What an amazing thrill to receive a phone call from "Dilmah Tea" on the eve of a significant birthday, informing me that I had won a “Luxury Trip for Two to Sri Lanka”. My love of Dilmah English Breakfast Tea was about to take my husband and I cross the ocean to a country we did not know very much about. What an exciting prospect. We were grateful to Singapore Airlines for their wonderful care flying us from Christchurch to Sri Lanka and home again. To be greeted at the Hilton Colombo with my personalised gifts of Dilmah Tea from their local Dilmah staff made our arrival a special one.
We couldn’t help ourselves by making the most of a day spent in Sri Lanka’s capital city, Colombo. We jumped into a tuktuk and a charming local driver gave us a whirlwind tour of his city, weaving in and out of the traffic as he went.
The next morning, bright and early, our chauffeur was waiting for us in the lobby to take us to the first of the two Resplendent Hotels that our Dilmah Prize had in store for us. We travelled South to the incredible Wild Coast Tented Lodge, stopping off to view a beautiful Buddha on the way. On our arrival around 2 0’clock the staff were keen for us to drop our bags at our room and head straight to the breathtaking open-air dining area for a late lunch. We were made to feel like their only guests and were at times overwhelmed with the staff’s attentiveness and genuine desire to make our experience never to be forgotten. When we did get to our luxurious tent, we were like a couple of kids in a candy store checking out all the charming décor and facilities.
The Wild Coast Tented Lodge is on the edge of the Yala National Park, and an early start the next morning gave us the rewards of a leopard drinking at a stream basked in sunshine. A late afternoon safari also reaped the rewards of seeing a playful sloth bear intoxicated by eating fermenting berries slide down a tree trunk. There were many other wonderful animal sightings, making a pretty amazing day.
The next morning our chauffeur was waiting for us once again and transported us high up into the tea country of Sri Lanka, passing through many towns where locals go about their day, frequenting the shops and service areas that you are so close to that you feel part of their lives. All available rural land is utilised by growing crops of vegetables, and you pass through vast expanses of paddy fields tended traditionally.
The highlight for us was being in the tea country with tea plantations covering steep hill sides that went on as far as the eye could see. To see the tea pickers hand-pick the tea to make our daily brew was a real privilege.
On our arrival at the Dunkeld Bungalow, which is part of the Resplendent Ceylon Tea Trails, the staff greeted us with fresh flannels and a cold drink, which was very much appreciated after our adventurous but long car journey. Our room was charming, and we once again were made to feel incredibly special and experienced amazing culinary delights. The weather was beautiful, and we loved our early morning and late afternoon swims in the infinity pool. We were very sad to say goodbye to this restful oasis and the staff that made our stay extra special.
Having come so far from New Zealand, we took the opportunity to stay a further 18 days in Sri Lanka, immersing ourselves in the religious and cultural aspects of this amazing country. We visited more National Parks and couldn’t go home without spending some beach time.
Thank you Dilmah, Resplendent and Singapore Airlines for a trip of a lifetime.
Leonie & Gregory Hill
New Zealand
