From the time you arrive at Bandaranaike Airport, you are in another world, the drive to Colombo, the largest city, begins to reform the senses, a maze of traffic, cars, buses, tuk-tuks, overloaded handcarts, with honking horns. The incredible thing is that it flows at all, but work it does, an education for our traffic management engineers.

The visit to Sri Lanka, was to take part in the Sri Lankan Airlines Golf Classic, held at the picturesque Victoria Golf & Country Resort at Kandy, about four hours drive from Colombo.

The overnight stay at the Hilton in Colombo provided an added sporting bonus, the chance to attend the One Day International cricket, at the Premadasa Stadium, and witness an England win into the bargain. A marvellous atmosphere under the floodlights, with the competing local bands providing the background music, and the ride back to the hotel in a tuk-tuk, rounded off the evening.

The drive to Kandy provided the chance to visit the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala, one of the highlights of the visit, eighty magnificent animals, given a permanent home, with ample space, and a nearby river. They are animals that have either been injured or rejected by the herd, so that their chances of survival would be slim without this facility. A superb bull elephant that had been blinded by poachers trying to obtain his tusks, and many rejected babies, have been saved by the orphanage.

Kandy is another bustling community, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but with excellent hotels and many places to attract the tourist or visitor. Colourful bazaars, the market, and by contrast an array of elegant shops to keep the ladies happy. The Buddhist Temple of the Tooth, the Spice & Herb Garden, Botanical Gardens, and of course the wonderful game reserves that are not too far away. The Earl Regency Hotel was our base for the golf tournament, it was everything that you could wish for, and all served with a broad smile. This is an island where you cannot help but feel welcome.

Two days of golf followed the drive to Kandy, on a superb golf course, an opportunity to play with golfers from over twenty countries, my partners over the two days came from Austria, Germany, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The course was in superb condition, and a tough test for all the competitors. The views over the Lake Victoria from the elevated fourth tee were spectacular, just time to spend a moment to absorb the view, before a tee shot to a tantalising short par three. It is hard not to be distracted by the array of wildlife, brightly coloured birds, groups of monkeys chattering in the trees, with derisive screeches that seemed timely and appropriate for the wayward drive. Although the course is only ten years old, it has matured well, and with changes in elevation, water hazards, and narrow treelined fairways, the setting in the lee of the hillside, all combine to make it a golfing experience, rather than a round of golf.

After gala celebrations and prizegiving at the Mahaweli Reach Hotel, it was off to the hills, to Nuwara Eliya. This town is called little England for soon to see obvious reasons. It is at the heart of the tea plantations, with names such as Devon, Somerset and Edinburgh Estates. It is home to the race course, and the golf club, and the post office at the centre of town looks strangely European in this very asian setting.

Our hotel was a delight, The St Andrews Hotel, it was as if we had been transported back to the 1930?s, a very English greeting with tea in the lounge, a restaurant called the Old Course, a snooker room, and the course on the doorstep.

Nuwara Eliya Golf Club matches the hotel perfectly, a colonial style clubhouse, that could be in rural England, the bar, lounges and Secretary's office would not be out of place. The only difference would be the uniformed caddy masters, and his army of caddies, waiting for the bag as soon as you arrive.

The club was established by officers of The Highland Regiment in 1889, who were garrisoned there, and it is a fabulous course, a contrast of treelined parkland, with three holes, the 12th, 13th and 14th which climb into the hills, and are aptly named 'Switzerland'. Two monster par 4?s either side of as tough a par 3 as can be played, before the return to the tight finishing stretch in the trees. It rained when we played, but it was no detraction whatsoever, in fact a bonus, as it compelled me to rise early the following morning to walk the course to take the photographs, a real delight with the solitude and the variety of wildlife to see and experience.

The drive back to Colombo was through the mountains, offered spectacular scenery, some sections a little hair raising, waterfalls, white water rafting, bustling towns and finally arrival at Royal Colombo Golf Club for the last round of golf. Golf had been played in various parts of the island in earlier times, close to the military and plantation roads, but it became formalised in Colombo.

Royal Colombo was established in 1889, and awarded Royal status by King George V in 1928. It is close to the city, a fairly level parkland course that has water hazards, seven lakes of varying sizes which are populated by giant carp, compelled to play over. It is made a little more testing by narrow fairways, which are treelined on the back nine, and at 6303 yards par 71, the long par fours have to be made to achieve a good score. A good short game is desirable here, with greens certain to be missed, there is an added difference with the single track railway line running though the course, and which is crossed to pay holes three to six. At rush hour it is fascinating to see the crowded trains chugging alongside the fairways, with waving people hanging out of the doors and windows.

As with everywhere on the island, the birds and wildlife are wonderful, and as dusk falls, the enormous fruit bats with four feet wing span fly lazily over the course to their roosting places. The round was made the more enjoyable by having a first class caddie, a single figure golfer who was able to club me perfectly after just one hole, and whose reading of the greens, without seemingly looking, was highly rewarding and yielding very welcome birdies for the card.

The colonial style clubhouse which was built in 1905, it perfectly suits the environment, the classic golf club, with an excellent choice of dining. The buffet luncheon was a real treat, and the service excellent. Another golfing experience to add to the other courses enjoyed over the week.

Sri Lanka may not seen the obvious location for a golfing holiday, but if you like tradition, if you like quality and variety on the golf courses, and are also appreciative of the scenery and wildlife, this island is without parallel in my experience.

You will see and hear things that are not available anywhere else on the planet, simple pleasures that add to the visit.

A stop at a roadside stall to buy and eat fresh pineapple seasoned with chilli powder, or cashew nuts, and a visit to the spice gardens, with a massage to boot.

Every corner has a new sighting, and the camera never stopped clicking, my only wish is that there was enough space to display them all.

In the words of Arnold Schwartzenegger, 'I will be back'

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