If you’re going to come to Sri Lanka, you should head into its mountainous heart and try a thrill-seeking adventure holiday – and/or tea. A very long and winding 4 hour drive later we found ourselves in the rainforest in an old tea plantation. There couldn’t be a greater contrast between Sigiryia and Kitulgala: It is cold, raining, lushly green and we’re staying at a hotel run by Basil Fawlty. Question: Why display bottles of alcohol in the bar if you’re not allowed to serve them? Tantalus was tempted less. They did offer me a glass from a flagon of red wine but my cheap wine drinking days were over circa 1984 and the less said about those days the better 🙂

But we were staying here for a reason: to go white water rafting at Borderlands which was about a 30 minute drive away. The constant rain had the effect of making the rapids far more exciting than they would ordinarily have been and if it weren’t for our excellent safety briefing beforehand I’m sure we would have fallen out during one of the class III rapids we navigated. Our dreadlocked Austrian guide had us paddle high-fiving after every success and has agreed to be my porter on my Inca Trail trek next year if he can procure a donkey.

It was back to Forest Edge for one last night before we leave for Safari but, not willing to spend another night in this place sans alcohol, I bought a bottle from Borderlands to take back with us. It probably comes as no surprise that wine sourced from a backpackers was not very good, but it served its purpose. Also helped to get us through the evening when the electricity went out in our room. Mr Fawlty attacked the fuse box with a screwdriver and stuffed newspaper in to restore light while I mentally revised my first aid procedures. I will say this though: While the service left a lot to be desired, the food was excellent (just don’t order off the menu!).