British Airway's inaugural flight to Colombo

British journalists savour Sri Lanka's diversity

By Neville de Silva

It did not take long for a group of British journalists on British Airway's inaugural flight last month to savour the multiplicity of 'flavours' that Sri Lanka has to offer the discerning traveller.

From the moment the first BA flight to Colombo after 15 years was gently parked at the air bay by London-born but essentially Sri Lanka Kiran Mediwake, to the flight out of the Bandaranaike International airport four days later, the journalists from prominent British news media were treated to a brief yet kaleidoscopic view of Sri Lanka.

I had the pleasure of travelling with this group of journalists which gave me the opportunity as a journalist myself of joining the tribe once again and enjoying the company of a cross- section of writers and talk to them of cabbages and kings, as the poet said

Their professional and personal interests might have been different-some loved the coastal areas of Sri Lanka with those beautiful beaches and others the picturesque Sigiriya with its fascinatingly absorbing history and still others Sri Lanka's people, its diverse food and inebriating brew.

But ultimately they were all agreed that the country's easy, laid back style as they perceived it, and contrasted so much with life in their own country provided the ideal backdrop and environment for tourists looking for relaxation along with comforts.

From the country's historic last capital, Kandy, where the journalists were treated to genuine hospitality at the Mahaweli Reach Hotel, through Sigiriya and Galle where they were provided with southern hospitality at "The Fortress" it was a snapshot- tour that threw in culture, history, culinary delights to tickle journalistic taste buds and Sri Lankan hospitality.

The fact that the tour coincided with the Sinhala and Tamil new year and the traditional festivities were on view provided added colour to a hectic four-day journey.

British Airway's Chief Executive Keith Williams perhaps summed it up best when he and his wife Lynn decided to stay back for an extra couple of days calling it "fantastic". Much of the credit should go BA's local agent Hayleys Tours that was responsible for the arrangements on the ground and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau.

As for the journalists they were unambiguously ecstatic. And they would tell their readers so, for sure.