Max's Blog

Like most people, we come to Sri Lanka for the Nature. We come for the warm Indian Ocean water, and for its turtles, whales, dolphins and its bounty of fish; we come for the gentle breezes that bring the smell of the sea; we come for the emerald palm groves and wild jungles; we come for exotic wildlife and birdlife of its parks and open spaces. Nature is our friend. Most of the time. But Nature can be abusive and downright mean. I’m not talking about the deadly earthquakes of

The weather can’t be nice everywhere, can it? The glorious summer months in northern Europe and America are the worst times to be in our corner of Sri Lanka. While Europeans bask in their long-awaited sunshine, much of our island, particularly the western coast, is usually lashed by powerful winds and heavy rains. This year was especially brutal, with downpours causing flooding, mudslides and devastation, particularly in the central mountains. Thankfully, our boutique hotel w

If I had to do it all over again, maybe I’d be a farmer. Don’t get me wrong. I had a wonderful career as a foreign correspondent. It took me to places I couldn’t imagine otherwise going. It kept me excited and engaged day-to-day. It satisfied creative impulses. It gave me, as they say, a front-row seat to history. And yet … There’s something about planting a seed or a sapling, tending it and watching it grow. Or, if you have the time, a tree. These thoughts ramble across my b