldives. Our early evening flight from Heathrow meant that we could watch the Six Nations‘ England vs Ireland rugby match in the airport Wetherspoons. By half-time, Robert was wishing we hadn’t bothered. The flight, combined with the five hour time difference meant that we saw the sunrise from the stratosphere. Meanwhile, the couple behind us were having an extended argument and we couldn’t help but feel that their holiday/honeymoon was not going to go well. Such a shame when they were going to this incredible bucket-list destination. We arrived at Terminal One [international flights] and discovered that we had to walk to Terminal Two to find our transport to the Villa Nautica resort which is located on Lankanfinolhu Island on the North Malé Atoll. There will be more about the geography of this region in future blogs. Villa Nautica is just a 20-minute speedboat ride from Velana International Airport in the capital city of Malé. When they describe the transport as a speedboat rather than a water taxi, they are […]
Read this blog: The one where our helicopter ride is cancelled Monday 8th to Tuesday 16th September 2025 From Taunton we drove on to Penzance, where we had booked to stay overnight in The Longboat Inn before catching the first helicopter over to Tresco in the morning. Robert first attempted to buy lifetime membership of the National Trust for Matilda when we visited St Michael’s Mount in 2021 but although a man had been installed under a gazebo to encourage people to join, he found he could not take the payment. We subsequently visited Godolphin House where the membership was successfully purchased and Matilda got her first property stamp. Consequently, although we have visited St Michael’s Mount relatively recently, Matilda wanted to go back just to get her NT passport stamp. Crossing to the island depends on the tide. Last time we visited the tide was high and we made the journey by boat. This time we coincided with low tide and so could enjoy the walk across the causeway. Robert prefers this option as it is free. This year we had invited Ruth and Matt to join us for our annual trip to Tresco. The plan had been that […]
Read this blog: The one where Robert tries his hand at milling Sunday 7th September 2025 We set off for another day of cultural visits to make the most of Matilda’s life time membership of the National Trust. First on Matilda’s route was Knightshayes – a house built in the 19th century gothic revival style for Sir John Heathcoat Amory. The grand stable block was built in 1871. It now houses a café and shops and people who know Matilda will understand that the café is always an important part of the experience. We arrived before we could enter the house and so took a stroll around the kitchen garden. Walled kitchen gardens were designed to create warm micro-climates and thereby extend the growing season so that the owners/residents could enjoy fresh produce beyond the usual natural season for crops. From the late 1880s until the 1970s the vast kitchen garden was used to grow crops of vegetables, fruit and herbs, but subsequently fell into disrepair. In the 1970s the gates were locked and the garden was neglected and used for sheep grazing until the National Trust started restorations. Now, following an extensive garden restoration after the National Trust took over […]
Read this blog: The one where Robert imposes a culture limit Saturday 6th September 2025 We had decided to make the most of Matilda’s life membership of the National Trust by visiting a few properties on our way down to Penzance for our annual visit to Tresco and the Isles of Scilly. We booked to stay in Taunton for two nights to break the journey and Matilda identified several places within easy driving distance. Our first stop was Lytes Carey Manor which is well-known for its Arts and Crafts inspired garden. It was originally built and extended by the Lytes family over a period spanning five centuries before financial difficulties forced them to give up their home in the 18th century. After a period of neglect, Sir Walter and Lady Flora Jenner acquired the property in 1907 and started to restore the manor and grounds aiming for “grandeur on an intimate scale”. We felt they had been quite successful in their endeavours. Our next stop was Montacute House, just a twenty minute drive away, which the National Trust describes as a “masterpiece of Elizabethan Renaissance architecture and design”. An imposing three-storey building, Montacute House has tall windows; is topped by […]
Read this blog: The one where we came in from the cold Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st August 2025 To fulfil his contract as a Product Manager, Robert aims to spend three days a month in the Great Rail Journeys’ office in York whenever his travel commitments allow. He had identified that the weekend before his August dates coincided with some of the Women’s Rugby Union World Cup matches being played at York Community Stadium. Tickets cost just £25. Of course we wanted to go and were lucky enough to be able to book tickets and extended his hotel booking. As we waited to board our train at King’s Cross we had a swift cappuccino. The architecture here reminded Robert of the Vortex waterfall at Singapore Changi Airport. Robert’s first port of call when we arrived was the York Tap at the railway station where he always aims to enjoy a raspberry beer if time allows. There is no shortage of fine hostelries in York but Matilda had read an article mentioning the garden of The Fat Badger and demanded that this be included in the route for the evening. Unfortunately as it was raining, it was not really the right […]