We've just returned from a six day trip round the tourist sights of Sri Lanka, but despite my natural antipathy to such an exercise, we had a fabulous time. Sri Lanka is a gorgeous country with some extraordinary things to see and and experience.

We hired an air-conditioned 10 seater mini-bus with driver and guide for 3000 rupees a day (GBP25 per day) and nine of us set off - Kiko, Mie, Tony, Rhian and Paul from Hygeia, Mia and Jofric from Mazy, and Craig and Myles from Yang Shou.

Day 1
Anti-clockwise round the beautiful south coast of Sri Lanka, and then headed north across the coastal plain towards the wonderful central Highlands. We spent the first night in a lovely guest house high in the hills in a place called Ella with an unbelievable view through a gap in the mountains, and across the plains towards the sea. The guest house simple but spotlessly clean, with en-suite facilities and morning tea (broken orange pekoe - we're now great experts in tea) all for the princely sum of 800 rupees per room (5 quid!)

Day 2
Caught the train from Ella to Nuwara Eliya (while the bus took all our luggage to the next hotel). Not just any train, but the system built by the Brits over 100 years ago, and hardly touched since then apart from a new diesel locomotive about 50 years ago Amazingly antiquated. The route went through breath-taking scenery through the mountains, every square inch of ground covered with tea plants. Tea is BIG up here. ie the entire economy is devoted to it. And of course to Mie's intense irritation I spent much of the trip hanging on to the outside of the train (like hundreds of others) taking video of her (sitting in a seat reserved for clergy according to the notice) through the window.

Arrived in Nuwara Eliya after lunch, and booked into the Hill Club, a copy of an English gentleman's club plonked down in the hills of Sri Lanka. Deep leather armchairs, roaring fire, hunting and fishing prints on the walls, not to mention stuffed animal heads everywhere. What would my daughter think! We even had to borrow long-sleeved shirts, ties and jackets so we could be properly dressed.

Then after lunch off to the golf club. 110 years old, and a perfect copy of a Surrey Golf Club in every way. Again we had to hire/borrow shirts, socks, shoes etc. My first game of golf for 10 years when I had no pain in my left thumb. What a delight, and some of the shots even went straight.

Dinner was roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, served by beautifully dressed punkah wallahs with turbans, flowing robes and immacculate white gloves, but no shoes!
Freshly filled hot water bottles were, of course, supplied to all rooms without asking (it's cold up in the hills).

Day 3
A wonderful drive through the hill country to Kandy, stopping at a tea plantation and factory.

As we hairpinned down a very long and steep mountainside we were continually being accosted by 10 year old boys trying to sell large bunches of flowers. It was only after we had seen about six of these kids that we realised it was the same poor little bloke desperately trying to sell us something, and then sprinting straight down the steep mountainside and meeting us again at the next level. After about 7 such meetings he was completely knackered and we had to give him something for his efforts! Another lovely guest house in Kandy, but rather more expensive - about 9 quid for the room including cooked breakfast for 2!

Day 4
Up to a place called Sigariya, via a few temples. Some of these, especially the one at Bandulla are amazing though by the end of the trip we were pretty much templed out.
Sigiriya is unbelievable: a palace built on the top of a crag that rises about 200 metres up sheer from the floor of the plain. Quite a scary climb up extremely suspect walkways and stairs, but worth it for the view.

Day 5
Heading south again and had lunch at an elephant orphanage - sounds distincly schmaltzy, but in fact it's a sanctuary for over 70 elephants, and it was wonderful walking amonst them (the more docile ones) and seeing the whole herd go for a swim in the river. One of the elephants had lost a leg in a land-mine explosion, and a specialist was coming from Switzerland the next day to fit a prosthesis. Better than the NHS back home.

Day 6
A leisurely drive back to the boat. Despite my endless anxieties, Hygeia was in good shape and pleased to see us. So it's back to life on board.

The endless nocturnal explosions are getting us down. Sometimes they drop the gelignite very near the hull, and the noise is unbelievable, almost lifting us out of the water. I spoke to one of the naval ratings who quietly row the boat around the harbour at night- I could see the big cardboard carton full of sticks of jelly, and I was a bit unimpressed by the cigarette he was casually smoking only feet away from it! He offered to swap me a stick for some perfume, but I couldn't put my hands on any at short notice (to Mie's great relief).

We now have a few days getting Hygeia ready for sea again, and will set off in 5 days.

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