REVIEW OF RESPLENDENT SRI LANKA TOUR IN AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2024
Thanks to my daughter Jacqueline, I travelled in Business Class to Colombo.
The Steuart by Citrus Hotel was selected for it’s convenience for me, as I had to conduct some business at the HSBC Bank in the Fort and also the Union Bank in Colpetty.
After my visit to the Union Bank I had a short walk to my see my cousin Christopher Don Carolis and his wife Priyani who lived nearby.
I took this opportunity to invite my cousin and his wife to join me for dinner at the Steuart Hotel on Friday night.
I walked around the Fort area and was fascinated with the new Colombo Port development, which we visited again when we all stayed at the Kingsbury Hotel that overlooks the development.
Next day I was picked up by Eashan the owner of "World of Travel" the travel agency that arranged our visit in conjunction with Alex Fernando of Travel Glen in Melbourne. I was taken for lunch at a new hotel on the Colpetty sea front and met some of his staff who would be looking after us for the next fortnight.
The next day was spent relaxing in the lounge and talking to fellow travellers who were visiting Sri Lanka.
I also hired a trishaw to visit a jeweller in Colombo.
In the afternoon I was picked up and taken to Negombo to meet the rest of our group.
Start of Group Tour.
My one night at the Jetwing Hotel in Negombo was brief, but it was great to meet the rest of the touring group when they arrived on the Saturday night. A short but pleasant stay.
Our bags were loaded and we were away for our first stop, the Pinnawalla Elephant Orphanage.
Watching the elephants bathing in the river and witnessing their movements within the orphanage was a privilege.
It was next on to Dambulla and the Heritage Hotel, Kandalama (The Palace in the Jungle). This was the highlight of the visit and set the standard for the rest of the hotels that we stayed at.
The location in the forest next to a lake, the building itself and the rooms, service, food, the staff, etc was exceptional. It gets better every time I stay there.
The monkeys would come on to the balconies and the trees surrounding the hotel and it one had to be very careful not to keep the door on to the balcony open for too long.
The day trip to Trincomalee for snorkelling off Pidgeon Island and then lunch at the Nilavelli Resort, where a similar notice was on display telling folk not to feed the monkeys. Another event that was enjoyed by all.
Next morning was an early start before dawn to drive to the Sigiriya Rock Fortress to start the climb before the heat of the day.
Climbing the Sigiriya Rock Fortress next day was enjoyed by all other
than Bronwyn and myself who piked out at the foot of the lions paws. The others climbed to the summit and watched the sun rise. Another
interesting experience.
On the way to Kandy, we stopped at the Ranweli Spice Gardens and were informed all about the various spice plants growing at the property by one of their very knowledgeable staff members, following which each of us were given massages, etc with medications for our various ailments. A most interesting and informative visit.
Kapila was a source of endless information about the places we were driven through.
The Amaya Hills Hotel in Kandy was another eye opener for the group, being situated on the top of the mountain. The bus driver did a marvellous job getting up that narrow road to the hotel and back again into town on more than one occasion. Here again, the rooms, service, food, etc was excellent.
While in Kandy, during the evening the Cultural Show was great to watch.
The next day, we visited the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and walked around Kandy town with a quick lunch break at the Queens Hotel Cafe.
Next day, we caught the train (that was fashionably late two hours) from Kandy to Nanuoya, the scenery during the journey of the tea plantations, etc was great. Here again our guide Kapila came to the fore and negotiated a change in allocated seat to enable the group to be seated in the same carriage.
The
bus then picked us up at the station to take us to Nuwara Eliya.
The prestige ambience of the Grand Hotel was again a different experience for the first time visitors. Chris enjoyed playing snooker and the choice of food available at breakfast and dinner was again exceptional.
The next day Chris and Will played golf and the rest of the group visited the Pedro Tea Factory where we learnt how black tea was made and enjoyed a cuppa.
We were back in town in time to meet Chris and Will at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club for drinks and nibbles.
The first time visitors to Sri Lanka were enthralled to taste the Deviled Caju Nuts with their beer.
The day visit to St Thomas’ College, Gurutalawa was most appreciated by me as it brought back memories of my boarding school days.
We also toured the grounds, the Chapel and Class Rooms and saw the modernisation being carried out to the dormitories and class rooms. In our discussions with the Head Master, he asked me to see whether I could raise funds in Australia to replace the current school desks in use, that I probably sat on 70 years ago.
We also managed to deliver a package of books written by my sister to the Head Master for the College Library.
The next day was "Fathers Day" and once more, the travel agents had arranged for a private celebration in the "Library Bar" of the hotel.
No visit to Nuwara Eliya is complete without a walk around town.
As Holy Trinity Church, Nuwara Eliya is the ancestral church of the Rowlands family in Sri Lanka, a visit to the church and the burial grounds, was mandatory.
The bus journey to Hambantota was along one but thankfully broken with a stop for lunch at Ella and then again at a water fall besides the road broke the long drive.
It was then on to the Udawalawe National Park for an Elephant Safari.
Another great experience to view the wild elephants in their own environment, up close and personal.
It was then on the Shangri-la Golf and Spa Resort in Hambantota, which we reached after dark.
This time it was a three day stay at a resort rather than a hotel, right next to the sea, with rooms overlooking the golf course and the sea.
The views from the rooms as well as the food, service, etc was great. It was our first visit to the Shangrila Golf and Spa Resort and it was a fabulous experience.
Maddie celebrated her 18th Birthday while we were at the resort and at breakfast a small cake was produced at the table with a large cake to follow at that night’s dinner. A birthday with cake and champagne to remember.
Chris and Will played golf on a golf course carved through what used to be a coconut estate by the coast.
Once again we had no complaints about the rooms, the service or any other matter.
A fond farewell and on to our next stop.
The next day it was on to Galle for a couple of nights at the Yara Galle Fort Hotel.
Again, another different experience, as this was a dutch house that had been converted into a boutique hotel. Small but comfortable.
Being in the Galle Fort itself was great as we could walk around the fort on our own to see the shops, churches, etc.
The next day Kapila took use on the walls of the Galle Fort explaining to use its history, etc.
That afternoon we were picked up by the bus and taken to the Light House Hotel that is built on a rocky out crop in the sea. The group was delighted when Eashan, MD World of Travel, Ryan Perera and Hesandi Hettiarachchi met us at the hotel with presents of Shawls for the ladies and Shirts for the gents. We were then given a tour of the hotel with the host explaining it’s unique features and design. A cocktail party had been arranged for us and we had a great time that afternoon.
We were not disappointed. The food and drinks were great. It was then, back to the hotel for a good nights rest.
The next day it was on the Colombo and on the way we stopped at the Tsunami Museum to see the devastation caused by the 2004 tsunami and a Turtle Conservation Hatchery to see the conservation work being done to save the sea turtles of Sri Lanka.
Next, a stop at St Thomas’ College, Mt Lavinia for a quick tour around with a College Prefect assigned to show us around. Again, happy memories of the last College before I left for Australia.
In Colombo we stayed at the Kingsbury Hotel that again was the most convenient to shops, etc.
The next day we were picked up by the bus and given a tour of Colombo, with Kapila giving us a background history of the places we visited.
We also visited Independence Square where the Independence Ceremony was conducted on 4th February 1948.
With our guide Kapila giving us a running commentary at Independence Square at it's importance to the people of the country.
One of the highlights was the visit to the Lotus Tower that is over 250 metres high and from a terrace 245 metres high get fantastic views of the City of Colombo and surrounding areas.
The next day was a free day and Jacqueline, Hayley, Christopher and Maddie went shopping.
I took Will on his first Tuk Tuk ride to the Union Bank and back and later myself, David, Bronwyn and Will caught Tuk Tuks to the Galle Face Hotel for a quick lunch and a drink and walked back to the hotel.
We had farewell drinks at the Sky Lounge and thanked the Manager who looked after us during our visits for before dinner drinks.
Kapila and the bus picked us up at 7.30pm to take us to the airport.
At the
Airport, before we got off the bus, Will thanked Kapila, the bus driver and the
assistant for all their help in making this a memorable tour and presented them
with envelopes of cash, as a thank you.
There was never a dull moment during
the whole tour. We could have seen more but were conscious of not exhausting
ourselves in the heat and humidity. All in all a great time was had by all.
David and
Browyn stayed another night as they were on a Singapore Airlines plane to
Singapore and Cambodia for an extended holiday.
