{"id":15561,"date":"2019-09-19T10:01:31","date_gmt":"2019-09-19T09:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/?p=15561"},"modified":"2024-07-19T11:43:19","modified_gmt":"2024-07-19T10:43:19","slug":"familys-first-trip-to-sri-lanka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/familys-first-trip-to-sri-lanka\/","title":{"rendered":"My family’s first trip to Sri Lanka"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1568879931583{padding-top: 60% !important;background-image: url(https:\/\/www.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Jumping-for-Joy-top-of-Sigiriya-1.jpg?id=15564) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column width=”1\/3″ offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-9 vc_col-lg-3 vc_hidden-md vc_col-sm-offset-4 vc_hidden-sm vc_col-xs-offset-3 vc_col-xs-6 vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1721385716555{padding-top: 24px !important;padding-right: 24px !important;padding-bottom: 24px !important;padding-left: 24px !important;background-color: rgba(0,48,83,0.7) !important;*background-color: rgb(0,48,83) !important;}”]<\/p>\n

A story by Abi Northage<\/span><\/h2>\n

Head of Agent Relations<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” full_height=”yes” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-8 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_single_image image=”15565″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1515682996367{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-right: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;padding-left: 5% !important;}” offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-0 vc_col-lg-4 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Trying the “signature dish”<\/h2>\n

I was counting down the sleeps like a child at Christmas. Despite being at Experience Travel Group (ETG) for a little over a year now, I had not had the opportunity to take my family’s first trip to Sri Lanka – until now!<\/p>\n

With any other company, I\u2019m sure it wouldn\u2019t have mattered \u2013 but at ETG, where we specialise in Sri Lanka<\/a>, I\u2019m constantly surrounded by people singing the island\u2019s praises. I have likened it to working in a Michelin star restaurant without trying their signature dish!<\/p>\n

So, as you can imagine, I had very, very high hopes for my family’s first trip to Sri Lanka. What made the trip even more special for me was that I would be sharing it with my husband and three youngest children, aged 11, 13 & 15, who have been fortunate enough to travel a fair bit, but really had very little experience of Asia. We were all going into it with fresh eyes, and a lot of excitement.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1515676545726{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1515676642847{margin-top: -35px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”15572″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1568882298454{margin-top: 35px !important;margin-bottom: -35px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”8\/12″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1569416983578{padding-right: 10% !important;padding-bottom: 10% !important;padding-left: 10% !important;}”]<\/p>\n

From the off, Sri Lanka seemed just as wonderful as my colleagues had promised. We were met at the airport by Saman, our friendly, sunny and ever-smiling guide, who scooped us up, into the car (and the welcome a\/c) and onto the hotel. Out of the window, we marvelled at the bustling towns – a riot of people, animals and tropical flora and fauna. My children were particularly stunned by a family of five travelling on a single moped, whilst navigating the somewhat unorthodox highway codes and dodging the roaming cows and dogs!<\/p>\n

We arrived at an oasis of calm and tranquillity, as if someone had pressed pause on all that had been going on around us. The Notary\u2019s House is true hidden gem, and just an hour from the airport (as a family, we try to keep drive times as short as possible as my youngest suffers with travel sickness, which ETG made a priority when planning my trip). Already we could feel the stress of our day to day lives slipping away.<\/p>\n

Thrilled as I was to be here, I had seen the pictures and knew that the Notary\u2019s House would be lovely. The real surprise was just how warm and generous the people we met were. Amil, the manager of the hotel, took us himself to a local temple for an evening Poya festival, and we were quite taken aback by the welcome. People shared their floral offerings with us and encouraged us to take part in candle lighting. At no point did we feel we were intruding. Quite the opposite: we were made to feel a part of what was going on.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1515676545726{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1515676642847{margin-top: -35px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”15569″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1568882308518{margin-top: 35px !important;margin-bottom: -35px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” full_height=”yes” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-8 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_single_image image=”15573″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1568882678634{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-right: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;padding-left: 5% !important;}” offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-0 vc_col-lg-4 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]Our next stop was The Mudhouse in Anamaduwa, somewhere I was beyond excited to be visiting. As with Notary\u2019s, I had an idea of what The Mudhouse would look like \u2013 traditional mud huts with thatched roofs, set over 100 acres of rural land. But I had no idea what it would really feel like to be there.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m struggling to find the right way to convey how The Mulhouse makes you feel. There is no electricity and no Wi-Fi, so you are really switched off and back to nature, but it\u2019s much more than that too. It\u2019s the nature trails, with a multitude of birdlife; it\u2019s the acres of organic farmland, which are used to create the most delicious food. It\u2019s the ethos of sustainability and respect for the community. It\u2019s the fact that when we climbed to a nearby temple, our guide surprised us with a kite \u2013 a gift for the children \u2013 which they flew from the top over the magnificent views.<\/p>\n

On our final day here, as I stood at the rustic afternoon tea pagoda looking out over the lake, an eagle circling above and a stillness in the air, I felt that The Mudhouse not only feeds your mind and body, its feeds your soul, with all that it is and all that it achieves for everyone that visits it and works there. In short, I LOVED it – can you tell?![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1515676545726{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1515676642847{margin-top: -35px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”15571″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1568882281852{margin-top: 35px !important;margin-bottom: -35px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”8\/12″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1569417014864{padding-right: 10% !important;padding-left: 10% !important;}”]<\/p>\n

An unexpected turn…<\/span><\/h2>\n

Then came my first negative surprise of the trip. Of course, you know in theory that Sri Lanka is a tropical country, and that monsoon-level rains can happen at any time \u2013 but you don\u2019t really expect it to happen on your holiday! As it bucketed down on our journey to Kandy, I couldn\u2019t help but feel a little bit disappointed. But little did I know that some of my favourite moments of the trip were yet to come \u2013 despite the rain, and sometimes because of it![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” full_height=”yes” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-8 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_single_image image=”15566″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1568882667323{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-right: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;padding-left: 5% !important;}” offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-0 vc_col-lg-4 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]For example – I have long been a fan of the Jungle Book (the original, of course), and on arrival at Ellerton, our fabulous hotel in Kandy, I felt like I had stepped right into it: glorious exotic plants and lush green landscapes \u2013 which, surprisingly, against the backdrop of the tropical rain, were all the more beautiful. So on our first day, the boys and I challenged ourselves to a bit of an adventure climb, known for its views. But when we reached the top, it felt more like Ben Nevis – the wind was gale force, the rain was horizontal, and the view was sadly non-existent due to the thick fog! We couldn\u2019t help but laugh \u2013 and the image of our lovely guide walking down the hill, with his multi coloured golfing umbrella, that had blown inside out too many times to stay up, wrapped around his head, will cause us to fondly chuckle for many a year (I only wish I had taken a photo)! But all was not lost, that evening our British stoicism was reward by our lovely hosts at Ellerton, when after dinner a movie under the stars had been set up for us, playing none other than\u2026 The Jungle Book![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1515676545726{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_column parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1515676642847{margin-top: -35px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”15567″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1568882320671{margin-top: 35px !important;margin-bottom: -35px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” full_height=”yes” equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” parallax=”content-moving”][vc_column offset=”vc_col-lg-8 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_single_image image=”15570″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1568882659115{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-right: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;padding-left: 5% !important;}” offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-0 vc_col-lg-4 vc_col-xs-12″][vc_column_text]Another example was our visit to a local tea plantation. Despite the rain, the tea-pickers were soldiering on, some in bare feet, telling us that they were going to get wet anyway! We were the only tourists there, we really felt privileged to be able to get a glimpse into their world, which was enhanced by an unscheduled stop at the tea pickers houses on the way home. It was an eye-opening experience.<\/p>\n

The following day, it was time to move on to our final stop, some well-deserved R&R at the beach! However, the weather didn\u2019t favour us for our whole beach stay. Again, we embraced it and decided to take a local train down to Galle for the day. We thoroughly enjoyed weaving our way through Galle Fort, browsing in the shops, grabbing a bite to eat and enjoying some rather delicious ice cream. However, it was the train journeys that I enjoyed the most. It was hot and overcrowded but packed with all walks of life, and we felt immersed in the local community – and all for the price of \u00a31.75 for a family of 5. What\u2019s not to love?![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”middle” parallax=”content-moving” parallax_speed_bg=”1.2″ css=”.vc_custom_1515683379061{margin-top: -35px !important;background-position: center;background-repeat: no-repeat;background-size:cover !important;}”][vc_column parallax=”content-moving”][vc_single_image image=”15577″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1568882329025{margin-top: 35px !important;margin-bottom: -35px !important;}”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”8\/12″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1602066657441{padding-right: 10% !important;padding-left: 10% !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Overall…<\/span><\/h2>\n

So, did my family’s first trip to Sri Lanka live up to my expectations? I think you can guess my answer: absolutely! Before going, I understood that the country had amazing things to offer \u201con paper\u201d \u2013 wildlife, scenery, beaches and more \u2013 but experiencing these things in person felt even more magical than I could have imagined. Even when the weather meant that days didn\u2019t go quite as planned, we were still able to make memories that will last a lifetime.<\/p>\n

Did we at any point feel in anyway unsafe after recent events, not at all. Would I hesitate in recommending it to friends, family and clients? I would send them in a heartbeat, with utmost confidence that they will have the most amazing time.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1610469424626{padding-right: 10% !important;padding-left: 10% !important;}”]<\/p>\n

Curious about your family’s first trip to Sri Lanka?<\/h2>\n

Don’t hesitate to give the family travel experts at ETG a call on 020 7924 7133<\/span>\r\n \t or click here to start your journey<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You’re welcome to visit our website to find out more about our approach to family travel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/12″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”bottom” parallax=”content-moving” css=”.vc_custom_1589877678530{background-image: url(https:\/\/www.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Laos-Bolaven-Plateau-2019-0003-Reduced-Size.jpg?id=16277) !important;}”][vc_column width=”5\/6″ offset=”vc_col-lg-offset-3 vc_col-lg-6 vc_hidden-md vc_col-sm-offset-1 vc_hidden-sm vc_col-xs-offset-1 vc_col-xs-10 vc_hidden-xs”][vc_single_image image=”11636″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=”.vc_custom_1589877886125{padding-top: 10% !important;padding-right: 25% !important;padding-bottom: 10% !important;padding-left: 25% !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1589877872335{margin-top: -15px !important;margin-right: -15px !important;margin-bottom: -15px !important;margin-left: -15px !important;padding-top: 48px !important;padding-right: 48px !important;padding-bottom: 48px !important;padding-left: 48px !important;background-color: #003053 !important;}”]<\/p>\n

YOUR TRAVEL STORY<\/span><\/h2>\n

After every great adventure, there is the story. There are the stories you tell at dinner parties, the happy accidents that always get a good laugh; there are the \u2018had-to-be-there\u2019 tales, the ones that you recall fondly with your family or travel partner. Then, too, there are those personal moments \u2013 the wonder at the beauty, the shock of the new, a fleeting exchange with someone you meet along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

We like to think that all Experience Travel Group (ETG) travellers are united by these stories. Wherever you choose to go and whatever you like to do, our holidays are designed to facilitate those magical moments that become memories. And, by getting to know each traveller, we hope that we can reveal the side of the destination that will resonate most deeply with you.<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019d like to invite each and every one of you in our community to share your favourite travel stories. No matter if it\u2019s big or small, any holiday, experience or encounter that reminded you why you love travel is worth telling. Get in touch by emailing <\/span>matt@experiencetravelgroup.com<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For now, though, here is one such tale. Remember: the holiday itself is always, always over too soon. It\u2019s the stories that live on.<\/span><\/p>\n

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FREE YOUR CURIOUS SIDE WITH\u00a0<\/strong>EXPERIENCE TRAVEL GROUP<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#003053″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1573221373295{background-color: #faeee7 !important;}”][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1573227539203{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-right: 20% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;padding-left: 20% !important;}” offset=”vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][vc_single_image image=”12235″ img_size=”150×150″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″ offset=”vc_hidden-md vc_hidden-sm vc_hidden-xs”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

020 7924 7133<\/span>\r\n \t<\/h5>\n
hello@experiencetravelgroup.com<\/a><\/h5>\n

www.experiencetravelgroup.com<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n

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FREE YOUR CURIOUS SIDE WITH\u00a0<\/strong>EXPERIENCE TRAVEL GROUP<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n

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020 7924 7133<\/span>\r\n \t<\/h5>\n
hello@experiencetravelgroup.com<\/a><\/h5>\n
www.experiencetravelgroup.com<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n

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Abi had high hopes for her first trip to Sri Lanka with her family in tow. But how did her expectations compare to the reality of being there?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":67,"featured_media":15564,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[603,15,1314],"tags":[1350],"coauthors":[1316],"class_list":["post-15561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-travel","category-sri-lanka","category-your-travel-story","tag-travel-community"],"aioseo_notices":[],"views":4052,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15561"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15561\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15561"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.experiencetravelgroup.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=15561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}