Picture the scene. The sound of the Indian Ocean lapping against the shore, Galle’s picturesque Dutch Fort in the distance and England captain Joe Root striking a beautiful cover drive for four to bring up his century.
The crowd, basking in warm sunshine, stand to acknowledge the impressive knock which has England firmly on the front foot and on course for victory in the first Test against Sri Lanka.
A few moments later, your dedicated drinks server appears with a fresh cool drink, enabling you to continue to watch the cricket without ever missing a ball.
Lunch is an exquisite banquet, served in a local hotel with like-minded fans and travellers.
But it is also after the ‘close of play’ where Experience also leads the way, given this anecdote from Sam.
“We have guy who works for us out in Sri Lanka called Henry – he’s the one making sure our clients are alright (and even occasionally topping up drinks!).
“Not every group of fans has a ‘Henry’ which does lead to some playful banter. Last time we were out there in 2018 there were attempts to lure Henry but there was no way the Experience party were going to let him slip from their grasp!
“The secret ingredient of our trip is we’re not trying to compete with major sports tour operators.
“Our tours are for cricket fans who also love travel and are curious to discover more about Sri Lanka. We organise social events, including evening drinks, and we find that our guests have so much in common, not just because they are cricket fans, but because they are keen travellers who have experienced parts of the world and want to listen to each other’s stories.”
Experience Travel Group, which has an unrivalled knowledge of the island and the best contacts, has reserved rooms at some of the best boutique hotels in Galle and Colombo for would-be travellers.
Flights to Sri Lanka from the UK, visas, personalised trips, accommodation and chauffeur-driven travel on the island will be arranged by Experience Travel Group to make this the best and most relaxed holiday of your lifetime.
Tailor-made trips start from £3,000.
For more information visit www.experiencetravelgroup.com or call 0203 993 9730
