The getaway of a decade

My wife Sarah gave me the December issue of Getaway, plus a 12-month subscription, for Christmas in 2016. One of the first articles I read was your description of a trip to Sri Lanka, which I found intriguing, and caused me to immediately start working on a getaway of our own. As my birthday with an ‘0’ at the end was approaching in 2017, Sarah and I planned a celebratory get-together in Sri Lanka with our two sons, who live in Hong Kong and the UK, and their families (including two-year-old twins and a one-year-old, with another one on the way). The plan came together in December 2017, when we all arrived at a villa near Galle for a week’s holiday. Prior to Galle, Sarah and I, together with the parentsin-law of one son (seasoned travelling companions through Southern Africa), undertook a trip through the ‘Cultural Triangle’, then on to Kandy and the tea estates, including a fantastic if unsophisticated train ride from Kandy to Ella, and then on to Galle. Being quite interested in birds, I was struck by the similarities and differences to Southern African versions. I bought a basic bird guide in Kandy and by the end of our visit, we had identified some 65 species. The week at the villa was unforgettable and included many tuk-tuk rides into Galle and to other local destinations, and quality time with our grandchildren who are growing up in distant countries. Thank you for igniting the spark that got us to that fantastic destination. We loved the country and the people. I am now scanning your magazine and planning a trip to celebrate another completed decade. – Steve de Kock, Simon’s Town