A few months ago, some friends went across to Sri Lanka for three weeks. On their return, when asked how it was, they had 'that' look in their eyes.
You know the one; you've probably had it yourself: partly dreamy, partly sad, partly frustrated at how it's just too hard to describe what sort of perspective-changing trip you've just come back from.
I did what we all do – nodded, said how it 'sounds lovely' and got on with my life. But I was reminded of that look this week when a video arrived in my inbox from Sri Lanka's tourist board, who have channelled their inner David Attenborough's to make a film which shows off this beautiful island's natural wonders.
Spectacular. Consider Sri Lanka added to the bucket list.
Perfect island getaways in the Maldives, Madagascar and St Lucia
British weather couldn't be drearier than it is right now, so here are three of our favourite island hotels around
Credit: Joali
Joali, Maldives: An immersive art hotel founded in the name of peaceful wellness and quiet decadence
The latest addition to the Raa Atoll, Joali is the perfect spot for those looking to sit back and recharge
-
How many puppies in the average litter? Country Life Quiz of the DayPlus a 1960s house, Hollywood's most famous cavewoman and more in Friday's quiz.
-
Love, sex and death: Our near-universal obsession with the roseNo flower is more entwined with myth, religion, politics and the human form than the humble rose — and now there's a new coffee table book celebrating them in all of their glory.
-
Bucket List dreams for life after lockdown, from the dazzling plains of Antarctica to a treehouse in BotswanaCountry Life's Travel Editor Rosie Paterson speaks to adventurers, artists and those who've spent their whole careers obsessing over seeing the world about the places they want to visit when travel restrictions lift and the world gets back to normal.
-
Armchair travel: Tour Yosemite, go to the zoo and visit museums, all from your homeIt may not be possible to leave your house or cross borders, but you can still plan what you'll do when business-as-usual starts again.
-
Bucket List inspiration: Nine incredible, immersive spas from all around the worldNo matter who you are or where you're from, everyone loves a spa trip.
-
A fresh perspective on Ibiza: An island of quiet charm, a thin split from the party capital of the worldMark Hedges explores Isla Sa Ferradura, a Garden of Eden just a short distance from one of the world's most infamous destinations.
-
Country Life's best travel stories of 2019: Skiing in Gstaad, a steam train in Dartmouth and 72 hours in New YorkWe take a look back on our travel highlights of the last year, from alpine retreats to city escapes.
-
Suvretta House, St Moritz: The birthplace of winter sports, with pre-warmed boots and excellent pistesDamien Gabet visits a city with a chequered history.
-
Gstaad, Switzerland: ‘The last paradise in a crazy world’, a fairytale still untouched with pistes aplentyRosie Paterson travels to Gstaad–once described by Julie Andrews as ‘the last paradise in a crazy world’– to find out what lies behind the jet-set façade.
-
Port Fairy, Australia: The former whaling town with more bite than its name suggests, on Australia’s Great Ocean RoadCruising down Australia’s Great Ocean Road, Matthew Dennison discovers a former whaling town well worth visiting.
